# Speaker stand height



## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

Hi all, I'm building speaker stand for my 5.1 home theater. My front speaker stand will be so the tweeter is at ear level like it is supposed to be. I was going to do the same thing for my rear speaker until I read somewhere this week-end that the rear speaker in a 5.1 system should be above hear level 5-6 feet high I beleive especialy for bi-directional speaker. My rear speaker are mono-directional bookshelf type speaker.

What height should I be aiming for? Same as front? 4 feet, 5 feet? My rear speaker are currently much too close to the rear wall and couch but I have to live with this issue since I'm in appartement. Speaker will be on each side of the couch and be flush with the back of the couch at about 1 feet of the couch (too close). I don't mind making them a certain height and changing the ABS pipe for a longer or shorter one down the road when I have a proper room.

Thank you for helping me out!

Steeve B.


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Front and center channel speakers should be at ear level ideally tweeters aimed at the listening position. The surround channels are more non directional and ideally you want them to spread the sound out through the room rather then fire directly at you. Most people place them above their head aiming downward but this is not always possible.


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

So in my case since they are quite close I should put them above my head so they spread the sound in the room? How high above ear should they be?


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

In my opinion I would have them at about 5ft.


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

Thank you very much for your help!


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## nova (Apr 30, 2006)

Just to clarify, about 5' from the floor, not your ears. Generally you would want to place them so the tweeter is 1-1/2' to 2' above ear level at your seated position.


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

Thank you. I will build them to this height.


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## Wayne A. Pflughaupt (Apr 13, 2006)

Since your rear speakers are right next to the couch, and direct-radiating at that, I'd raise them 5-6' above ear level. Otherwise it'll be too easy to localize them and you'll always be aware of their presence. Of course you probably have that problem already. If getting them that high isn't an option, the next best thing is to drastically roll the highs out of the rear speakers. That will simulate the high frequency attenuation you'd naturally get if they were some distance from the couch.

Regards,
Wayne


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

Are you saying 5 or 6 feet above ears ? Or above floor? Because 5-6 feet above ears would put them higher than my actual ceilling so it is not possible for me. I will cut the pipe tomorrow probably. Currently the tweeter should be close to 5 feet from the ground. I have some decorative stuff that the girlfriend put on the wall which prevent me from setting them higher. I guess I could move the seating forward a few inch(feet) but I'm not sure I will be able to get the required WAF permit. The good thing is that I should have a house quite soon (1-3 years) and she already gave me the okay for my own HT room where I will have the right to do what I want.


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## rab-byte (Feb 1, 2011)

Cheater fixes "can" take the form of facing the speakers away from you or reversing phase on the rears. Both are solutions if you simply can't get them to sound right via conventional placement methods.


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## Steeve-O (Dec 3, 2010)

So basically I will make them 5-6 feet from floor. I will try to aim them at TV, etc and also I will try reversing the phase. 

From what you are all saying you don't want to know where they are you just want feel the sound of your surrounding.


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