5.1 speaker placement

[Mo Zee]

my studio currently has the front left and right speakers on 36in stands, and the center speaker hanging from the ceiling at about a 30 degree angle 5 feet from the floor upside down above the tv to get the tweeter closer to the other two speakers. the sound doesn't transfer quite well. so i guess my question is- should i just position my speakers all on 36" stands and hang the tv from the ceiling (not very comfy for viewing) or would it be acceptable to put them all 5 feet high above the tv, then tilt? also, since i'm using jbs lsr28p speakers, which recommends vertical positioning, should i put the speakers upside down so that the tweeters would be closer to ear level? any other options? my listening distance is 3-4ft from the speakers.


any help appreciated. thanks.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

First of all, the speakers should all be set on the same plane. Then with the center speaker directly in front, the Left and Right speakers should be positioned 30 degrees away from center at about a 60-degree angle aiming for a spot from 3 to 6 inches behind the mixer's (or listener's) head . This angle can be reduced to 45 degrees or extended out to 60 or even 90 degrees and still provide satisfactory results. The surround speakers should be positioned about 110 degrees off center, which puts them to the sides and somewhat behind the listener. This is not only what often happens in typical homes, but has proved to be a good way to achieve a desirable front to back soundfield. If the surrounds are too far to the rear, the listener finds himself lost somewhere between two separate soundfields, rather than wrapped inside one cohesive soundfield.
Putting the tweets upside down is a common practice, nothing wrong with that.
Getting speaks at the correct positions is everything. Are you mixing for film style or for home theatre? These are different mixes and call for different layouts to a small degree.

[Rob Lohman]

Spot: does this closely resembly the correct setup?

http://classicalcdreview.com/surround.htm

(direct link to picture)

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

Yup. I'd not seen that site, thanks for sharing.
I do span my front width a little more than the illustration allows for, but I also use Mackie 626's in my studio, which gives me a monster sweetspot regardless of the distance. So, I set up front to tune, and measured from there.

[Mo Zee]

<<<-- Originally posted by Douglas Spotted Eagle : Putting the tweets upside down is a common practice, nothing wrong with that.
Getting speaks at the correct positions is everything. Are you mixing for film style or for home theatre? These are different mixes and call for different layouts to a small degree. -->>>

thanks. i mix stereo for tv and music, and 5.1 for dvd/digital feature. i don't mix for film finish projects. i actually have a separate room for presentation, but clients hardly want to use the other room.

i got the idea of putting the center speaker above the tv from a studio in mi casa studios, if i remember correctly.

what would be better, to put my speakers on the 36 in. stands and my tv above that- pain in the neck, though.

or- speakers above the tv (5ft), tweeters down, tilted down? would i need to switch on the high cut filters though?

my surrounds are in the correct position, but they aren't dipole. should i make them face toward the tv? or each other?

thanks again.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

The rear speaks shouldn't face the TV or each other, they should face the back of your ear, crossing to where they are *almost* pointed at their front counterpart.
To do this right, you're looking at doing things that you don't want to do....Sorry, but you'll need to get the center at the same level as the others, or similar. with the TV out of the way...

[Mo Zee]

thanks again. but will putting the front ones 5ft high be too high opposed to ear level?

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

K...here's another way to explain what's in the diagram Rob linked to and I described.....
Take a piece of string, tape it as close to your tweeter as you can.
Now put the other end against your head just at your ear lobe. Is the string in a straight line coming from the tweet? If it angles different than 90 degrees from the front of the monitor at all, then the answer is that either:
a. Five feet is too high and need to be lowered.
b. Monitors need to be tilted to match angle of where you are sitting.

Repeat process for other monitor. Repeat process for center monitor, using your nose as a centering point. Hard right angles all.

[Mo Zee]

<<<-- Originally posted by Douglas Spotted Eagle : K...here's another way to explain what's in the diagram Rob linked to and I described.....
Take a piece of string, tape it as close to your tweeter as you can.
Now put the other end against your head just at your ear lobe. Is the string in a straight line coming from the tweet? If it angles different than 90 degrees from the front of the monitor at all, then the answer is that either:
a. Five feet is too high and need to be lowered.
b. Monitors need to be tilted to match angle of where you are sitting.

Repeat process for other monitor. Repeat process for center monitor, using your nose as a centering point. Hard right angles all. -->>>

oh ok. sorry for nagging, but-

in other words, i can keep the speakers on 5ft stands as long as i can angle them downward correctly?

thanks for your patience.

[Douglas Spotted Eagle]

yes,. you can leave you speakers on the 5 foot stands if you angle them correctly. You can even leave them on the stands if you DON'T angle them correctly, you'll just be without a balanced mix.