with your suggested set up you can finely tune the front and center, but the mids and surrounds will be mixed up. Do you plan on using an on wall for mid left and surround left and then in ceiling for mid right and surround right? I would try to match speaker types for left/right pairs.

In all honesty, with 7.1 speaker configuration your setup will sound great. most people that sit to watch tv/listen to music will be engulfed in sound and not know any different anyway.

With Best Buy's recommendation, you will always have perfect channel distribution on the three seats directly opposite the tv. The right side of the sofa will be just as I mentioned in the paragraph above.

as for LCR in ceiling, I agree with greenlaker7, perfect world they would be ear level, however I have installed many in-ceiling LCR without issue or complaint. Also all in wall/ceiling speakers have the ability to be adjusted to point in any direction (angled down towards the sofa), while still flush with ceilling.

hope this helps with your decision.

greenlaker: the soffit is pretty wide and in the place where the speaker are it would be empty ( there are ducts and gas lines and instead of building a soffit, then ceiling, soffit,then ceiling- we just framed all that in so it's just one soffit).

Bmels exactly! what you said: wall for mid left/surround left ceiling mid right surround right. I would try to maybe angle them differently...

I feel much better, i think I'll get the LCR set up in the ceiling and point them toward the sectional. Hubs wants a 70" tv and it would have to be pretty high (below TV) or pretty low (above TV).

I guess my center would be the corner of the sofa...

REALLY appreciate your help. Thanks!

My personal preference is wall mounted speakers, because ceiling recessed speakers can be heard upstairs a lot easier because the ceiling sheetrock or panels are not helping to stop the sound transfer. Also wall mounts can be adjusted to point in any direction, allowing for customization to any space.

On the other hand, recessed speakers (ceiling and wall) look nicer, but you cant direct the sound in specific directions. Up to you what you want for your space.

Thanks… I'm getting speakercraft aim 5 speakers where you can aim the woofer/tweeter in any direction.

(I can't bring myself to get the traditional speakers - they are an eye sore and dust collectors- the hubs is gonna have to sacrifice sound for aesthetics : D )

I think the tv on the fireplace wall would allow a better viewing and sound experience.If you're going in ceiling you definitely need a speaker with an enclosure , not an infinite baffle like those AIM 5. Enclosed speakers minimize that sound bleed upstairs and just sound better than infinite baffle ones.

Triad, Sonance, Episode, and DefTech all make great LCR ceiling speakers but are a bit more than, Speakercraft, which is no prize . You should also consider a second sub in a room that size. And , Aim5's are way too small for those distances , you need to look at 8's if your going to go that route.

Where is the main listening/viewing position on that sectional going to be ?

thanks the tv cannot fit over the fireplace which is where I wanted it- ceiling height is only 91", with the fireplace under , there's no room for a 65/70" tv- will look too tight..

the room isn't that big it's only about 13x15, not concerned about the bar area having the best sound just where the sofa is.. I was thinking the center of the sectional as the viewing point.

Well, that's an aesthetic consideration I prob. can't help you with, but I disagre about tight . Average firebox ht. is around 36"-42" above the floor, and those tv,s are approx 35" tall. leaving at least a foot above and below. Usually basement rooms aren't conversation areas centers around the fire , and your seating choice doesn't lend itself to taunt anyway - so for me I'd focus more on the movie experience than I would making the fireplace look like it belongs in a Martha Stewart photo shoot.

Projector with a retractable screen ? At 70" you're looking at about the same cost , and could get an even larger picture - and have no screen to see when not watching tv .

Assuming no, I'd go with first plan but, I'd move the tv to the right when viewing instead of angling it. I'd use ceiling speakers and spread them out wider for a better soundstage to the sectional. I'd really figure out a way to work out the tv on the f.p. wall because that gives the best viewing and sound stage by far. It would allow for good, additional seating in the bar area which pretty poor now.