Media Room Speaker Layout

B

bjaurelio

Audiophyte
We're building a new home with a media room. The original layout from the builder had the TV on the left wall by the door. Obviously, that's not an ideal layout. After pleading, the builder is now letting me move the TV to the other wall. Currently, I have a 5.1 with 4 atmos speakers ready to build. I already designed them and did a test box. It was right around that time we decided to move since the suburb we are in is going downhill quickly due to corruption with the school board and city council.

As you can see on my layout, the door location means I will need to upgrade the wiring to support 7.2.4. My front speakers are Jeff Bagby's Continuums and surrounds are Def Tech SM350s. Subwoofer is an inuke powered 15" Ultimax. I'll easily be able to support a second sub, which is the speaker wire run in the back corner. My long term plan is to build new floorstanding front speakers and move 2 of those to surround duty, discarding the box with leakage due to ipe cupping. If I can find another of the discontinued tweeters, I'll make a new pair of boxes for the side surrounds as well. I also may just make something different to support the unique mounting of the side speakers.

Front speakers and atmos will be 28" from the side walls (4" shy of second stud for mounting with silicone washers to isolate speaker box from stud) with the front speakers pulled out about 18-20" from the front wall. Side speakers will have to be mounted on the wall about 6' high. I will place those with the tweeter down to compensate for the height. Rear speakers could be either mounted on the wall like the side speakers or placed on stands next to the bar (to be built after move-in) 18" from the rear wall to match the bar depth.

The room will mostly be used by just my wife and I until our boys (3, 3, and 2) are big enough for family movie nights. When the back row is in use, we will probably swap the furniture and place the couch on bed risers (it's worked before in an apartment for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon). Longer term plan will be to get new seating and build a step up for the back of the room. I already have several years worth of projects before getting that far.

Questions are should I go with stand or wall mounted rear speakers? Is the placement of the speakers appropriate for two rows of seating as currently laid out? Any advice you can provide on the pre-wiring would be greatly appreciated.
 

Attachments

TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
We're building a new home with a media room. The original layout from the builder had the TV on the left wall by the door. Obviously, that's not an ideal layout. After pleading, the builder is now letting me move the TV to the other wall. Currently, I have a 5.1 with 4 atmos speakers ready to build. I already designed them and did a test box. It was right around that time we decided to move since the suburb we are in is going downhill quickly due to corruption with the school board and city council.

As you can see on my layout, the door location means I will need to upgrade the wiring to support 7.2.4. My front speakers are Jeff Bagby's Continuums and surrounds are Def Tech SM350s. Subwoofer is an inuke powered 15" Ultimax. I'll easily be able to support a second sub, which is the speaker wire run in the back corner. My long term plan is to build new floorstanding front speakers and move 2 of those to surround duty, discarding the box with leakage due to ipe cupping. If I can find another of the discontinued tweeters, I'll make a new pair of boxes for the side surrounds as well. I also may just make something different to support the unique mounting of the side speakers.

Front speakers and atmos will be 28" from the side walls (4" shy of second stud for mounting with silicone washers to isolate speaker box from stud) with the front speakers pulled out about 18-20" from the front wall. Side speakers will have to be mounted on the wall about 6' high. I will place those with the tweeter down to compensate for the height. Rear speakers could be either mounted on the wall like the side speakers or placed on stands next to the bar (to be built after move-in) 18" from the rear wall to match the bar depth.

The room will mostly be used by just my wife and I until our boys (3, 3, and 2) are big enough for family movie nights. When the back row is in use, we will probably swap the furniture and place the couch on bed risers (it's worked before in an apartment for a Lord of the Rings movie marathon). Longer term plan will be to get new seating and build a step up for the back of the room. I already have several years worth of projects before getting that far.

Questions are should I go with stand or wall mounted rear speakers? Is the placement of the speakers appropriate for two rows of seating as currently laid out? Any advice you can provide on the pre-wiring would be greatly appreciated.
Your speaker layout I think is spot on. I would go with wall mounted or in wall speakers for the surrounds and rear backs. The tweeters should be 60" form the floor which is a bit tall for stands.

One last point. Run all wires in conduit. This is vital.
 
B

bjaurelio

Audiophyte
Thanks for the feedback. I thought surrounds were supposed to be ear height as well. Of course, most people go a little higher to get above chair backs. I'll plan on the rear height at 5ft and mount on the wall.
 
TLS Guy

TLS Guy

Seriously, I have no life.
Thanks for the feedback. I thought surrounds were supposed to be ear height as well. Of course, most people go a little higher to get above chair backs. I'll plan on the rear height at 5ft and mount on the wall.
That used to be the recommendation, but I never agreed with it. Current recommendation is the 60" I suggested which makes much more sense. At 36" those speakers are obstructed by chair backs, which for a start never made sense to me.
 
newsletter

  • RBHsound.com
  • BlueJeansCable.com
  • SVS Sound Subwoofers
  • Experience the Martin Logan Montis
Top