Home Theater Speaker Placement
| The front speakers should be arrayed across the front of the viewing area, as shown in Figure 2. If you plan mostly solo viewing, arrange the speakers as shown so that your seating position is equidistant from the left, center, and right speakers (A). If your system is used mostly for group viewing, arrange the speakers in a straight line (B). In any case, avoid placing the center speaker closer to the viewers than the left and right speakers (C). |
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| The left and right speakers should include an angle of from 45 to 60 degrees with the center-most viewer, as shown in Figure 3. An angle nearer to 45 degrees is preferred if you use your system mostly to watch movies, as it approximates the circumstances under which film soundtracks are mixed and monitored. A wider angle, with the left and right speakers further apart, is recommended if you use your system for music listening more often than watching movies. |
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| Finally, the three front speakers should be as close as possible to the same height, at or near ear level (Figure 4). Because it is often easiest to place the center speaker on top of the TV set at a fixed height, consider mounting the left and right speakers on adjustable stands so that you can match their height to that of the center speaker. |
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Referred surround speaker placement
The surround speakers should be placed alongside and slightly to the rear of (but not behind) the prime seating position (Figure 5); well above ear level, to help minimize localization effects (Figure 6); and aimed directly across the listening area, not down at the listeners (Figure 7). This arrangement creates a diffuse, enveloping surround soundfield throughout the listening area, like that in cinemas and in the dubbing theaters where soundtracks are mixed. If the speakers are too far forward, you won't get sufficient rearward effect, and if the speakers are too far back, there will be a loss of envelopment and integration of the surround information with the whole soundfield. |
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| Figure 5: Place the surround speakers alongside and slightly to the rear of the seating area. |
Figure 6: Install the surrounds two to three feet above listeners. |
Figure 7: Aim the surrounds straight across, not down at, the listening area. |
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