How to Set up a 5.1 Home Theater Speaker System

[@QXZ9027MKII]

These Audioholics old videos are hitting my recommends & they are gold.

[@alsaeijasim]

This was made 6 years ago, but this is still extremely useful, thanks a lot 😁

[@Pickelho]

Ah

[@saucyx4]

I expect this to be relevant another 20 years atleast

[@JamesHalliday1960]

Just found this, I know he's reading a script, and I have no problem with that, I enjoyed this as he stayed with the flow and not ( this is what I do / did) going of the subject. I learned a few tips, so I subscribed , Many thanks Audioholics

[@manishdewani233]

I wish all videos could be as simple and to the point as this one

[@GustavoBhr]

After 10 years, still so useful video!

[@videomagnetron]

Very clear and put in simple layman terms! Thank you!

[@sinetwo]

This was incredibly useful, ignore the haters.

[@NihalTauroOfficial]

sinetwo Right

[@pei.p.6700]

Agree, it's very efficient use of time.

[@A.nasierkhan]

Aren't you a fcuking genius!

[@connieknipe6740]

Thanks 😘

[@zebunker]

Haters = comments that are true and or don't agree with. 'Murica

[@rovd4433]

These tips are awesome. I've learnt a lot from these and I'm very grateful 🙏 Sir. I'm an audio novice with a small system of (two svs sb3000s, q acoustics 3030i bookshelf, q acoustics 3090ci center & an onkyo receiver) in a small room. That's for 99% music & 1% film.

[@Amfibios]

simple and straight to the point, thanks mate!

[@felipenachmanowicz9393]

I'm actually comparing headphones with your intro jingle. Interesting stuff

[@musaidris3117]

As a lay man I find it very easy to understand very clear, thanks...

[@CHB94]

I just got this problem for a week ago, found this vid now. Thanks man!

[@drummify1005]

thanks a LOT now I can watch my favourite movies with the correct surround sound!

[@TbirdThunderHD]

7 Years later still good advice.

[@doraft72]

This was actually very helpful, thank you!

[@userEXEFire]

Thanks, now I need a new room ...

[@Sam-ch9mn]

Great video with lots of helpful guidance and advice. As I have discovered, my setup had many of the flaws you highlighted and following your advice it now sounds a great deal better. Not just a bit, a lot. Delighted. Now I am going to upgrade my AV receiver and TV so I will rewatch this before I set those up. Thank you!

[@Sam-ch9mn]

Thilosh S Tech Updated my system 18 months ago and it is way better than the 20+ years old kit I had. I use Audyssey to set up the basic settings and tweak them to suit my ears. Very pleased with it.

[@gee1363]

Appreciate the door stopper recommendation.

[@Vijayganeshan786]

I'm from India I have no Yamaha no Denon no marantz.. but it's local handmade.. when i place the speakers are all in the position as he said.. It was awesome.. I don't even have blue ray player this is 2020.. using a very old 5.1 Philips DVD player.. It's heaven. Do try this setup every one for a better experience.

[@jrob5361]

thank you Joe Flacco

[@user-mr9uy9gj5l]

Great instructions for speaker placement, and as far as the guy goes, a delight to look at. :-)

[@marcy419]

Very helpful I have to move those front speakers!

[@bennattj]

Oh man, the math teacher in me, got really excited @ 5:00, x, gum drops, whatever....perfect explanation of a variable (I use my old speaker wire to measure).

[@Garrettthief]

I am really suprised when you came to the rear speakers. I can´t believe that they should really be directly to the left/right of your ear. I always thought they should be more behind you.

[@Audioholics]

Garrettthief If your running just 5.1 its usually a good idea to place your surrounds a few feet behind your seating area on the side walls. Later you can add 2 back channels to the back walls. If you can place the surrounds on the side walls, try placing them towards the back of the room but slightly elevated above ear level.

[@jevchance]

Audioholics What if your theater space has no side walls? I know its not ideal, but its what I have to work with.

[@Audioholics]

Then use bookshelf speakers on stands or floorstanding speakers. Or if that's not an option, use in-ceiling speakers as a last resort.

[@Davek2sb]

+Audioholics should the surround's be pointed down towards the seating position or just above you firing straight across the room?

[@Audioholics]

depends on how high you place them. It's a good idea to get them 2-3 feet above seated ear level firing straight to provide a more diffuse soundfield. However, if you're running Atmos, the surrounds can be placed lower since you have in-ceiling speakers for height channels.

[@yukonjacque1656]

Very useful and practical ; ie using doorstop to create tilt!

[@sems1193]

What do you recommend the volume of rear surround speakers? I'm finding that because of their closer proximity to the subject, their volume can be lowered so that it's not overpowering the central speakers. Is this true, and what volume level do you recommend compared to front speakers?

[@kensmith2829]

Best video for us newbies I've found out there. I have one question I've had trouble finding an answer to. I'm setting up a 5.1 system in an area that has couches in an L shape against the rear wall and a side wall. The other side is open for about 8 feet past the viewing area. I can pull the couches off the wall a foot or so, but I can't rearrange. The surround sound speaker set I bought are Bipoles. Should I mount them on the right wall since I only have one side wall to work with? And if so, at what angle should they be placed(i dont mean pointing, i mean location). Or, should i bite the bullet and get a stand to place the one freestanding bipole on the side?

[@Diastavrones]

You telling me I should sit here and listen to Joe Flacco tell me how to set up an audio system.

[@FartNuggets00]

Diastavrones elite qb

[@tbublavy]

Yes a very late comment. Fantastic tips! Helped with my Klipsch system. Just watch on the eye movement when your reading script next time. But great tips.

[@shivasurangam8407]

thank you for suggesting. it helps to me. for setup my room with hometheater.

[@batforjustice]

I find a lot of people make way more out of a 5.1 system then it needs to be. A single small speaker in a portable radio or alarm clock can easily fill a room with sound. I have never had any problems with any speakers close to walls or in cabinets. I used my 3 way Optimus-950 speakers with 2 smaller Optimus shielded surround speakers when plain surround was the latest thing. It was also a time when Radio Shack sold some real Quality Equipment. Now I use KLH cube speakers with a matched KLH Powered sub(13 years old). I find the Pioneer VSX D411 series and up before HDMI funny business came out and before they had internal cooling fans, work superbly for Home Theater. Because they do what a receiver should do, which is amplify and channel audio, without copy protection politics, fragile connectors, or unreliable fan switching. It is also coupled with a HTPC using simple SPDIF for audio. As a result I don't use PC speakers anymore. I have also never cranked it up because I value my hearing and you don't need high volume to get deep and rich sound. They are also easier to repair. I have also converted PC Altec Lansing powered 2.1 systems to act as a 5.1 powered sub. I bypassed the electronic volume it had with a manual control and it sounds really good. The right speaker was missing so it was waste not want not and is now fed by a RCA sub output. I will have to say that my system is simpler, costs thousands less, sounds just as good or better than most high end systems do. Sadly most people think stereo out of a tv is all the home theater they need.

[@ComandanteJ]

Sometimes you can use two center speakers, one above and one below, but it's not too easy to configure right. The best solution for the C channel is still a perforated projection screen, hehe.

[@MattyDante]

Should side surrounds still be placed 2-3 feet above ear level with an Atmos or X system? I keep finding conflicting information about this. What about the rear surrounds?

[@donlew8222]

I've never seen a living room with one chair centered in the middle. First step in building a home theatre: Sell everything.

[@dimuborgir1987]

Subwoofer - You can place the subwoofer anywhere in relation to the other speakers. To get the strongest bass, place your subwoofer near a wall or corner, or under a desk. Make sure that nothing is closer than 16 cm to the driver or the bass port because it will affect your sound. It’s also important to have adequate ventilation around the subwoofer. from logitech manual for 5.1 z906 system

[@mariod8405]

You have no clue

[@thedirtyscotTV]

@@mariod8405 The first tip in the video is literally "Read the manual", this person has put the instructions for their subwoofer from the manual. Explain without gatekeeping a Logitech user why you thing that's wrong?

[@mariod8405]

@@thedirtyscotTV i refer to the comment above,not the video!

[@astrotrance]

It's funny no audio press ever mentions going without a center speaker as an option. You can avoid all the issues with placement and tonality with a phantom center, and you can allocate the cost elsewhere in the system, as in a bigger sub, better reciever, more movies to play on your new system, etc. I had a 4.1 system for several years and loved it. As long as the left and right aren't too far apart, centerless is not a bad way to go.

[@Audioholics]

It's only an "option" for one listener sitting in a narrow sweet spot otherwise the phantom center doesn't work for other listening positions. A center in a MUST for multiple listeners and those that want the very best dialogue intelligibility.

[@astrotrance]

That has been the mantra since 1987 when Dolby Pro Logic came to the home. And I agree, ideally you want a center speaker, especially if there's seating all over your listening room. But it's not ideal in all situations. It doesn't make since to shoehorn in a center speaker when the only placement options will severely impact the sound quality. I'd rather hear dialogue from ideally placed left and right speakers than a center on or near the floor, too close to a wall, or in a resonant cabinet. Plus, if you have a super large screen, people speaking on screen can visually be several feet from where the sound is coming from anyway. Depending on room conditions, a phantom Center can sound a little more diffuse, which might be better for a very large screen. Also, sounds passing from left to right will seem to ascend or descent by several feet if the tweeters are at wildly different levels, which might be distracting. These problems get worse the bigger the screen that's being used. What if somebody is keeping a left and right speaker pair that they love, but a matching center has been discontinued or was never manufactured in the first place? Do they just live with a less-than-ideal timbre match? It might sound okay, or it might not. And you mention that a phantom center is fine for one listener. For some people, movie watching is a solo affair, either in their man caves or princess palaces, or if they'd just rather watch a movie alone. I would say those people absolutely should focus their budget elsewhere in the system. Yes, when a center speaker is present it is the most important because it contains most of the movie soundtrack. But it is also the speaker the most easily lifts right out of the system with the fewest ill effects. You wouldn't want a system without a left surround speaker, for example. I once had a left surround speaker get irreparably damaged and had to live with 3.1 for a while, and if I had the means I would have mounted my center speaker in that position until I could afford proper replacements. 4.1 is way more immersive than 3.1. A video with some tips on how to best set up a 4.1 system, as far as the best speaker placement for best imaging, Etc, might be helpful to some people in some situations.

[@MendoVasilevski]

Nice one. Bet heaps of sellers don't know this :)

[@0_1_2]

Rubber door stop? Brilliant!!!

[@i_read_bad_reviews]

Wow 2-3 feet above ear level for surrounds. I’ve been doing it all wrong

[@hawkmartinez9633]

Great video glad i saw it have no speakers yet but now have idea what to buy and a range thank you.

[@GHussein]

Thank you. Very helpful with simple math ;)

[@timmytucka550]

How did you guys come up with the 75db starting point with the SPL meter?

[@alexandervanwyk7669]

Waau simple and fantastic advice. I did completely everything wrong. Many thanks

[@stephenlamley541]

Got a cheap set up coming tomorrow im not expecting alot from a hundred quid set up but for the money I'm sure it will be fine i have a sony bravia hd tv which sounds surprisingly good zero bass though hence the purchase

[@devikatopsingerooorangutty3991]

I had extended my home theatre speaker wire will it effect audio clarity

[@criven3128]

devika top singer ooorangutty fans KZbin channel- nope! You’ll be fine unless it’s a 100’ run and the wire is of a decent gauge

[@vpnogueira]

I would like to see more impulse response measurements of speakers.

[@xavdeman]

Is the 2 to 3 feet above ear level for surround speakers still recommended? I see Dolby now recommending ear height for the surrounds in their Atmos Installation Guidelines (2018).

[@elnimrod]

Thanks for the video, one question though: the surround speakers are 2-3 feet above, but should they point to the listener? or just point to the front?? Thanks

[@olovikka]

Exactly. Almost every tutorial says that tweeter should point to ears, but not so sure anymore.

[@olovikka]

Then I searched correct information and it is to point speaker to listening position so speaker will produce it's best sound rather than not so good off axis sound.

[@glpdrum]

What was the name of the foam company?

[@kenmck15]

Great video mate. Some good info.

[@honey4xi]

Is there a 7.1 speakers-receiver system with bluetooth and the remote control which has 2.0, 2.1, 3.1, 5.1, and 7.1 buttons for witching to any sound channels at will to play movies or music for home?

[@davidharper4418]

nice video...clear and to the point...thank you.

[@setha2z544]

Very clear and helpful. Suggestion -- please include advice about placement of bipolar surround speakers. Do you recommend those over conventional bookshelf type speakers, or does it matter?

[@punked333]

Great video ..helps me a lot !!

[@mienzillaz]

Thanks for this tutorial, very helpful.. i guess Freddie Mercury knows his stuff..:)

[@hugoblijham8461]

Thanks you helped me whit setting me up

[@ozgurozturk3174]

How about "Bass Speaker"? Where should I place it?

[@NeuralX000]

Fact.It is imperative to experiment for results that adhere to your liking!

[@vineethvijay777]

Great video

[@durushettylalith7451]

Great content he was reading the script hehe

[@jonesnax]

really useful, thank you

[@boostedmaniac]

Here we are trying to reduce as many reflections as possible (have hardwood floors and it muddies the sound). Interestingly, Bose are designed opposite with a lot of reflected sound.

[@mmsvmmsv7468]

Nice video. Its very helpful

[@danielgartin6993]

what about if my room is small, i plan on having my speakers wall mounted like i did in my last home theater setup

[@balkenkreuz2063]

So, how long should the speaker wires be for optimal sound? I am planning to get 12 awg for all my speakers in a 7.1 receiver.

[@a.rhewpawen5559]

Holy shit. This is intense.

[@smartiepants2940]

NO SWEARIN

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

Very informative thanks.

[@bowleggedroosterfourstring5118]

I am a pro live band member that has been using the standard (multi-channel input/2channel stereo line level output) mixers for years!? We are wanting to insert a dolby 5.1 surround sound effect between the line level mixer outputs and the powerful amps we have driving our huge speaker cabinets? We have changed the standard concert stage setup by using the headphone jack (used by the sound man) and the aux/sub sends (used by the on stage monitors) to give us 6 completly sepertate and tweekable line level outputs. I said all that to ask in a home theater receiver (with no preamp jacks on the back only speaker connections) is there a connection between the dolby process stage (the IC board) and the power amp stage (IC board) that the 6 channels can be diverted? I know all 6 channels have to be amplified separately But is it all on one IC board or is there a pin-ribbon connector between them? Could this even be doable? LIVE SURROUND SOUND IN A CLUB?

[@TheStandardBearer]

Nice. Thanks. 🤜💥🤛

[@dalanwanbdiska6542]

I noticed my stereo sounding hollow or in a box when i had my huge furry rug outside for afew days. So now i know. And also about the subs too. I have 2 car subs hooked up to left right channels on cd through technics saax6 , the technics cd channel is hooked up to onkyo 7.1 lo frequency subwoofer channel, its set up with a double to single rca chord. Very loud bass and clear sounding.

[@edub1894]

As a tutor (for friends only) for everything through differential equations and basically theoretical mathematics (I use that in my career so I don’t tutor much on that to keep someone from edging me out of my research), trigonometry isn’t easy fir the common person. That is at least in my experience, it just clicked for me and I moved into modeling biology systems over time, to the best of my ability, essentially right after that. Now I love to delve into theoretical physics within astronomy. Now, I’m no Einstein or the guys that were capable of coming up with the quantum field theory so please don’t think I’m boasting. My point is that if you’re going to reference trig then take a minute to explain SOHCAHTOA so the people that struggle with right angle triangles within trigonometry based r. angel triangle unknown variable (Ex.=the hypotenuse) solutions then, these misunderstandings and the resulting confusion can be taken care of easily. It would also help to include a bit more to the graphic you already had. This is due to it didn’t address the mathematics but the angles and distance regarding the speakers, screen, and the listener. Just some advice to possibly help make your content better in the end. Still, whatever you think of this, I really appreciated your video and it’s helped me quite a bit!

[@antonionarain44]

Can this surround system work with a cable box

[@tristanledgerwood8956]

I swear this guy didn't blink throughout this video

[@vIContrastIv]

@4:32 ;)

[@Kitty_girl926]

Nice 👍.. I have auditioned both Klipsch RP 8000F & Klipsch RP 6000F. I liked 8000F than RP 6000F overall. The sales person was recommending RP 6000F considering my room dimension and condominium. My living room dimension is (16x18)sqft or (5x5.5)square meter including dining space. Effectively sitting Area might be 60-70% of it i.e. (16x10)sqft or (5x3) square meter. Could you share your feedback on selection? Will RP 8000F be Overkill for my room?

[@chauhanpushkar]

Is it required to preinstall Dolby atmos or DTS decoder while using 2.0 stereo input channel and using it to 5.1 home theater. Does these 5.1 home theatres comes with inbuilt dolby atmos decoder or pro ligic II

[@JussBaze]

Learn a lot great video

[@sanketpatil6084]

My surround speakers sound low , so I had connected front rear left together, and front rear right together to the front left and front right on the amplifer is it okay , will it cause any damage to the system ????? I have a lg home theatre bh6330h ,

[@DaisyHead666]

but i have like 4 subwoofers and 3 surround speakers... can i use subs for surround speakers?

[@ichoose2bhappy]

What speakers would you recommend for bookshelves? I can only put two speakers in a cabinet close to the ceiling. I'm wondering if a sound bar would help with the TV portion of this setup. I have a Yamaha receiver, TV, and a record player to place in a fairly large room. Thks.

[@sudheernambiar699]

i have a 10 year old creative 5.1 home theatre system, which i have not used for some time, it is working good, but some loose connections, how do i repair, can some one tell me please. when i touch the PINS plugged into the subwoofer, it produces sound, but again it goes.

[@mikegil107]

if i have 2 indetical Center-Speakers, can i use them for surround speakers ??

[@kennztube]

Great guide cheers.

[@alexvega7442]

Is it fine to have a wall right behind the speakers?

[@bobdigi500]

Fine for front firing speakers I beleive

[@smartiepants2940]

Very nicely said. Info is very good

[@pjgowtham]

Lets say i cant place surround speakers at 90 degrees or 110 degrees to the couch since it brings up the necessity to buy ceiling mounts. how do you position the surrounds at the wall right behind your sweet spot. Lets say the wall behind is very wide

[@pjgowtham]

Cos i cant use ceiling mounts. Tall stands cant be done too since its a walking space for people. Tough job :p I am guessing i have to place it in a way that covers the seating space. The wider the placement of the speakers, i need more length from the wall behind?

[@davida.mourino9749]

I would like to purchase at least 5 audioholics shirts from your great honest unbiased thrufull company 5 shirts x 5xl please tell me you can do this for your loyal followers thank you godspeed fan and believer its hard to find a honest group like all you guys

[@Audioholics]

Hi David, send us an email to info@ and we will put you in touch with the company that makes them for us. Thx.

[@parkersname3554]

where has this been for 6 years

[@jaimeramirez5506]

I Just setup an Onkyo TX-SR494 AVR in my 3.5m x 5m TV room using 7.2 configuration with POLK TL1600 speakers for satellite and central, two Polk T15 for front L/R and two Polk Subwoofers. I tried the AccuEQ Room Calibration but it stopped with a "Noise Error" even though the room was quiet. After a few tries it continued with the test sounds but the results in Crossover, Distances and level were completely messed up. I ended up setting them up manually....Any ideas what may have caused this?

[@nerdMike]

Hi, on 5.1 I ve put my surround speaker 1.5/2 feet above ear level, is it right? Sometime is fine, same case not. Dolby specifies this but most people say the opposite leaving surround on ear level, but they are distracting..

[@Fedorevsky]

Usually what you did is the best choice. Surround speakers are best a couple of feet above ear level because they are not supposed to play direct sound. Like you said surround speakers at ear level is distracting. The sound is not supposed to be direct from the rears. Only the three front speakers are supposed to be direct since that is were you're supposed to direct your attention. Direct sound from the rears will make you want to instinctively turn your head to the sides or back and like you mentioned this is very distracting.

[@nerdMike]

@@Fedorevsky I ve put my surround speaker totally above ear level (40/50cm) at the moment, but upside down to keep higher frequency sounds more clear 👍

[@Unconventional03]

Ok, How can I adapt this to a computer. I know the sub-woofer needs to be on the ground and the center speaker is below the display and the stereo speakers are at that angle. But what do I do with the left and right speakers? The one I plan on buying is rated for single person optimization.

[@steely666]

How do you work out distance?

[@christopherworley5944]

will this "toe in" or inward angle of the front mains cause a combing effect?

[@Audioholics]

No. The stereo signal is NOT correlated. IF you run a pair of speakers in mono separated like you would in a stereo system, then you could experience acoustical interference (which will still mostly be audible with test tones more than program material).

[@Davek2sb]

I’m running a 5.1 system with my surrounds about 2 1/2 feet above ear level. I’m about to add 2 up-firing Atmos speakers in the front. Should the rear surrounds remain high or come down to ear level?

[@georgemckibben9585]

do i need to have front speaker to use my surround speaker

[@michinorikaneko3309]

Ok, so should the surroun speaker point down towards your ear, or should they be pointing straight above your ears (2-3 ft above your ears)??

[@Audioholics]

+Michinori Kaneko typically you place the surround speakers a couple of feet above ear level and fire them straight not pointed down. If you prefer more direct sound for a single sweet spot, you can lower them to ear level.

[@hartejgirn6506]

+Audioholics i have a 5.1 home theater n i have 5 same company speakers n i replaced 2 speakers with differenr company so it has 3 same company and 2 same company speakers connected to it. would that burn my system ? plz help

[@rameshchandrapatel6639]

how to set up length 22 foot and width 18 foot room.and review Sony home theatre

[@Edward135i]

"ear level is pretty close to eye level for most folks" I want to meet this person whos ears are on their chest.

[@miliohm]

may it's a goverment secret, like aliens?

[@alexarmandomartinezeguiluz4705]

What do you recommend the volume of rear surround speakers? I'm finding that because of their closer proximity to the subject, their volume can be lowered so that it's not overpowering the central speakers. Is this true, and what volume level do you recommend compared to front speakers?

[@mvsrpharma]

థాంక్స్

[@neelakandanp9107]

thanks for video

[@G2H_HellBringer]

It's like he's speaking through me. Stop reading the script lol! Good tips anyway. Thumbs up.

[@Hairy.Whodini]

When you want to give good, concise information - you write it down first. Nothing wrong with that.