Placing Your Home Theater Systems and Speakers

Choosing a good location for speakers will help you experience the spaciousness and surround effects you expect from Bose® home theater systems. Speaker placement is always dependent on the dimensions, acoustic properties and furnishings of the room. Here are product placement tips to help set up your system.

If you own a Lifestyle® 48 or 38 DVD system: Your system includes the ADAPTiQ® audio calibration system, which automatically adjusts your system for consistent performance. Refer to your owner's guide to learn how to take advantage of this easy-to-use tool.

		Caution Choose a stable and level surface for your speakers. Vibration can cause the speakers to move, particularly on smooth surfaces like marble, glass or highly polished wood. If you are placing the center speaker on top of the television, use the smaller of the two sets of rubber feet provided. You may obtain additional rubber feet (part no. 178321) free of charge by contacting Bose Customer Service at 1-877-210-3782.

Bose cube speakers
Follow these guidelines to select locations for the speakers in your Bose system. We recommend that you try alternate arrangements of the speakers to take advantage of the unique sound characteristics of your space.

Left and right front speakers
The sound from the left and right front speakers should seem to come from the edge of the picture, so that the acoustic output feels consistent with the size of the visual image.

1. Place the cubes to the left and right of the screen so that they line up with the center of the television.
   
2. Place them up to 3 feet (1 m) from the edge of the TV screen. We recommend a maximum distance of 3 feet (1 m) so that the sound does not become separated from the picture. We also suggest that the cubes should be at least 6 feet (2 m) apart from each other. You may wish to vary this distance based on room conditions and personal preference. The front cables allow the cube speakers to be placed up to 20 feet (6.1 m) from the Acoustimass® module.
   
3. If your system features cube arrays, direct one cube of each array forward. Direct the other cube toward the wall or in a different direction to create reflected sound. For a system featuring single cube speakers, direct each cube toward the wall or in a different direction to create reflected sound.

Note: The cube speakers are magnetically shielded so you can place them close to the TV without affecting picture quality.

Center channel
The sound from the center channel should appear to come directly from the center of the picture. The center cable allows up to 20 feet (6.1 m) distance from the Acoustimass module.

1. Place the center speaker or cube array directly above or below the center of the TV screen, or at the closest convenient location.
   
2. Align the speaker or array with the front of the TV screen (not pushed to the back of the TV).
   
3. For a single speaker, direct the cube facing forward. For a cube array, direct each of the cubes slightly away from center, to create a wider area of direct sound.

Note: If you put the speakers in a bookcase, be sure to place each one at the front edge of the shelf. Placing speakers in an enclosed space can change the tonal quality of the sound. This effect is minimized if the shelves are filled with books.

Surround speakers
The surround (rear) speakers create an area of sound around the listener. Place them in the back half of your room. The speakers should be placed at the listeners’ seated ear height or higher. Direct the cubes slightly away from the listeners so that you cannot pinpoint the exact location of the sound source. The surround cables allow up to 50 feet (15.2 m) distance from the Acoustimass module.

		Custom-designed wall brackets and floorstands for your Bose bookshelf speakers are available for purchase here on Bose.com. Visit our accessories area for products, pricing and availability.

Acoustimass module
Follow these guidelines to select a location for the Acoustimass module.

Note: To avoid interference with the TV picture, place the Acoustimass module at least 2 feet (60 cm) from the TV.

1. Place the Acoustimass module along the same wall or close to the same end of the room as the TV monitor.
   
2. Select a convenient location—under a table or behind a sofa, for example. Do not allow furniture or drapes to block the ventilation openings of the module. Be sure there is a gap of at least 2 inches (5 cm) between any surface and the front opening or the grille on the bottom.
   
3. Place the Acoustimass module within reach of the audio input cable, speaker cables and an AC power (mains) outlet.
   
4. Select a position for the Acoustimass module. For proper ventilation, place it on the long edge, with the connectors facing the floor. An alternate position is on its largest side, with the bass and treble controls facing up. Do not place the module on either end.
   
5. Once you have selected a position for the module, place the four self-adhesive rubber feet near the corners of the bottom surface. The rubber feet provide increased stability and protection from scratches.
   
6. Aim the port (the round or rectangular opening) into the room or along the wall to avoid blocking the air flow or creating too much low-frequency sound.
   
7. For best low-frequency performance, do not place the Acoustimass module at equal distances from any two walls or from a wall and the ceiling.

		Caution Do not cover the ventilation openings of the Acoustimass module. The slots on the end provide ventilation for the built-in electronic circuitry and should not be blocked. The magnetic field from the Acoustimass module is not an immediate risk to your videotapes, audio tapes and other magnetic media. However, you should not store tapes directly on or near the Acoustimass module.

CD changer or Lifestyle® music center
Select a convenient location for the CD changer or music center.

1. Place the CD changer or music center on a level surface. Allow enough room to lift the door.
   
2. For the Lifestyle® 50 system, place the CD changer close enough to the multi-room interface to allow for a cable length of 6 feet (2 m).

1. Place the multi-room interface within 30 feet (9.1 m) of the Acoustimass module (the length of the audio input cable).
   
2. Place the multi-room interface close enough to the sound sources (TV, VCR, DVD, etc.) to allow for cable length. If you need additional audio and/or video cables to connect all of your components, see your dealer or call Bose Customer Service at 1-877-210-3782.