Optimal speaker positioning for new home theatre etc.

[jman74]

Just got an ONKYO TX-SR575 7.1 channel reciever
Im working diligently to try to position my speakers the best way possible.

The manual says to put the 3 front speakers at ear level (R,L and Center) and at the sides of TV (so not extremely far apart at wall corners).

I have an entertainment center that is kind of filled up and wonder if putting them in the bridge holes that goes over top of TV and connects the right and left tower of ent. center would work.

Two potential problems with this:

1. The bridge has three 'cubbie' holes and don't know if putting them in the cubbie holes right at the front of opening would cause loss of sound quality or echoeing.

2. The bridge is about 15" higher than ear level.


Second potential problem is my couch is right along the back wall. Could I still put my L/R surround back speakers (they are the 6th and 7th channels of the 7.1) on shelf 2 feet above ear level (supposed optimal height level according to manual) and then put the surround L/R speakers (4th and 5th channels) along the opossite side walls also two feet above ear level (approximately 60" high) and directly facing each other. Would this be optimal as well?

Lastly, what is the best 'bang for your buck' WHITE speaker cable out there that I can use for the back four speakers. Im going to need about 150 feet to wire all the back speakers.

Any and all help or info to best set my sytem up is appreciated!!!

 

[mazersteven]

Lastly, what is the best 'bang for your buck' WHITE speaker cable out there that I can use for the back four speakers. Im going to need about 150 feet to wire all the back speakers.

www.bluejeanscable.com

www.monoprice.com

 

[mudrummer99]

Cubbies holes i think are a bad idea in general for speakers. It destroys all of the careful engineering that the company did to create the speaker enclosure. That being said, on the bridge isn't the worst thing you can do. What I would say is set it up like that and see how it sounds. If it sounds like you aren't getting the full sound from the speakers at your listening spot you have a couple options from there. First you could find some sort of wedge device (be careful about this if you have top heavy speakers) to prop them up a bit and bring the focal point of them down to the listening position. Since it's only about 15" it shouldn't make them too unstable but use caution just the same. Secondly you could go for some speaker stands outside the sides of the entertainment center. www.racksandstands.com has just about every style you could want at a pretty good price. And as far as speaker wire goes, home depot or www.monoprice.com should cover you pretty well for a good price on that. hope this helps.

mike

 

[jman74]

Cubbies holes i think are a bad idea in general for speakers. It destroys all of the careful engineering that the company did to create the speaker enclosure. That being said, on the bridge isn't the worst thing you can do. What I would say is set it up like that and see how it sounds. If it sounds like you aren't getting the full sound from the speakers at your listening spot you have a couple options from there. First you could find some sort of wedge device (be careful about this if you have top heavy speakers) to prop them up a bit and bring the focal point of them down to the listening position. Since it's only about 15" it shouldn't make them too unstable but use caution just the same. Secondly you could go for some speaker stands outside the sides of the entertainment center. www.racksandstands.com has just about every style you could want at a pretty good price. And as far as speaker wire goes, home depot or www.monoprice.com should cover you pretty well for a good price on that. hope this helps.

mike

Thanks for the recommendations. But even if the front speakers are positioned at the edge of the openings (i.e all the way up front) might it still cause signifigant sound 'hindering'?

I could put them at the sides however they would be at a spread further apart than what the manual suggests. Also I would have no where to put the center speaker unless it is higher than the ones on the side.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

How far apart would that leave them? They should be 75-100% of the distance to the listening area. Mine are 9 ft apart and my listening distance is 10ft.

The center doesnt have to be the same height just angle it up or down to the listening area.

 

[jman74]

How far apart would that leave them? They should be 75-100% of the distance to the listening area. Mine are 9 ft apart and my listening distance is 10ft.

The center doesnt have to be the same height just angle it up or down to the listening area.

Thanks for the info. My room is 21x 10 so Im going to need to use the full 10 then becase the distance from speakers to couch is about 14 ft

 

[avaserfi]

To help the differences in distance you can try to play with toe-in on the speakers while not always optimal real life has to take precedence sometimes .

As far as placing the speakers in a cabinet it can cause problems, but if you get some high density foam and use it to decouple the speakers from the cabinet you should be okay. Also, it would be helpful if you could fill the entire cubby full of acoustic foam. This will absorb all reflections/echoes within the cubby. With the bridge being 15" above ear level you could slightly angle the speakers down and deal with that problem.

Lastly, you should be fine from the sounds of it with your surround speaker placement.

 

[Alex2507]

Thanks for the info. My room is 21x 10 so Im going to need to use the full 10 then becase the distance from speakers to couch is about 14 ft

If I'm getting this right you intend to put the left and right speakers up against the walls. FWII that's not good, you will need to pull them in at least a little.

With your couch being against a wall I think 5.1 is where it's at for you. The couch being there is less than optimal to begin with and it doesn't leave room from rear surrounds. I have a similar situation in that respect. The good news is that if I'm wrong about this both of us will be stepping up to 7.1 as soon as someone comes along and straightens me out for posting this.

 

[avaserfi]

If I'm getting this right you intend to put the left and right speakers up against the walls. FWII that's not good, you will need to pull them in at least a little.

If you are reading it correctly then you are right moving them forward would be better. To me it seemed he wanted to stick them in a cubby maybe I am crazy .

With your couch being against a wall I think 5.1 is where it's at for you. The couch being there is less than optimal to begin with and it doesn't leave room from rear surrounds. I have a similar situation in that respect. The good news is that if I'm wrong about this both of us will be stepping up to 7.1 as soon as someone comes along and straightens me out for posting this.

As far as that goes you are right, you would want about a foot or two between the couch and the wall for ideal rear surround placement. I think a room diagram would be helpful I can see where you got it, but am still unsure if the couch is against the wall...I must be mad!

 

[Alex2507]

Second potential problem is my couch is right along the back wall.

The room is 10 X21 and his TV is 14' away so his speakers being 10' apart puts them against the left and right walls. I don't think they should be up against anything. They are already 7' off the front wall.

 

[jman74]

Thanks for all the input...let me clarify some things:

Room is about 21x10.

Couch = 17 ft away against back wall (cannot be moved closer).

Right now what ive surmised as best set up would be:

1.Put speakers at sides of entertainment center and then put center on TOP of Entertainmnet Center and angle it down -or - in cubbie hole in bridge of ent. center directly above TV and then angle down.


2. Rear surrounds about two feet above ear level at opposite corners (about 10 inches in from corner) facing each other.


3. Since couch is against back wall ,how bad would it be if I wall mount two speakers onto wall 2 feet above couch/ear level and L/R about 5 feet apart in middle of wall . Is it not worth it to add 6th and 7th channel?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Your rear speakers are where the side surrounds go. If you place the surrounds in the middle of the room you have gained nothing. You will need to just run a 5.1 and the couch needs to come off the wall a little. You may even try placing the surrounds where they fire up towards the ceiling since you cant move the couch much.

 

[jman74]

Your rear speakers are where the side surrounds go. If you place the surrounds in the middle of the room you have gained nothing. You will need to just run a 5.1 and the couch needs to come off the wall a little. You may even try placing the surrounds where they fire up towards the ceiling since you cant move the couch much.

OK now Im officially confused. I thought the rear surrounds (4th and 5channels) go 2 feet above ear level and on oppsoite walls near the rear wall corners. THEN the rear BACK surrounds (6th and 7th channel) go BEHIND you facing forward about 6 apart with you in the middle.

 

[Alex2507]

Just to get past the name thing let's agree to call the 4&5 channels surrounds. The 6&7 channels are rear surrounds. With your couch being against the wall you don't want rear surrounds FWIU. You are correct about where to place the surrounds.

The L&R speakers being placed on either side of the entertainment center sounds good to me. IMO you should probably pull them 6-12 inches closer to you than the entertainment center so as to help with imaging.

I hope this helps and you can rest assured that if there is anything wrong with this advice somebody will be around to straighten both of us out.

 

[jman74]

Just to get past the name thing let's agree to call the 4&5 channels surrounds. The 6&7 channels are rear surrounds. With your couch being against the wall you don't want rear surrounds FWIU. You are correct about where to place the surrounds.

The L&R speakers being placed on either side of the entertainment center sounds good to me. IMO you should probably pull them 6-12 inches closer to you than the entertainment center so as to help with imaging.

I hope this helps and you can rest assured that if there is anything wrong with this advice somebody will be around to straighten both of us out.

Thanks! Even though the coach is against the wall , Im ging to move it out 6inches and then mount the rear surrounds (6th and 7th channel) on the wall behind me and angle them down slightly, 2 feet above ear level and about 6 feet apart from each other in the middle of wall.

Also Ill mount the surrounds (4th and 5th channel) on the far ends of the back wall and angle them toward each other, 2 ft above ear level.

Anybody have any more recommendations/advice if this is a bad idea?

 

[Johnd]

Thanks! Even though the coach is against the wall , Im ging to move it out 6inches and then mount the rear surrounds (6th and 7th channel) on the wall behind me and angle them down slightly, 2 feet above ear level and about 6 feet apart from each other in the middle of wall.

Also Ill mount the surrounds (4th and 5th channel) on the far ends of the back wall and angle them toward each other, 2 ft above ear level.

Anybody have any more recommendations/advice if this is a bad idea?

I have a similar setup...my couch is only about 1.5' from the back wall.

So, I wouldn't call it bad (having the couch so proximate to the wall) as much as I would say you will not reap as much benefit from the rears (since you're so close to them). But if that's all you got to give...that's all you got. You will still benefit from the rear channel...hearing things coming from a place you will not hear with only a 5.1 setup.

Final opinion: The layout seems about right given your space. Just be prepared to tweak the final position of the speakers...sides from rears and rears to lp, and of course, fronts and center to lp when you're all set up for optimal positioning.

 

[jman74]

I have a similar setup...my couch is only about 1.5' from the back wall.

So, I wouldn't call it bad (having the couch so proximate to the wall) as much as I would say you will not reap as much benefit from the rears (since you're so close to them). But if that's all you got to give...that's all you got. You will still benefit from the rear channel...hearing things coming from a place you will not hear with only a 5.1 setup.

Final opinion: The layout seems about right given your space. Just be prepared to tweak the final position of the speakers...sides from rears and rears to lp, and of course, fronts and center to lp when you're all set up for optimal positioning.

Thanks for the words of encouragement! I assume lp means listening position?