Tools · Audio
Where every speaker should go.
Great surround sound is mostly geometry. Set your room and your format, and we'll lay out every speaker at the angles Dolby and THX actually recommend — drawn to scale around your seat.
The angles that matter
A surround system creates a believable soundstage only when each speaker hits your ears from the right direction. The front three anchor dialogue and the screen; the side surrounds wrap the room around you; rears and overhead channels place effects precisely in space. Get the angles right and a helicopter genuinely flies overhead — get them wrong and it all collapses into "loud."
This planner uses Dolby and THX reference angles, but the real world has doorways, windows, and furniture. That's where in-room measurement and calibration earn their keep — as an independent consultant, AVX tunes each speaker to your actual room, not a diagram, and bids the gear competitively.
Where should I place surround sound speakers?
For a 5.1 system, place the center channel at the screen, the front left and right about 22–30° to either side of your seat, and the two surrounds 90–110° to your sides, slightly behind and above ear level. A 7.1 system adds two rear-back speakers at 135–150°. Dolby Atmos adds height (ceiling) speakers — typically two or four — placed ahead of and behind the listener. The planner above draws the exact angles for your room.
How high should surround speakers be?
Side and rear surround speakers should sit about 2 feet above ear level — roughly 6 to 7 feet from the floor in a typical room — and angled down toward the listening position. The front three speakers belong at ear level, aligned with the screen. Atmos height speakers go in the ceiling or high on the front and rear walls, angled down toward the main seat.
What's the difference between 5.1, 7.1 and Atmos?
5.1 has five speakers plus a subwoofer; 7.1 adds two rear speakers for more enveloping surround. Dolby Atmos adds overhead height channels (the '.2' or '.4' in 5.1.4 or 7.2.4) so sound can move above you — rain, aircraft, a passing helicopter. Atmos is the current reference for immersive home theater, and it's worth the extra speakers in a dedicated room.
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Let's tune it to your room, not a diagram.
The planner gets the geometry right. We measure, calibrate, and spec the system independently — then competitively bid it. Tell us about your project.