Mounting center speaker under mantel?

[superedge88]

I have an RC-3 center that I have to move from sitting on top of the mantel to (hopefully) hanging from the underside of the mantel. I have to do this to make room for an LCD screen that I just bought. I am wondering if I will just have to fabricate some sort of C bracket to "float" the RC-3 under the mantel, or is there some sort of bracket that you guys could direct me to that would be good for this application? ANY and I mean ANY ideas on how best to do this would be great! And on a a side note, the wife hates that I am going to be drilling into the mantel at all, so any ideas that are the least destructive to the mantel are very appreciated!

[InnerTuber]

Assumming a new wife isn't an option, can you post a pic? Might stimulate the crafty types towards an inspired solution!

[superedge88]

There really isn't too much detail to be gained in a photo, though I will post one once I am home and can take a good pic. Basically it's an installation of the RC-3 center channel on th underside of a shelf without using the wall.

[InnerTuber]

The Rules - no holes in back ... well, okeeeeeee, maybe

Something like a closet maid thing that hooks under the mantle and hangs down to hold the spkr

Do you use the FPlace? Can it go in the fire chamber?

If you use a fireplace screen maybe put it on a speaker stand elevated to just the top of the screen?

So then maybe pop out a driver and screw thru the top of the cabinet into the mantle. Makes a hole in spkr cab.

L Brackets on sides. Screw into mantle, insert spkr, screw into ends of spkr

Repairing grout down the road might be easier than finding a shelf that hangs. Put the fasteners into grout lines between brick?

Could mount a shelf in grout lines and sit it on the shelf I would think. Easier to drill and less trauma than drilling brick. No clue if you have brick or tile or whatever. http://www.westelm.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?partNumber=WE-PRODp193&storeId=17001&langId=-1&catalogId=17002&viewSetCode=E&parentId=WE-SH1WALSHE&retainNav=true&cmsrc=WE-SH1WALSHE

Brackets - http://www.shortrunpro.com/shelf_brackets_s_vhv22ytw_vhv1ytw_vhv1ytw.aspx

Just a few random thoughts there

[colterphoto1]

go to btech-usa.com (I think that's it), and look for BT-77.

[wuzzzer]

I think my neck would hurt to have my TV that high. [:^)]

[superedge88]

It works out ok for me since my couch is 18 feet away from the TV, so it is far enough away that you don't have to have your head tilted back to watch TV

[Rich12]

So, I am having the same issue. It looks like what ever you did, worked. What did you do to mount the center channel like that?

Thanks

[superedge88]

I chewed a whole bag of big league chew and used it as an adhesive to stick the speaker under the mantel. lol

I I took the tweeter out of the speaker and drilled three screws up through the inside of the speaker into the mantel. Worked like a charm, looks as if the speaker is just floating their to anyone that looks at it. The screws had to go in at an angle, but it worked perfectly.

[Trey Cannon]

Klipsch does not suggest you do this. It will void your cabinet warranty.

[superedge88]

My center channel is a long time out of warranty, so I had nothing to lose, it looks great!

[IndyKlipschFan]

I would be very worried about that fireplace creating heat not only to the speaker, but to maybe catch on fire too?

To me, a BIG no no.

[superedge88]

If the area that the speaker is on is anywhere near ~350 (which is the temperature that wood generally burns at) then I got major issues, the fireplace is gas, and is not even hooked up for use anyway (as you can see in the pic, not even any fake logs in the fireplace). Even if we do get the gas hooked up for use, we will only use if for show and not to actually try and heat the room. No worries.

I would be very worried about that fireplace creating heat not only to the speaker, but to maybe catch on fire too?

To me, a BIG no no.

[jacksonbart]

I want to put a fire place below my center speaker in my HT, would you have an issue with that?

[IndyKlipschFan]

"Even if we do get the gas hooked up for use, we will only use if for
show and not to actually try and heat the room. No worries. "

Your kidding right? Have you ever felt the heat from a gas fireplace "just for show/decoration?"

[superedge88]

"Even if we do get the gas hooked up for use, we will only use if for
show and not to actually try and heat the room. No worries. "

Your kidding right? Have you ever felt the heat from a gas fireplace "just for show/decoration?"

You're kidding right? If it was so very hot, then my wood mantel would be in danger of burning. Just for kicks I asked my neighbor to turn on his gas stove for me to
test with my hand ( he has the same fireplace as I do). The same area where my Center channel is mounted I
could put my hand their comfortably. If the center channel was reaching temperatures close to burning I wouldn't be able to even get close with my hand at all, do you know how hot anywhere near 350 degrees F is? C'mon let's use some common sense here. Let it go. Thank you.

[IndyKlipschFan]

C'mon let's use some common sense here. Let it go.

OK, Let's just say your damper is not all the way open or you forgot to do so? It could very easily catch on fire. Your speaker grill cloth is a hazard on the front. You might also ruin the drivers, rubber woofers and at the very least, dis color the finish.

It is your house.. but your speaker will get harmed, and I see a big potential fire here as well.

You know your wrong here, it is not just me trying to be a jerk, I am trying to help you avoid a disaster! This is soooo wrong on so many levels!

I guess we might read about it in the paper, when your house is in ashes! Just don't say I did not tell you so!

[superedge88]

C'mon let's use some common sense here. Let it go.

OK, Let's just say your damper is not all the way open or you forgot to do so? It could very easily catch on fire. Your speaker grill cloth is a hazard on the front. You might also ruin the drivers, rubber woofers and at the very least, dis color the finish.

It is your house.. but your speaker will get harmed, and I see a big potential fire here as well.

You know your wrong here, it is not just me trying to be a jerk, I am trying to help you avoid a disaster! This is soooo wrong on so many levels!

I guess we might read about it in the paper, when your house is in ashes! Just don't say I did not tell you so!

You're probably right, my hand probably caught fire when I had it near my neighbors fireplace, I am just too dumb to figure it out. You've ignored all my points, that it is a simple fact that my hand would be burned so very badly had the area above my neighbors fireplace gotten ANYWHERE near 350 degrees, care to address that simple fact? If you go to this website http://www.burnsurgery.org/Modules/prevention/gasfireplace/sec1.htm you can see that the number recorded on THE GLASS FRONT (mere inches for the gas flame) of a gas fireplace were somewhere just above 350 degrees, so with any sort of common sense you can surmise that it would be impossible to have temps hot enough to burn anything at the location of the center channel and by my calculations would be no more than the temperatures that are easily handled by speakers of much less build quality that you find in the car audio market. You can choose to deny this information as valid, that's fine, just seems wrong for you to mislead others. When I get my gas hooked up do you want me to shoot a video for you showing the speaker NOT on fire? Would that satisfy you? Again, if it was such a danger to have wood near the opening of this fireplace, then there would not be a wood mantel. If you want to argue this point, at least bring evidence based on fact. By the way, my hand is still not on fire.

[IndyKlipschFan]

You know your wrong here, it is not just me trying to be a jerk, I
am trying to help you avoid a disaster!

This is soooo wrong on so many
levels!

I guess we might read about it in the paper, when your room or whole house is perhaps in ashes!

Just don't say I did not tell you so!

I stick by what I said.

You will have problems, either destroying the wood finish, melt or catch fire to the speaker grill cloth, overheat and melt perhaps your drivers, and yes it is possible by what I said, create a fire hazard.

I have said it many times now.. I can't possibly help you in this matter, you refuse to understand logic.

What was it the guy said just before his death? "Hey ya'll, watch this!"

[Jeff Matthews]

I, for one, would definitely not do it. Just think of it this way: Do you think OSHA or a city inspector, would approve/permit something like this? There would be no way I could imagine them saying "sure, go ahead."

Is somebody around here a fireman? I am sure a veteran fireman might have a few good stories to tell about things such as this.

They tell you turn off Christmas tree lights at night, but do you really want to laugh at them and say, "But I can touch them, and my hand does not get warm."?