5.1 / 7.1 in a typical room!

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[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]Hello. I am new to posting so please go easy. I know that this topic has been mentioned millions of times and that there is loads of suggestions on the web but here goes.[/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]Im after a new amp, im looking at an upgrade from the Denon 1907 to the Pioneer VSX2020 as I now have HD to use. I am also renovating a house and I will incorporate my new surround sound into my new room but here is my problem. [/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]The layout of my lounge means that the best seating position for a TV is against the back wall with the tv on the chimney breast. Front L/R are no problem but what about the rear surround? I am sat only a few inches away from the wall and cant physically move further away - meaning I can match the suggested layout as per THX or Dolby. Because of an archway into another room one side and a doorway the other side - I cant mount stand the rears either side of me either!! So what to do?[/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]I first thought that I would mount them about 2 feet above my ears and either side and set to a low level (as I have them in my current house). The problem with this is I have found many DVD's and SKY are obviously recorded differently and that some titles have very loud rear tracks - meaning that I am constantly tweaking so that they don’t drown out the fronts. This made me look at Bipole speakers thinking that they would help to spread the sound stage around more, in a hope that the rear sound wont sound so 'direct' if that makes sense? some posts say this is good, others say use bipoles to the sides.[/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]So in a nutshell I am trying to fathom out....Should I mount 'direct firing' rear speakers 2 feet above ears and either side, or use Bipoles in the same position to spread the sound. Or are bipoles best mounted to the sides and high up?[/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]I think it would be great if the experts at What Hi-Fi could do some tests with this topic a that’s I would imagine most houses in the uk are similar in style and do not allow for the luxury of sitting a few feet away from the rear speakers. It would be great to have an expert’s opinion on this topic as Dolby and THX do not offer such advice.[/size=3 face]

[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]Hope this makes sense. Thanks in advance[/size=3 face]

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[size=3 face="Times New Roman"]Bryn[/size=3 face]

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[Anonymous]

Bryn - Very few people have rooms which are perfect for home cinema. For most people there is an element of compromise. My first Hc set-up was exteremely compromised with front left &right on different walls, one was even behind a chair but tbh it still sounded good.

My current set-up sounds like yours. My settee is right against the back wall and my rear speakers are wall mounted on that back wall.

Your thought to put them two feet above you ears sounds high, but I am no expert. Is that waht dolby/thx suggest?

However there should be no need to be constantly changing your speaker outputs. If your amp has correctly calibrated your speakers then your rear speakers should be fairly unobtrusive.

I assume the pioneer amp you are buying has the MCACC feature? If it does I suggest you use it. I used it on mine but then I did manually tweak the settings a little (but still kept the same ratio's).

And finally bipoloes do seem to get a lot of good press but I would concentrate on making sure all your 5 speakers are well matched and correctly set-up.

All the best with your efforts.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Bryn

may I suggest taking a look at some MK tripole surrounds, these will be very suitable for your speaker setup and will defuse the audio towards the rear/front and towards you, they really are the best way to completely envelope you in audio when rear speaker placement is a problem.

The M4T`s are probably best suited to a typical room, what size are we talking btw?

cheers and happy new year

Al

 

[Anonymous]

Barns. Thanks, yes the PIONEER does have the MCACC feature, my DENON has a similar feature and it got the speak distances spot on - it may be the settings on my PS3 / SKY box that need looking at.

As for speaker matching, ive got a mordaunt short 902icentre and I was going to keep in the mordaunt family so that they have similar timbre - but on that note I hve heard that they can be a little bright and that the Pioneer is also a little bright so I will go to RS and have a listen I think.

Al. Ill look at the tri pole speakers, thanks. I didn't even think of them. Where would they be best placed? Behind me. As for the position ive mentioned. Dolby suggest that they should be just above ear height and slightly to the sides and THX says ''90ø to 110ø to each side and 2 feet or higher above the listener'' I guess that thy know best so Ive just tried to follow their advice with my current set up - however I know that good surround sound is heard not written on paper.

Thanks for your replies. Happy new year

Bryn

 

[Anonymous]

Bryn

typically you need your rears at 15 % behind your seating position ear line and if they have to be more than 2 feet above you I would invert them so the tweeters are at the bottom, remember though if you invert them the tripoles will need to be in the opposite corners where they are marked for as the are handed left & right.

the M4T`s are a tremendous little speaker and great vaue for money in my opinion

can I ask what size is your room ?

 

[Anonymous]

Ive not had the time to get to the house for a few days and ive not got sizes here. Ill get back to you soon. Thanks again for your advice

Bryn