5.1 · 14 × 20 ft
The classic surround layout: fronts, center, two surrounds, sub. Positions below assume the screen on the 14 ft wall, a main seat 12.4 ft from it, and an 8 ft ceiling.
Speakers
5
+ 1 sub
Main seat
12.4 ft
from the screen wall
Front spread
50°
between L and R
Front distance
12.6 ft
ears to each front
From the left wall (X), the front wall (Y), and floor to tweeter (Z). Mark these with painter's tape before mounting anything.
| Speaker | From left wall | From front wall | Height | Angle from seat | Dolby target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Front Left | 1.7 ft | 1 ft | 3.3 ft | 25° | 22–30° |
| Front Right | 12.3 ft | 1 ft | 3.3 ft | 25° | 22–30° |
| CenterDirectly below or above the screen, angled toward ear height. | 7 ft | 1 ft | 2.8 ft | 0° | 0° |
| Surround Left | 1 ft | 14 ft | 4.8 ft | 105° | 90–110° |
| Surround Right | 13 ft | 14 ft | 4.8 ft | 105° | 90–110° |
| SubwooferStart in the front corner for maximum output, then run the subwoofer crawl to fine-tune. | 1.5 ft | 1.5 ft | 0.8 ft | n/a | n/a |
How we got these numbers
Surround formats are mixed for speakers at specific angles around the listener, so placement starts from the seat, not the walls. In a 14 by 20 foot room we place the main seat 12.4 ft from the screen wall (62% of the length), which keeps it out of the worst bass null at the room's center and off the back wall.
From that seat, the front left and right are placed at 25° (Dolby's 22 to 30° range), side surrounds at 105° (90 to 110°). Where the room is too narrow or shallow for the ideal angle, the speaker is pushed to the wall and the compromise is noted.
This room's first length mode is 28 Hz and its first width mode is 40 Hz. Start the subwoofer in a front corner and run the subwoofer crawl to smooth those modes at the seat.
Common questions
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Surrounds or a small-room stereo pair on a budget
Audio Science Review measured genuinely deep bass and smooth, wide horizontal dispersion, and recommended it outright at its price. That wide dispersion and easy load make it a good surround or small-room front pair.
Front left/right in medium to large rooms
A three-way tower that measured within roughly plus or minus 2 dB on-axis at Erin's Audio Corner with real bass extension to about 40 Hz, so it can play full range in a medium room. It shares drivers with Polk's flagship Legend series at a fraction of the price.
Center channel paired with Reserve R700 or R600 towers
The large center in the same Reserve series as the R700, using the same tweeter and Turbine Cone woofers so voices match the towers across the front stage. Sound & Vision found the Reserve system dynamic and immersive for its price.
Small rooms and music-focused systems
A compact 13-inch sealed cube that Audioholics found goes well beyond entry-level performance, with app control, parametric EQ, and clean 20 Hz extension. The natural pick for small rooms, music-first systems, or a pair on a budget.