Are You Losing Audio Performance Through Improper Surround Sound Speaker Placement?

Something as simple as the placement of your surround sound speakers can have very negative effects on your home theater's sound system performance. A improperly configured surround sound speaker system can have little if any improvement over a stock audio setup, which is dismal at best!

Proper Placement Entails:

• Center Speaker Above/ Below Screen
• Front Left & Front Right Speakers @ 22 to 30 degrees (from center)
• Surround Left & Surround Right Speakers @ 90 to 110 degrees (from center)
• Speaker Height And Angle

Are You Configuring Your Surround Sound Speakers For TV Correctly?

If you are not sure on tricks and tips for configuring your speakers correctly, how can you be sure your surround sound speaker system is performing at it's potential. The Center Speaker should be centered above or below the screen at 0 degrees. The Front Speakers (L&R) should each be placed directly to the left and right of your TV screen at 22 to 30 degrees off the center. The Front (L&R) and Center speakers should be in-line at the listeners ear level to help produce the biggest "sweet-spot". The Rear Surround Speakers (L&R) should be at 90 to 110 degrees off center on the left and right side and slightly behind (optimum), the listener. This will provide you with the biggest and best "sweet-spot" for the most listener enjoyment possible.

So How The Heck Do You Figure These Angles Out?

Here's your help!, it is fairly easy to figure the angles out and here is how. Hopefully you have an analog clock somewhere close by and the bigger the better! Place an analog clock centered in your main listener seat, positioning the 12 o'clock aimed at the center of your TV screen (and your center speaker). Now with the clock laid down on the seat and the 12 o'clock pointing at the center of your screen, you'll want to place your front speakers slightly left and right of the screen at the 1 o'clock for the right and at the 11 o'clock for the left front speakers. The surround speakers are placed similarly, the right speaker should be placed where the 4 o'clock is pointing and the left speaker should be where the 8 o'clock is pointing. If you have a 7.1-channel system (additional Rear Surround Speakers), they should be placed at the 5 and 7 o'clock positions. All surround sound speakers should optimally be placed at ear level.

This is a configuration that has had studies done to back up the optimum system performance potential, most conclusively the ITU-R BS 775 Recommendation that states that this configuration is going to give your surround sound speakers for TV a chance to perform to their optimum potential.