OK, this may sound like a bit of a rant, but if I see another picture of an obviously amateur theater installation claiming to be great system it will be too soon! How often do I see absolutely WRONG speaker placements, incorrect television positioning?… there’s a reason you call on the experts at Wired 1 Consulting!
Here are 2 rules of proper theater design, set by the theatre experts at Dolby Labs, DTS, THX labs etc… and there are many more!
#1. You should NEVER have more than a 24″ height difference between your front right and left speakers and the center channel speaker (even less if you sit less than 10 feet from the screen). This is very important. Your front speakers are the most crucial speakers in a theater. If your center speaker is too high (or too low) when the action moves right to left the sound across the front will go up and down as it moves from one speaker to the next. This is also true for television height in relation to the speakers in the front. If your television absolutely has to be mounted above your fireplace, consider either a sound bar or in wall or on wall speakers. If your viewing screen is 40 some odd inches up in the air and you speakers are at floor level you will never hear dialogue that seems to come out of the actor’s mouth!!
#2. If you are setting up a 5.1 surround speaker system your rear speakers should be positioned slightly above your seated (watching) area, slightly above ear height when seated and to the right and left and slightly back of your seating area. NOT on the back wall.
At Wired 1 Consulting we have decades of experience in setting up outstanding theatres, large and small, that the whole family can operate and enjoy, that are set up correctly. Get in touch with us today. You’ll be glad you did!