surround speaker placement

[scobro]

I have a 5.1 set-up and was wondering for the back surrounds should they be evenly spaced the same as the front towers or should they be farther apart than the distance of the front towers.I will be mounting them about 3ft behind and 3ft above ear level when sitting, is this correct.I also have the option of 6.1 or 7.1 but it would mean the side surrounds would be about 5ft beside the couch at ear level on each wall, is this too far to the side for the side surrounds in a 6.1 or 7.1 set-up?I guess my confusion is how far to the side and how far spread apart are the surrounds ideally suppose to be?.

 

[nibhaz]

Check this...

LOOK HERE...

 

[philh]

I have a challenging room.

It's narrow and long (12x20?), towers on either side of a large entertainment cabinet. One wall is mostly open with a 1/2 wall leading into the kitchen. Wall opposite of the entertainment unit has the two recliners, but there's only 8 feet in width. Right now the surround speakers are about three feet forward about listening level height. To move them back, puts them right next to our ears, literally inches away. I've been tempted to add either 6.1 or 7.1 speaker on the back wall, but afraid that would overwhelm the surrounds. Any suggestions?

 

[shokhead]

Surrounds have to be even of you on the sides or slightly back but not forward of you. What about up higher on a wall?

 

[philh]

Surrounds have to be even of you on the sides or slightly back but not forward of you. What about up higher on a wall?

The recliners are against the side and back walls. Surrounds are as far back as they can go without literally ending up inches away from our ears. They were higher in their present fwd position, but with extremely poor sound. Lowering them improved substantially, but moving them rearward will require a 3'+ movement (open doorway). Putting rears in also puts them(it), right next to our ears. Doesn't look like an ideal location to put speakers. I'm thinking ceiling speakers would be better then on the wall.

 

[Red]

The recliners are against the side and back walls. Surrounds are as far back as they can go without literally ending up inches away from our ears. They were higher in their present fwd position, but with extremely poor sound. Lowering them improved substantially, but moving them rearward will require a 3'+ movement (open doorway). Putting rears in also puts them(it), right next to our ears. Doesn't look like an ideal location to put speakers. I'm thinking ceiling speakers would be better then on the wall.

In your 12x20 room, which walls are the enterntainment center and recliners on? Is it possible to move the recliners forward?

 

[philh]

In your 12x20 room, which walls are the enterntainment center and recliners on? Is it possible to move the recliners forward?

Entertainment center on the 12' wall
recliners on opposite wall, which narrows to approx 8', fireplace on approx 45° angle. Just in front of the recliners is a opening into the kitchen, so for three feet, no wall, plus the fireplace opposite. Moving forward is the couch on the 20' wall. Opposite the couch is a 9' doorwall. Didn't say it was an ideal HT room

If I move the speakers back, they will be 1-2' directly behind or slightly off to the side from our ears. Is that better then being 4-5 forward, off to the side?