# Help with Center Channel placement please



## Dethfyre (Feb 10, 2010)

Hello everyone

I have a question about center channel placement and I'm hoping someone with more knowledge on this than I have can help point me in the right direction. Long story short, I can't put the center channel at ear level due to a projector screen in the way. My ideal placement would be about 32" to 36" up on the wall but since that's going to be completely covered by a screen now (I forgot about the 20" drop required between the ceiling and top of the screen, but it wouldn't have changed things in the end anyway I suppose), my choices are either above or below the screen (I ruled out Acoustic screen material, it seems like too much compromise on both sound quality and display quality from the reviews). Neither location is really ideal, but which is better generally? Below would put it about 20" off the ground, and above would put it about 70" off the ground... below would be closer to seated ear level than above so I'm leaning that direction at the moment. Typical usage for my system is about 75% DVD Movies and DD 5.1 / DTS Live Audio and Concerts (Eagles Hell Freezes Over DVD etc), with CD listening accounting for most of the other 25%, if that makes any difference.

I'll list out my equipment information and the rest of the details of the system below - I appreciate any help you can offer! Thanks in advance, and thanks for putting up with my newb questions!

Dan


Details of the room and the system:

I'm in the process of finishing my basement to become my first true Home Theater right now - it's on the smaller side compared to most of your setups I imagine (it's aprx 16' X 13') and I'm still in the initial construction phases. I have open walls at the moment with electrical run around the room and 5.2 in the walls already, and I've set the fronts up with two runs of wire for Bi-Amping. There are 10m HDMI and Component cables (and AC) through the ceiling at the Projector mount point, and then everything terminates at the front left corner of the room where I've planned to put the main equipment rack.

For equipment, almost everything is already purchased and some of it is already in use with my 50" Plasma upstairs... all the speakers, the BluRay player, CD changer, and the receiver are running up there right now. The projector has been tested and is in a closet for storage until this is finished, along with the screen. When these speakers move downstairs I'll put my previous Energy Take Classic 5.1 system back up there - they've always sounded very good and very crisp, just as long as not much volume is required of them if anyone had an interest in those but hadn't heard them yet.

Room : 16 x 13, one window that will be completely blacked out via a removable insert I am going to be making. Four can lights in the ceiling using dimmable CFLs for ambient lighting if desired. Room will be able to become completely dark if desired/required. All interior walls will be insulated for sound deadening. Obviously no drywall is up yet, but I imagine it will be painted a lighter cream or beige color (wife won't go for dark walls). And I have absolutely no idea about acoustical treatments - I've heard of people putting sound panels on the wall etc, but I know nothing about that sort of thing or what it does etc.

Projector : Mitsubishi HC3800
http://www.mitsubishi-presentations....rs/HC3800.html

Screen : Elite Screens 92" ez-Frame in CineGray (R92H1)
http://www.google.com/products/catal...&os=tech-specs

Receiver : Yamaha RX-V3900
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/p...?CNTID=5016803

Speakers - Sub and Fronts all carpet spiked :
Front - 2x Yamaha Towers NS-A1738 (Bi-Amped)
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/p...9&CTID=5002900

Center - Yamaha NS-C444 (closest match I could find to the towers at the time)
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/p...l?CNTID=200122

Surround - 2x Dayton Audio BR1 (previously they were my mains and center before the new Yamahas)
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=300-640

Sub - Yamaha YST-SW315
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/p...l?CNTID=200489

Power Conditioner / UPS - Belkin Pure AV 
http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=195291

Seating - No idea yet, the Wife basically veto'd dedicated Home Theater seating which is what I was hoping for, so probably reclining couch or sectional at this point. Bah.


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## Toby Jack (Feb 5, 2010)

My center channel is placed at approximately the same height as yours. All I did was angle it up slightly so that the tweeter was sure to beam straight toward my head. I used a pair of back dress socks and rolled up each sock and wedged both of them under the front corners of my speaker. Luckily, you can't see the socks and it ended up looking pretty descent. So if you were looking for the Hill Billie solution to your problem, there it was!

I think placing your center at that height will sound better than you expect just as long as the speaker is pointed up toward the listener. I am pleased with how mine turned out.


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## Dethfyre (Feb 10, 2010)

I think that's what I'm going to do as well based on the feedback so far... I was planning on just mounting it on a floating wall shelf, but I found a center channel stand that has a couple of adjustable screws at the front of it to raise the front of the speaker as needed - think I'll give that a shot and hope for the best.

The model is Sanus NFC18C - I don't see any reason why this won't work, unless I'm missing something.

I appreciate the reply!

Dan


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## Toby Jack (Feb 5, 2010)

That's a nice looking mount. I think that will work just fine. Hopefully you can get it for cheaper than $95!


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

I think just below the screen is your best option, Thats where most of us mount it and it works just fine. 20" off the floor is just fine for height. Ideally you want the center channel speaker to be out from the wall even with your fronts so making a stand may be more practical than a shelf on the wall its self.


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## chadnliz (Feb 12, 2010)

If you have a laser level then place that on your center and tilt its front up till you see the beam hit where your ears will be when seated, works great!


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## Dethfyre (Feb 10, 2010)

That's another good idea that I hadn't considered - I've got a laser level hiding in the garage somewhere, I'll find it and give that a shot too 

Thanks!
Dan


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## Matteo (Jul 12, 2006)

Hi Dan,
This will always be a problem when not using acoustic screens. Unfortunately you are correct about the possible detrimental effects of acoustic screens but have you actually compared them. I have always been bothered by speaker placement above or below the screen. Even after tilting the speaker and adjusting tweeter angle I could tell the speaker was above/below the screen. Almost every system, even very nice ones, suffer from this. I eventually went to an acoustic screen. I bought some screen material online and just inserted into my old frame. It worked great. I still have the old screen and I do comparisons when people come over. Some people actually like the look of the acoustic screen better, but most can't tell the difference. As for sound, nobody complains. With all the newer receivers and adjustments in speakers I would bet 99% of the people would not be able to tell a difference. The acoustic material was under $400. I love it. Just another option.


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## Dethfyre (Feb 10, 2010)

Hey Matt

No, I haven't done any in person comparisons on these - unfortunately I'm the first one of my friends/family/coworkers that's jumping into the dedicated home theater hobby, so I have nothing to work with or compare to from that standpoint. All I've been doing so far is going off whatever reviews I can find online (I tend to research anything I get along these lines for weeks ahead of time) and then trying to make the best decisions and performance/value bargains that I can based on that. 

That's actually how I ended up choosing my new main speakers, receiver, projector etc... I eventually see enough reviews from enough different people that say something to the effect of "this isn't the best item that exists in this category, but it's better than anything else out there for twice the price or more, and therefore is the best bang for the buck you can get". In this case, I saw several reviews of the lower end acoustic screens in my price range (unfortunately screen budget was $500 or less for this project) stating that they noticed a loss of high frequency from the center channel, and they could see graininess in the screen material from 12' back which is about where my seating is going to end up. 

I definitely appreciate your feedback from the other side of things here, it's good to know that if I can find the right material then maybe those concerns won't actually be such a problem in the end. If I can ask, what acoustic material are you using? 

This is only Home Theater 1.0 for me, and I only plan to be in this house for another 3-4 years with any luck, so not too far down the road when I start working on the new and (hopefully) improved Home Theater 2.0 with a better budget lined up for higher end components, I will be able to get a screen with decent acoustic material and actually be able to put the center where I know it should be. 

Thanks again!
Dan


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