In-ceiling speaker placement
September 17, 2007
I hope you can answer a question for me. I asked my builder
to install the two front speakers on the front wall just below the screen on either side
and the two rear to be placed in the ceiling towards the rear. They have placed all four
speakers in the ceiling (front and back). Is this an acceptable placement for a 5.1 setup?
Moose
It depends on the design of the speakers. There are
numerous models available that are ceiling mountable but in which the drive units are
angled and/or adjustable. There are also in-ceiling speakers that have dispersion
characteristics that would make ceiling mounting appropriate. If you think about it, it
makes sense: No one would reasonably expect someone to sit directly below a speaker for it
to sound acceptable. On the other hand, you do pay a price in terms of absolute
performance for the convenience of having your speakers in the ceiling. They won’t
sound as good as a comparable bookshelf model or a floorstanding speaker. They are getting
better, but the compromises will always be there to a degree. Your best bet is to check
the installation guide that came with the speakers, and then, of course, to listen to them
to determine if they sound good to your ears.
Paradigm subwoofers
September 12, 2007
Can you suggest a Paradigm subwoofer to pair with a set of
Atoms? If not a Paradigm, is there another brand that would work just as well? Thanks for
the great website.
Rob
Paradigm has two new PDR-series subwoofers, the PDR-10 v.4
($349) and the PDR-8 v.4 ($249). You can see pictures of these in our
just-completed CEDIA coverage. I would think that either one would work seamlessly
with the Atom. Whether you need the 8” or the 10” version will depend on the
output capability you need as well as the size of the room you are trying to fill. The
PDR-8 v.4 sure is priced right, however. We’ll see if we can get one for GoodSound!
ASAP.
Subwoofer crossover setting
September 4, 2007
I just recently bought a new subwoofer to go with my
surround system (Yamaha), and the subwoofer does not have a built-in adjustable crossover.
My receiver does have a subwoofer crossover setting, and I am wondering where to set it
for movies. I don’t use it for music at all.
Tim
The .1-channel in movie soundtracks is generally
sub-80Hz material. That is the default setting for most home theaters and that is what I
would suggest you use for the crossover setting. That frequency should also provide decent
integration with your main speakers if you choose to use the system for music concerts,
etc., on DVD. If your main speakers are fairly compact you’ll also be best off
setting them to “small” in your receiver’s setup menu. This will reroute
low-bass information from your Yamahas to the subwoofer.
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