Suggestions on layout, room drawing and pics provided

[NoWhereMan]

(images below)

I'm installing a surround sound system for an older lady and she does not wish to move any of her furniture. So what I'm trying to figure out, is the best speaker layout for the best sound, since the viewers will not be sitting in the optimal positions relative to the tv and the room stucture has me worried about echoing and bad sound. I'm figuring the front speakers (A & B) will be 4 foot slim tower speakers beside the furniture holding the tv (look below for picture). The sub wooder (F) will be placed behind the couch, instead of the corner of the room by the tv to lower distortion do to the high ceilings in the main room and low ceilings in connecting kitchen (i assume this will cause an echo otherwise). The rear speakers (D & E) will be placed higher than the connecting kitchen ceiling, in the corner of the room, about 8-9 feet high from the ground.

Is there another way to go about this, figuring she does not wish to move any furniture and wishes the speakers to be discrete as possible? Thanks in advance for your tips!!

Ghetto Blueprints....obviously no art major. yea for microsoft paint!

speakers on either side and center channel behind tv

speaker in that corner and opposite. Notice lower ceiling in connecting kitchen

this is what it looks like behind the couch

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

How old is she? 70? Lol. J.K. How do you sell a surround sound system to an older lady?

I wouldn't worry about speaker placement. The newer receivers handle all that by setting speaker distances to make sure sound reaches people at correct times. You need to decide if you want a professional sounding setup, or a nice looking HTIB thin speaker setup. You can't have both.

 

[saurabh]

I think an option would be to place the surrounds, RS above "F" and LS bang opposite next to the fireplace, since side surrounds would give a better soundstage than rear placement.

 

[NoWhereMan]

Yea, she is pretty close to 70, LOL.

As for putting the rears on the wall by the F speaker and the fireplace...that was my original plan. But then she was concerned with visability. The speaker would throw off the expensive art work hanging over the fireplace.

I'm already aware of setting the timing on the speakers to compensate for distance but my concern is that the couch kinda faces the fireplace and the tv is on your right side. Do you believe the delay can be tweaked enough to get it to sound right sitting in that position? Or should I just set it up, then show her how much differant it sounds if she were willing to move her furniture?

As for the subwoofer placement (F) does that seem like a better spot than the corner doto the high ceilings? Or do you believe that will not cause a problem.

Thanks for your input guys

 

[JohnA]

For the surrounds are you/can you use in-walls? That way you can have the better placement and they can be painted to match her wall and the art is still the focal point. And what about a Lolita Sub from MTX...it might be able to fit in some better spots than a "reg" sub.

 

[NoWhereMan]

From what I've seen (correct me if im wrong), most good surround sound speakers require another wall to be placed over the existing. If not...what kind of work goes into properly mounting these speakers? Can I just cut a hole in the wall and be able to mount it or will a section need to be removed and then patched?

 

[jaxvon]

You might also want to check out Artcoustic. They have very stylish and compact speakers. Plus, their Diablo sub is very compact. You could stick two of them in the room and have them go unoticed.