Rear speaker placement

[ksuela]

Hello.

In a previous post I was asking about what kind of surrounds speakers will fit my current set up in a 7.1 scenario. forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?p=367229#post367229
My current choice, Surround and surround back: LSi7

Now I would like your help in a related issue.
According to that room, 7.1 will be ok? Or should I keep the 5.1?

img240.imageshack.us/img240/6715/ht2ul6.jpg
img168.imageshack.us/img168/5882/ht1nw3.jpg


The main subject is if I can place the surround and surround back speakers at different elevations. Meaning the surround near “head level” and the surround back in the ceiling.
Could be an option to place all surround speakers in the ceiling level? (Mainly for convenience)

Of course I will try those combinations, but I can foreseen a lot of trouble trying to hang those things above the window.

Thanks
Cristian

PS: All units in meters

 

[Mark in GA]

Generally accepted thought is that it would be best to have all of you speakers at ear level. However, in the real world that is not always possible. In your case, I don't think it would be any serious problem for you to have your rear surrounds at a slightly higher elevation.

Again, that may not be an optimal solution but it is certainly not the end of the world.

Later,
Mark in GA

 

[Alex2507]

Generally accepted thought is that it would be best to have all of you speakers at ear level. However, in the real world that is not always possible. In your case, I don't think it would be any serious problem for you to have your rear surrounds at a slightly higher elevation.

Again, that may not be an optimal solution but it is certainly not the end of the world.

Later,
Mark in GA

Surrounds are not suppose to be at ear level. There are all kinds of articles about speaker placement here at AH. Rest assured that if I'm wrong about this, others will be here soon to straighten all this out.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Sometimes you just gotta work with what you got. My surrounds (7.1) are all mounted on the ceiling. I angled them down slighltly to help compensate for how high they are. I prefer having them as opposed to not having them.

You should experiment a bit with placement. Try to use something to set them on in a few different spots before you start drilling holes and listen for a few days to find what works best in your place and for your preferences. Where you end up placing them may not be the most ideal spot, but if it is the best you can make work and it offers an improvement to you listening experience, then I say it is a good thing.

Jack

 

[bandphan]

since when are srs supposed to be directonal?

 

[ksuela]

Sometimes you just gotta work with what you got. My surrounds (7.1) are all mounted on the ceiling. I angled them down slighltly to help compensate for how high they are. I prefer having them as opposed to not having them.

You should experiment a bit with placement. Try to use something to set them on in a few different spots before you start drilling holes and listen for a few days to find what works best in your place and for your preferences. Where you end up placing them may not be the most ideal spot, but if it is the best you can make work and it offers an improvement to you listening experience, then I say it is a good thing.

Jack

Thanks for your replies!

I was thinking to put them at ceiling level with some inclination. But, the 7.1 will be ok, or a waste of speakers? I’m a hopeless noob in this matter.

 

[3db]

since when are srs supposed to be directonal?

Multichannel music lends itself to this configuration. I too have my speakers mounted near the ceiling and angled towars the listening area. I have no choice in this setup but it works well for me.

 

[Alex2507]

Thanks for your replies!

I was thinking to put them at ceiling level with some inclination. But, the 7.1 will be ok, or a waste of speakers? I’m a hopeless noob in this matter.

In case you couldn't find it, here's a bunch of articles on the matter.
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/speaker-setup-guidelines/
I could not figure out how your room is laid out but will say that if your couch is against the back wall, rear surrounds don't belong as is the case with myself. IIRC surround height ought to be 24" above ear level in the listening position and at least 6" below ceiling height. Do some reading and, as Jack Hammer suggested, experimentation. There is a ton of info here. The trick is to find what you need.

 

[ksuela]

In case you couldn't find it, here's a bunch of articles on the matter.

I could not figure out how your room is laid out but will say that if your couch is against the back wall, rear surrounds don't belong as is the case with myself. IIRC surround height ought to be 24" above ear level in the listening position and at least 6" below ceiling height. Do some reading and, as Jack Hammer suggested, experimentation. There is a ton of info here. The trick is to find what you need.

I’ve been reading the forum and the tips section, but I couldn’t find recommendation for the height. So, thanks for that recommendation.

In conclusion: I could say that, as long as I have room behind the couch, the 2 surround back won’t be a waste.

Thanks again

 

[Jack Hammer]

Find out what you prefer and go that route...

In conclusion: I could say that, as long as I have room behind the couch, the 2 surround back won’t be a waste.

Thanks again

This is why you need to experiment to find out what works best for you. Watch a movie like Pearl Harbor with the 2 rear surrounds and you should be impressed. However, on some movies it makes little if any difference. If you have the space and the $, it can make a nice difference, sometimes. a few members posted in the past that they didn't care for the extra surrounds. Its a personal preference thing.