Polk LSi FX Speaker Placement and subwoofer placement

mwaarna

Attached is a very rough estimate of the room layout.

This is my first time having a 5.1 setup.... cant wait :-)

How should the Polk LSi FX speaker be setup?

Should they be right along side the listener and above on the cealing? or behind the listener?

Which setting bipole or dipole?

Also Where would people suggest i place my subwoofer?

I am moving into the new layout this weekend and my Rears speakers are being shipped today :-)

jakelm

In a 5.1 system, I would put the surrounds behind you. Rather than on the side. In your room a 6.1 or 7.1 would be better. If you had a 6.1 or 7.1 you could use the surrounds on the side above the couch and place the 6th and/or 7th channel on the wall in the back.

Here are a few options.

jakelm

Subwoofer in the corner by the #2

mwaarna

jakelm wrote: »

In a 5.1 system, I would put the surrounds behind you. Rather than on the side. In your room a 6.1 or 7.1 would be better. If you had a 6.1 or 7.1 you could use the surrounds on the side above the couch and place the 6th and/or 7th channel on the wall in the back.

Here are a few options.

for 5.1 the surrounds which is the setup i will be having..
I cannot place the speakers on the roof.. the dimensions of the room are about 25ft long and 15 across..

I think i can have the speakers before the hallway on the walls and have the couches moved up. How far behind the couches should the surrounds be?

But since the FX have 45 degree placement of the speakers.. which way should the speakers be placed?

But i will not know specifics till i move in this saturday.

Thanks Jakelm for the re-drawing.

THis is my upgrade to 5.1 i dont think i will be going to 6 or 7.1 till i have upgraded my electronics.

cheddar

In your room setup, the ideal place for FXs might be side mounting high on the walls next to your couch. Although the LSiFX is a bookshelf speaker, it is a big-**** and heavy bookshelf speaker. I did manage to ceiling mount mine, but it required finding a heavy duty pole mount that I could adapt to the keyhole slots on the ports. I think its easiest and most stable to just mount the speaker flush on the wall with the keyhole slots. But that means that you can't aim it and are more limited in placement. However, the side position is exactly what the dipole setting was designed for. In this mode, it is supposed to create a null area around the listening position so that you can't precisely localize the sound to the speaker and surround effects appear to envelop you from multiple directions.

http://www.polkaudio.com/education/tech_article.php?id=27

jakelm

cheddar wrote: »

In your room setup, the ideal place for FXs might be side mounting high on the walls next to your couch. Although the LSiFX is a bookshelf speaker, it is a big-**** and heavy bookshelf speaker. I did manage to ceiling mount mine, but it required finding a heavy duty pole mount that I could adapt to the keyhole slots on the ports. I think its easiest and most stable to just mount the speaker flush on the wall with the keyhole slots. But that means that you can't aim it and are more limited in placement. However, the side position is exactly what the dipole setting was designed for. In this mode, it is supposed to create a null area around the listening position so that you can't precisely localize the sound to the speaker and surround effects appear to envelop you from multiple directions.

http://www.polkaudio.com/education/tech_article.php?id=27

While I agree with you on the most part. The surrounds in a 5.1 system need to have a center point, like the front mains. In most movies, when something is heard going from left to right in the surrounds, it goes left, center, then right. Having the sound dispersed on surrounds gives no localized effect. You want a localized effect when needed, so dipole would not work well in a 5.1 system, if they are placed on the side of the listener. Dipoles are only worth their weight in gold if they are used along the wall on the side of the listener in a 6.1 or 7.1 system. In a 5.1 system, to get the most out of it, the surrounds need to be placed behind the listener.

cheddar

The couch is the center point on the diagram and the sound will still pan from left to right and from right to left. It just won't be from the point source of the speaker. While I agree that it would be good to set the speakers behind the couch, it would be very difficult to do a balanced symetrical set-up in this room. The difference between those two corner mount positions at #3 in your diagram would scatter the sound very differently from each speaker. And bunched together at #3, they may not provide enough separation for even an effective pan.

jakelm

If he can move the couch up just a little then the mounting on the wall will put the speakers just behind him. And then thats where they should go.

I was just speaking form experience about the dipole speakers on the side of the listener. IMO they didnt sound right (or left)..lol

bdaley6509

Kind of OT, but how do you like your TV. I'm having a 65" Mitsi DLP delivered and was wondering what your impressions are of the DLP, especially for gaming and movies.

cheddar

jakelm wrote: »

If he can move the couch up just a little then the mounting on the wall will put the speakers just behind him. And then thats where they should go.

I was just speaking form experience about the dipole speakers on the side of the listener. IMO they didnt sound right (or left)..lol

Not sure how 5.1 would sound in dipole. I've always had the LSiFXs in the side position with the sound anchored by LSi7 rears for 7.1. Pans like the Nazgul king swinging his flail seemed dead-on in LOTR. But like you said, it could be because of the rears. I do believe that dipole speakers were originally developed for 5.1 systems IIRC. Something about point sources being better for music and unlocalizable sources being better for movie surrounds. But it's been awhile since I read up on it.

jakelm

Now we are talking LOTR, which sounds good on any system...lol

I actually reference my system with LOTR. I was watching Fellowship when I changed from dipole to monopole.

Then later went to 7.1 and took advantage of my dipole again.

mwaarna

Good to see discussion..

Today I am receiving keys and I will measure the room dimensions exactly so i can draw a more detailed diagram. with dimensions and size's of things.

So i can show how much actual real estate we have to work with.

Thanks for all your help guys...

jakelm

mwaarna wrote: »

Good to see discussion..

I wasnt discussing...I was arguing.:mad:

mwaarna

bdaley6509 wrote: »

Kind of OT, but how do you like your TV. I'm having a 65" Mitsi DLP delivered and was wondering what your impressions are of the DLP, especially for gaming and movies.

i love my dlp for movies and video games. For the size dlp is the best and cheapest way to go.

I hooked up the lsi fxs today for the first time.

They sounded great but they are not mountedand are just on top of 2 tables.

Huge difference, especially with video games.

This weekend i plan on wall mounting them. How high up should they be placed?

And along side the main couch or behind?
will be flush mount.

fumoffu

mwaarna wrote: »

This weekend i plan on wall mounting them. How high up should they be placed?

And along side the main couch or behind?
will be flush mount.

Perhaps you could get a couple of ladders and try different placements along the wall before you attach them? Just to make sure you like there placement before you start drilling? I think riging up something to experiment with different placements is the way to go.

What type of achors are you going to use? Into the studs or anchors? I have started to like these self tapping screw type anchors. Just have to be careful to not use a power screw driver and over tighten them. I just attached a pair of lsifx this week and used 2 rated for 50 lbs each.

mwaarna

FInally have time and a drill. What height should i drill the wholes at?

What is the average height to mount rear speakers?