5.1 ceiling surround setup for PC gaming

xargsgrep · July 23, 2021

I have a study room wired for 5.1 surround with the 4 surround speakers in the ceiling and the center channel at normal sitting height. Does anyone else have experience with a similar setup for PC gaming? I'm curious if wall mounted speakers at normal height would be better than the ceiling speakers, or would it not really make much of a difference?

Also, if I use the ceiling speakers would it be better to leave the center channel as is or have that installed up in the ceiling also?

PineyCreek · July 23, 2021

Disclaimer: I am not an audio professional.

We have a media room at work setup like that...(though more of a 7.2 setup). Subwoofers and two side speakers remain on the ground, center up front (under the TV), 4 speakers ceiling mounted.

Not sure how well the center being high up would work unless there's some audio processing/modification that you can setup via receiver or something. Center to me means pointed at your face and where most of the voice will come from in a surround setup (I think), so...I dunno. Maybe if it's a very directional center speaker and it's pointed where you're sitting?

Enderman · July 23, 2021

Usually only 9.1 setups have ceiling mounted or upwards-firing speakers.

You typically want the surround sound coming from actually around you, not just above you.

FloRolf · July 23, 2021

8 hours ago, Enderman said:

Usually only 9.1 setups have ceiling mounted or upwards-firing speakers.

You typically want the surround sound coming from actually around you, not just above you.

Not really true.

Ceiling speakers get an additional number in this scheme.

For example if you add 4 ceiling speakers to a 5.1 system it becomes 5.1.4. So it's Surrounds.Subs.Heights

You can mix and match everything you want really.

However I do agree that surround sound should ideally come from around you, else it gives you the supermarker vibe lol.

Derkoli · July 23, 2021

14 hours ago, xargsgrep said:

I'm curious if wall mounted speakers at normal height would be better than the ceiling speakers, or would it not really make much of a difference?

Try to keep your surround channels at ear level. Or close to it.

Subwoofer goes wherever sounds best. You can figure this out with the "subwoofer crawl" method. https://www.audioholics.com/home-theater-connection/crawling-for-bass-subwoofer-placement

The only thing that gets place above you (Not directly above!) Is your height channels. You can place channels directly above you, on the ceiling in an Auro 3D setup.