Advice needed: 5.2.4 Setup in an open-plan living room

[Bucking]

Hi everyone,
I’m currently planning a 5.2.4 home theater setup in my living room and could use some tips regarding the layout. The floor plan (see attachment) is a bit unique due to the open-plan design connecting to the hallway and the dining area.

A few key points to start with:

No high-end aspirations: This is purely a hobby project. It doesn’t need to be (and won't be) acoustically perfect—I’m simply looking for the best possible compromise for a cozy "living room cinema."

Furniture: The furniture shown in the plan is not there yet; the room is currently empty.

Front Setup: The TV will be mounted on the left exterior wall. I plan to place the front speakers (L/C/R) on a lowboard underneath the TV.

The biggest challenge: The Surrounds
Since I don’t want speaker stands blocking the walkway (the transition to the hallway), my plan is to mount the surrounds directly onto the right wall (the partition wall to the stairwell). I’m looking for slim on-wall speakers that I can hopefully angle toward the listening position using discreet brackets.

My questions regarding this:
Direct Radiators vs. Dipole/Bipole: Since the wall mounting puts the surrounds more behind the listening position rather than to the sides, what makes more sense?
Classic direct radiators (slightly angled) or dipole/bipole speakers for a more diffuse soundstage?

Distance to the wall: How much space should I leave between the couch and the back wall so that the wall-mounted speakers don't sound too "crowded" or overwhelming?

The Height Layer: I’m planning for Front and Rear Heights. If the surrounds are already mounted on the back wall, what’s the best way to position the Rear Heights to ensure there’s still a noticeable difference between the "lower" and "upper" layers?

Lowboard Tips: Do you have any tips for placing the fronts on the board to ensure decent sound quality (besides the obvious tip of pulling them to the front edge)?

Also is there any way I can treat the room with this huge window on the bottom?

Current Gear:
I already have some equipment, including a Denon X3800H, various KEF speakers, and an XTZ 12.17 Edge sub. The lowboard will be a semi-DIY project using IKEA Platsa modules with a wooden countertop as a topper.

I’m looking forward to your pragmatic suggestions and experiences on how to best tackle this in an open-concept space!
Thanks a lot!

 

[AudioJester]

Since you have a dirac ART capable AVR i would look at full range rear surrounds so they make good support speakers. On wall or in wall would be a good option, i find Kef expensive for what you get. Mount at ear height or similar height to fronts. 2 atmos speakers is probably enough for that space.

Ideally your couch should be two thirds distance front front wall, but even 1 metre from back wall makes a big difference. You can then put another sub on back wall.

 

[Bucking]

Since you have a dirac ART capable AVR i would look at full range rear surrounds so they make good support speakers. On wall or in wall would be a good option, i find Kef expensive for what you get. Mount at ear height or similar height to fronts. 2 atmos speakers is probably enough for that space.

Ideally your couch should be two thirds distance front front wall, but even 1 metre from back wall makes a big difference. You can then put another sub on back wall.

I've been looking at KEF Q4 Metas since they could kind of work even though they would be in the wrong position for real surrounds.

So you would only choose 2 front heights right?

 

[AudioJester]

I've been looking at KEF Q4 Metas since they could kind of work even though they would be in the wrong position for real surrounds.

So you would only choose 2 front heights right?

No right or wrong with 2 vs 4 atmos. Personally i would go for 2 full range speakers

 

[Bucking]

No right or wrong with 2 vs 4 atmos. Personally i would go for 2 full range speakers

Are you talking about the Atmos channels or the surround speakers?

 

[chelgrian]

Hi everyone,
I’m currently planning a 5.2.4 home theater setup in my living room and could use some tips regarding the layout. The floor plan (see attachment) is a bit unique due to the open-plan design connecting to the hallway and the dining area.

A few key points to start with:

No high-end aspirations: This is purely a hobby project. It doesn’t need to be (and won't be) acoustically perfect—I’m simply looking for the best possible compromise for a cozy "living room cinema."

Furniture: The furniture shown in the plan is not there yet; the room is currently empty.

Front Setup: The TV will be mounted on the left exterior wall. I plan to place the front speakers (L/C/R) on a lowboard underneath the TV.

The biggest challenge: The Surrounds
Since I don’t want speaker stands blocking the walkway (the transition to the hallway), my plan is to mount the surrounds directly onto the right wall (the partition wall to the stairwell). I’m looking for slim on-wall speakers that I can hopefully angle toward the listening position using discreet brackets.

My questions regarding this:
Direct Radiators vs. Dipole/Bipole: Since the wall mounting puts the surrounds more behind the listening position rather than to the sides, what makes more sense?
Classic direct radiators (slightly angled) or dipole/bipole speakers for a more diffuse soundstage?

Distance to the wall: How much space should I leave between the couch and the back wall so that the wall-mounted speakers don't sound too "crowded" or overwhelming?

The Height Layer: I’m planning for Front and Rear Heights. If the surrounds are already mounted on the back wall, what’s the best way to position the Rear Heights to ensure there’s still a noticeable difference between the "lower" and "upper" layers?

Lowboard Tips: Do you have any tips for placing the fronts on the board to ensure decent sound quality (besides the obvious tip of pulling them to the front edge)?

Also is there any way I can treat the room with this huge window on the bottom?

Current Gear:
I already have some equipment, including a Denon X3800H, various KEF speakers, and an XTZ 12.17 Edge sub. The lowboard will be a semi-DIY project using IKEA Platsa modules with a wooden countertop as a topper.

I’m looking forward to your pragmatic suggestions and experiences on how to best tackle this in an open-concept space!
Thanks a lot!

View attachment 522594

In a 5.x.x layout you want to get as close to the angles in the 5.1.4 section on page 29 of

https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/technologies/dolby-atmos/atmos-installation-guidelines-121318_r3.1.pdf

as possible.

Immersive formats are designed for directly radiating speakers so anything that creates a diffuse field is a bad idea.

I presume you will use something like a KEF Q8 as the heights? Again high on the wall and as close to the Dolby angle at the limit of the range for the height speakers shown in the plan view in that PDF as you can.

 

[Fslag]

Distance to the wall: How much space should I leave between the couch and the back wall so that the wall-mounted speakers don't sound too "crowded" or overwhelming?

More the better.

 

[Bucking]

In a 5.x.x layout you want to get as close to the angles in the 5.1.4 section on page 29 of

https://www.dolby.com/siteassets/technologies/dolby-atmos/atmos-installation-guidelines-121318_r3.1.pdf

as possible.

Immersive formats are designed for directly radiating speakers so anything that creates a diffuse field is a bad idea.

I presume you will use something like a KEF Q8 as the heights? Again high on the wall and as close to the Dolby angle at the limit of the range for the height speakers shown in the plan view in that PDF as you can.

Yes Q8 Metas are planned as heights.

Sadly the bottom wall is a window front so no way to mount a surround speakers there.
Q4 Metas AS surrounds on the rear wall would be a compromise but I don't think there's another way with enough WAF

 

[chelgrian]

Yes Q8 Metas are planned as heights.

Sadly the bottom wall is a window front so no way to mount a surround speakers there.
Q4 Metas AS surrounds on the rear wall would be a compromise but I don't think there's another way with enough WAF

The Q8 are probably light enough that a set of 3m command strips could be used to mount them to the glass but I suspect would still fail the WAF test.

 

[Bucking]

The Q8 are probably light enough that a set of 3m command strips could be used to mount them to the glass but I suspect would still fail the WAF test.

Yeah I think mounting anything to the glass is a no go

 

[Fslag]

Front and Rear Heights

I would not in this room as you will leave a giant hole of sound above you.
See this on appropriate location and angles.
The whole point is evenly placed speakers around the listening position.
For your surrounds. Side walls. Speaker stand in front of window. I do this myself.
110 degreed from main listening position.
Don't worry about the walking space. Walk around the speaker. Not that difficult. Just be sure you do not have a couch too long that leaves ample room to walk around.