Where to Place Surround Sound Speakers

What is a surround sound system? The basics

To build an effective surround-sound system for a home theater setup, start with the basics.

With a simple sound system, the sound from the television comes directly from in front of you. In a surround sound system, as the name implies, the speakers are set up so that the sound surrounds you, meaning that it comes at you from all sides, not just the front.

Whereas a traditional stereo setup divides sound into two channels, a surround sound system splits it into multiple channels. Each channel carries different audio information, and because surround sound has more channels, it produces a much higher quality sound.

Types of surround sound setups

Where you place surround sound speakers depends on the type of setup. The two most common types of surround sound setups are 5.1 and 7.1.

A 5.1 surround sound system is the standard setup and a significant step up from stereo. This system includes five speakers and a single subwoofer, a specialized type of speaker that produces bass tones for added depth and fullness. It generally has three speakers in the front and one on either side.

A 7.1 surround sound system has more speakers and creates a more immersive experience. It uses seven speakers and one subwoofer. Generally, this setup uses two speakers in the front, one on each side, and two in the rear.

There are other setups, too, but they generally build off of these two basic setups. For example, a 7.2 surround sound system adds a subwoofer to the 7.2 setup, and a 6.1 surround sound system adds a rear speaker to the 5.1 setup.

How to get the best speaker layout

If you’re setting up a home theater speaker layout, it’s easy to think that you can just put three speakers in front, one on each side, and one in the back. While this setup might sound better than a regular stereo setup, you can really create an immersive audio experience if you understand speaker placement in your home theater design.

Front speaker placement

Both 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound placement include three front speakers, which are the foundation of the whole setup. One key to making your setup sound as impressive as possible is to maintain enough distance between the front left and front right speakers. When considering left and right speaker placement, ideally, each speaker should be as far away from the others as they are from your ears. Imagine your ears and the speakers are the points on an equilateral triangle. It may take some adjusting, but this is a good place to start.

Once you have the front left and right speakers in place, focus on the front center channel speaker. Sometimes called the audio sweet spot, these speakers sound best when they’re facing straight forward; sometimes, they’re better at a slight angle. Some companies may indicate how their speakers are meant to be positioned, but this can also be affected by the speaker’s height, the height of your seating, and whether there are any obstacles in the way. Start by placing your center speaker either right above or below the center of your TV. Have a seat, see how it sounds, and make adjustments as needed.

Side surround speakers and rear speaker placement

In a 5.1 surround sound speaker layout, these speakers usually sound best when placed directly to the right and left of your sitting position, spaced a little wider apart than the front left and right speakers. If space is an issue, you can place them a little behind you, angling them toward your listening position.

Surround speakers placement is a little different in a 7.1 setup, since you have two additional rear speakers. For this type of system, the side speakers should go directly left and right of your ears, with the rear speakers behind you, evenly spaced and angled in toward your seating.

Surround speaker height can also make a difference. You can raise these speakers to get an even better experience, elevating them by a foot or two to connect with your listening position.

Subwoofers

Subwoofer placement is an integral part of any surround sound setup, as it has a huge effect on how the system sounds and everything comes together. The same subwoofer can sound completely different depending on where you place it in the room. For example, you’ll get a very different experience if you put your subwoofer against the wall rather than in a corner. Again, the best approach may be trial and error: place your subwoofer in a few different places and choose the one that sounds best to you.

Speaker placement tips for rooms with obstacles and awkward floor plans

Not every family room, living room, or media room is set up the same way, and not all rooms have four right angles in the corners. The best surround sound speaker placement can vary from one room to the next. For awkward setups or rooms with interesting shapes, here are some tips:

• Is your TV in the corner? If you can place your seating parallel with the TV in the center of the room, a standard 5.1 can work. If your room dimensions require the couch to be against the wall or if you have a couch against both walls opposite the TV, you may need to stick with a 3.1 setup, which uses only three speakers and a subwoofer.
• If you have an L-shaped room, a 5.1 system is best. Set up your system as if one side of the L isn’t there. Place the TV and front speakers in the corner at the center of the L with the seating opposite. If you can, pull your seating away from the back wall a bit so that the sound from the surround speakers doesn’t bounce off it as much.
• In awkwardly-shaped or small rooms, you may need to make compromises to get the sound right. For example, you may not have enough space to spread out the front speakers, which can necessitate moving them closer together, or you may need to mount your surround speakers on the walls. Some rooms can benefit from acoustic panels or bass traps, depending on the room acoustics, while others may benefit from speaker stands.
• Unless you’re starting a home theater room from scratch, you’ll likely be working with the furniture you already have, but you do have several options for making it work. For example, if you have a low-lying couch, you can build a riser to lift it off the ground a bit, making it easier to get speaker placement just right.

Why you should consider working with a professional

Setting up home theater speakers may not be difficult, though it can take some trial and error to get it right. But every room is different and has unique challenges. Small, awkwardly shaped rooms can pose completely different hurdles than large, open floor plans. When you work with a professional designer and installer, you can get a system tailored to your setup.

When choosing a professional, using an authorized dealer ensures you’re getting authentic products, covered by the manufacturer’s warranty, and installed by a team that knows the product inside and out.