[Miscellaneous]

…ideally I'd like to use what I already have however room layout in the new place doesn't lend itself.

Presently (until last week) I had an Onkyo 875 connected to Talisman II floor standing speakers with a couple of bookshelf speakers for rear, a monolith subwoofer and of course a centre speaker.

TV is now in a corner (previously against a wall) with no space for the Talisman, the corner placement doesn't really lend itself to mounting rear speakers either.

My preference is to utilise as much of what I already have as possible.

Any suggestions how to proceed, either with existing kit, or starting again with modern (wireless?) technology appreciated.

TIA

[stevelup]

Are you really limited to a corner for the TV? It’s the worst possible starting point...

If you truly have no alternative, I’d forget it and get a decent soundbar.

[Miscellaneous]

Cheers Steve, unfortunately a corner is the only acceptable option. Seems a waste not to use the kit I have, I'll see if there is a buyer locally and have a look at soundbars.

I wasn't overly hopeful of a better option.

[Paul_Sengupta]

Build an extension with an AV room.

[Miscellaneous]

As much as I like that idea, Paul, I don't really like telly that much!

[rikur_]

A bit left field, but have you considered a projector for films? ..... at our second home we were stuck with the discrete TV in the corner problem, and not great for watching, let alone surround sound. I already had a projector for work purposes, so bought a projector screen that hangs from the picture rails, and for movie nights, use the projector with surround sound. It's probably a bit OTT, but for 5 minutes set-up it gets the room set-up very nicely for watching films - and at all times the hi-fi is set-up to give good audio for the room, not compromised around the TV location.

[Paultheparaglider]

Misc was so busy looking at the view that he didn't look around the house itself before he bought it.

And, to be fair, I'm not surprised. It is stunning.

[Miscellaneous]

A bit left field, but have you considered a projector for films?

Even then the layout doesn't quite work.

Misc was so busy looking at the view that he didn't look around the house itself before he bought it.

And, to be fair, I'm not surprised. It is stunning.

There's absolutely no question we bought the plot, not the house and as a consequence there are many compromises, even the views are compromised by not optimising the house position and design. That said the lounge is about half a metre longer (although still not a huge room at approx 6m x 4.5m) than the previous one where the surround worked well. There is one available wall which could take the TV, but that would necessitate having the furniture arranged back to the view.

Simplest option would be to remove, or reposition, the wood burning stove and use that wall.

Again, I don't crave surround sufficiently to justify the inconvenience. Had and have sufficient messing around through the purchase process, which 8 months on still hasn't been finalised.

And low and behold as I typed this post I was interrupted by a call from the purchasers of the old house with problems with the heating.

[Bob Bevan]

The fact the TV is in the corner, while not optimal, does not preclude getting a decent surround sound. Our set up is as follows:
- We have a decent sized lounge (9m by 4m) with the TV in the corner but angled to look more back up the room.
- We have 2 settees, one at 90 degrees to the long walls and 3 / 4s of the way down the room away from the TV and the other parallel to the long fall, effectively forming an 'L' shape with the first
- Sub sits behind the TV while the centre speaker sits below it.
- The two front speakers are stand mounted and sit about 2 feet either side of the TV, with one to the right of the TV on the short wall facing almost directly up the room and the the other facing pretty well diagonally to the other corner.
- One of the rear speakers is on a windowsill in the long wall beyond the first settee while the other is on sturdy bookcase behind the second settee. Both are directed to the centre of the room and situated at the same height of the front ones.
- Speakers are Dali Zensor 1 5.1 package (love them by the way).

I have adjusted the speaker directions and levels so that anyone sitting in the corner of either settee which is closet to the other settee (i.e. near the angle of the 'L') will get the best surround results. As this is where me and the Mrs normally sit, we get a very good surround experience, all without rebuilding the house!

Is it perfect, possibly not? Are my acoustic senses good enough to know the difference, after 30 years of Led Zep, Deep Purple and the Muse, definitely not!

Cheers,

Bob