Best Place To Place<center Channel Speaker

[ozzman]

The first thing i did after purchased my 50"plasma was to build a shelf over my tv.
Center channels goes over the tv,Or do they?

Every time i go into a electronic store i see more and more centers sitting below the tv(Well they can't place them on top of a LCD or plasma)

My question what gives a better sound Below the tv or on top.

[Beta Man]

short answer....... doesn't matter..... idealy the center channel drivers will be the same height from the floor as the L/R and ideally the center would be directly behind the screen (but that's only possible with accoustically perforated projection screens)

SO.... do what ever is easier for you.... and if you go above, angle the center down a little to be more directed at the seated position, and if you go "under" the t.v. make sure you angle it up a little bit for the same reason.....

[Moefiz]

I have my center right in front of the TV...I tried above the TV and it seem that the sound was above my head.

[jcs913]

In general, your center, as well as your front L&R tweeters, should all be at ear level from your seated position. I even built a stand so my center can sit up a little higher from its place under my panel. Above the panel is not the best place to have a center. Angling it down to your listening position does help, but the imaging is much better when it is below and at ear level.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by jcs913

In general, your center, as well as your front L&R tweeters, should all be at ear level from your seated position. ...

to add on to this, i do suggest that the speakers are not only at ear level, but all of them in a very ideal world, should have at least their tweeters in the same level as well.

but then again, who can do such a thing without staring at the center speaker instead of the tv?

oh, wait, pj people (like me) can.

[Riff Magnum]

So how do you deal with it?
If your front towers are 36" like mine are (with tweeters at the top) this means the center channel will also be 36" off of the ground. This means the bottom of your screen will be almost 4 feet off the ground. If you have a small room, you'll be craning your neck up to see the screen. If you have a big room you'll have to scoot the seating position back enough to be comfortable, but now your 20 feet back and not nearly as immersed in the picture.

[jomari]

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

So how do you deal with it?
If your front towers are 36" like mine are (with tweeters at the top) this means the center channel will also be 36" off of the ground. This means the bottom of your screen will be almost 4 feet off the ground. If you have a small room, you'll be craning your neck up to see the screen. If you have a big room you'll have to scoot the seating position back enough to be comfortable, but now your 20 feet back and not nearly as immersed in the picture.

again, as i mentioned, its a matter of an ideal setup. not all of us, actually most people CANT have that set up considering how most pjs would drop down when about to watch a movie, and have a tv sitting behind it for regular viewing. or consider the standard issue living room, you simply cant have everything.

well, again, thats where i love my bookshelves. id love for em to be sitting behind the screen, all in lieu of each other, blasting behind a pj screen. in the near distant future, id love to get some klipsch speakers, and have em all horizontally built behind the pj screen.

ideal is my key point here.

[m_tyson]

in my case, the center is in the media console below the tv, but i also have front presence speakers and enabled dialogue lift on my Yamaha receiver. the effect is awesome.

Originally Posted by Riff Magnum

So how do you deal with it?
If your front towers are 36" like mine are (with tweeters at the top) this means the center channel will also be 36" off of the ground. This means the bottom of your screen will be almost 4 feet off the ground. If you have a small room, you'll be craning your neck up to see the screen. If you have a big room you'll have to scoot the seating position back enough to be comfortable, but now your 20 feet back and not nearly as immersed in the picture.

[ozzman]

M tyson your useing those presence speakers.Does this mean you bsurrounds are diabled?I just purchased a 3800.

I just found the Sticky .Sorry

[ixlegitballinxl]

at ear level? I wouldnt recommend on top of tv, unless you have a titling screw, but that would look weird, under tv is the usual spot, just make sure your speaker doesnt overlap your tv, that looks weird imo.

[ozzman]

You know guys i do have it on top of a self over my tv.Iam starting to feel like iam old school or something.

Remember in the good old days when we had 32"-36"tv for are theater and the center just sat on the top

[mdabb]

Tough call, there is no perfect solution. Just go by what sounds best to you unless there isn't an option. I do have my center channel above the TV. I have had a center channel below but it seemed muffled a little bit. In both cases above and below the speaker was angled. I am happy with the sound quality I presently get. Either way it most likey has it pros and cons.

[Downhere]

I think you should try both above and below to see which you prefer. Some center speakers sound great above and some sound great below. I know with mine, it's above the TV and sounds just fine. The vocals, action, etc. all sound like they are coming from the display, which is what you want to try to achieve.

[canonbomb1987]

I currently have mine under the tv but i think i am gonna have to move it to the top. not because of sound quality but because it is blocking the receiver for the remote. i have to stand up and point the remote down to turn it on or off. the people that have it under the tv how do you get the remote to work. the speaker doesnt block the ir receiver?

[Beta Man]

I keep my components on a separate rack..... Speaker placement is more important than asthetics......

[ozzman]

I wish i had the room to do that BetaMan.Iam house shopping right now