Exhibits, Shows and Displays

What is the rule of thumb for surround sound speaker height?

I just got surround sound for my tv, but i'm sure how high to mount the speakers, i heard ear height at the position you are sitting at, to no more than 3 feet above your head, is this true? right now i have them just sitting on a couple of stands at ear height and it sounds great but i'm not sure if i mount them higher if it will sound better or worse?

Public Comments

1. One of the goals in regards to placement is to avoid or minimize localization effects. You want the sound to disperse or fill the room, not fire directly at the viewer. For this you want the surround speakers to be 2 - 3 feet above viewers.
2. Check out this link, from Dolby Labs website: http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_entertainment/roomlayout.html very concise and easy to follow guides for 5.1, 6.1, and 7.1. Browse the site for great information concerning Dolby formats for both recording and playback
3. You can mount them above your head but you should angle them downward slightly toward you. They should be in extreme corners of the room to "fill" the room with sound.
4. That is true. It shouldbe no more then 2 or 3 feet above your ear level. the angle of the speaker matters too. a 45 degree angle is best. Ear hight should work just fine though.
5. To hear the best sound the speakers should be aimed at your ears. However, in a 7.1 system (which I don't have, so this is just theoretical) I've heard it's best to have the rears high on the wall behind you.
6. It is difficult to tell, because it is specified by room. Still, check out the DTS website, the THX website, and Dolby's website. They will show you precisely where speakers should be positioned in various rooms.