Surround speaker placement

86gtv · 27 Mar 2014 at 22:14

Going installing my 5.1 setup tomorrow and what is best place for the back speakers?
I have read elsewhere that they should be at ear height when standing and either directly either side of listening position or slightly behind facing forward?
Can anyone set the record straight.

Room is a basic 15x15 room with TV at front centre.

FinglisHobbit · 27 Mar 2014 at 22:36

I have mine either side of the sofa pointing directly in at me. 90 degrees to my viewing direction. They are indeed at ear height for me.

Rroff · 27 Mar 2014 at 22:45

IIRC this is actually a little complex - many movies with dolby or THX spec 5.1+ soundtracks are designed around the speakers being in certain positions whereas stright off the PC with different uses or movies not recorded with those specs in mind you need a different configuration again.

lucid · 28 Mar 2014 at 09:05

^ as above.

It's all a bit of a compromise in the end. Our living rooms are rarely laid out like a professional mixing studio; we haven't got the distance between the speakers and the listening position, or the sound treatment in the room for a start.

As general guidance though the 5.1 rears do indeed need to go either side of the listening position and slightly behind. Height-wise, about 6ft from floor level is about right.