Outlaw 976 - Speaker Placement Best Practices; Speaker Placement Guidelines

Model 976 7.1 Channel Preamp/Processor
15
Speaker Setup Tips
Speaker Placement
Typical 5.1 Surround
Speaker Placement
Before we explain how to con gure your Model 976
for your speaker system, let’s make sure your speak-
ers are already set up to get the best possible perfor-
mance. Even if you’re an experienced home theater
enthusiast, you may pick up a useful tip here. After
all, the Outlaws have been designing and working
with home theater systems since 1989! We’ve heard
everything, read everything, tried everything.
The best speaker placement for your particular
room will depend on its size, furnishings, seating
arrangement, the acoustical properties of the
space, including wall type, coverings, and various
other factors.
Due to the complex nature of these variables it
is impossible to recommend any one-size- ts-all
placement. You may well have to experiment with
various placement options to determine the best
con guration for your speci c situation. Please
note that, the con guration and placement of your
speakers is critical for creating the best possible
surround sound playback.
When connecting any speakers, be sure to read
the instruction manuals that came with the prod-
uct and check your power ampli er’s instruction
manual for proper hook-up of the loudspeakers.
Front left, center and right speakers
These speakers should be placed at the •
same relative height from the  oor and
a similar distance from any walls. Most
speakers sound best when located with the
tweeter at ear height when you’re seated.
Typically, the further away from the walls the
speakers are, the better they will sound.
Ensure that the speakers are aimed at the •
listener’s ears within your chosen seating
position.
Surround left and right speakers
Place these speakers so that their height is •
approximately 3 feet (1 meter) higher than
that of the listener’s ears if feasible.
Note on dipole surround loudspeakers:
Most dipole surround speakers have an arrow which
indicates their proper orientation relative to your
video display/screen. Dipoles placed on side walls
should have the arrows pointing forward. Dipoles
placed on a rear or back wall should have the arrows
pointing towards each other to achieve the correct
acoustical image in the room.