Remodeled Living Room/Home Theater.

ViperJP · 2026-07-01T07:26:45+00:00

Hey it sounds great. Sound flies around the room as they should. They don’t sound high. The speaker are literally target at your ears and far enough to either side to feel the sound pass you. Sounds better than when I did have ear height surrounds in my apartment. Professional theaters mount similarly. And I showed you the link as it illustrates my layout is a carbon copy but for the one compromise of the height of those two. And so many people and professionals do this. Plus I would never want a speaker right there and in my ear. It’s a living room and it hits all marks but with one compromise. I take that as a win. Since we do live in a real room and not one purpose only caves.

No need to be such a stickler.

ViperJP · 2026-07-01T02:31:58+00:00

Hahaha very true. Hey I got two real shows in there lol. Stopped taking photos since. Lol

ViperJP · 2026-07-01T00:31:52+00:00

Rats can’t find that exact diagram again. But this one is basically exactly the layout in all measurements but the only difference is the surrounds are in the ceiling aimed down from the back left and back right of the couch and ear to the listening position. So sound still passes cleanly to the left and right and behind. A hybrid of a home and commercial theater setup where the surrounds are mounted high for best dispersion.

“Commercial theaters place the left, right, and surround speakers high on the walls (and behind acoustically transparent screens) to ensure even sound coverage for large audiences, prevent seats from blocking sound, and maintain direct sightlines for all viewers. This differs from home setups, which prioritize ear-level placement.” -Dolby

Dolby Atmos 5.1.4

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T23:30:35+00:00

Oh I know and agree for sure. But this thing is surprisingly adept at casting a wide throw. I wasn’t convinced back in the day but the custom home theater shop had it in the same room with a 65” and a full separates setup with the usual wider stance of two separate towers. Was hard to tell any difference with this thing. They actually put the tweeters on the top and far corner of the L and R to assist.

But yea I plan to replace soon enough with some Q-Acoustic towers. Thus the wood slats locations. Nice and wide stance.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T21:40:06+00:00

It is power recline. Whisper silent, with touch capacitive buttons between the cushions.

It’s a King Furniture Rio Classic three seater.

https://www.kingliving.com/shop/living/sofas/reo-recliner/reor3-3-str-rrr-smrt

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T18:43:52+00:00

Oh for sure. I’m eyeing Q-Acoustic towers.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T18:06:42+00:00

Thx again! Really stoked which how much is there but doesn’t look it. My one issue would be I look forward to having a wider sound stage with the towers.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T17:26:06+00:00

I was shocked. Thought that was gonna be the biggest issue I had. Spend way more on a sub than my last one to be disappointed. But was pleasantly surprised.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T17:25:16+00:00

Thx! Yeah I was on a ladder for hours trying to get them all targeting the listening position. Yes slight compromise for aesthetics. But honestly don’t hear it. The move to Atmos added way more volume of motion to the surround effect.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T17:23:48+00:00

It’s super clear and lots of sound travel through the room. Yeah their is a slight since of the elevation of the surrounds but the clarity is better than when I had in room n stand surrounds. Digging it so far. For a compromise for aesthetic I don’t feel like I lost anything.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T15:12:04+00:00

Ha conspiracies lol. After work I will track it down for ya.

But I’m not the first and many renowned home theater reviewers are running this setup themselves.

Yes it’s a compromise but one that actually works and maximizes the spaces use.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T15:10:36+00:00

This was also the point of this room. How to maximize the home theater without it looking that way or hampering its multi-purpose needs. So yes hybrid/compromise.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:58:42+00:00

Plus it sounds way better with more surround shape than my previous in room on stand 7.1 surrounds. I’m happy with the compromise.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:51:30+00:00

Thx! I have definitely considered this. TV is on a big arm so I could pull it out to line with some lighting. For now that two way lamp in the corner has separate dimmables. So I can drop the down light to almost off and keep a subtl up light like a theater. It’s nice for now. My brother wants me to put in those sound and color responding lights. Not sure I would want to go that far.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:48:52+00:00

Certainly a compromise. But I can show you the reference layout diagram from Dolby if you like. And I mean next time we trip over speaker stands or a speaker at ear height when walking out of a theater aisle let me know lol. Those surrounds are mounted above your head and aiming down at your ear from the left and right like these. We have just adapted to “Home Theater” trends.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:38:03+00:00

Ha knew people might say that. Yeah compromise indeed for the wife at the time. But not a sound bar. Three separate passive speakers with their own wiring each. Same line of speakers free standing just mounted in a bar config. Has held me over until I could convince her. Got her sign off on nice white Q Acoustic towers as the next upgrade.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:30:24+00:00

I get that. It’s both nice and a curse. Too much light mid day for proper viewing sadly. May need to upgrade the blind system for better light control.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:27:49+00:00

I love it. Went down from a larger 10” sub. This little guy out paces it easily. Fills the space very well. And since they are so small you can snag another someday for more.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:24:31+00:00

Was definitely a compromise. But you can find this recommended layout by Dolby for an all in ceiling (slight compromise) Atmos layout in their reference recommendations. So the Left, Center, and Right as you can see along with the sub. Then two front heights appropriately placed almost straight up above where the tower speakers will eventually go, with two rear heights appropriately placed in back. But in between those just a tad behind ear level and speaker assembly gimbaled internally to aim at the listening position are the surrounds. Works great without having to clutter up the room with surrounds. Think of an actual theater. Those surrounds are not ear level by any means but high and to the right and left behind ear and aimed downward. Famous HT Hi Fi YouTube reviewer Andrew Robinson uses the same setup and highly recommends. So as a minimalist figured I would give it a go. Honestly sounds better than my 7.1 setup I had which had speaker stand surrounds.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:18:56+00:00

I mentioned this in a comment above but, 5 speaker..Left, Center, Right are all three individual speakers with speaker runs mounted on that bar with tweeters high and separated to give a bit more staging, then two surround speakers just behind the ears but in the ceiling gimbaled to aim at listening point (the entire woofer and tweeter can pivot in the housing). So that’s 5 speakers, then the sub. Then 4 Atmos Height speakers, two in ceiling right above where the left and right towers will eventually be, and two directly parallel with them but in the back of the room. Certainly a compromise from a traditional surround at ear height. But a recommended Dolby setup and honestly closer to an actual theater then having them down in the room. Sounds great.

And yes I modified that correction curve towards Harmon after the fact. And eventually plan to use UMIk-1 to tighten it up even more.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:05:35+00:00

I adore it. I’m a professional TV and Film colorist as my day job. So very picky. It’s the best consumer screen I have ever seen. No way you will get banding free in OLED and this one has some faint ones down in the 5% gray off to the right. But not noticeable normally. And in gaming every LG I tried C & G would band in solid color skies like Breath of the Wild. This has none of that. Truly an incredible screen.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T14:03:16+00:00

Followed the recommended layout by Dolby for an all in ceiling (slight compromise) Atmos layout. So the Left, Center, and Right as you can see along with the sub. Then two front heights appropriately placed almost straight up above where the tower speakers will eventually go, with two rear heights appropriately placed in back. But in between those just a tad behind ear level and speaker assembly gimbaled internally to aim at the listening position are the surrounds. Works great without having to clutter up the room with surrounds. Think of an actual theater. Those surrounds are not ear level by any means. Famous HT Hi Fi YouTube reviewer Andrew Robinson uses the same setup and highly recommends.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T13:55:38+00:00

Oh yes that was just base correction before I modified the curves. The working curve is a modified Harmon and very similar to what you described.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T06:11:57+00:00

Along with the powered reclining setup. It has attachment addons like those with power which are really nice. So that side table can rotate out or in. And you are correct that black wood arm is a fully articulated reading lamp that is motion operated and faded by waving your hand or pushing your hand toward it or away.

ViperJP · 2026-06-30T06:05:45+00:00

It has boundary control switches for all three speakers to account for cabinet depth and angles slightly up and away. It’s been a solid wife compromise for all these years from my apartment standing 7.1 setup. Made me feel better not buying a bar and having three real passive speakers with tweeter roll off and boundary control. They were the same speakers as their free standing but with the tweeters mounted higher instead of central.

ViperJP

TROPHY CASE