Surroundspeaker placement

Jaws

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Joined
Dec 27, 2015
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33
Location
Copenhagen, Denmark
Hi Guys

I'm thinking about making my own small hometheater.
I will be using my Raidho's as frontspeakers, and my amp for the frontspeakers. It has HT-input. The HT input can turn the amplifier into a fixed level power amplifier.
I will buy a cheap 7.1 atmos receiver.

My problem is my couch/sofa is placed up against the backwall. I can't move it forward so the surroundspeakers can get behind my listening position.
My backwall is about 3.5 meter wide.

My question is:
Do i buy normal surroundspeakers and place them on the sidewalls or the backwall?, or
do i buy bi/dipole speakers and place them on the sidewalls or on the backwall?, or
do i buy something like these http://cornered.dk/consumer/products/ and place them in the corners?

Anyone who have any suggestions?

Thanks
Bo
 
Tough set up. I think what I'd do in that case is go with speakers on the back wall, even in-wall, it that's possible. If not, go with something thin on the wall. Maybe move the sofa out a few inches if possible.

At least if behind you, and, using time delay, you could get close to a rear surround effect. You want the rears close to the same height as your front tweeters.
 
Jaws, in my experience i have found speakers to the side of the listening position as opposed to behind, better in my 5.1 setup. If you go 7.1 then rear speakers typically fire behind you but you will also have surround speakers to the side - so u will need both, and u will need to place to the side of the couch and up on the wall behind.

the Dolby website has some great information on proper speaker position for 5.1 7.1 and full atmos set ups.
 
If doubts or for verification I second checking either Dolby or DTS website to check diagrams. I haven't been there recently but I don't remember in the past ever seeing speakers to the side for rears. In a 5.1 set up not even time delay could fully compensate for what is supposed to be rear speakers at your ears.

Jaws, in my experience i have found speakers to the side of the listening position as opposed to behind, better in my 5.1 setup. If you go 7.1 then rear speakers typically fire behind you but you will also have surround speakers to the side - so u will need both, and u will need to place to the side of the couch and up on the wall behind.

the Dolby website has some great information on proper speaker position for 5.1 7.1 and full atmos set ups.

Did you actually listen to your rears in both positions? With a proper set up, meaning calibrated for surround, and using surround decoding I have no idea how side speakers would function better than being in their intended position.

For example, in Star Wars a ship flies from back to front, will that sound effect work better starting at your ear then panning forward, or, from behind you panning forward?

Actually, to be technical the rears are both behind and to the side but the OP said his problem was the sofa back being against the rear wall. So the closest to recommended would be on the rear wall and out from the arms of the sofa, if possible. Then the auto set up, or, manually, tweaking the time delay for the rears, it could come close to reaching the desired effect.

Think of the term surround, you can't be surrounded it you are outside the sound field or even on the border. So it's better to be inside the sound field, even if, ever so slightly.

Respectfully
 
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from Dolby
 

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Yep, that how I have my surrounds placed (110 deg) and it is fully immersive with both movies and music. Our ears are more forward directional, 100-110 degrees/behind have been controlled listening verified to be enough for full immersion.
I lean heavily towards music so my surrounds are pointed upwards to create a more diffuse effect. YMMV
 
I have a 7.1 setup with Dolby Atmos and I did all the wiring and speaker placement myself. Initially I placed the rear speakers on the side walls about 3 or 4 feet behind my seats and aimed down at the seats. I listened to it this way for several months and while it was nice, I just felt like I was missing something. My wife thought I was nuts because I told her I was taking the 2 rear speakers down and moving them to a new position on the ceiling of the adjacent room behind our family room (above and behind my seats).

I did all the work - cutting holes, running wire, patching and painting and then I sat down and listened to the sound in my new setup. OMG - what a difference! Even my wife (who doesn't care much about this stuff) remarked that the change was dramatic. It's one of the best changes I have made in any of my sound systems in many years. If there is any way to make the change, try it. Can you move your seat forward a little, and then place the speakers above and slightly behind? Even if you just tried the speakers using a temporary setup like on top of a ladder or something?

I spent some time dialing in the angles to be precise, then calibrated the room using the Yamaha YPAO microphone system. I love the final results. YES IT DOES MATTER WHERE THOSE REARS ARE LOCATED.

Good luck and enjoy!!!
 
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