How to place the speakers

You are struggling with the arrangement of your new Home Theater system , but you are deeply undecided on which is the best solution to obtain the maximum audio performance. The instruction manual is not very clear on this aspect and you would not want to act superficially in this delicate phase.

I understand you and I agree with you perfectly: it is extremely important to learn well how to position loudspeakers , adapting them to the surrounding environment to obtain an optimal sound diffusion, and to avoid that the reproduction is unsatisfactory, chaotic or “out of phase”.

From this point of view, you must know that there are many factors that come into play when you want to obtain a satisfying multimedia experience with your Home Cinema system, but if you want to take a few minutes to read the next paragraphs, I am sure you will find one. answer to all your doubts and also several interesting ideas that will help you to create an ideal speaker placement. So are you ready? Perfect! I just have to wish you good reading and have fun!

Index

• Preliminary information
• How to place loudspeakers in a room
  • How to place system loudspeakers 2.1
  • How to place system loudspeakers 5.1
  • How to place system loudspeakers 7.1

Preliminary information

Before proceeding to the practical explanation of the positioning of the speakers, I believe it is essential to make some premises that will allow you to adapt the instructions that I will provide later to your specific needs.

The main purpose of this guide is to create an audio configuration capable of eliminating as much as possible the so-called reflections , that is the rebound of sound waves on walls, surfaces and objects: this phenomenon, in fact, often generates annoying acoustic effects that can clearly disturb the listening.

The correct arrangement of the Home Theater system, on the other hand, must be aimed at favoring a direct and linear listening to the sound flow produced by the speakers which, in this way, will be more consistent with the original , more easily distinguishable from the human ear and, in the at the same time, more immersive and enveloping .

In this sense, we speak of a surround effect , precisely to identify a multi-channel system capable of putting the listener at the center of the scene and guaranteeing an engaging experience, completely similar to that of a cinema, through coding systems. audio studied to art.

The technology in question is evolving at the speed of light and on the market there are systems equipped with multiple types of audio standards. One of the most popular is certainly the Dolby Surround which, through the processing of stereophonic audio, is able to distribute the sound to the various speakers present based on the frequencies detected.

With the advent of digital audio , therefore, Dolby Digital (which later evolved into Dolby Digital Plus) and DTS were introduced , which process the sound using a lossy encoding , capable of achieving minimal loss. of data being compressed through special proprietary algorithms.

If, then, you are in possession of a latest generation system, equipped with Dolby Atmos or DTS: X , you will be able to enjoy an innovative and extremely particular audio diffusion, based on sound objects : it is not, in fact, a codec, but of a system capable of defining the position of certain sounds in an extremely precise way within a space, increasing the illusory sensation of the listener of being at the center of the scene.

Finally, it is very important to determine the type of Home Theater , also considering the presence of an amplifier and the number of loudspeakers of which it is composed in order to be able to position them in the best possible way and create an ideal sound stage . As you probably already know, the systems differ according to the number of speakers: currently, there are systems of type 2.1 , 5.1 and 7.1 on the market .

The first number represents the quantity of speakers responsible for the reproduction of medium / high frequencies and can in turn be floor (or tower) or bookshelf (bookshelf). The second number, the one following the “.”, On the other hand, identifies the subwoofer , an extremely important element that deals with managing the low frequency channel (LFE) present in many film and television productions.

Now that we have determined with certainty the type of Home Theater, therefore, the time has come to adapt it to the environment: for this purpose, in the next chapter I will provide you with some useful tips to define the ideal position for the speakers in the room you have dedicated multimedia entertainment.

How to place loudspeakers in a room

One of the crucial points to evaluate in the arrangement of the speakers is that relating to the conformation of the space in which you want to set up the Home Cinema .

The best condition would be to have a room with a regular and well-proportioned shape , in order to place the television in the center of one of the walls, thus placing the loudspeakers for high frequencies ( tweeters ) on the sides, directing them so that form a triangle in which the listening position represents the vertex .

In this way, in fact, the direct sound coming from the speakers is favored , which thus reaches the spectator’s auditory system pure and balanced. The height of the speakers , as a rule, must match as much as possible with that of the ears , and it is advisable at the same time to move them away from the wall by at least half a meter, in order to soften the reflection effect of the sound that, in particular in the speakers equipped with rear or side bass reflex , it can take on particularly insidious connotations.

If you have shelves available , but these are too high compared to the listening point, you can also consider placing the speakers horizontally , but I suggest you check the product specifications to make sure that this mode is contemplated.

As for the listening position , it is advisable to make it at least one and a half meters away from the screen : a lower measurement could cause a confluence of the sound waves such as to make it difficult to identify the source, canceling the stereo effect. If there is also a wall behind it, the advice is to make sure that the head is at least 60/90 centimeters away from it, in order to limit the reflected sound.

How do you say? Do you have a particularly large space and fear that the acoustic effects of echo and reverberation could fatally compromise the multimedia experience? In this case I suggest you consider the use of sound-absorbing panels : there are different types, many of which have been specifically designed to adapt to the decor of an environment.

Those just illustrated are fundamental rules which obviously concern the basic configuration of a Home Theater system and, as can be easily understood, are subject to an almost infinite quantity of variables. So if you have positioned your speakers correctly but feel that the sound is still unsatisfactory, you need to reconsider by making small but continuous adjustments. Therefore, I advise you to experiment with different arrangements , even slightly asymmetrical , taking into consideration, for example, the furniture or the particular shape of the chosen room.

Consider, at this stage, that smooth , wide, angular surfaces (for example doors and windows) are not ideal for correct sound diffusion. On the contrary, the soft ones facilitate its dispersion in various directions, favoring the creation of a more neutral soundstage .

To further improve the acoustics, therefore, you could for example use curtains , perhaps thick and a sturdy carpet , especially where the floor is made of stone. On the other hand, bookcases, sofas, armchairs and rounded objects can be of great help in containing the reflected sound.

How to place system loudspeakers 2.1

If you have a 2.1 home theater system , you will be pleased to know that having a limited number of speakers does not necessarily mean lower quality reproduction. On the contrary: based on the quality of the system itself and the size of the room, there are many situations in which a system of this type might be preferable.

Having said that, it is particularly easy to understand how to place 2.1 system loudspeakers : in the previous chapter , in fact, I have already given you many indications regarding the typical arrangement of two loudspeakers which, therefore, are usually placed on the sides of the television , directed towards the central listening point with an ideal angle of 60 ° , at head height .

In addition, the 2.1 system also provides the subwoofer : it is a speaker dedicated to the omnidirectional medium / low frequencies : it can therefore be placed anywhere, but in any case it is good to make sure that it is far from the walls and not recessed in a piece of furniture , to prevent it from rumbling inside. The advice is to arrange it in such a way that it is easy to connect it to the audio source.

How to place system loudspeakers 5.1

The 5.1-channel configuration is one of the most common: it adapts to many ordinary situations, thanks in particular to the presence of an additional speaker into which the dialogues are conveyed and of two other satellite speakers that combine to create the much-desired surround effect.

Considering the basic arrangement of the 2.1 system, therefore, it is not difficult to guess how to position the 5.1 system loudspeakers : the central box mentioned above, which often has a horizontal conformation, must be placed above or below the screen , without inclination, so that it is at the same height as the viewer’s ear. By doing so you will get a feeling of greater coherence while listening to the voices, which will result from the actors present in the scene.

As for the surround speakers , on the other hand, the ideal position is lateral to the listening position , therefore both to the right and to the left, slightly rearward and slightly above the spectator’s head. They will have to be directed towards the ears , with an ideal angle of about 100 ° , as their task is to reproduce the ambient sounds and recreate the feeling of being in the center of the scene. Instead, I advise you never to place them frontally , as their effect could be confused with other sound streams and create an acoustic mix that is counterproductive to say the least.

How to place system loudspeakers 7.1

You are trying to recreate a soundstage of the highest quality and, being able to also have a room with an ideal shape, you have opted for a 7.1 configuration which, in combination for example with the playback of content equipped with Dolby Digital encoding and Dolby Atmos system , it can make the visual and acoustic experience particularly compelling and satisfying.

Also in this case, once you have learned the operation of the 5.1 configuration, you will not find any difficulty in realizing how to place 7.1 system loudspeakers . In this mode, in fact, you will only have to add two additional surround satellite speakers which, this time, will be positioned behind the listening position , oriented towards the viewer in a complementary way to the other two: I suggest you experiment with different distances, in order to achieve the best possible environmental interaction.