Speaker Placement and Sectional Sofa

[Bradcny]

I have purchased a 7.1 surround sound system and I have a question about speaker placement. Just about every diagram I look at uses a regular sofa with straight lines to show where the 4 surround speakers should be placed. However, I have a corner sectional sofa. Where do I (ideally) place the speakers in my case for optimum sound quality?

[Davenlr]

Kinda hard, as someone is going to be sitting with both surrounds to one side. Maybe wall mount pointed at wall, so reflections wont be so directional, and sofa wont absorb all the sound. Probably have to experiment to see what sounds the best to the most.

[spartanstew]

The sides should be to the side of the listening area (and facing toward each other) and the rears should be behind the listening area (and facing straight ahead). The fronts should flank your display.

[BattleZone]

However, I have a corner sectional sofa. Where do I (ideally) place the speakers in my case for optimum sound quality?

There is no "ideal" with your sofa. The sectional sofa creates a situation where a compromise install is the best you can do. In that case, your best bet is placing the TV in the center of the "V" created by the sofa, and arrange the other speakers accordingly. If the TV is parallel to either leg of the sofa, then the perpendicular leg of the sofa is going to have an ackward surround-sound experience.

[KroyT]

I would set it up to be the ideal position for where you sit on the couch. Not to be selfish but you can't please everyone with that type of couch. For a proper home theater installation (http://www.cedia.net/homeowners/finder.php), you don't want a sectional sofa in your design. In the end, I don't think a normal person will be able to tell the difference between sitting in the ideal spot and the not-so-ideal spot.

[MysteryMan]

Correct speaker placement is the key for surround sound to work properly. Can't be done with a corner sofa. A surround bar would be a better option.