What exactly is wrong with being in the corner?

[The_Lhc]

I currently have my TV and home cinema correctly set up firing down the room, nice and orthodox, but my missus doesn't like it, she wants the TV in the corner because currently it's right in front of a window and she doesn't like it, swapping the room to the other end just means putting the TV in front of another window, so that's out and we can't go width-ways across the room because of a door on one side and a fireplace on the other.

Now the room is about 4.6mx5m, if the TV moves to a corner it won't be right in the corner, I'll be pulling it out so that the front speakers can still be level with the screen and still have at least 2m between the L+R speakers, preferably 2.5m, for a decent soundstage. This means there'll be at least 1m behind the screen and I'm thinking a sub could probably sit in that corner quite happily, out of the way, getting a bit of reinforcement (it'll only be a small one).

This corner is also the other side of the plasterboard wall from the cupboard under the stairs which already has a hole in it allowing cables to run through, so I could easily put all kit in there and then the only cables coming through would be the TV system cable (it has a separate media box that all the sources would be connected to under the stairs) and the speaker cables from the amp, so it'd be pretty neat and tidy (I guess the IR repeaters would run through here as well, anyone have any recommendations?). The only thing that would still be in the room would be the turntable, the TV and the speakers, everything else would be out of sight.

But what am I missing? Given the separation I can get between the front speakers (I can put the rears pretty much anywhere I like, so I don't think that'll be an issue and I can still sit in the sweetspot) is having the room effectively diamond shaped rather than rectangular really going to mess up the sound that much?

 

[bigboss]

I don't think it's going to mess up the sound very much, as long as the fronts and the centre speakers are appropriately placed. Of course, a diamond shaped room isn't ideal as compared to a rectangular one. I had a similar dilemma in front of me because of the fireplace; I chose to place the TV above the fireplace by reducing the height of the fireplace. At that time, I had a lot of discussions with the AV installer. A diamond shaped room was the 2nd option for me.

Having a sub behind the TV is a good option, but bear in mind that this may not be the ideal place & you may not like the sound. If this doesn't work well for you, you may have to place it somewhere else.

Keene has many options for IR repeater. I've got one of them. Another great option is the Harmony.

I like your signature

 

[audioaffair]

Ideally, the speakers should fire down the length of the room ideally in a "golden ratio" space where the longer wall is 1.618 times longer than the shorter wall. Having said that - life sometimes gets in the way!! There isn't anything wrong with putting the speakers in the corner per se - I'd just recommend experimenting a little more with their exact placement in the corner and other furnishings in the room (if you can). It might also be worth considering some room treatment.

 

[DandyCobalt]

I've got a corner set-up, and with a bit of tinkering, it is great! (and wife happy. i.e. Tinkering with setup, therefore no time to tinker with wife, therefore wife happy. Still with fifteen kids already......).

Anyway, I built a neat triangular platform to fit in the corner behind the tv, with a bit of hardboard and three adjustable legs (about 4 inches high) from B&Q. All the wires and extension cables etc are under it, and the subwoofer is on top (plus a lamp for a bit of atmospheric backlight) , sitting on a twelve-quid granite worktop-saver from Argos. I added a supreme Antimode subwoofer equaliser ( very small box but big results, see other posts) to compensate for the corner setting, and now have a great-sounding setup.

My CM8s are about 30cm from the wall, but as far from tv as possible, and in line with the CM Centre speaker. CM8s now have the full bungs (supplied by B&W) in the rear-facing bass ports and are a joy.

 

[The_Lhc]

Keene has many options for IR repeater. I've got one of them. Another great option is the Harmony.

Hmm, RF remotes, hadn't thought of that!

I like your signature

Taking it to the next level!

 

[The_Lhc]

Ideally, the speakers should fire down the length of the room ideally in a "golden ratio" space where the longer wall is 1.618 times longer than the shorter wall.

But why though? What effect would it have?

Having said that - life sometimes gets in the way!! There isn't anything wrong with putting the speakers in the corner per se - I'd just recommend experimenting a little more with their exact placement in the corner and other furnishings in the room (if you can). It might also be worth considering some room treatment.

What am I trying to achieve with furnishings? Sounds like an odd question perhaps but I don't know how the sound would be expected to change.

 

[Big Chris]

I can't see corner siting as being a particular problem if the room is accomodating enough. The problem I see in most homes with a corner sited TV, is stuff like fireplaces and furnishings knocking the symmetry out of speaker installations.

I guess with A/V this isn't too much of an issue due to the level of speaker positioning adjustability in an A/V amp , but with Hi-Fi I could see that there's more scope for getting it wrong.

 

[bigboss]

Having said that - life sometimes gets in the way!! There isn't anything wrong with putting the speakers in the corner per se - I'd just recommend experimenting a little more with their exact placement in the corner and other furnishings in the room (if you can). It might also be worth considering some room treatment.

What am I trying to achieve with furnishings? Sounds like an odd question perhaps but I don't know how the sound would be expected to change.

I think set your home cinema system first, then troubleshoot (like room treatment etc.) if you're not happy with the sound.

 

[The_Lhc]

Yeah I think the rear setup should be ok, I've got dipole (or bipole, I dunno!) rears, so the diffuse presentation should help if the placement of those is a little awkward (I think it'll probably be ok though).

Need to get some power into the cupboard under the stairs first, the consumer unit is in there so I can just get a short run taken straight off of that, then get the remote IR stuff and off we go.

Still like to know why a diamond room would cause issues though, I've always taken it for granted but never actually understood the physical reasons why.