Topic: Optimal 7.1 Speaker Placement

[widowmaker]

Hi guys.  I just want to get your recommendations for the optimal speaker placement and height of a 7.1 set up.  What would be the correct height of the Center, Front, Surround, and Surround Back from the seating position? 

I'm looking at the Dolby 7.1 Home Theater Speaker Guide, but it doesn't really give you the height measurements of the speakers and stands, only the angles.  Will this be right height for the following stands, including the speakers:

Front: 48"
Surround: 60"
Surround Back: 54"

[rthirtyfourgtr]

speaker placement can be subject to matter of preference or space availability...

personally, what i did for the fronts is to place the center at a height wherein the tweeter is at ear level, L + R speakers will also have their tweeters at ear level once i have the custom-made stands fabricated.

for the surrounds & surround backs, mine's were wall-mounted in such a way that their tweeters are 2 feet above ear level.

ear level is of course measured while sitting down on the sofa (just as I would while watching movies)

[streetsmart]

speaker placement can be subject to matter of preference or space availability...

personally, what i did for the fronts is to place the center at a height wherein the tweeter is at ear level, L + R speakers will also have their tweeters at ear level once i have the custom-made stands fabricated.

for the surrounds & surround backs, mine's were wall-mounted in such a way that their tweeters are 2 feet above ear level.

ear level is of course measured while sitting down on the sofa (just as I would while watching movies)

+1

Good advice

[widowmaker]

So, it follows that the Surround Back/Front High should always be a little higher than ear-level, and Front and Surround at ear level?  Also, Front and Center should be ear-level or one has to be a little higher/lower than the other?

[streetsmart]

So, it follows that the Surround Back/Front High should always be a little higher than ear-level, and Front and Surround at ear level?  Also, Front and Center should be ear-level or one has to be a little higher/lower than the other?

Ideally:

Tweeter of Fronts and Center at ear level when seated.

Tweeter of Surround and Surround Back around 2 feet higher than ear level.

[alfred]

Front LCR should be in a semi circle orientation so that all the sound will reach you at the same time. If this is not possible set the center speaker delay for 1 or 2 feet.

[fattyacid]

Depends on the position of your monitor/tv/lcd/screen. HT speaking, IMO the center speaker should be closest to the screen, immediately on top or below, kung pwede nga sa screen mismo manggaling ang center audio (but I know some projector setups have their center speakers at the back dead center to the screen). This is done to create an illusion that audio is coming from the screen itself. That if someone is talking in a movie, the voice should come from that person not somewhere else on top or below. As for the LR, they should be horizontally aligned to the center speaker. So when a movie has a car running from left - center- right you should hear it left of the screen, center of the screen, and right of the screen. Lets say that if the bottom of your screen is 2 (or more) feet above your ear level, placing your LCR in ear level will "detach" the audio from what your are watching. The car is running on top while the audio is coming from below. And I've seen a lot of setups like this.

[streetsmart]

Depends on the position of your monitor/tv/lcd/screen. HT speaking, IMO the center speaker should be closest to the screen, immediately on top or below, kung pwede nga sa screen mismo manggaling ang center audio (but I know some projector setups have their center speakers at the back dead center to the screen). This is done to create an illusion that audio is coming from the screen itself. That if someone is talking in a movie, the voice should come from that person not somewhere else on top or below. As for the LR, they should be horizontally aligned to the center speaker. So when a movie has a car running from left - center- right you should hear it left of the screen, center of the screen, and right of the screen. Lets say that if the bottom of your screen is 2 (or more) feet above your ear level, placing your LCR in ear level will "detach" the audio from what your are watching. The car is running on top while the audio is coming from below. And I've seen a lot of setups like this.

This can be done but for large screens especially, in most cases, this would not be practical or would be too expensive.

My experience is that even if the speakers are below the screen and even if they are several feet in front, as long as you set the proper audio delays and channel levels, you will be fine. You will experience the "ventriloquism effect" that fools your brain into thinking that the sound is coming from the screen.

It's still quite important for the tweeters to be at ear-level because that's where their frequency response is most accurate.

[ricky]

Depends on the position of your monitor/tv/lcd/screen. HT speaking, IMO the center speaker should be closest to the screen, immediately on top or below, kung pwede nga sa screen mismo manggaling ang center audio (but I know some projector setups have their center speakers at the back dead center to the screen). This is done to create an illusion that audio is coming from the screen itself. That if someone is talking in a movie, the voice should come from that person not somewhere else on top or below. As for the LR, they should be horizontally aligned to the center speaker. So when a movie has a car running from left - center- right you should hear it left of the screen, center of the screen, and right of the screen. Lets say that if the bottom of your screen is 2 (or more) feet above your ear level, placing your LCR in ear level will "detach" the audio from what your are watching. The car is running on top while the audio is coming from below. And I've seen a lot of setups like this.

Noticed that too that is why when I have a say on an ht I'm building I would always recommend wall hung speakers. Now just to experiment, I'm having my floorstanders placed beside my screen which is 30in from the floor pangit kasi ng gamit ko kaya siguro I can always identify where the sound is coming from.

[widowmaker]

Should the Surround be higher than the Surround Back?

[streetsmart]

Should the Surround be higher than the Surround Back?

No.

[vondoom]

any software recommendations for theater speaker placements?