surround speaker placement

[admin_exported]

Can anyone give me some advice on whether I will hear a noticeable sound difference the following speaker set up - I’ll do my best to explain the speaker placement.

If you imagine two front speakers (floor standers) and two rear surround speakers (bookshelf size) at the corners of a rectangle about 4m x 6m. All are slightly toed in to the listening position. In this “ideal” case the speakers are therefore 2m either side of a centreline running down the middle of the rectangle.

Because of physical constraints in my room one of the rear speakers has to be situated about 3.2m from the centreline of the rectangle (or about 1.2m of where it ideally should be). It will therefore have to be toed slightly more to aim at the same listening position. As it is only a surround speaker I’m hoping that the sound variation that is heard at the listening position will be minimised. I also suspect that either the manual or automatic setup feature in the Yamaha 863 will help compensate for the placement of that specific speaker.

Am I right and have nothing to really worry about or do I need to try for the ideal speaker placement?

Thanks David

 

[Anonymous]

Although I'm no expert, I would say the auto set up will take care of all the speaker distances/angles and calibrate the amp for your listening position. As long as the speakers are facing toward you, I wouldn't worry about it to much. But again, I'm no expert...

 

[Anonymous]

Agree that Auto set Up should sort this out. However, once you've run it (and use as many different listening points as suggested ,as this gives a better overall sound ) do measure the distances yourself and then if necessary ammend using the manual set up option. The auto set up is very good but can sometimes be a bit out on distances.

 

[Anonymous]

I had a smiliar situation at my previous house.Using the auto setup on a Denon 1906 i found no disernable difference in the surround speakers..

 

[Tom Moreno]

I am an advocate of the auto setup function (especially the good ones) but I would always double check the settings they come up with. My AVR-3808 sounded brilliant after running the Audessy but I had a feeling that the surround channels were just a bit too hot for my liking, so out came the SPL meter and sure enough the rear channels (while perfectly balanced with each other) were 2db too hot. I turned them down in the manual setup and now I'm enjoying the best Surround reproduction off of Blu-ray that I've ever heard. Audessy also does a fine job of making a much wider sweet spot in the room as well.

now I just have to convince the wife that she wants to watch movies on a projector....

 

[Anonymous]

Tom Moreno:
I am anÿadvocateÿof the auto setup function (especially the good ones) but I would always double check the settings they come up with. ÿMy AVR-3808 sounded brilliant after running the Audessy but I had a feeling that the surround channels were just a bit too hot for my liking, so out came the SPL meter and sure enough the rear channels (while perfectlyÿbalancedÿwith each other) were 2db too hot. ÿI turned them down in the manual setup and now I'm enjoying the best Surround reproduction off of Blu-ray that I've ever heard. ÿAudessy also does a fine job of making a much wider sweet spot in the room as well.

ÿ

now I just have to convince the wife that she wants to watch movies on a projector....

ÿ

2dB? You've got good ears.

I've had a few amps now with Audyssey and I've always been pleased with the auto setup and room EQ. MCACC is also good (although maybe not quite as good). I'm picking up a Yamaha Z7 tomorrow. Fingers crossed YPAO is as good. ÿ

 

[True Blue]

Auto setup worked a treat on my system. one rear is 1.21m away and the other 2.22m not noticed any problems you will be fine. Just to teinforce what others have said take as many listening positions as possible as this will greatly improve the accuracy of the setup.

 

[Anonymous]

I think you should place the speakers directly on either side of the listening position and then calibrate the correct distance on your amp for optimal sound.

 

[Tom Moreno]

beaverme:

2dB? You've got good ears.

I've had a few amps now with Audyssey and I've always been pleased with the auto setup and room EQ. MCACC is also good (although maybe not quite as good). I'm picking up a Yamaha Z7 tomorrow. Fingers crossed YPAO is as good.

I used to be a Stage Assistant at a couple of reputable Los Angeles Audio Post Production facilities. Part of the job was calibrating the mixing stages every morning to make sure the mixers didn't mix the film incorrectly. I haven't had first hand experience with MCACC or YPAO, but I was reasonably impressed with the Denon Audessy system. The "hot" rears could be an anomaly due to the fact that the sofa in our small living room is against the rear wall and that means the rear speakers are very close to the listeners. I think this might play into the algorithms that Audessy uses to try and even the soundfield for all listening positions. Should find out soon if that's the case as we're moving to a new house with a much larger living room.

Does anyone else use a Denon amp and have they found that the rear channels were correct after Audessy calibration?