Room Layout Suggestions

Looking for suggestions on the best way to layout the 6.1 speakers in
my living room. Let me state for the record that I have no say in the
location of the TV (My wife laid down the law...now I'm stuck with
making it work).

My living room is essentially square (16ft on each side). The TV is
in one corner. To the immediate left of the TV is a hallway with the
doorway-sized entrance reaching all the way to the ceiling. On the
other side of the hall entrance there is solid wall.

To the right of the TV there is about 3 feet of wall, then the room
opens to the dining room all the way to the far wall (all the way to
the ceiling).

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203374-L.jpg

My seat (and apparently I am the only one who cares about the
sound/picture quality) is almost in the corner opposite the TV, approx
4 feet from the left hand wall (sitting in the chair that is). (There
is a table directly in the corner.)

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203412-L.jpg

Here are the issues.

1) To get the proper spacing on the front speakers, one or the other
will be in an opening, either the hallway entrance or the big opening
to the dining room. Since they are in walkways, they must be near the
ceiling and not a listening level. Of course, with an opening behind
the speakers, there will be less echo and distortion so that might be
good. My thoughts were to place the left one actually in the hallway
up against the side farthest away from the TV. The right one then is
forced to hang in the opening on the right to be spatially balanced
and have the equilateral triangle (my chair is the third apex of that
triangle) that is recommended. Not sure I can visualize a better
solution.

2) The more complex one. As you can see in the second picture, my
chair is against the wall and not directly in the corner
(asymmetrical). Being against the wall makes the rear center channel
difficult to place. Being nearly in the corner makes the R/L
surrounds difficult to place. Being slightly asymmetrically out of
the corner makes balance difficult.

Was at a Tweeter store last night for advice. Their "expert" did not
impress me. Then he had an epiphany and went to demo the Yamaha
YSP1100 (I think?) but to their embarrassment they couldn't get the
combo to put out any sound.

Anyway, I know those things are not true (or even close to) surround
sound, but I'm considering one just to avoid the pain of installing
speakers in what I know will be positions that will not work worth a
hoot anyway.

Thoughts???

Thanks in advance (this has been put off since we moved in 9 months
ago...probably getting an ulcer)

AFJ

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:07:16 -0700, wrote:


http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203412-L.jpg

Dude you really need the Queer Eye guys in there...

A_C

1. Seems like your idea for the fronts might the best of a terrible
situation. You might rethink how far apart to put them, though, in
order to have each near a wall (or, alternatively, away from the
walls). Different boundary relations will change their sound.

2. The rears are less of a problem and your slightly asymmetric
listening position can be accounted for in the setup. You can center
the center speaker in the corner with a bracket.

3. Do not consider the Yamaha since, regardless of what one thinks of
the sound, it requires four complete walls for correct operation and
that, of course, is what you lack!

Kal


On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:07:16 -0700, wrote:

Looking for suggestions on the best way to layout the 6.1 speakers in
my living room. Let me state for the record that I have no say in the
location of the TV (My wife laid down the law...now I'm stuck with
making it work).

My living room is essentially square (16ft on each side). The TV is
in one corner. To the immediate left of the TV is a hallway with the
doorway-sized entrance reaching all the way to the ceiling. On the
other side of the hall entrance there is solid wall.

To the right of the TV there is about 3 feet of wall, then the room
opens to the dining room all the way to the far wall (all the way to
the ceiling).

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203374-L.jpg

My seat (and apparently I am the only one who cares about the
sound/picture quality) is almost in the corner opposite the TV, approx
4 feet from the left hand wall (sitting in the chair that is). (There
is a table directly in the corner.)

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203412-L.jpg

Here are the issues.

1) To get the proper spacing on the front speakers, one or the other
will be in an opening, either the hallway entrance or the big opening
to the dining room. Since they are in walkways, they must be near the
ceiling and not a listening level. Of course, with an opening behind
the speakers, there will be less echo and distortion so that might be
good. My thoughts were to place the left one actually in the hallway
up against the side farthest away from the TV. The right one then is
forced to hang in the opening on the right to be spatially balanced
and have the equilateral triangle (my chair is the third apex of that
triangle) that is recommended. Not sure I can visualize a better
solution.

2) The more complex one. As you can see in the second picture, my
chair is against the wall and not directly in the corner
(asymmetrical). Being against the wall makes the rear center channel
difficult to place. Being nearly in the corner makes the R/L
surrounds difficult to place. Being slightly asymmetrically out of
the corner makes balance difficult.

Was at a Tweeter store last night for advice. Their "expert" did not
impress me. Then he had an epiphany and went to demo the Yamaha
YSP1100 (I think?) but to their embarrassment they couldn't get the
combo to put out any sound.

Anyway, I know those things are not true (or even close to) surround
sound, but I'm considering one just to avoid the pain of installing
speakers in what I know will be positions that will not work worth a
hoot anyway.

Thoughts???

Thanks in advance (this has been put off since we moved in 9 months
ago...probably getting an ulcer)

AFJ

I realized that about the Yamaha once I did some more research.
Shame. Would have been a reasonable solution that my wife would have
liked (no wires!)

I realize I can put the back speaker in the corner, but there it won't
be right behind me and I suspect that will sound kind of strange.
But, I don't really

As for the fronts, they are supposed to be the same distance from the
TV. Problem is unless I pull them towards me away from the walls,
there is no way to do that and have them both against a wall or not
against a wall due to the asymmetry of the walls/hallway. I suppose a
couple of feet won't hurt however...

Has anybody use in-ceiling speakers for the front R/L speakers? I
realize they don't sound as good and the angle is odd but then they
won't be hanging down in the middle of the room.

On Mar 28, 1:41 pm, Kalman Rubinson wrote:
1. Seems like your idea for the fronts might the best of a terrible
situation. You might rethink how far apart to put them, though, in
order to have each near a wall (or, alternatively, away from the
walls). Different boundary relations will change their sound.

2. The rears are less of a problem and your slightly asymmetric
listening position can be accounted for in the setup. You can center
the center speaker in the corner with a bracket.

3. Do not consider the Yamaha since, regardless of what one thinks of
the sound, it requires four complete walls for correct operation and
that, of course, is what you lack!

Kal

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:07:16 -0700, wrote:



Looking for suggestions on the best way to layout the 6.1 speakers in
my living room. Let me state for the record that I have no say in the
location of the TV (My wife laid down the law...now I'm stuck with
making it work).

My living room is essentially square (16ft on each side). The TV is
in one corner. To the immediate left of the TV is a hallway with the
doorway-sized entrance reaching all the way to the ceiling. On the
other side of the hall entrance there is solid wall.

To the right of the TV there is about 3 feet of wall, then the room
opens to the dining room all the way to the far wall (all the way to
the ceiling).

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203374-L.jpg

My seat (and apparently I am the only one who cares about the
sound/picture quality) is almost in the corner opposite the TV, approx
4 feet from the left hand wall (sitting in the chair that is). (There
is a table directly in the corner.)

http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203412-L.jpg

Here are the issues.

1) To get the proper spacing on the front speakers, one or the other
will be in an opening, either the hallway entrance or the big opening
to the dining room. Since they are in walkways, they must be near the
ceiling and not a listening level. Of course, with an opening behind
the speakers, there will be less echo and distortion so that might be
good. My thoughts were to place the left one actually in the hallway
up against the side farthest away from the TV. The right one then is
forced to hang in the opening on the right to be spatially balanced
and have the equilateral triangle (my chair is the third apex of that
triangle) that is recommended. Not sure I can visualize a better
solution.

2) The more complex one. As you can see in the second picture, my
chair is against the wall and not directly in the corner
(asymmetrical). Being against the wall makes the rear center channel
difficult to place. Being nearly in the corner makes the R/L
surrounds difficult to place. Being slightly asymmetrically out of
the corner makes balance difficult.

Was at a Tweeter store last night for advice. Their "expert" did not
impress me. Then he had an epiphany and went to demo the Yamaha
YSP1100 (I think?) but to their embarrassment they couldn't get the
combo to put out any sound.

Anyway, I know those things are not true (or even close to) surround
sound, but I'm considering one just to avoid the pain of installing
speakers in what I know will be positions that will not work worth a
hoot anyway.

Thoughts???

Thanks in advance (this has been put off since we moved in 9 months
ago...probably getting an ulcer)

AFJ- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Roscoe wrote:

I realized that about the Yamaha once I did some more research.
Shame. Would have been a reasonable solution that my wife would have
liked (no wires!)

I realize I can put the back speaker in the corner, but there it won't
be right behind me and I suspect that will sound kind of strange.
But, I don't really

As for the fronts, they are supposed to be the same distance from the
TV. Problem is unless I pull them towards me away from the walls,
there is no way to do that and have them both against a wall or not
against a wall due to the asymmetry of the walls/hallway. I suppose a
couple of feet won't hurt however...

Has anybody use in-ceiling speakers for the front R/L speakers? I
realize they don't sound as good and the angle is odd but then they
won't be hanging down in the middle of the room.


There are many coming out now and are getting pretty good, there were a
few reviews in TH Magazine
& WideScreen Review, but according to them you still get a sense of the
soundstage descending from heaven,
but they are getting better, and they are expensive to get ones that to
a better job with the "Heaven Syndrome".

On Mar 28, 1:41 pm, Kalman Rubinson wrote:


1. Seems like your idea for the fronts might the best of a terrible
situation. You might rethink how far apart to put them, though, in
order to have each near a wall (or, alternatively, away from the
walls). Different boundary relations will change their sound.

2. The rears are less of a problem and your slightly asymmetric
listening position can be accounted for in the setup. You can center
the center speaker in the corner with a bracket.

3. Do not consider the Yamaha since, regardless of what one thinks of
the sound, it requires four complete walls for correct operation and
that, of course, is what you lack!

Kal

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 21:07:16 -0700, wrote:





Looking for suggestions on the best way to layout the 6.1 speakers in
my living room. Let me state for the record that I have no say in the
location of the TV (My wife laid down the law...now I'm stuck with
making it work).


My living room is essentially square (16ft on each side). The TV is
in one corner. To the immediate left of the TV is a hallway with the
doorway-sized entrance reaching all the way to the ceiling. On the
other side of the hall entrance there is solid wall.


To the right of the TV there is about 3 feet of wall, then the room
opens to the dining room all the way to the far wall (all the way to
the ceiling).


http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203374-L.jpg


My seat (and apparently I am the only one who cares about the
sound/picture quality) is almost in the corner opposite the TV, approx
4 feet from the left hand wall (sitting in the chair that is). (There
is a table directly in the corner.)


http://rossdillon.smugmug.com/photos/139203412-L.jpg


Here are the issues.


1) To get the proper spacing on the front speakers, one or the other
will be in an opening, either the hallway entrance or the big opening
to the dining room. Since they are in walkways, they must be near the
ceiling and not a listening level. Of course, with an opening behind
the speakers, there will be less echo and distortion so that might be
good. My thoughts were to place the left one actually in the hallway
up against the side farthest away from the TV. The right one then is
forced to hang in the opening on the right to be spatially balanced
and have the equilateral triangle (my chair is the third apex of that
triangle) that is recommended. Not sure I can visualize a better
solution.


2) The more complex one. As you can see in the second picture, my
chair is against the wall and not directly in the corner
(asymmetrical). Being against the wall makes the rear center channel
difficult to place. Being nearly in the corner makes the R/L
surrounds difficult to place. Being slightly asymmetrically out of
the corner makes balance difficult.


Was at a Tweeter store last night for advice. Their "expert" did not
impress me. Then he had an epiphany and went to demo the Yamaha
YSP1100 (I think?) but to their embarrassment they couldn't get the
combo to put out any sound.


Anyway, I know those things are not true (or even close to) surround
sound, but I'm considering one just to avoid the pain of installing
speakers in what I know will be positions that will not work worth a
hoot anyway.


Thoughts???


Thanks in advance (this has been put off since we moved in 9 months
ago...probably getting an ulcer)


AFJ- Hide quoted text -


- Show quoted text -






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