Ideally, you want to place all of the speakers in a surround-sound system at the same distance from your listening position. Since that's impossible or impractical in many cases, especially with on-wall and in-wall models, home theater receivers provide adjustments that allow you to compensate for the varying distances. (The illustration shows a 7.1-channel speaker setup, with the left and right back surround speakers placed the same distance apart as the front L/R speakers.)

No matter how much you paid for your rig, you need to set it up correctly to get it sounding its best. With a surround-sound system, that means finding the right locations for your speakers. Optimal placement will lead to precise imaging, letting you trace the path of bullets as they fly around your room. (Since Dolby Laboratories literally wrote the book on surround sound, I've followed their guidelines closely in making my recommendations here.)

Step 1: Choose the "Sweet Seat"
Your theater might have many good seats, but there will be only one best seat. The size of your video display will dictate how far you sit from the screen. (The rule of thumb for an HDTV set is to sit at a distance that's about twice the length of screen's diagonal. For a front-projection setup, the distance is about 1.5 times the screen diagonal.) In a perfect world, you would draw a circle around this prime location and place all the speakers on the circle, with each channel the same distance from you. Of course, this would likely mean having speakers sitting well out into the room, and unless your wife is the coolest chick around, that probably won't fly. In that case, make the necessary compromises and rely on your receiver's delay and channel-level adjustments to compensate for the varying distances.

Step 2: Position the Front Left/Right Speakers
For the best imaging, your seating position and the front left and right speakers should form the points of an equilateral triangle. For instance, if you're sitting 12 feet from either speaker, the speakers should also be 12 feet apart. This placement will create a 60° angle between you and the front L/R positions. Also, you should place these speakers so that their tweeters are at ear level when you're sitting.

Step 3: Position the Center Speaker
Placing the center-channel speaker in line with the front left/right speakers will put it closer to you than the other two speakers — something you want to avoid if you can but that you can compensate for by using your receiver's delay adjustments. The ideal arrangement is a front- projection system with a perforated screen so the center speaker can rest behind the screen with its tweeter at the same height as the front L/R speakers. But if, like most home theater fans, you have a flat-panel or rear-projection TV, the best place for the center speaker is directly above or below the screen. If this prevents you from locating the tweeter at ear height, angle the speaker slightly down or up toward the listening position to achieve a similar result.

Step 4: Position the Left/Right Surround Speakers
To find the best location for your left/right surround speakers, simply stand at your listening position and raise your arms until they're pointing straight out at the side walls. Locate the speakers anywhere from where your fingers point to as far back as your arms can reach (up to 20°). Unlike with the front speakers, the surrounds' tweeters should be positioned 2 to 3 feet above seated ear level to create a more diffuse sound.

If you can't use full-range tower or wall-mounted monitor speakers, consider in-wall models. If your side walls are too far from the listening position (or there's no wall there at all), widely space the speakers on the back wall. If wall space is at a premium, ceiling speakers can do a great job of creating a diffuse image. Dipole speakers can help create an even more diffuse sound field, but they should be located directly to the sides of the listening position for best results.

If you have a 6.1- or 7.1-channel system (see Step 5), place the L/R surround speakers directly to the sides of your listening position or just slightly behind. If your room is long — about 25 feet or more — and especially if you have several rows of seats, one pair of L/R surrounds likely won't fill the gap between the front and back channels. Consider adding a second pair, placed equidistant between the first pair of surround speakers and the back wall.

Step 5: Position the Back Surround Speaker
Positioning the single back surround speaker in a 6.1-channel system is a no-brainer — put it in the back of the room, directly behind you and opposite the center speaker. It should go above seated ear level but at a different height from the L/R surrounds.

If you're using two back surround speakers to create a 7.1-channel setup, things get a little more complicated. Dolby Labs and THX — the co-creators of Surround EX — have differing opinions on the best place for these speakers. THX suggests having them close together — no more than 3 feet apart — when using its Ultra 2 processing, while Dolby recommends spacing them the same distance apart as the front L/R speakers. Since the back-surround channel in EX and DTS-ES soundtracks is mono, THX's approach has merit. But the new Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD formats found on Blu-ray Discs and HD DVDs can carry discrete signals for up to 7.1 channels, so if and when studios begin supplying true 7.1-channel soundtracks, Dolby's location will deliver greater separation. It may also work better with non-THX pseudo-7.1 processes, such as Dolby Pro Logic IIx.

Step 6: Position the Subwoofer
A single subwoofer usually sounds best in a corner. For more tips on installing your sub, take a look at Subwoofer Setup Secrets. And for information on multiple-subwoofer setups, see Why You Need Four Subwoofers and Setting Up Dual Subwoofers.

Properly placing your speakers might be the best thing you ever do for your home theater, because following these steps will make good speakers sound even better.

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