Sherbourn PT-7020A, Owner'S Manual

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Speaker Placement Tips
Tips Before Beginning
Read this section thoroughly. There are a number of ways
in which it may seem aesthetically pleasing to place
speakers in a room that will ultimately result in a sound
quality compromise. The placement of speakers is equally
as important as the room itself. While there may be very
little you can do about the room where your system is
installed, you can choose placement of speakers within
that room to maximize the sound quality of the system.
Ultimately, this will give a much better result when you
are enjoying your system and your new Sherbourn PT-
7020A.
Overall, the best placement for front speakers is where the
sound is directed at ear level. This means that the speakers
themselves can be in positions lower (like small floor
standing speakers) or higher (like in-wall or in-ceiling
speakers) as long as the sound is “pointed” toward the
listeners and preferably around ear level. Ideally you will
place the speakers so they create an imaginary triangle with
the listening position. This is known as the “Stereo
Triangle” among audiophiles. A little toe-in of the front
speakers sometimes helps the perceived distance between
the speakers as more intimate and reinforces a phantom
center image. If you are doing a “2.1” system, a subwoofer
can also be a little challenging to install depending on the
room. In multiple subwoofer installations, the positioning
of the woofers to the listener as well as to each other is
critical because there can be problems with cancellation if
optimum placement is not observed
The Front Speakers
You should closely follow the placement recommendations
of your speaker manufacturer, with the addition of the
following points:
The left and right front speakers should be positioned so
that you are exactly centered between them. This will help
focus your attention towards the screen.
For the best overall imaging, the left speaker should be set
exactly the same distance and angle away from your
listening position as the right speaker. It is recommended
that you use a tape measure to set them up to be the same
distance away, within about half an inch tolerance.
If you have a smaller TV, the speakers should be no more
than two feet away from the sides of the TV. If possible,
have the center, left and right speakers at the same height
(within two feet). This will help give a smooth transition
when sound effects move from speaker to speaker.
Ideally, the speakers should be no closer than two feet from
the rear and side walls in order to reduce any reflections
that might upset the imaging. If your speakers are closer
than this, you can experiment by adding sound deadening
material such as drapes on the walls to reduce any unwanted
reflections.
The Center Speaker
Most movie dialog will come from the center speaker, so
careful positioning is an important part of a good home
theater system. Your eyes and ears should focus you
attention towards the center of the screen.
The center speaker can sit on top or directly underneath
the TV, as long as it is located on the centerline and not off
to one side. Ideally, you would try to maintain a deviation
from the center line of the speakers of less than 12". This
means the center speaker will not be lower or higher than
12" to the center measurement of the LEFT and RIGHT
MAIN speaker center measurements.
Position the front face of the speaker close to the front
edge of the TV cabinet. (The sound waves may otherwise
reflect off the top of the TV cabinet and distort the center
imaging).
In some systems, two center speakers are used; one on
either side of the TV. As they are in mono, the result is a
sound image that is positioned exactly at the screen center.
The Surround Speakers
Place each surround speaker to be an equal distance away
from your central listening position and keep them at least
one or two feet above ear level.
Dipole surround speakers are usually positioned to the side
of your listening position. They radiate forwards and
backwards and have a quiet null zone (the “apex” of the
triangular shape) which should point towards the listener.
The overall effect is that you cannot hear the direct sound
from the surround speakers because they don’t directly
radiate into the listening space. Most manufacturers of
dipole speakers intended for use as an effects or surround
speaker have excellent details on optimum positioning for
the best overall results based on the application.
Conventional surround speakers can be placed behind the
listener, on the rear walls or the side walls or in the ceiling.
Adjust the angle so they do not point directly at the listener
but cause reflections from the sidewalls, floor, or the
ceiling. Avoiding direct aim at the listening positions will
give the effect of broadening the rear soundstage so that
you cannot distinguish the sound as coming from a small
box on the wall but from a larger area behind you.
The Surround Back Speakers
The PT-7020A has two extra outputs for surround back
speakers. These create a wonderful sense of realism in
surround effects during playback of Dolby TrueHD, DTS
HD Master Audio, Dolby Digital EX, Dolby Pro Logic
IIx, and DTS ES.