Building TV cabinet; should I use wall speakers or bookshelf type speakers behind fabric?

1. front L and front R SEPARATE! adjust spacing, adjust toe-in, future changes.

2. center channel, tricky, you want the speaker as close to the monitor as possible, I find just below the monitor best, dialog will be anchored to the image.

a. You could build a center channel recess in the front/top of the cabinet, then raise the monitor up to finish just above it, i.e. the speaker does not move. The face of the Monitor would be 'behind' the face of the center speaker which needs to be considered. Cloth panel, put speaker in from behind.

b. Center Speaker goes up/dn with the Monitor.

I don't like rear ports, thus I chose this Klipsch center with front ports

they make a wireless version

klipsch has some refurbished, you can find them for less on eBay etc ....

get the monitor height right before you cut wood!

i'm 6' tall, Donna is 5' tall.

I made a riser to lift the monitor up to a height that was comfortable for both our necks/viewing, and the relationship of my progressive lenses so I don't need to lift/lower my chin to see everything, including small sub-title/credits text clearly.

kept messing with piles of books until we got it right.

that determines the bottom of your monitor, then go from there.

Yes, speaker height above all else.

As for ports, I've never had any issues with either front or rear.

However, very small ported speakers at volume might have issues.

It's a nice idea to have them behind fabric.

I'd prefer not to see the speakers.