Speaker placement options, rigs you've done?

[odingd101]

Greetings All, seems every time I come back here there is tons more to read!

I am trying to sort out how on earth I can get proper speaker placement for my 5.1 (soon to be 6.1) system. Currently the biggest problem is the front 3, the center is on top of my JVC tube 32" which sets the speaker near 55-60" off the ground. It is also about a foot in front of the wall. The R/L front surrounds are on top of a stereo cabinet on the Right and a bookshelf on the Left, about 5-6" below where the center channel sits and the same distance away from the wall, so they both sit below and behind the center channel spatially.

The speakers are Entergy Take 5.2, and come with wall mounts specific to the speaker, as well as available floor mounts. The problem being, the floor mounts are only about 50" high to the top of the speaker, at the highest setting for the stand (3 height settings) so besides being nervous about placing a speaker on the tallest speaker stand, it still won't be on the level with the center channel.

I have seen the 'correct' placements from dolby.com but I am at a loss to create this setup of all 3 in a horizontal line. How well would the center channel sound being placed under the TV? As well, the front surrounds, at a lower level (think, knee height when seated).

In the hopefully near future I will be moving somewhere that I can setup a better layout for this, which of course leads another question.... setup for something like a plasma etc, does anyone recommend mounting surrounds on the wall and the center between them on the wall? I'm to a point now to just hit Ikea or some store to buy small shelves to mount the speakers on, or rig up some shelves suspended from the ceiling by chains to just get the best layout for speakers!

If anyone has any thoughts, or suggestions, or even a rig you've setup yourself that is working well, let me know. I'm looking for any inspiration, for now I'm out of ideas.

[omikey]

I have seen the 'correct' placements from dolby.com but I am at a loss to create this setup of all 3 in a horizontal line. How well would the center channel sound being placed under the TV? As well, the front surrounds, at a lower level (think, knee height when seated).
Best of course would be have all 3 tweeters on a horizontal level. Given that very few of us can arrange that (I can't) then you have two options I think.

As you said, put the center on top of the tv, and the mains are either bookshelf or towers, but won't be at the same height as the center.

I am trying out new positions in my house that I moved into a few months ago and am putting a plasma over the fireplace. The center will have to sit on the mantel just under the plasma. The mains will be bookshelf speakers that will sit slightly below the center.

The sound track is fine in this setup but there's not very much difference in the height, maybe 6 inches at the most.

I did (experiment) try the the center up on top WHOA man did that SUCK..... it was way to high in relation to the mains and drew your attention up and above the TV..... So, another experiment was called for. I put the center on the floor....... guess what, it worked just fine, my attention was always drawn right to the center of the picture, not to the speaker (just the opposite when the center was too high). The difference between having just under the TV and on the floor was not significant (to my out of tune ears ) but certainly better when place just under the TV as the relationship to the mains was much closer.

Long answer, but you center under the TV and try it, I bet you'll find that it works well.

Let us know

Mikey

[yamdsp-a1]

If you can't get the center and mains on the same vertical plane, at ear level, you may try using the knee level position and angling the speakers upward somewhat to direct more of the sound towards your listening area and your ears.

I have to angle my center downwards - it sits on top of the TV angling the speaker did have a very positive effecton the sound at the listening position.

Something to consider before you go out and spend more $$...

Yam

[poneal]

My center is higher than the mains also. I have put some rubber door stoppers under the back part of the center speakers to angle it down at the listening position. I have also used the radio shack spl meter to match the level. Since the center was higher up, the sound was really loud so the spl meter said I needed to lower it about 5db lower than the mains. Now the front stage sounds much better--not perfect but much better. I also noticed that the the center sounds better behind the mains or parallel to the mains.