Is it OK to Mount Front Bookshelf Speakers High on the Wall?

[reju]

Hi everyone!

I have a problem with placement of my front book shelf speakers (Rti A3). Right now I feel that they are too close to each other, and I do not get adequate separation and soundstage. Due to my place constraints I am unable to place them on stands nor mount on walls at ear level.

The only option I feel I have is to mount on two tops corners of the wall, as simulated in the picture below.
In this case the speakers needs to be angled down to listening position.

The right speaker shown above will be in a corner above the door, and as you can see below, there is a cabinet on the the left side, so cannot extend that side as well.

I have the following question:

1. What is the best FS position for me considering my constraints?
2. Is placing so high on wall, recommended?
3. Do you get (and where?) special stands to mount my speakers that angle down? They weigh about 10kgs each. Picture below:

Have attached pictures so that you know my exact positions.
Rear speakers:

Thanks!

 

[unleash_me]

IMO if you can spin your layout 180 deg. you can have the best placement possible in that room. The surrounds can go up the wall where you plan to fix the fronts now; and the fronts can actually be placed on your ear level with the help of a pair of decent stands.

Cheers.

 

[spirovious]

You can hang them on wall ,but bass may reduce,

sec opt is you can shift hanging phone close to tv,shift lt frt apart & even TV towards left so that you can keep them on shelf.

Keeping spk over door is risky as shuting door hard can cause prob.

 

[reju]

IMO if you can spin your layout 180 deg. you can have the best placement possible in that room. The surrounds can go up the wall where you plan to fix the fronts now; and the fronts can actually be placed on your ear level with the help of a pair of decent stands.

Cheers.

OK, but it's not possible to spin the sofa 180 degrees as it will block the door. Also, sofa will not fit anywhere else in the room.

So I must mention that I unable to change the position of the TV, as it will not fit anywhere else in the room:sad:

 

[moserw]

Another option you can think of is increasing the length of the wiring and going beyond the door on the right and the cabinet on the left and placing i.e. wall mounting the fronts on the left and right wall but yet in front of the listening position. I've tried this in a friend's place and it has worked well too. Just needs more wiring than the standard wiring provided with the speakers.

 

[reju]

You can hang them on wall ,but bass may reduce,

sec opt is you can shift hanging phone close to tv,shift lt frt apart & even TV towards left so that you can keep them on shelf.

Keeping spk over door is risky as shuting door hard can cause prob.

When I shift them (L&C) to the left, the rear speakers get off placed.

Right now the SL and front L are in a straight line, as charted below.
And you will see now SR is already off placed! So it could make it worse, if you move the L & C more to the left?

L ________C_________R



SL__________________________SR

The SR is the corner and facing the door.

I can move the SL further to the left, to form a symmetry, but then the distance between SR & SL will be approx 11'. Won't that be too far apart?
Viewing distance is 8-9'.

 

[moserw]

Asymmetry will not be much of an issue. Room calibration would fix it. Take a measuring tape and enter the speaker distance manually in the AVR if automatic calibration does not work properly.

When I shift them (L&C) to the left, the rear speakers get off placed.

Right now the SL and front L are in a straight line, as charted below.
And you will see now SR is already off placed! So it could make it worse, if you move the L & C more to the left?

L ________C_________R



SL__________________________SR

The SR is the corner and facing the door.

I can move the SL further to the left, to form a symmetry, but then the distance between SR & SL will be approx 11'. Won't that be too far apart?
Viewing distance is 8-9'.

 

[reju]

Another option you can think of is increasing the length of the wiring and going beyond the door on the right and the cabinet on the left and placing i.e. wall mounting the fronts on the left and right wall but yet in front of the listening position. I've tried this in a friend's place and it has worked well too. Just needs more wiring than the standard wiring provided with the speakers.

Sorry I couldn't follow your idea. Can you explain in other words? I have attached he another view for better idea.

 

[moserw]

Sorry I couldn't follow your idea. Can you explain in other words? I have attached he another view for better idea.

What I meant was leave the center on the front wall. Move the left front to the left wall and the right front to the right wall. This way you will avoid the cabinet and the door, just will require more wiring to draw the speakers that far out. The rear left and rear right are on the back/rear wall I presume. Room calibration will fix it.

 

[vishanv]

When I shift them (L&C) to the left, the rear speakers get off placed.

Right now the SL and front L are in a straight line, as charted below.
And you will see now SR is already off placed! So it could make it worse, if you move the L & C more to the left?

L ________C_________R



SL__________________________SR

The SR is the corner and facing the door.

I can move the SL further to the left, to form a symmetry, but then the distance between SR & SL will be approx 11'. Won't that be too far apart?
Viewing distance is 8-9'.

my 2 cents....you have the problem of loosing imaging (for music listening) by moving the speakers to the corners. I would recommend you not to do that.

compromising surround speaker position is lesser of the evils, IMO. you may have to adjust the delay setting and SPL for SR speaker to make for the deviation. For most part these speakers only have ambient information.

It would greatly help if you could give a small description of your room, in terms of usable area (length by width). by usable, I mean after subtracting any showcase or other projections from the wall.

As one other member suggested, turning your set-up around could be better. an audiophile's mentality...change the sofa if it gets in to your way to a better sound...

 

[reju]

my 2 cents....you have the problem of loosing imaging (for music listening) by moving the speakers to the corners. I would recommend you not to do that.

compromising surround speaker position is lesser of the evils, IMO. you may have to adjust the delay setting and SPL for SR speaker to make for the deviation. For most part these speakers only have ambient information.

It would greatly help if you could give a small description of your room, in terms of usable area (length by width). by usable, I mean after subtracting any showcase or other projections from the wall.

As one other member suggested, turning your set-up around could be better. an audiophile's mentality...change the sofa if it gets in to your way to a better sound...

I listen a lot of music. Especially DVD-A. The usable room size is approx 10' x 15'.

 

[reju]

What I meant was leave the center on the front wall. Move the left front to the left wall and the right front to the right wall. This way you will avoid the cabinet and the door, just will require more wiring to draw the speakers that far out. The rear left and rear right are on the back/rear wall I presume. Room calibration will fix it.

The left wall is actually a full window. Anyway, the distance of 15' between L & R walls maybe too far apart for short viewing distance of 8-9'.

 

[spirovious]

so simple,shift your SL too towards left as you have still some area left.So it will be in symmetry...

 

[reju]

OK. But can anyone clarify if there's anything wrong in high mounting of the front speakers, angled down? Does it affect imaging? Or anything else?

Slight reduction of bass is OK. As it is FR is wall mounted.

 

[spirovious]

OK. But can anyone clarify if there's anything wrong in high mounting of the front speakers, angled down? Does it affect imaging? Or anything else?

Slight reduction of bass is OK. As it is FR is wall mounted.

You can & direct it towards you.Only prob is spk over Door,take care while mounting.
other thing that when object(say car) goes lt to rt you may miss direction when sound will pass through centre as level of centre will be very low than Frts.
difference can be only 20% & for fraction of sec.Dialoges will be ok.

 

[venkatcr]

Reju, there is nothing wrong is placing the speakers high on a wall and angling them down. Just make sure of the following:

1. Move you viewing position as much back as possible so the the angle (downward angle) of the speakers are not too acute

2. Move you viewing position so that two imaginary lines dissect each other some three to five feet behind you.

3. See if you can place the front and rear speakers to be as parallel to each other as possible.

If you remember I had posted a thread of a 663/PSB Alpha installation. In that all four speakers are mounted on the wall some 7 feet above the floor.

Cheers

 

[marsilians]

OK. But can anyone clarify if there's anything wrong in high mounting of the front speakers, angled down? Does it affect imaging? Or anything else?

Slight reduction of bass is OK. As it is FR is wall mounted.

Actually wall mounting a speaker properly and angled down provided a better soundstage that facing straight up. If you can imagine the waves coming at you, then a slight angle of 15 degrees or thereabouts will direct them to your listening position much better than say one that is flat.

The more critical thing is for you to mount properly - using the right mounts and tension. Make sure each speaker does not shake or vibrate when you tug at it lightly.

 

[spirovious]

Actually wall mounting a speaker properly and angled down provided a better soundstage that facing straight up.
.

Soundstage is ok,but with THX /HT standards, surr shld be at higher levels than fronts for true,overlapping surround effect.

 

[marsilians]

Soundstage is ok,but with THX /HT standards, surr shld be at higher levels than fronts for true,overlapping surround effect.

and could you tell me how the soundstage would be better? Also, outside of some DVDs, what other THX sources are available to take advantage of the settings? Also the sub woofer placement options are very impractical in my view. Given all this, its OK to review the THX or other HT recommendation, a better bet would be to take advantage of what drives the so called "lobe soundstage" for which a wall mounted and angled/tilted speaker position is the best for bookshelves and satellites.

 

[reju]

Reju, there is nothing wrong is placing the speakers high on a wall and angling them down. Just make sure of the following:

1. Move you viewing position as much back as possible so the the angle (downward angle) of the speakers are not too acute

2. Move you viewing position so that two imaginary lines dissect each other some three to five feet behind you.

3. See if you can place the front and rear speakers to be as parallel to each other as possible.

If you remember I had posted a thread of a 663/PSB Alpha installation. In that all four speakers are mounted on the wall some 7 feet above the floor.

Cheers

Thanks Venkat, yes I remember the post. No pic of the PSB mounted though..

Are there any good mounts available for my speaker?
Is this a good option?
Stud Thirty Wall Mount

Where will I get this in Mumbai/ India?