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Mounting Brackets and Stands
HTD offers optional wall-mount speaker brackets and stands that are ideal for use with our speakers. Level THREE
bookshelf and center channel speakers are equipped with hardware on the back that allow for easy attachment to
a wall-mount bracket. This hardware should be left in place even if you are not using the brackets. Removing this
hardware may cause “whistling” through the open holes. Do not over tighten as stripping of the threaded nut inside
the cabinet can occur. Should the nut become stripped, the speaker mounting has been jeopardized and the speaker
should NOT be hung. More detailed instructions are provided with both the brackets and stands.
Speaker Feet
Level THREE bookshelf speakers have three holes drilled into the bottom. You can insert the metal tiptoe feet into
these holes, or you can use the holes as a guide for applying the rubber half-dome feet. Feet allow the speaker cabinet
to be decoupled from adjacent objects. Without feet, a speaker’s vibrations can be transferred to its surroundings,
potentially affecting the speaker’s performance. We use three feet, rather than four, to prevent rattling that can result
from placement on uneven surfaces. Correct placement of the feet will yield an acoustically accurate and sturdy
speaker. Never place objects atop the speaker, as this may alter the overall balance. Use a rubber mallet to insert
the metal tiptoe feet into the holes. Only insert the feet about a quarter-inch into the pre-drilled holes. This will allow
you to more easily remove them later, should you choose to do so. Felt pads are also provided should you prefer to
place the speaker flat on a shelf or TV.
5.1 Speaker Placement
NEVER PLACE A SPEAKER WHERE IT, OR THE CABLE CONNECTED TO IT, ARE WITHIN EASY
REACH OF CHILDREN OR PETS. ALWAYS USE GOOD JUDGEMENT AND COMMON SENSE WHEN
PLACING A SPEAKER WHERE PEOPLE OR PETS WILL HAVE ACCESS TO IT AS SERIOUS INJURY
OR DEATH CAN OCCUR IF THE SPEAKER WERE TO FALL.
All three of the front speakers (left, center and right) are intended to be directional and should be placed at approximately
the same height and distance from the ideal listening spot. The center speaker should be placed as close to the
viewing screen as possible, so that the audio appears to come straight out of the picture. The front left and right
speakers should be placed far enough from the television to ensure that you can distinguish sounds coming from the
left and right. Typically, placing the front left and right speakers between seven and fifteen feet apart is appropriate.
Many audio enthusiasts recommend positioning the speakers such that drawing a line from the left speaker to the
listener and back to the right speaker creates a 45-degree angle. This setting generally mimics the condition set by
the recording engineer at the film studio.
Ideally, the surround speakers should be positioned about as far from the ideal listening spot as you placed the front
left and right speakers, and at about the same height or higher. This, of course, is only a guideline. The size and
shape of your room will almost certainly dictate a modification to the “ideal” set-up. Often, a home theater is set up
in a living room where the listener is sitting very close to the back wall. In this case, it is usually best to position the
surround speakers to the sides of the listener as opposed to on the back wall. Additional information and diagrams
are available online in our “Help Setting Up” section. Volume and distance adjustments within your home theater
receiver will help balance your system.
The powered subwoofer ideally should be placed near the front, center of the room. However, since the human ear
and brain has difficulty distinguishing the location or source of low frequencies, especially below 100 hz, for practical
purposes, the powered subwoofer can be positioned virtually anywhere in the room.
5.1, 6.1, 7.1 Surround Sound Defined
The digital audio multichannel format developed by the Moving Picture Experts. 5.1 refers to the five discrete, full
bandwidth (20-20kHz) channels - left, right, & center fronts, plus left & right surrounds - and the “.1” usually refers to
the limited bandwidth (20-120Hz) subwoofer channel. 6.1 is the same as 5.1 only there is an additional rear center
channel while 7.1 has no rear center channel but instead an additional pair of surround speakers.
Beyond 5.1...6.1, 7.1, 9.2, etc.
Surround formats continue to be introduced that provide a myriad of additional speaker placements for even more
control over home theater and hi-end audio. See your receiver’s owner’s manual for more details about these setup
options. You can also visit our online “Help Setting Up” section for more information and diagrams.
Connecting the Powered Subwoofer to your Home Theater Receiver