Rear surrounds... Overhead?

mikehpolk

I have a 5.1 setup, which I quite like.

Yahama HRD-6063b (RX-V667 in the US)
2x RTI A7's
2X RTI4's for surrounds
CSI A4 center.
PSW111 subwoofer.
... and 2 more RTI4's for Yamahas' "Presence" speakers.

Although I DO like the Presence speaker effect, I find my self using Pure Direct audio through my receiver, which bypasses any additional encoding and renders those presence speakers useless. I'd like to mount them as rear surrounds.

However, my viewing sofa if pretty much right up against a rear wall, and my head sits about 12" from the wall when I'm seated. I'm wondering is mounting the rear surrounds overhead (and behind my head that 8" or so) will work...

Of course, I know the ideal placement, but since that's not currently possible, I'd like to ask if anyone else has tried or, or if the soundfield will be thrown out of whack..

I'm already 8 feet from my 55 inch screen, so moving the sofa forward more than a few inches won't happen.

any input would be great.

thanks

Oh, or i was thinking of using one, or both, as rear centers instead, and placing them behidn my sofam, on teh fllor, facing upwards.

Erik Tracy

I have RTi4 surrounds - ceiling mounted because of my room layout so it is less than optimal, but it works.

http://erikt.cts.com/Pictures/hometheater/RTI4-Omni-mount-2.JPG

mikehpolk

I currently have the first set oif RTI4's as the surroudn in 5.1, adn they're almsot directly to my left and right. I was wondering if mountign the other set as rears, but overhead, woudl be alright.. Mounting them will be troublesome, adn require a bit of effort, parts, making more holes in my celilng, etc., so I was hoping for some advise before i started doing damage...

20hz

I know a guy who put his surrounds on the ground facing up behind his couch works fine .
Mine are up in the cornors (just small bookshelves) .

jbooker82

I would just run a 5.1. More speakers doesn't equal better sound.

VSchneider

I completely agree.

I have gone from 6.1 (crappy Onkyo surrounds) to 5.1 (FXi3) back to 6.1 (added a single RTi A1) and will likely switch back to 5.1 when I start using that system again. My current HT layout doesn't work well for 7.1, and I sourced a single speaker cheaply, so it was worth trying.

20hz

all I figure in my small room 25x35 switching to 6.1 or 7.1 MAY only give me a more diffuse rear surround , one day I will try it when I upgrade , but I am just like 90% of the ht folks here we just have a terrible shaped room

falconcry72

I like surrounds that are above ear-level sometimes. When done well, it makes them harder to locate and more enveloping.

They key is to experiment for yourself and find out what YOU like.

Try to put those surrounds in their prospective positions without doing any damage. Set them on a ladder or shelf or something temporarily to see what they sound like.

If there's one thing I've learned in this hobby, it's that NO ONE knows what sounds good to me except ME.