Couch against wall rear HT speaker suggestions

[radix]

I have a couch up against a wall about 2.8m from the tv. I'm looking for suggestions for rear surrounds. There is not much space to the left and right of the couch (maybe 30-40cm) before the room opens up to other areas. The rest of the system is a Denon 6700 plus R3/R2C plus two subs.

I think my options are: in-ceiling speakers, in-wall behind couch, or surrounds just to the left/right of couch. I'm leaning towards something like wall-mounted Gallo Strada 2 or Genelec G-two/three. I'd like something that does not look like a rectangular box, e.g. the Elacs.

I'm planning on using a wireless speaker extended (e.g. dynasty WSA-5TR) to avoid having to run wires through the ceiling, at least for now, unless I do ceiling speakers too. The AVR is a Denon 6700 which should be OK to time-align the extender.

Gallo USA has a pair of refurb Strada 2 for about half price, which is looking pretty nice, but I'd need an external amp for them. I guess the Gallo A’diva could work too with a 100hz cross-over.

I realize this is a sub-optimal spacing and arrangement, but it's the space I have to work with.

Thanks for any ideas or comments.

 

[valerianf]

A practical solution: wireless transmission to a stereo amp driving 2 bookself speakers placed on a stand at each corner of the sofa, at the ear height, a little behind.
It is working well.

 

[radix]

A practical solution: wireless transmission to a stereo amp driving 2 bookself speakers placed on a stand at each corner of the sofa, at the ear height, a little behind.
It is working well.

Yes, this is what I jerry rigged last night using some parts I had around: the SVS tri-band, a yamaha wxa-50, and some old klipsch bookshelves. It looks a bit rough. And the 50-watt Yamaha is a bit underpowered (I think there's a few dB loss over the SVS).

Based on that sound, I think something like wall-mounted Genelec G Three would work well.

 

[pauldavidthomas]

MK CS-22's. 5 speakers each side. sit behind the sofa not on the wall. I have one pair for sale ;-) but in. the uk

 

[Chrispy]

Of your noted options I'd go with the in-wall surrounds to the side, wouldn't particularly want surrounds behind me (and with the couch against the wall, not even proper rear surrounds for a 7.1 setup), but maybe like noted on stands to the sides and a bit behind....and no way to pull couch off wall?

 

[pauldavidthomas]

Of your noted options I'd go with the in-wall surrounds to the side, wouldn't particularly want surrounds behind me (and with the couch against the wall, not even proper rear surrounds for a 7.1 setup), but maybe like noted on stands to the sides and a bit behind....and no way to pull couch off wall?

I completely agree with the concept. However, in practice these worked great. I had tried other MK Sound rear speakers and due to the sofa being right up against the rear wall, these worked the best. Alas, they do not manufacture them any more - which a lot of people who have used them do not understand.

 

[radix]

Of your noted options I'd go with the in-wall surrounds to the side, wouldn't particularly want surrounds behind me (and with the couch against the wall, not even proper rear surrounds for a 7.1 setup), but maybe like noted on stands to the sides and a bit behind....and no way to pull couch off wall?

I could possibly pull it out a foot (30cm) or so.

 

[Chrispy]

I completely agree with the concept. However, in practice these worked great. I had tried other MK Sound rear speakers and due to the sofa being right up against the rear wall, these worked the best. Alas, they do not manufacture them any more - which a lot of people who have used them do not understand.

Di-pole type surrounds? I'm more wanting the sounds to emanate from the area they're supposed to....surrounds should be to the sides, not directly behind you, that's the job of rear/back surrounds in a 7.1 layer....and I'd want 3-4 feet behind me at least for that.

 

[pauldavidthomas]

I could possibly pull it out a foot (30cm) or so.

I think you need about 100mm. I'd have to measure.

 

[pauldavidthomas]

Di-pole type surrounds? I'm more wanting the sounds to emanate from the area they're supposed to....surrounds should be to the sides, not directly behind you, that's the job of rear/back surrounds in a 7.1 layer....and I'd want 3-4 feet behind me at least for that.

Two speakers fire left and right at 90 deg. Two speakers fire directly upwards. The base speaker ( at bottom of unit ) fires forward. Worked better than my TriPole wall mounted speakers.

 

[Adaboy4z]

In my Cave I have 5.2.2 and Kef T101 mounted on the wall as left/ right surrounds and small Samsung's as Height about a foot forward of my seating position. My chair is against the wall and it works great.

 

[just1n]

I have a couch up against a wall about 2.8m from the tv. I'm looking for suggestions for rear surrounds. There is not much space to the left and right of the couch (maybe 30-40cm) before the room opens up to other areas. The rest of the system is a Denon 6700 plus R3/R2C plus two subs.

I think my options are: in-ceiling speakers, in-wall behind couch, or surrounds just to the left/right of couch. I'm leaning towards something like wall-mounted Gallo Strada 2 or Genelec G-two/three. I'd like something that does not look like a rectangular box, e.g. the Elacs.

I'm planning on using a wireless speaker extended (e.g. dynasty WSA-5TR) to avoid having to run wires through the ceiling, at least for now, unless I do ceiling speakers too. The AVR is a Denon 6700 which should be OK to time-align the extender.

Gallo USA has a pair of refurb Strada 2 for about half price, which is looking pretty nice, but I'd need an external amp for them. I guess the Gallo A’diva could work too with a 100hz cross-over.

I realize this is a sub-optimal spacing and arrangement, but it's the space I have to work with.

Thanks for any ideas or comments.

I’ll be following this thread. I have a very similar setup (KEF R3s for LCR) and distance from back and side walls are very tight. I’ve considered Arendal 1961 bookshelves because I can mount them 90 degrees to the side of MLP just above ear level. In lieu of ceiling speakers I’m also looking at the angled 1961s wall mounted, too.

 

[Mr. Widget]

I could possibly pull it out a foot (30cm) or so.

I have the same problem that you have. I pulled my couch out about 6" and mounted a pair of very small but quite capable speakers above to the left and right. It works much better than I would have imagined. Aesthetically it works in my room because with my lighting the speakers are mostly in the shadows and not really visible.

 

[radix]

I’ll be following this thread. I have a very similar setup (KEF R3s for LCR) and distance from back and tight walls are very tight. I’ve considered Arendal 1961 bookshelves because I can mount them 90 degrees to the side of MLP just above ear level. In lieu of ceiling speakers I’m also looking at the angled 1961s wall mounted, too.

Those Arendal's might work. They have that vesa mount kit. Size-wise, they are between the Genelec G2 and G3. I think I'm still leaning towards the G2/G3 + wireless transceiver.

At the moment, I have the wxa-50 + Klipsch R15M sitting on some folding side tables. The sound is 100% better than just the 3.2 I had before, so I expect most anything I do will be OK.

 

[radix]

I have the same problem that you have. I pulled my couch out about 6" and mounted a pair of very small but quite capable speakers above to the left and right. It works much better than I would have imagined. Aesthetically it works in my room because with my lighting the speakers are mostly in the shadows and not really visible.

I've been thinking about the Gallo A'diva (https://galloacoustics.com/usa/adiva-se/) as a small and nice-looking surround, which is pretty similar to the Focal Dome Flax. My main concern is I'd either need to run cables through an enclosed ceiling between floors or use a wireless transceiver plus a remote amp.

What is that camera, a Polaroid 4x5?

 

[Chrispy]

I'd first move the seat before worrying much.

 

[Mr. Widget]

Those Arendal's might work. They have that vesa mount kit. Size-wise, they are between the Genelec G2 and G3. I think I'm still leaning towards the G2/G3 + wireless transceiver.

At the moment, I have the wxa-50 + Klipsch R15M sitting on some folding side tables. The sound is 100% better than just the 3.2 I had before, so I expect most anything I do will be OK.

In my experience as long as you have reasonably competent speakers that can keep up SPL wise you should be fine. As long as they don't distort or make noise of their own, our ears are not as discriminatory behind us so it isn't as critical to match the timbre of your front channels.

 

[Holmz]

Well pulled the sofa out about a foot off of the wall.
The surrounds are left and right, but not really behind… one just sort of makes the best of it.

 

[Mr. Widget]

I've been thinking about the Gallo A'diva (https://galloacoustics.com/usa/adiva-se/) as a small and nice-looking surround, which is pretty similar to the Focal Dome Flax. My main concern is I'd either need to run cables through an enclosed ceiling between floors or use a wireless transceiver plus a remote amp.

What is that camera, a Polaroid 4x5?

I don't know what levels you will require, but as long as you don't ask too much SPL from them, I think the Gallo's would look and sound great. My speakers are bandwidth limited and roll off at a fairly high 135Hz and yet when sound effects call for drums or other fairly low frequency events from the rear, the surround processor hands off the lows to the subs and it sounds like the drum or whatever is really behind you.

Yes wiring can be a difficult especially for active speaker. I have bookcases that hide my wiring.

The Polaroid is an old Model 80 from the 50s. It used large format roll film.

 

[just1n]

Running speaker wire from front to back in room isn’t an option for me. Nor is running in ceiling. I’m looking into this device, or rather two, for the rear surround and rear heights. This way I can have a power amplifier or powered speakers.

1Mii Wireless Transmitter https://a.co/d/8TpwMku