Home Theater 5.1 question

[FP]

I am a complete HT noob and am planning on putting together a new system in the next 2 months. I am buying everything new... Most likely will go with a Panny plasma, Denon receiver and Polk speakers.

However my HT room is a perfect square with the TV stand on the north wall and the couch pushed up against the south wall. Is there even a point in getting rear speakers if they will essentially be "level" with the couch (and my ear) against the south wall? What are my options other than moving the couch to the middle of the room?

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

I just finished a HT setup myself... and while I don't have your issue, I ran across some solutions. However... it may be a bit expensive if you get the same brand... I don't know if other speaker companies do the same thing. But anyway... MK makes "behind-the-couch" speakers that are almost wedge-shaped and fit in that small gap. They fire out the front with a big midrange driver; and also fire upward through the "pointy" end. They sound GREAT.

You can also mount rear speakers above the couch, firing down, but not a lot of layouts will let this look tasteful. But, even moving your couch out from the wall by six inches will allow you to put something back there.

edit: here's a link to those MK speakers... a few clicks down the page, read up on the column surrounds.

 

[funkymatt]

isn't the 5th speaker usually in the front, center?

 

[MrChad]

Yes, the rear speakers should be placed that way. Check it out from Dolby itself.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

How much room do you have to the sides of the couch in your room?

As you can see in the DD link, surrounds should be pretty much to the side of the listening area and above ear level.

Rears in a 6.1/7.1 would go behind you.

Just wondering - how did you decide on Polk?

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

YoYoYoDAexpertsHERE!


haha couldn't resist, sorry...

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
How much room do you have to the sides of the couch in your room?

As you can see in the DD link, surrounds should be pretty much to the side of the listening area and above ear level.

Rears in a 6.1/7.1 would go behind you.

Just wondering - how did you decide on Polk?

Wow, that is interesting. I have always thought they should go behind the couch. I do have room to the left and right but not much. Thanks again for the info!

Re: the decision to go with Polk. Mainly price and my experience with them. A friend has some small Polk speakers that sound amazing. Amazing is relative however because I am defintely not an audiophile. I have priced them out and they seem to be reasonable. I don't want to invest too much in the speakers as this is my first setup. If you have other recommendations I am all ears!

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Which model Denon receiver are you looking at? and what is your budget? (for speakers, and everything else)

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
YoYoYoDAexpertsHERE!


haha couldn't resist, sorry...

YOyoYOdersPEOPLEhereTHATknowAlotMOREthanMEtoo

I got this fancy title for spending too much time on AT in threads like these

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
How much room do you have to the sides of the couch in your room?

As you can see in the DD link, surrounds should be pretty much to the side of the listening area and above ear level.

Rears in a 6.1/7.1 would go behind you.

Just wondering - how did you decide on Polk?

Wow, that is interesting. I have always thought they should go behind the couch. I do have room to the left and right but not much. Thanks again for the info!

Re: the decision to go with Polk. Mainly price and my experience with them. A friend has some small Polk speakers that sound amazing. Amazing is relative however because I am defintely not an audiophile. I have priced them out and they seem to be reasonable. I don't want to invest too much in the speakers as this is my first setup. If you have other recommendations I am all ears!

Hard to say without a budget as giantpinkbunnyhead mentioned.

Around here I hear Polk and assume people are talking about the Polk R series that goes on sale at outpost quite often.

In my head I was wondering if you were planning on pairing up a nice denon with budget speakers.

I think a good starting point would be 2:1:1 spending ratio on speakers:sub:receiver.

Just wanted to make sure you have some good options going for you.

 

[spikespiegal]

I have always thought they should go behind the couch

Actually they should. Obviously you must sit at the back row whenever you go to to the movies while the people sitting 2/3 back get the best sound.

Your rear speakers *can* be next to you, as such the case if your couch is pressed agasint the back wall and you can't get your rear channels further back. In this case you need a speaker that has drivers facing multiple directions to scatter the sound and make it non directional.

These are an example, and highly regarded:

http://www.axiomaudio.com/surroundspeakers.html

You can also point more directional rear speakers up at the ceiling to accomplish a similiar effect. In any case, the worst possible alignment for rear speakers is to have them directly pointed at you.

 

[FP]

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
Which model Denon receiver are you looking at? and what is your budget? (for speakers, and everything else)

TV: Panasonic 50" Plasma (Model TH-50PX60U) (~$2300)
Receiver: Denon AVR-3806 (~$900)
Speakers: ??? (<$1000)
TV Stand: ??? (<$800)
HTPC: (<$500)

Total budget is about $6000. If I have to sacrifice the HTPC for now I can.

I am going to also have to pick up materials to fish the wires between the first/second floor joists. I am hoping that run the right way

EDIT: I realize some people will think I should be spending more on the speakers than the other components but these speakers are only the start. I plan on replacing them in the next 1-2 years with something much better.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: binister

Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
Which model Denon receiver are you looking at? and what is your budget? (for speakers, and everything else)

TV: Panasonic 50" Plasma (Model TH-50PX60U) (~$2300)
Receiver: Denon AVR-3806 (~$900)
Speakers: ??? (<$1000)
TV Stand: ??? (<$800)
HTPC: (<$500)

Total budget is about $6000. If I have to sacrifice the HTPC for now I can.

I am going to also have to pick up materials to fish the wires between the first/second floor joists. I am hoping that run the right way

Unless there's something specific the 3806 does that you need it to do, you might want to think about bumping down to a lower priced receiver and sticking more of your budget into speakers.

If you take a chunk out of that $1000 speakers budget for a sub, you're only left with maybe $100 per speaker. With the choices available to you at that level, I think a $900 receiver would be overkill for you. You'd get a better balanced system spending more on the speakers and lowering your budget in other areas.