Surround Speakers

**Bob_99** · **08-29-08, 08:23 AM**

I'm hoping to get an idea of how many people prefer standing speakers versus wall mounted speakers for their surround. Also, any pros or cons for either?

Thanks

Bob

**Toolatecrew** · **08-29-08, 09:59 AM**

I have wall monted speakers in my 5.1 setup. Paradigm mini monitor.

I prefer wall mount for a few reasons:

Cost being the main one. FUll sized towers cost a lot more and given the somewhat limited material they need to produce I don't see the benifit of spending the extra $. Unless of course you have a really big room and play things really loud and need the extra capacity of floor standers.

Ambiance- I have direct radating speakers. I find that placing them above head level (mine may even be a bit high with the tweeters roughly 3 feet over my head) causes them to be harder to locate and thus make a more envloping sound field.

Space- I don't have room for florr standers beside my seat they would be in the way of doors and other thinsg.

**tonyvdb** · **08-29-08, 10:11 AM**

Quote:

Toolatecrew wrote:

Cost being the main one. FUll sized towers cost a lot more and given the somewhat limited material they need to produce I don't see the benifit of spending the extra $. Unless of course you have a really big room and play things really loud and need the extra capacity of floor standers.

This is true but the newer movies use the surrounds far more than before and actually do get a good workout form time to time particularly if you have things set up to play at reference levels. so getting a good set of larger bookshelves is a better idea.My so called bookshelves have 10" drivers in them and can handle well over 200watts each.

Quote:

Ambiance- I have direct radating speakers. I find that placing them above head level (mine may even be a bit high with the tweeters roughly 3 feet over my head) causes them to be harder to locate and thus make a more envloping sound field.

This is the number one reason for mounting the surrounds up higher than ear level, the surround channels are meant to be used to "fill" the room with the ambient sounds that you would normally hear if you were there, seldom do sounds come directly from one location and are reflections of the sound so placement is key.

Floor standers take up alot of valuable floor space that otherwise can be used as a walking path or for furniture and also make it difficult to hide the speaker wires.

**nova** · **08-29-08, 04:23 PM**

Hmmm,... interesting question. Can't say that I prefer wall mount to floor standers as surrounds cause I've never had floor standing surrounds. If I could afford it I'd be happy to make that determination

So in the mean time I'll have to stick with my wall mounted hybrid bi-di surrounds.

**thxgoon** · **08-29-08, 05:09 PM**

I'm thinking Bob_99 is looking to buy some new speakers???.....

I've always had wall mounted surrounds. Agree fully with what's mentioned above as surround channels have lots more information these days than before. I've got dipoles to the side of the couch and monopoles at the rear of the room. Seems to work pretty well and I would consider them 'large' for a wall mounted speaker.

One of the most important things to consider IMHO is to make sure all of your speakers are timberally matched. IOW - they sound the same. This creates a much more immersive and effective surround field. Of course the holy grail of this is to have the same speaker for LCR SR SL SB... but that's not always practical or cost effective.

**salvasol** · **08-29-08, 08:58 PM**

After reading some information on the internet about using similar speakers in the system I wish that I have the space on my HT room to have all floorstanders on my 7.2 ... but like most I have to use bookshlef speakers because of the space issue (but I'm happy with the results .. so no regrets

).

Money is also an issue dependending on the speakers you want to use (I know, you get what you pay for

) ... my speakers are not low or high end, I got a good deal so I have four; I just need three more if I want to complete the 7.1 (maybe some day I will have the space to do it

)

**Bob_99** · **08-30-08, 07:59 PM**

Quote:

I'm thinking Bob_99 is looking to buy some new speakers???.....

Indeed, very perceptive. There are some nice speakers out there but I noticed that some manufacturers don't have wall mounted surrounds, ergo the reason for my post.

As always, I appreciate the responses and thank everyone for taking the time to post your thoughts.

Bob

**looneybomber** · **09-01-08, 09:47 AM**

With wall mounted surrounds, sometimes you're limited on placement, albiet the same can be said about floor/bookshelfs too depending on the room.

I'm currently using small "bookshelfs" on custom made (think stacks of moving boxes filled with stuff) stands. It works well, plus having them mounted to the wall, really isn't an option for me. Later I will likely use some large towers on stands to raise the tweeters up.

**Bob_99** · **09-01-08, 01:00 PM**

I'm in the opposite situation where wall mounted works well for me but if I find speakers that I like and wall mounted is not an option, I guess I could redo my layout but it would be difficult.

Bob

**looneybomber** · **09-04-08, 11:54 AM**

Quote:

Bob_99 wrote:

I'm in the opposite situation where wall mounted works well for me but if I find speakers that I like and wall mounted is not an option, I guess I could redo my layout but it would be difficult.

Bob

If you did find some speakers that you liked that were just too big to be wall mounted, could you build a shelf to place them on?

**tonyvdb** · **09-04-08, 12:54 PM**

Generally floor standers are not designed to be mounted on a shelf or wall as some are ported to the rear or are simply to heavy. They also are designed to sit on a floor and by placing them on a shelf or wall you will change how they sound usually for the worse.

**looneybomber** · **09-04-08, 02:45 PM**

Quote:

tonyvdb wrote:

Generally floor standers are not designed to be mounted on a shelf or wall as some are ported to the rear or are simply to heavy. They also are designed to sit on a floor and by placing them on a shelf or wall you will change how they sound usually for the worse.

I was meaning large bookshelfs that are too heavy for small wall mounts, or too akward looking. Depending on the application, building a shelf may work.

I was not meaning large floor standing speakers, but something to think about, crossed over at 80-100hz effectively eliminates the enclosure, so even it it was rear ported, it would not cause any problems plugging up that port with socks (or whatever) and placing it directly against a wall. It could even be possible to not even plug the port, but then I'd be worried about higher frequency resonances being created in the port/wall area.

**tonyvdb** · **09-04-08, 03:53 PM**

Quote:

looneybomber wrote:

I was meaning large bookshelfs that are too heavy for small wall mounts, or too akward looking. Depending on the application, building a shelf may work.

I fully agree larger so called "bookshelves" can work, My Mission 762i's are front ported and are very heavy (65lbs) and work well hung from the brackets I have.

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