| The standard theater arrangement is of course a | | | | which the viewers face. With these lines you can |
| screen at one end of the room, with one central | | | | identify the optimum home theater placement for the |
| speaker, one speaker to each side of the screen, two | | | | front right speaker.Repeat for lines angled 90 degrees |
| speakers providing surround left and right, and | | | | to the left, 90 degrees to the right, and 180 degrees (a |
| sometimes a speaker providing surround rear. If you | | | | continuation of the line from viewer to screen, but in |
| have your room arranged this way, chances are good | | | | reverse). With these lines, you can identify the optimum |
| that you call it your home theater, and speaker | | | | home theater placement for the surround left speaker, |
| placement is fairly straightforward for you. The ideal | | | | the surround right speaker, and the surround rear |
| placement has the front speakers at the same height | | | | speaker.Ideally, the front left and right speakers should |
| from the ground, usually either slightly above or slightly | | | | be placed at the same distance from each viewer, as |
| below the display, and the surround speakers at least | | | | should the surround left and right speakers. This will |
| 60cm above the heads of the viewers.The front | | | | normally not be possible to achieve, so it should be |
| center speaker should ideally be in the same position | | | | approximated. Far more important are the speaker |
| as the screen; the front left and right speakers should | | | | placement angles for each viewer, which should ideally |
| be placed approximately 25 degrees to the left and | | | | not be more than about 15 degrees away from the |
| right of the direction the viewers face, and about the | | | | optimum position. Optimum home theater speaker |
| same distance from the viewers; the surround left and | | | | placement depends on minimizing the angle error for |
| surround right speakers should be 90 degrees to the | | | | each viewer.Your subwoofer could be placed |
| left and right of this direction, and, again, about the | | | | theoretically at any point in the room, because the ear |
| same distance from the viewers; and the surround | | | | cannot easily determine the direction of low-frequency |
| rear, as its name suggests, should be directly behind | | | | sounds. However, you may find that positioning the |
| the viewers. A subwoofer if used can theoretically be | | | | subwoofer at different parts of the room change the |
| placed anywhere in the room.For many people, and I | | | | sounds from the subwoofer; some frequencies may |
| include myself in this, the design of your home is such | | | | be amplified, while others may be reduced, especially if |
| that it does not comfortably permit a room set up in | | | | the subwoofer is placed near a wall or corner of the |
| this way. After all, unless you are very lucky, the | | | | room. It is suggested that you experiment with the |
| chances are that the room that contains your home | | | | placement of your subwoofer until you find a position |
| theater equipment doubles as your living room, and you | | | | that you like.Some other considerations may affect the |
| will not want it to be dominated by a screen. You may | | | | position in which you place the speakers. You will not |
| not wish to call it your home theater as such. To solve | | | | want your speakers in a position where they obstruct |
| this problem, you need to draw a scale diagram of | | | | a path that is regularly walked through, e.g. too close to |
| your room. Add your intended screen placement to | | | | a doorway. Also, if you do not have |
| the drawing, along with the seating arrangements (your | | | | magnetically-shielded front speakers, they should not |
| sofas and chairs), and identify where people will be | | | | be placed too close to a cathode ray tube (old-style) |
| sitting when they watch movies, and the direction in | | | | TV, because they will cause the color purity of the |
| which they will be looking.The next thing you need to | | | | display to be affected. This does not apply to LCD or |
| do is to draw a line from each viewer directly to the | | | | plasma televisions. Using this approach, you can |
| screen, which shows the direction in which each | | | | successfully place your speakers in such a way that |
| viewer faces. Then draw a line angled 25 degrees to | | | | you can be proud of your home theater and of your |
| the left of the line you have just drawn from the | | | | living room at the same time!Always remember that |
| viewer, for each viewer, until it meets the wall. If the | | | | the idea behind home theater is to set your system up |
| speaker is placed anywhere along that line, then it will | | | | so that you can enjoy movies to the fullest. Some |
| be at the correct angle for the appropriate viewer. | | | | people lose sight of this goal. Whatever you do with |
| You need to identify a point along the wall fairly close | | | | your home theater design, don't fall into the trap of |
| to the position at which these lines reach the wall. This | | | | over-analyzing your results. Start enjoying those |
| will usually be somewhere near the middle of the | | | | movies!David Thomas was a design engineer in an |
| collection of lines. You have then identified the optimum | | | | acoustic field for nine years, and currently runs many |
| home theater placement for your front left | | | | information websites. His sites cover many topics, and |
| speaker.You now need to do the same thing, but angle | | | | a directory is available at Why not visit one of his sites |
| the lines 25 degrees to the right of the direction in | | | | today that covers home theater design? |