Confused about best placement for the rear speakers

[kingpin]

So I have read and read and read. There seems to be no agreement as to the proper placement of the rear speakers(bookshelves in my case).

Here is a picture so you can see what I am up to. There is actually about 8' available behind the couch.

I can use any option right now except for the back wall. My computer desk will be there. I have a preference of wall mounting them mostly for esthetic reasons as I can run wire before my drywall goes up.
I have no problem at all also putting them behind the couch on stands as that would seem the logical place to go.
I would like to know the best option for sound quality for ht and music, but mostly ht.
It would seem that wall mounting to the sides of the couch just wouldn't sound right at all.

The speakers are Polk Audio Bookshelf Speaker (RTIA3).

The RTiA3 features Dynamic Balance polymer composite driver and silk composite tweeter for smooth wide range response with low distortion.
Power Port Bass Venting offers superior bass that you can really feel.
Acoustic Resonance Control Technology results in more natural midrange reproduction.
Each speaker contains a 1" silk soft dome tweeter and a 6.5" full range driver.
An anti diffraction grille minimizes grille diffraction for spacious 3 dimensional imaging.
The RTiA3 is magnetically shielded and comes with gold plated 5 way binding posts and built in wall bracket.
.

Thanks
Mike

[gustavos]

I'm too

What option It's better?
1º

http://gustavos.gigafoto.com.br/?id_foto=17336958

2º

http://gustavos.gigafoto.com.br/?id_foto=17336939

[Hdale85]

With subs its all about room acoustics since you can pretty much put it anywhere. I think its probably best to move them around a bit and measure if you have the equipment to do so.

[wkhanna]

Hi Mike!

Placing your speakers on or against the wall will, as you suspect, most likely have detrimental consequences with regards to the sound quality, especially with music, and not quite as much with HT. Placing them against the wall makes them think the wall is part of baffle, and speakers that are made for this type of placement have crossovers designed specifically to compensate for this effect.

For a bookshelf speaker used as rear surrounds for music, I would think placement should be approached just as though they were your mains. You need give them room to ‘breathe’. I might suggest setting your system to something like 5 ch stereo, not running any power to front mains or subs, and experiment with placement of the surrounds that gives you good sound quality with music.

If they work well with music, they should work just fine for HT.

Disclaimer! I am by no means an expert at anything! Least of all HT and multi-channel set-up.

[kingpin]

Thanks Bill.

Problem I am having is getting the right height of the rear surrounds. They will be used 75% for ht and the rest for music.

I have done more researching and both the Dolby website and the THX site have both said to place surrounds to the side of the listening position about 1-2 feet higher than the listening positioning and either inline or just slightly behind the seating position. This is for direct radiating speakers like my polk's, not for bi-dipoles though.

Mike

P.S. Bill I still haven't forgot about you.

[PewterTA]

With Di-poles, they are more made to be on the back wall or about 3' (average) behind the listening position on the side walls. Again though, Dolby & THX's website is correct they should be (ideally) one or two feet higher than the listening position as this will give you that "surround feel" from the two speakers.

Now you can easily move them into whatever position, but as you get farther and farther from this 'ideal' positioning, I would recommend toeing them in towards the listening position (don't have to be directly facing).

-Dan

[John Holmes]

Actually, PewterTA has it almost right. :T The "prefered" postion for "true" dipoles per THX is directly to the sides of the listening postion. Thus, the listening position is in the null of the speakers. This will create full envelopment of the surround reflections from the speakers. If that cannot be obtained then, slightly behind or back wall placement can be used.

My surrounds are THX dipoles (around 38 pounds), I did my homework on their placement before mounting. :B

For monopoles, you have a lot more flexability. But, it really depends on what sounds good to you. If you like a more pinpoint sound from them, then running a mirror of you front left and right positions might be best. If you want a more difussed sound, having them face each other 2~3 ft above the listening postion may work best.

[Gump]

Basic method I was told is the front speakers should be as close to ear level as possible while seated and the surrounds should be as close to ear level as possible while standing. That's pretty close to the 1 to 2 feet above suggestion.

[Azeke]

I have a pair of DefTechs Bi-polars for my rears, I have them mounted about 1.5 feet directly above my listening position which seems to work well for me. However, I am experiencing some issues with my center backs, since I have them mounted in the ceiling which is 10 feet in height. I had them on some stands but, that was not optimal, it made the area look congested. Maybe I'll add some pole extensions or not.

Remember these are just reference positions, you'll have to make adjustments according to your listening preferences and environment. Try to mount the bookshelves on a shelf and provide some clearance behind them. Also remember to set your delays and perform your speaker calibrations after each position has been tested.

Peace and blessings,

Azeke