speaker placement in difficult room

[rolyasm]

I know this picture may be hard to read, but I don't know CAD or how to computer generate the image. Please bare with me.
I have a pretty simple room, but on the outside wall, across from the door, you can see the wall jogs out several feet. I can' t figure out the best place to put my surrounds. The Boxes marked with an "S" are the seats. Behind the front row is riser with my 4- 15" IB system. Here is the problem. If I put the surrounds where the red triangles are, by the number "one" circles, the person sitting on the riser in the back row will have a surround speaker directly in front of the, due to the jog in the foundation, where the asterics are. The front row would have good surround, but that back row would have a two surrounds in front of them about 4-5 feet. Now, if I put the surrounds on the back row, where the blue half-ovals are, I have a few problems there too. My HVAC (not shown) runs the length of the room by the door (upper picture). I have a window on the other side. So if I put the speakers there, one will be above the window, near the ceiling, the other would be about 18" lower right under the HVAC, but still 6- 7 feet above the floor. Good height, but both positions close to the ceiling. I thought the blue might be the best, but wondered also about putting some in-walls in the number one/red position AND some surrounds in the number two blue position as well. So a 9. system. The in-walls in red, number one position would keep the left rear from being so much in front of the left rear seat. At least it wouldn't block the view of the screen too. I know this is a lot to try and sift through, so I appreciate any ideas. Thanks so much.

Roly

 

[MDS]

First, if you haven't yet bought speakers I'd seriously consider bi/dipole speakers because either placement is a small compromise for one row or the other. Position 1 favors the first row and position two favors the second row and monopole speakers might make that more apparent whereas dipoles would be more diffuse.

Second, if it matters to you (it would to me), aesthetics may play a role too. I wouldn't worry too much about the slightly different height if you choose option 2 because calibration should mostly deal with that ok.

If you use the red position 1 placement it may be a bit weird for listeners in row 2 because they might be able to tell that the surround is actually a bit in front of them. How many people regularly sit in row 2? If only occasionally you could optimize for the front row and use option 1.

If it were me I'd go with blue option 2 to kind of 'split the difference'. Side surrounds are supposed to be to your left and right between 90 and 110 degrees. It's hard to tell without being in the room but option 2 would appear to put them at 90 degrees for row 2 and right about 110 degrees for row 1. Sounds like a fair compromise to me.

 

[rolyasm]

thanks for the reply MDS. That is also what I was kind of thinking about option 2. I just purchased the Atlantic Technology 6200 system with dipole/bipoles.
Would it be a bad idea for the 9 speaker system. I thought I could try and split the 2 side channels into 4 channels and get a 2 channel amp. I know the delay would be a little off, but has anyone tried this, so both seats get some surround. It seems like it would even both areas, though I am not sure how all 4 speakers would interact. It might create a lot of distortion with the overlap. Thanks again.

Roly

 

[bpape]

Normally with multiple rows we would put the side surrounds between the rows. That's a small compromise for both rows that still gets you in the proper orientation for the front.

I'd agree that a di/bipole is best for the sides if you've not already purchased.

Bryan

 

[rolyasm]

so if you had three for four rows, where would you put the surrounds? Are you still using only one pair?

 

[bpape]

If you have a room large enough to PROPERLY support 3-4 rooms, the rules change a bit as to how you deal with it and you start to have more sets of side surrounds.

In reality, it takes a pretty large room to properly place 3 rows of seating without having at least one of them being in a bad place acoustically.

Bryan

 

[rolyasm]

bpape,
So out of curiousity, how do you go about setting up three or four rows?

I think in my situation, I will build or buy some surround stands, so I can place the one at the correct height, but in front of the window, not on top of it. If I do it on top of the window, I realise the speaker is just about 2 inches from the ceiling, which from what I read, isn't ideal. It will also help me to move them around until I find the best place. Thanks for the help.
Roly

 

[bpape]

To do 3 rows, normally, the 2nd one is in the best location so we put them directly to the side of that row. Or, if the owner wants to spend the extra money, we can setup multiple side surrounds at the side of each row. There is equipment available to be able to track whether the signal is panning front to back or coming in all at the same time that will alter timing accordingly. This is pro equipment though.

Most rooms really won't properly support 3 rows all in good positions for bass response without having 1 row right against the rear wall.

Bryan