My 7.1.4 setup, any suggestions welcome

H

Hokies83

Audioholic
Here is how I have it set up, there is 3 entrances in the room so placement has limitations and I only have 1/3 of a back wall.

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S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Your setup looks fine to me. One thing that you could do to improve the sound would be to get rid of the coffee table and replace it with a thick rug. That would technically improve the acoustics, but the inconvenience might outweigh the benefits. Something else to consider is lowering the TV height. That height looks a bit high to be optimal from that viewing position which can make you crane your neck a bit. Consider this image. By the way, I think your daughter is testing the waters for a possible modeling career in the future in your pictures!
 
H

Hokies83

Audioholic
Your setup looks fine to me. One thing that you could do to improve the sound would be to get rid of the coffee table and replace it with a thick rug. That would technically improve the acoustics, but the inconvenience might outweigh the benefits. Something else to consider is lowering the TV height. That height looks a bit high to be optimal from that viewing position which can make you crane your neck a bit. Consider this image. By the way, I think your daughter is testing the waters for a possible modeling career in the future in your pictures!
Yes she had to photo bomb lol,
When I upgrade I plan to move the floating shelf below it and I can move it down about a foot till it’s just above the center channel.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Yes she had to photo bomb lol,
When I upgrade I plan to move the floating shelf below it and I can move it down about a foot till it’s just above the center channel.
You know, thinking about it some more, you might want to give serious consideration to getting rid of that coffee table, and not just for acoustic reasons. First of all, that will free up a lot more space and open up the area. This will allow easier foot traffic, and it can give your daughter a more open area to play in. Plus, if she is playing in that area, it is a lot easier to supervise her there. Getting rid of that coffee table and just putting a nice soft rug there would add a sense of spaciousness to that room. The coffee table is also a major source of acoustic reflection and diffraction. It isn't doing any favors to the sound of the front stage speakers.

If you are thinking, "where will I put stuff without that table?", there are some good solutions. Use end tables to flank the sofa against the wall, that will give you lots of tabletop surface, and it is well out of the way. Also, consider moving the sub right behind that sofa that is facing the TV, the listening position. You can use it as table. What makes it good for that is the height is a nice match for the height of the sofa back. To protect the finish of the top of the sub, get some rubber drawer liner like this stuff. Then get a hard table top like maybe a sheet of plexiglass and place that on top of the drawer liner. On that, place a end table like a fancy tablecloth for endtables, and that will hide the sub. Placing the sub there can not only turn it into a convenient end table, it also clears the path from behind the kitchen bar, so it will be easier to walk around there. You will want to get a cable cover for the cabling of the sub in that position so that the cables do not become a tripping hazard.
 
H

Hokies83

Audioholic
You know, thinking about it some more, you might want to give serious consideration to getting rid of that coffee table, and not just for acoustic reasons. First of all, that will free up a lot more space and open up the area. This will allow easier foot traffic, and it can give your daughter a more open area to play in. Plus, if she is playing in that area, it is a lot easier to supervise her there. Getting rid of that coffee table and just putting a nice soft rug there would add a sense of spaciousness to that room. The coffee table is also a major source of acoustic reflection and diffraction. It isn't doing any favors to the sound of the front stage speakers.

If you are thinking, "where will I put stuff without that table?", there are some good solutions. Use end tables to flank the sofa against the wall, that will give you lots of tabletop surface, and it is well out of the way. Also, consider moving the sub right behind that sofa that is facing the TV, the listening position. You can use it as table. What makes it good for that is the height is a nice match for the height of the sofa back. To protect the finish of the top of the sub, get some rubber drawer liner like this stuff. Then get a hard table top like maybe a sheet of plexiglass and place that on top of the drawer liner. On that, place a end table like a fancy tablecloth for endtables, and that will hide the sub. Placing the sub there can not only turn it into a convenient end table, it also clears the path from behind the kitchen bar, so it will be easier to walk around there. You will want to get a cable cover for the cabling of the sub in that position so that the cables do not become a tripping hazard.
So move the sub to the left side of the listening position love seat and use it as an end table?

I’ve actually thought of that lol.
Only scared the woofer will get damaged if it’s more out in the open from rough housing kids.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
So move the sub to the left side of the listening position love seat and use it as an end table?

I’ve actually thought of that lol.
Only scared the woofer will get damaged if it’s more out in the open from rough housing kids.
I meant use the sub right behind the seat at a lateral position with respect to the seat, so that the woofer is firing out sideways with respect to the listening position. As for protecting the woofer, I hear ya, it wouldn't be cheap to replace. The grille hides it but won't do much to protect it from heavy things coming at it. Maybe you could place something in front of it like a metal mesh stand? Something else you can do is glue some wood rods in the grille frame that can block things from hitting the cone.
 
H

Hokies83

Audioholic
I meant use the sub right behind the seat at a lateral position with respect to the seat, so that the woofer is firing out sideways with respect to the listening position. As for protecting the woofer, I hear ya, it wouldn't be cheap to replace. The grille hides it but won't do much to protect it from heavy things coming at it. Maybe you could place something in front of it like a metal mesh stand? Something else you can do is glue some wood rods in the grille frame that can block things from hitting the cone.
Going to try and do away with the coffee table,
But I’m fearful moving the sub from the corner and it getting damaged,
My kids have knocked my speakers over many times before I put them on the 12x12 bases lol.
 

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