# Need Help With Home Audio Speaker Placement



## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

Hey

I am currently building a house, and I want to add home audio in a few rooms. I am a newbie, and I know very little about audio. In my great room I am considering adding a center channel speaker above my TV and a wall speaker on either side. The TV will be above a fireplace with gas logs. I know it's not the best place, but that is where it has to go. Then, I will put 2 ceiling speakers to the left and right of the main sitting area and maybe even 1 or 2 more directly behind the main sitting area (5.1 vs 6.1 vs 7.1). I guess I will need a sub also. Where should it go? On my back porch I am putting 2 speakers, and 1 speaker in the kitchen and master bath. In the master bedroom I am considering 4 ceiling mount speakers kind of in each corner. The reason I am thinking about doing it this way is so I can move my bed to different wall if needed and the speakers placement will still be ok. How does all of this sound? I may be way off because like I said I am a newbie. The speakers I am considering are Polk Audio:
Center Channel: 255C-RT
Wall Speaker: MC85
Ceiling Speaker Great Room: MC80
Ceiling Speaker Porch: RC80i or RC60i (do I need the 80s or will 60s be plenty?)
Ceiling Speaker Bedroom: MC60
Ceiling Speaker Kitchen/Bath: not sure, any suggestions?
I have not even looked at receivers yet. Any suggestions on those also? I am thinking I will need 2 receivers. 1 for bath/bedroom and 1 for everything else. How does this sound?
I am attaching a pic of my floorplan.

Thanks


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## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

It would not let me attach a pic. It said I need 5 posts. Is there anyone that could post it for me? If not, I will have to post it after I get 5 posts I guess.


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

You can use the post padding thread to get your 5 posts.
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/testing/21659-post-padding-thread.html


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## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

Here is pic.


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## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

The pic showed up in preview, but not when I posted it. Let me try again. 



Still didn't work. Lets see if this link works.
http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c27/stumpy041486/audio3_zpsb1a287a2.png


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

I'd get two multiple zone receivers. 

Living room kitchen and porch.
5.1 + zone2/3

Master bed/bath. 
5.1 + zone2

Is this a one or two story building?
If you're moving the bedroom around sometimes then you will need to relocate video wires. If you have attic access over the bedroom you're good otherwise I'd suggest pulling cat-6 to the center of each wall where you may put the TV in the future. You can keep the equipment in the closet. Make sure you have a coax cable dropped to the location you'll have the equipment at. 

As for the kitchen/master bath... I'd be sure to get a dual tweeter/dual voice coil speaker. Those speakers let you run left and right to the same speaker. 

As for control I'm a big fan of URC remotes. They work quite well and are very durable and last forever. 

Other options for multi-zone include Sonos (a great, easy option, not too cheap), and abus (slightly more dated solution, this involves having wall plates with source and volume control on them, good option, reliable). 

As for your subwoofer placement; at some point you'll think about putting the subwoofer inside a cabinet on the side if the fireplace. This option works but may not be the best option. If you pursue this choice then I would strongly recommend you choose a sealed sub as opposed to ported/radiated build. If you do choose a ported sub the make sure it's front ported. This will reduce your resonance in the structure. 

You'll also find some very good wireless subwoofers on the market. This will let you place the sub anywhere you want and move it as you rearrange the room. Polk makes a wireless sub; so does definitive technology and Martin Logan. You'll also be able to find aftermarket Winifred kits to make subs wireless. I'm sure other members here will recommend other subwoofer options. 

Hope this helps, and welcome to the shack.


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## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

Thanks for the reply. This is a one story building and I did plan on wiring for 2 locations. Any suggestions for speakers with the dual tweeters? How does the location of the speakers look? Do you think just the 2 speakers in the back of the great room is enough or should I put one or two directly behind the main sitting area also? I like the idea of a wireless sub. I hadn't thought of that.


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

Den:

Front ceiling speakers even if angled forward (if they have that option) would not mesh will with an center. For there I would recommend a Soundbar such as the Polk 9000/6000 which comes with a wireless sub and can be mounted to angle down towards the listener. On wall speakers on either side of the TV may be to high up and directionality may affect sound performance. Ceiling speakers for rear surrounds is fine however the higher end Polk soundbars do, do a "simulated" surround. At a higher price point you can purchase flat wall mount speakers to mount on either side of the TV and a matching centre such as the KEF T series, a separate sub for a company such as SVS or HSU and side wall mounted surrounds, however they would have to mount in such a way as to angle them towards the listener for better sound.

Porch: I don't know if at times you want to "rock the outdoors" but I have owned a pair of EV (electovoice) EVID http://www.electrovoice.com/product.php?id=126 that have survived Canadian winters for 7 years and sound great to boot.

Whole home audio I would recommend a system such as this: http://www.htd.com/Products/mid-level-whole-house-audio/MCA66SET-KC6
Which takes care of amplification and control of music to Porch, Kitchen, Bathroom, bedroom and a few other places.

In ceiling speaker for Kitchen and Bathroom http://www.htd.com/Products/multi-purpose/MP-S65-stereo-ceiling-speaker

Movie watching in bedroom: again a sound bar or another KEF T.

Reciver: Onkyo. Which model would depend on the options wanted and number of speakers being powered. Recommend you compare different one


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## WooferHound (Dec 8, 2010)

Make sure that all of your front speakers face your listening position directly. The rear surrounds don't matter so much.


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## rph123 (Jun 17, 2013)

Thanks for the replies. Andre I was not considering ceiling speakers for the fronts. The ones I mentioned are wall mount speakers. Are you suggesting that the soundbar alone would produce better quality sound than having a center channel with front left/right wall mount speakers and 2 ceiling mount speakers in the back? Any other suggestions or comments. I need to go ahead and get everything wired up before we start sheet rock. I am also considering wiring some rooms that I may not add speakers to initially. Is there any problems doing this?


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

The Polk have an angleable tweeter, whether there is enough down angle available to compensate for the speaker being placed high up on a wall would depend on your seating possition but it should be enough. The soundbar was another option and it can (I beleive) be swivel mounted so you can aim it. However it will not look as nice as an in wall speaker. If you are going for the 255 RT center I suggest you change from the MC85 to the matching 265 RTs, it is best to have the 3 front speakers matching.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Addressing your question about a soundbar:

There are a few passive clr soundbars on the market (passive means the need an amp, clr means they do the job of a center left and right speaker) I know definitive technology makes 4 and I think golden ears make one as well. 

Beyond that Sonos has a soundbar that's expandable to 5.1 but its proprietary and doesn't support DTS. (I do love what Sonos can do)

As for good surround speakers I'd take some time to go to local shops and listen. You'll have your speakers for a long time it's good to get ones you can commit to.


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