Rear speaker location in a 7.1 setup

klh · « **on:** 3 Aug 2005, 07:34 pm »

When setting up a 7 channel system, theoretically, how far should the back left and back right speakers be from each other if their baffels are on a plane approximately 3' behind the listening position? For a point of reference, the room is 16' x 20' and the FP screen is centered on one of the long walls. A 3 person couch is centered with it's back about 4' from the rear wall. Single person chairs will flank the outer edges of the couch and will be angled towards the center of the screen. Thanks in advance.

bubba966 · « **Reply #1 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 07:54 pm »

Here's a setup diagram for 7 channel (THX EX/DTS ES style).

Try to apply a similar arrangement in your area.

woodsyi · « **Reply #2 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 08:10 pm »

I just spaced them so that four speakers, surround-rear-rear-surround, are evenly spaced . This way audio panning that comes with moving objects sounds realistic. There aren't a whole lot of dvd's that are true 7.1 though.

klh · « **Reply #3 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 08:13 pm »

Thanks guys. What you've written is basically what I was thinking... I guess I just wanted comfirmation. From the drawing, it appears that the surround left and surround right are issentially in the same location regardless of whether it is a 7.1 or 5.1 setup. That's great as I only have a 5.1 setup now but will likely add two channels within the next year. Right now I'm planning my room treatments and decorations and would like to have it designed so two extra speakers could be seamlessly added in the future, but so that it would also look good without them in the meantime.

woodsyi · « **Reply #4 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 08:39 pm »

My rear two are elevated (pointing down from up close to the ceiling) out of necessity, but I think I have also read somewhere that they are supposed to be a little higher than the surrounds.

klh · « **Reply #5 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 08:50 pm »

Really... that's interesting. Do you remember where you heard that? When sounds pan across the back, does it seem like the trajectory rises and falls in accordance with speaker height? Having the speakers setup like that would actually be a good thing for me in that the rear wall is much closer than the sides. If the rears were raised, and the sides remained at ear height, the distance from the seated position to each would be more similar. Did you wall mount the rears speakers? And if so, how did you do that?

bubba966 · « **Reply #6 on:** 3 Aug 2005, 09:00 pm »

It's actually good to have the rear centers about 2' above ear level. Not sure if you like your rears at that height as well.