I have recently purchased a Loft. If you don't know, this involves wide, open spaces. The ceilings are 12ft, and the main room is about 30x25. The TV is against a wall, and the viewers will probalby only sit about 6-7 feet back.

I've got some surround equipment already, but am looking to upgrade. Before I start seriously looking, can anyone offer any advice for a system that is in a large space like this?

Thanks!
Craig

I would think about using some Bi/Di pole speakers for the rears. I think you would have a lot of luck with these considering you have will have a lot of ambient sound with that large ceiling. If your not familliar with these type of speakers just reply and I'm sure I or someone else here will fill you in shortly.

Otherwise, if your doing something really special, go with 7.1 and use front's, center, sides, and rears.

Craig, with that large of a space, your surrounds should be pedestal-mounted, since the walls are so far away. Ideally, all speakers should be about the same distance from the seating position.

Larry

I was planning on mounting my rears on the ceiling, facing down towards my couch. With that amount of space, would this be a problem? Could I set delays for the other speakers to make them more in sync?

Don't know a whole lot about the setup and imaging stuff yet, but I'm learning as fast as I can!

Thanks!
-Craig

Can these(di/bi pole speakers) be mounted on the ceiling and retain their sound quality? Would a direct-fire be more appropriate if I were to mount on the ceiling?

Reason I ask is because I have a complete bank of floor-ceiling windows, and the other side is my kitchen.

Thanks!
-Craig

This message was edited by craigt-from-atl on 11/20/01 16:00.02.

Direct Radiating Vs. Bi/Di-pole firing speakers is still a debate in the HT world. I prefer Direct radiating speakers, but I don't think straight down over your head would give you good rear effects. Either you can mount these on rear walls but those being so far away I wouldn't recommend it. If you want to take up the space in the room with pedastals then Larrys way would be ideal. But I still think mounting on the side walls with bi/di-pole speakers would still be the best way in this room without taking up space with pedastals. If your rears are closer than your mains then you could add delay to make up the distance, but only a few high end pre's and receivers have the capability to delay the mains...

Right, Craig. Remember that delay is added to the CLOSER speakers so the sound reaches the listening position at the same time (or with the amount of delay built into the recorded soundtrack).

As for ceiling mounting of speakers, I would recommend in-wall (in-ceiling) speakers, but you can't move them around, so be sure they're where they should be.

You mentioned a 12' ceiling, and a 6' listening distance, so you'd need about 4.5ms of delay in the front speakers. Whether or not you can do this depends on your equipment, so check the manual.

Ideally, rooms are built to suit the equipment, or the equipment chosen to suit the space. For your room, a system that would place you nearer the middle of the room would be better, but probably much more expensive.

Good luck,
Larry