Without going into too much detail, I have a tough layout in my TV room for a surround sound system, so I have two questions in an attempt to make it work:
1) Would it be 'wrong' for some reason to lay a pair of mini-monitor fronts on their side instead of upright, on top of an entertainment center?
2) If I choose to invest in a receiver, fronts, center channel, and sub-woofer, and forego the surrounds for now, would that be a terrible setup? Granted it isn't ideal, but would be infinitely better than what I have now, which is nothing.
Hi, I just purchased a Samsung HL-P4663W DLP TV, with all the bells and whistles. I need help in hooking up my satellite dish, home theatre system (which has a subwoofer and 7 sound surround speakers) and a vcr to this tv. How do I hook up the home theatre system to the TV to get sound surround on the speakers when watching the TV, and how do I hook up the satellite dish so I can also get sound surround when watching the satellite on the TV? Also, am I right, when thinking that component video is better than S-Video?
1.It won't be wrong, granted that you won't get the proper "sweet spot" but if placement is a premium, work with what you've got. 2.It won't be a terrible set-up, like you said it isn't ideal. Set it up for stereo and turn off the rear surrounds.
"1) Would it be 'wrong' for some reason to lay a pair of mini-monitor fronts on their side instead of upright, on top of an entertainment center?"
Yes... they will not sound good in that position at all. How about buying and placing the mini's on stands and putting them on each side of your rack.
"2) If I choose to invest in a receiver, fronts, center channel, and sub-woofer, and forego the surrounds for now, would that be a terrible setup? Granted it isn't ideal, but would be infinitely better than what I have now, which is nothing."
Heres a suggestion. I think you will get better sound if you do not purchase the center and buy the surrounds instead. Just set your fronts up as a phantom center. This way all the dialogue is routed to your fronts.
1. Hmm. Two different opinions. Guess I'll have to see for myself what sounds OK. In the short term, they will be placed on top of the entertainment center, approximtely 3.5 ft apart on center. I can keep them upright, I was just wondering if it was OK to have them on their side to lower the profile of them. I'll have to toe them out slightly to get dispersion as well.
2. As it is, I bought the fronts, center, and sub. No surrounds. I should point out I am also dealing with what someone called SAF (spousal acceptance factor). I'd be OK with putting the fronts on stands and off to the sides, but the wife doesn't like the way they would look or the real estate they would consume. Placing surrounds would be tough. I could deal with the less than ideal placement, she cannot. So in the short term, I compromise. I got my foot in the proverbial door, so I'll build from there. I can always add stands and surrounds later.
Jason, Put the speaks on top of your center and have the wife take a look and listen. Now take the speaks and place them on each side of the center. Since you do not have stands yet, improvise. Whatever you come up with, try to get the tweeter at ear level. Now have the wife take a look (of course they will look better on stands) and listen. I am betting she will go with them in this position.
Placing them 3.5' apart, up high and toeing them out is not the way to go. The speakers will produce no image, and the bass will be lacking.
steve you must be very lucky, my wife , god bless her, didnt even notice the difference when I upgraded from a panasonic amp to a denon, let alone subtle nuances that all of us deal with constantly, lucky man.