How to Position Surround Sound Speakers in Your Entertainment Room

In order to achieve an optimal sound from your home theater audio, the proper positioning of surround sound speakers has to be taken into account. The factors that will influence where the speakers go include the number of speakers, the layout of the furniture and the dimensions and shape of your theater room. While there are universal guidelines to the ideal positioning of surround sound speakers, each room has unique characteristics that must be considered. 

Step 1: Center the Entertainment System

The first step may or may not involve you rearranging your home theater video setup. To achieve the best audio output, the television should be centered along its wall. Take the width or length of the room into consideration when doing this. If there is a doorway or other obstacle that prevents proper centering, think about a major change. If that is not possible, try to center the television to create the best line of sight for all viewers. 

Step 2: Furniture Placement

After the television is in the best spot in the room, place the main piece of furniture seating directly in front of it. Place the couch about 1½ times the width of the television back from it. If you have supplemental pieces of furniture, arrange them around the centered seating area in such a way that a person seated there won’t have to crane their neck to see the screen. 

Step 3: Front Speakers

Whether you have a 5.1 or 7.1 surround sound system, you will have 3 front speakers: left, center and right. Position the center speaker directly below the television. If the television is wall-mounted, you can mount the center speaker above it, but make sure it is angled down towards the audience. To either side of the television place the left and right front speakers. If they are wall-mounted or placed upon something, they should be low enough to project sound directly to seated viewers but not too low. If there are several seats to accommodate, flatten them out slightly so sound reaches all ears. 

Step 4: Rear Speakers

Both 5.1 and 7.1 systems have rear speakers as well: left and right. These should be mounted behind and to either side of the centered piece of furniture. If the couch is backed up to a wall, mount or place the rear speakers to either side angled slightly towards the television. If you can, move the couch out slightly so the sound projected truly comes from behind. 

Step 5: Side Speakers

Only the 7.1 surround sound system has side speakers. If the couch is backed against the wall, the rear speakers won’t be entirely behind you. In this case, place the side speakers on the side walls between the rear and front speakers set at 90° to the direction of the television. If the couch has space behind it, the rear speakers will truly be behind you, so the side speakers should be placed pointing towards the ears of those seated on the couch. 

If you need extension wiring to reach each speaker, make the necessary adjustments. Wall-mounted speakers are nice because they are kept out of the way, but placing them atop shelves and other furniture works too. Make sure you install the bass module off to the side of or directly underneath the television to receive the low frequencies in the mix.