surround speaker placement for 6.1

[supervij]

question about surround speaker placement for 6.1

I've just purchased my reciever, a Yamaha RX-V750, and am about to purchase my Athena speakers, two AS-F2s for the left and right fronts, two AS-C1s for the front and rear centres, two AS-B2s (directed speakers) for the left and right surrounds, and an Athena AS-P400 subwoofer. The placement of fronts and centres are obvious, but I've been stymied as to where to place the surrounds. If you can see the jpeg I attached, I can place them at the spots marked A, B, or C, and their respective placements on the other side of the room.

Since the diagram is pretty crude, I'll also mention that the TV and couch are lined up with the centre of the rear-most wall. And that the distance from the couch to the screen of my 27" Sony Trinitron is about 9'. The distance from the couch to the rear wall is about 8' 4". And the distance from the side of the couch to the "A" mark is 6' 6" on the left and 6' on the right. Of course, the surrounds will be wall-mounted about 6', so that'll increase the distance a bit. The receiver can automatically adjust for distances of each speaker anyway.

The "A" mark is lined up with where the listeners' ears would be. The "B" mark at the corner is just behind the listeners' ears and is about 3' 6" from the side of the couch.

Ideally, I'd place the surrounds on the wall shared by the den and the dining area, about 2' 6" from the rear wall, but there's no corresponding spot for the right surround, cos it's only a half wall coming up to about 37"!

So, what do you guys think -- positions A, B, or C for the surrounds? Or is there a better spot I haven't noticed?

Thanks so much for any help you can give me -- it is MOST appreciated! I know very little about this stuff.

cheers,
supervij

 

[JohnA]

Hummm???

I'm thinking that the best spots are either A or B, I would avoid C, becaus it is too far from the listening position. Have you also thought about the option of ceiling mounts? But of course there is the WAF to take into account.

 

[supervij]

I'm thinking that the best spots are either A or B, I would avoid C, becaus it is too far from the listening position. Have you also thought about the option of ceiling mounts? But of course there is the WAF to take into account.

Ummm . . . do you really think the Women Against Fundamentalism would object?

No, seriously, what's a WAF?

I didn't think distance would have much bearing, since the Yamaha receiver has that auto-calibration thingie for each individual speaker. And I remember reading one theory that all the speakers should be the same distance from the listener. Having the surrounds on the rear wall would make it closer to the distance to the front speakers. But maybe you're right.

Ceiling mounts -- I thought of that, but figured they'd just be too high, but I guess they must come with adjustable heights. Does that mean that my "ideal spot" (mentioned in my original post) is the best spot for the surrounds?

Hanging anything from the ceiling is a pain in the butt -- it (the ceiling, not my butt) is one and a half inches of drywall (I think that's what it's called) and then concrete. I think I'd be constantly worried, thinking the speakers weren't secure and that they would fall. I'll look into it though; thanks for bringing it up.

Any other thoughts?

 

[JohnA]

Ummm . . . do you really think the Women Against Fundamentalism would object?

No, seriously, what's a WAF?

That would be the Wife Acceptance Factor, provided you have a wife, or girlfriend, etc...that has a say into the overall look of the room

I didn't think distance would have much bearing, since the Yamaha receiver has that auto-calibration thingie for each individual speaker. And I remember reading one theory that all the speakers should be the same distance from the listener. Having the surrounds on the rear wall would make it closer to the distance to the front speakers. But maybe you're right.

In a perfect world...yes. But we don't live in one I know it is such a shock! While the reciever has a auto-calibration thingie I don't think it would take into account of the opening to the kitchen, and the effects that would have on the sound.

Ceiling mounts -- I thought of that, but figured they'd just be too high, but I guess they must come with adjustable heights. Does that mean that my "ideal spot" (mentioned in my original post) is the best spot for the surrounds?

Hanging anything from the ceiling is a pain in the butt -- it (the ceiling, not my butt) is one and a half inches of drywall (I think that's what it's called) and then concrete. I think I'd be constantly worried, thinking the speakers weren't secure and that they would fall. I'll look into it though; thanks for bringing it up.

Any other thoughts?

Ok...maybe ceiling mounts ming not work, drilling through conrete is a pain in the butt. Looks like a wall mount in either A or B is your best bet. The best thing that you can do is set it up with the speakers in "A", listen to it for a while, then have some very nice friends hold the speakers in spot "B" and listen to them. Then decide which you like better.

Hope that helps

 

[HookedOnSound]

Most people tend to put the surround L/R speakers directly in line with the ears (elevated about 2 feet above the listening position) or slightly behing but that is mostly a general rule....

You could put them on the back wall but I think the distance from your couch is rather far and might diminish the desired effect for HT.


Choice A/B is you probably your best bet, from looking at you floor plan, maybe moving you media rack(s) away from the right rear corner might be easier and placing your surround spkr on a speaker stand just before the kitchen opening might be easier to accomodate...

Good Luck.

 

[supervij]

Speaker stands near the "B" position (see attached jpeg) and on the corresponding spot on the left side, seems to be what I'm leaning toward. I figure in the "A" position, the sound will spread straight out and to the forward of the room, but in the "B" position, the sound will have the opportunity to spread out straight and a little to the front AND back. Bit more immersive that way, methinks. But directed enough to sound cool for multi-channel music, not just movies.

Stands, definitely. Cos if I wall-mount, and then not like that spot, I'll have to drill someplace else. Too many holes and the place just becomes a mite drafty for my taste.

It's funny -- the sales guy at 2001 Audio/Video (the place where I'm getting awesome deals on my receiver and most of the speakers) says that 6.1 means that the rear and surround speakers are suppposed be all on the back wall. But he's the only one, it seems! Everyone else says the surrounds should be to the side. I told him that every website I've seen specifies that the surrounds are on the side walls, which is what both JohnA and HookedOnSound (you lovely guys, thanks for responding to my questions) assert as well, and he says that those websites make it that much harder for him to convince people of the proper way to position surround speakers. I think that's what got me so confused in the first place and prompted me to pose the questions I did.

Thanks again for the advice, guys. I much appreciate it. That's not to say that I wouldn't like to hear what other people think about 6.1 speaker placement. If anyone has anything to add or any more ideas, I'd love to hear 'em!

cheers,
supervij

 

[Tom Andry]

See the dolby website for correct speaker placement.

 

[supervij]

Yup, this website is an example of what this crazy salesguy was talking about. At least he's giving me a great deal. And he did talk me out of the whole 7.1 thing, and I'm kinda glad he did. I think I'd rather have one centre speaker as my centre rear rather than two bookshelves, which would have been more expensive, for one. And of course, the fact that there is no DVD in the world with 7.1 does kinda make it silly.

Anyway, having the surrounds on stands are great, cos apparently there are different configurations for multichannel music and for movies, so now I can move them around when I need to. Perfect!