New 7.1 Setup Questions (with some unforced errors)

[Adam Brown]

So, I made one of the classic errors when specifying how I wanted the speakers setup in my new house. I thought I knew more than I did and proceeded with no research. Now I have a less than ideal setup, but want to make the most of it.

I've got a living room with ten foot high ceilings. ELAC Debut B6 bookshelf speakers in the front, on a credenza, ear height. An ELAC center C5 below the wall mounted TV. SVS SB-1000, on the isolator feet in the corner. So far, so good. I'm powering this with a Denon AVR-991 (but may upgrade to the newer 3200 or similar).

I looked at some diagrams of 7.1 setups. I saw the two surround channels and rear surround setups. What I did not look at was the distances that are needed to make those setups work. So here's what I have. The main seating is a sectional that backs up to the rear wall, and has a few feet on the left and right sides. All the surround speakers are in ceiling, not in wall. The surround left and right are at the edges of the room, on the outside of seating but about five feet from the rear wall (three feet in front of the sweet spot). The surround rear left and right are directly above the sectional, just off the back wall and about five feet apart. So it looks like a standard 7.1 diagram, if you throw out the proper distances and seating.

I *now* know that having the rear surround speakers on top of the seating is silly and not useful. The holes are cut and the wires are already run. I don't need a perfect setup for this room, it's not the main viewing room. I just want to mitigate the "damage". Should I just put painted grills over the two rear surround speaker holes and go with a 5.1 system? The cost of two additional in ceiling speakers isn't really an issue here. Should I go full 7.1 and just embrace it? And any recommendations for in-ceiling speakers?

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[markw]

Should I just put painted grills over the two rear surround speaker holes and go with a 5.1 system?

Thanks for any and all help!

This makes the most sense. Unless you can do 7.1 right, it's not worth the effort and expense. Besides, it's not a major difference between 5 and 7 channels as opposed to the difference between a 2 or 3.1 system and a 5.1 system.

Many of us are happily running 5.1 systems because those pesky rear channels don't fit every room.

 

[lovinthehd]

How about moving the seating in away from the back wall, that's just not a good seating location. That should have benefits aside from where your speakers currently are....what are the room dimensions?

 

[herbu]

The holes are cut and the wires are already run.

I'd go ahead and throw in a couple speakers. You have nothing to lose but the cost of the speakers. It might sound a little funny for some stuff. For instance, you'll hear effects like car doors, creaking floorboards and doorbells coming from above you instead of behind you. But I can't really say how noticeable it will be. Like markw said, there's actually not much in those rear channels.

You've gone this far and decent ceiling speakers can be cheap. Go ahead and put them in. If you decide you don't like them, you can just disconnect the wires from your AVR. Just my .02

 

[Adam Brown]

The room is a slim-ish rectangle and moving the couch forward is a no go. I think I may try with and without the speakers. Nice in-ceiling ones don't cost that much anyway.

Thanks for the help!