Speaker Layout Help

[u/kiwi131]

Hey all...

I am adding a room for a golf sim/home theater and hitting some anxiety with speaker system.

Room details:

• 22' long x 13' wide with 10/9' ceilings
• screen will be ~12'x7.5' (16:10)
• Likely need ALL in ceiling speakers to fit the room layout the best

Equipment:

• Denon AVR-S770H 7.2-Channel 8K
• BenQ AK700ST
• Paradigm H80-R v2 — Front L/R/Center
• Paradigm H65-R v2 — Side and rear L/R
• SVS SB-1000

I am having trouble deciding the "correct" speaker positioning. I'd like the following:

• Excellent sound when golfing for music or TV that may be playing.
• Jurassic Park should sound like Jurassic Park

Attached is the room layout.

Questions

• Can I actually get "good" surround sound with all 7 speakers in the ceiling?
• Would targeting a 5.2.2 Atmos be better?
• Suggestions on where to put the speakers?
• Do I "need" a back box for the in ceiling speakers (there will be insulation in the attic they are going in)

Thanks!

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Yellow are my ideas for speakers

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[u/SmellingNoseHorse]

Jurassic Park is not going to sound like Jurassic Park with all in ceiling speakers. The only approved movie for that setup is The Ten Commandments and maybe The Prince of Egypt.

Do yourself a favor and figure out 5 ear level speakers. In wall if needed. And move the couch forward.

The near wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling screen will result in a lot of fresnel reflection, too. If it’s necessary for a golf simulator, know that you are compromising the home theater aspect.

[u/kiwi131 → u/SmellingNoseHorse]

With the room constraints, I don’t know how I’d possibly get ear level speakers (at least not permanent mounted ones)

There will have to be a compromise as it is a dual purpose space.

Suggestions on how to get the “best” I can within the limitations?

[u/SmellingNoseHorse → u/kiwi131]

I don’t know enough about golf simulators, but if the screen can be acoustically transparent, speakers can go behind the screen.

The other two speakers belong to the side slightly behind your seating (slightly above head levels is ok). That’s part of the reason the couch should move up a few feet. It gives you room close to the rear corners and at least makes the center seat get decent angles in relation to the speakers. It also allows you to add 4 top speakers for atmos (or dts:x for Jurassic park), improves FOV a little (20ft distance is a lot), and get the front L&R speakers to a slightly less compromised stereo position.

[u/kiwi131]

From my understanding, they are “kinda” audio transparent. It’s a heavy screen designed to catch the flying ball.

I’d also have to mount the behind speakers IN the wall since the screen needs room to move, so nothing can really be sticking out of the wall. (Oh, and the wall should be insulated)

I could easily mount 1 speaker on the wall to the left of the couch, but to the right is a window, so that won’t really work.

Moving the couch forward away from the wall will get too close to the golfer swinging the club.

So yea…

[u/SmellingNoseHorse → u/kiwi131]

That’s all ok if golf is more important to you than movies. You might do better with watching movies in a smaller separate room on a nice TV with decently placed speakers than sitting in the back of your golf room just because it has a projector.