Dumb question about Speaker Positioning

I agree with all of the above but would add that while speaker position will be optimal for both, seating may need to be changed a little so that you'll listen to 5.1 a few feet closer to the front than for 2ch audio. The idea is to be "surrounded" by the rear speaker effect in 5.1 while you want to benefit from a complete soundstage in 2ch audio. I do not know if it makes sense the way I describe it but in practice: wherever you seat for 2ch audio, move your chair a couple of feet toward the front for 5.1. Listen and forget about this if you do not like it!!!

Interesting point Boheme. I recently moved my seat forward to set up more in nearfield listening. I found that move really improved things so I plan to try it out even closer but need to make some furniture changes. This is for 2 channel. Given this would you still suggest moving closer?

To describe my room - it's approx 21x13. My fronts are 4 1/2 ft from the wall, rears are 1 ft from the rear wall. My seat is about 9 1/2 ft from the fronts (measured at my ears), leaving about 5 ft from the rears to my seat.

thanks, Brad G.

Hi Brad:

It seems like we may have a similar size room and speaker set up. And with my recent acquisition of the Mani’s the same front speakers assuming you’re using your Mani’s in this room. I also watch/listen to a lot of music video’s and as much as I’ve tried listening to them in surround, particularly if it’s a DTS recording, I find myself always coming back to 2 channel for any type of music CD or DVD. It just sounds better that way. Movies are another story. I still like to hear the helicopters behind me. So I think your speaker placement should be driven by 2 channel only. I also think that trying to optimize a surround system for primarily music listening would be counterproductive, and that you would end up loosing more than you could ever hope to gain. I also have found that the placement of the rear speakers is far less critical for a decent movie experience, another reason to concentrate on the placement of your front speakers. Your comment that you are considering a new pre with HT pass through seems to imply that you may be listening to music through a pre/pro. If that is the case the best improvement you could make would be the addition of a good 2 ch. preamp. I have yet to listen to a pre/pro that comes close to a good 2 ch. preamp for music. You could then run your DVD player directly to your pre via a separate set of rca cables when you listen to music videos, assuming there is a PCM option on the disc. Movies (or for that matter music DVD’s) would still go through you digital out into your pre/pro. This would also give you an easy way to A/B music videos through your pre vs. surround through your pre/pro and probably come to the same conclusion as I did that music always sounds better in stereo. Hope this helps.

Regards, Mark

thanks Mark, I posted a great deal more about my setup on my other thread (HT Passthrough Options). I actually had 2 separate complete systems in this room. Both of which have been changing frequently over the last 2 years. The HT to this point has been a total experiment, and the catcher of any hand me down speakers from my 2 channel system upgrades.

I've finally gotten to the point I'm done experimenting. I was trying to decide if I should have an all Totem, or all Von Schweikert speaker system. The VSA won out not because I like them more (I'm actually fanatical about both brands) but because it turned out to be easier and more economical to use VSA's.

The Mani-2's will be moved to a dedicated 2 channel room where I'm sure they will be very happy, as will I.