I know where my front speakers are going, and where my rear surrounds are going, but I need some recommendations for the "side surrounds".

General rule of thumb states either in line with the listener's ears, or up to 30 degrees back...

But what about when you have 2 (or more) rows of seats?

Do you set it up for optimum listening for the main (front) row of seating, or do you compromise sound there to give better sound for the back row?

The room is about 24 feet long, 14 feet wide. I will have a 2 foot deep false wall up from with the front speakers behind the wall/screen. Then the heads of the front row people will be 13 feet back from the screen, and the heads of the second row of seats will be 19 feet back from the screen, and there will be 3 feet behind the heads of the back row and the rear wall.

Any ideas?

Nick, I would optimize it for the front row(i.e., directly to the side) and use the second row for guests who you don't really like all that much. The "30 degrees back" placement refers to 5.1 setups where there aren't back surrounds to form a rear sound field and placing the side surrounds farther back provides some "phantom" back effect in their absence.

Probably placing them farther back is less of an overall compromise than having them well forward of the second row.

Here is the graphic that is floating around the web. This link came from an article that Alan did that was out on ecoustics.com



So I was off on the 30 degree thing, but it shows 20 degrees.

So John, you are thinking that maybe a couple of feet behind the front row pointing inward would be an acceptable compromise?

I found this picture for someone with 3 rows...

I would say I most likely would have set up my own HT with multiple rows like the second picture but I think I would have added a second set of side surrounds. I would move the front set to just behind the front row and the second set placed just in front of the third row.

Sure.

So convincing....



I will only have 2 rows, not 3 like shown in the picture.

Also, I just picked up a second pair of QS8s and upgraded my center to a VP180 (didn't know at the time that the VP160 was coming), so I am not in the position to buy another pair any time soon.

Anyone else? A couple of feet behind the front row? 3 feet back to split the difference between the 1st and 2nd row?

I've heard the suggestion that you put the side surrounds one third of the distance between the first and second row back from the first row. This is to help out with the side surround effects in the back row, though they are still coming from slightly in front of you, but not hurt the side surround effects in the first row. Going with rear surrounds on the back wall will also help to anchor the surround effects a bit more so that they don't feel like they are all coming from in front of you. I don't have a two row setup (but hope to in the near future), but I'm just letting you know what I've read and heard and putting it together with some common sense.

Three rows, who knows what works best. Probably two sets of side surrounds.

Yeah, I originally was doing 3 rows until I opted not to due to space limitations (front row would be too close, back row too far for great picture).

So if the difference is 6 feet, then you are saying 2 feet behind the front row "heads"... Ok. Starting to see a trend trying to form...

Exactly. I bet the sound will be great in either row with you using QS8's in the side and rear surround positions. They are very forgiving in terms of placement.

Oh agreed. I've had my QS8s in all sorts of odd locations and been very satisfied, but since I am not limited to odd room dimensions or limitations like that, I just want to set them up as best as possible.

Nick, have you considered 4 QS8s on the sides?

I thought that the "rear" channels should be on the rear wall?

Nick, I suspect that Mark is suggesting that you run six QS8s. Two on each side connected in parallel as side surrounds, presumably one even with the first row and one even with the second. Then the two QS8 back surrounds in the usual position on the back wall.

Nick in my experience placement theory is just that “theory.” If you have no choice but to follow it you will get something good, but if there is any way to wait until you have things set up and then experiment a bit with your placement options you are assured to get what sounds best to you.

Case in point, in my apartment I experimented with various positions and found that corner loading (something we’re told you never do) my 5.1 QS8s with the tweeters firing down each wall was the best rear and side soundstage I’ve ever had. Better even than 7.1 in that same room and my present room.

Just my 2 cents.

Yea, I responded to Jake with something like "I just bought the second pair of QS8s and upgraded to a VP180, there isn't any money left for another pair of QS8s...

As for experimentation, I am trying to do some good soundproofing of the room with staggered walls, double drywall and Green Glue. I only want to put holes in the walls once and caulk up the gaps around the drywall and the speaker wire.

Hmmm.... What to do, what to do...

Prewire for that second set of QS8's and have all side surrounds located a foot or so behind the seats, this way when you can afford that second set you are ready to go.

Yeah, that is what I am thinking. Wire for it now, and then IF I need to do something about it later, I can... I should have enough speaker wire to do it.

In my new design, the side Q's will be directly to the side of row one, mounted using Axiom's wall brackets with the top driver about 8ft off the floor, they will be angled down slightly. The rear Q's will be on the back was using Axiom's furnished T bracket. They will be slightly lower than the side surrounds and mounted a few ft above the rear couch on the riser.

Randy, have you tried out the sound to see, or should I say, hear how it will sound?