Placement of Ceiling Speakers

[Driver]

What is the correct location of the KHC-6 speakers for a 7-1 HT? Should they be placed directly overhead of the listening position? Slightly behind? Slightly ahead?

[DrWho]

For a simple answer: slightly behind

Depending on your room layout and listening positions and all that, you want to position them so that as many seats as possible are in the coverage pattern of your speakers.

[CAS]

Mine are just slightly behind and a couple feet to each side of the most extreme listening positions (they're not really extreme, just the most outside spots). Works like a charm.

[colterphoto1]

Ceiling mounting is great and visually more pleasing than sidewall. Mount the speakers in the ceiling non-equidistant from the two nearby walls. This will help avoid boominess.

In the cavity you cut, take silicone caulking inside the speaker 'cabinet' and glue the drywall to the ceiling joist to avoid rattles. If drywall was installed with nails, they may pop due to vibrations, if this happens, drive some drywall screws in and re-mud. Before installing speaker, if this is between floors, wad or roll up fibreglass insulation and stuff in each side of the cavity, limiting the travel of sound vibrations to the immediate area, not to adjacent rooms, this will give the woofer a smaller 'cabinet' and tighten up the sound a bit.

The swivel for the tweeters should aim towards your listening sweet spot. Since most 5.1+ sound is fairly directional nowdays, I would avoid the Blo$e reflecting effect. Set your bass management to 'small' for these speakers. Mix a nice cocktail and relax.

Michael