I Need Speaker Placement Experts for Heights

[JimShaw]

Audio experts, I need some thought.

I am always trying to improve the audio for my home theater. Before some member pops in and says, get towers. I can't. They have to be in-ceiling.

I have in ceiling speakers, 5 SpeakerCraft AIM 8 Fives and 2 SpeakerCraft Time Fives used as Wides for a 7.2 system

A while back, I talked to Chris, founder of Audyssey, regarding installing speakers to be used as Wides. Chris mentioned that Wides really would not do anything for in-ceiling speakers.

I thought about it for a while and decided to get a set of Time Fives, install them to see if they work. I felt that having 2 speakers pulled down out of the ceiling and aimed directly at me should produce something. It was a gamble because these speakers and the controller unit needed to move the 2 speakers are very expensive.

What they do is pull down from the ceiling and can be aimed exactly where they need to be.



After installing the Time Fives exactly 60 degrees from the center speaker, Audyssey calibrated the system, turned on a Blu, pulled down the 2 Time Fives from the ceiling and sat back to listen. I was extremely impressed. The Wides pulled down created a fantastic, full sound by bringing front stage around to my left and right setting area. They helped fill the room. I was very, very happy that I did the install.

I called Chris to tell him that the 2 Times Fives help fantastically. I was pleased both for the audio quality and that I did not waste a tidy sum on the experiment.

NOW, for you thoughts: While talking to Chris about how better the Wides made my audio, I asked him about installing Heights. Chris said the Heights will not work with in-ceiling speakers because Heights have to be higher than all the other speakers in the system to produce the correct sound of rain falling, etc.

I am again sitting down looking at the ceiling and thinking that the Time Fives pulled down created a great sound using Wides, maybe they will also work with Heights.

But because Chris said Heights have to be higher than any other speakers in they system, maybe this time, they won't work and I don't want to gamble the money on something that I think might not work whereas before with the Wides, I thought they might work and they did.

You that have Heights what is your thought? Do you notice any difference with Heights the same level as all your speakers or is being higher a must and it would be a total waste of money for me because ther Heights cannot be higher than my in-ceiling speakers??




m