timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Out in the open, standing on the floor.
Audio Equipment
- Thread starter ddrueding
- Start date
Out in the open, standing on the floor.
Stereodude
Not really a
timwhit pretty much got it right. Putting a speaker inside another opening leads to drastic changes in the baffle response since you get reflections from the cabinetry if the cabinetry extends past the front face of the speaker. A shelf wouldn't necessarily be too bad assuming the shelf was very small and didn't expend past the bottom of the speaker, but then you still have the impact of having the speaker so close to the back wall which can lead to too much emphasis on the bass. On stands you can solve that simply by adjusting the distance from the wall, but when you're using a shelf you're sorta stuck.
ddrueding
Fixture
Having speakers that sit in the room on their own isn't an option aesthetically. I can have them built in to the cabinet, flush to the face, or I can put them in the ceiling like the surrounds will be.
That is how we always did in the olden days. The speaker/enclosures are designed by the manufacturer to be decoupled from the environment unless it a custom (rather expensive) design. In that case you might want input from a professional engineer.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Basically this theatre has chosen form over function. Compromised as it were. When picking speakers for this setup, go with what looks pretty. Because putting a speaker cabinet inside another cabinet is going to discolour the sound of any higher end speaker, so might as well get something that fulfills one of the constraints.
Stereodude
Not really a
He might as well go with in wall speakers which are at least designed to be put in a compromising acoustic position.
ddrueding
Fixture
Some compromise is necessary, as it is the living room and not a dedicated theater. That doesn't mean I don't want something that sounds good within the envelope that has been defined by my wife. And putting the speakers on shelves is nothing compared to the obstacle that is the shape of the room; it is completely open on the right side (image attached).
Stereodude
Not really a
Well, at least your not putting a TV over the fireplace.
ddrueding
Fixture
It is a 110" projection screen. It wouldn't fit over the fireplace, much less in it. So where are we with the speakers?
Stereodude
Not really a
You got me. Your drawing doesn't have the screen, or I don't see it. You can't have the screen blocking the speakers. Uh, we need more information...
ddrueding
Fixture
Much of it beyond what is visible in the attachment is still up for grabs. The couch is facing a full-height wall unit approx 1' deep, including a 110" fixed projection screen and a bunch of drawers/cabinets/shelves whose layout has yet to be determined. The screen is not of the acoustically transparent type, so the speakers will need to be around it somehow. I was hoping to do an underfloor subwoofer, but any opening in the hardwood floor got nixed.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
So the screen is already acquired? The full height wall unit is yet to be installed? Does the screen attach from the ceiling? (Just wondering how you will access cabinets behind it? Or is there a keep out space with the screen in the same plane as the front of the wall unit?) Given your seating position I would go with the front three speakers above or below the screen, if you try to straddle the screen with left/right there will probably be too much seperation for stereo listening etc.
fb
Storage is cool
Why not go down to your favorite HiFi dealer with the building plans and your budget, discuss different solutions? And bring the wife, the last time I did that I got a 100% budget increase within a couple of minutes.
Stereodude
Not really a
Well, as long as he knows better than to actually buy anything there from the person who will likely give him bad information that might not be a bad strategy.
I still don't see how he's going to get good performance from a projector with all that ambient light, but what do I know?
I still don't see how he's going to get good performance from a projector with all that ambient light, but what do I know?
ddrueding
Fixture
The screen is already acquired and in use got nearly two years. I suppose I could buy a new one if this one was unsuitable in some significant way, but I'd rather not. The wall unit has yet to be completely designed, much less built, so other than the size and material (hardwood, wall to door and floor to ceiling, about one foot thick) it can be as accommodating as possible.
ddrueding
Fixture
The screen is fixed and will be in a recessed area at the appropriate height. Due to our active lifestyle, we only watch movies at night.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
Thanks to everyone for your help.
fb
Storage is cool
I'm sorry that I never stop nagging about Linn, but you should really get a pair of Majik 109's. They will even throw in a set of active filters with the speakers if you buy them before Aug 17 when their summer campaign ends. I think the filters alone should be worth ~ $700-$1000. Just add amplifiers (or sell the filters on eBay.)
ddrueding
Fixture
Gotcha fb. I've looked before, and I just did again. They look awesome, but are considerably out of my budget.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
How about these? http://www.roundsound.com/reference-35-speakers.html
fb
Storage is cool
Maybe you can buy them anyway and tell your wife you spent $1000 on a new CPU or SSD and $500 on the speakers?
Howell
Storage? I am Storage!
Does anyone make a receiver that is no deeper than say 6 inches? Maybe one designed to wall mount.
Stereodude
Not really a
Not that I've ever seen.
ddrueding
Fixture
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
You could cut a hole in the wall and just have 6 inches sticking out.
ddrueding
Fixture
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
Even if you have 2x6 walls, you would have 6" sticking out either side of the wall.
There has to be some way to connect all the cables.
timwhit
Hairy Aussie
The Sherwood R-903 is only 10 inches deep.
ddrueding
Fixture
I've found myself in possession of two Onkyo TX-8255 stereo receivers that I would like to use to power the speakers in the rest of the house. I'm planning on just stacking them on top of each other, and on top of the TX-SR507 and another surround capable unit (TBD) for the rooms with video. Of course, all these units will end up in a cabinet of some kind. and I'm guessing that the cabinet will require some kind of ventilation. Thoughts?
Another issue: I need a receiver capable of converting the component from the Wii to HDMI for the run to the ceiling mounted projector. I have had good experiences with the Onkyo gear, is this the cheapest unit they have that will do what I want?
Another issue: I need a receiver capable of converting the component from the Wii to HDMI for the run to the ceiling mounted projector. I have had good experiences with the Onkyo gear, is this the cheapest unit they have that will do what I want?
ddrueding
Fixture
I've also just about settled on some Polk LC80i speakers for the home theater. This avoids the cabinet depth issues we had discussed earlier. They seem to get good reviews, and are just far enough out of my budget that I might be able to swing 2 channels soon, a center in a while, and surrounds later.
They also offer enclosures for another couple hundred each; any thoughts?
They also offer enclosures for another couple hundred each; any thoughts?
sdbardwick
Storage is cool
Just heard a HT with those this weekend. There were 2 pairs installed as L CC R plus 80fx surrounds. Sounded decent and with good dialog rendition, but I am probably too old now to make any critical listening judgments.
Owner stated that he used the Polk enclosures after discovering that his whole house attic fan would displace the diaphragm of the first speaker he mounted.
Owner stated that he used the Polk enclosures after discovering that his whole house attic fan would displace the diaphragm of the first speaker he mounted.
ddrueding
Fixture
Wow, what a coincidence. It makes sense to have a pair in the center, but while I don't have anything in the center, is there a trick to make my surround sound stuff work through just the stereo set?
sdbardwick
Storage is cool
Yeah, I had to text him to make sure it was the same model!
He wanted timbre matching across the front speakers, and didn't want to waste the extra speaker.
I am not up-to-date on HT stuff, but my old Technics D/A converter from 1995ish had a mode to play surround through the L/R fronts; just had to tell it that there were not any surround or center speakers and it would mix in the surround channels (I suspect with a bit of delay).
He wanted timbre matching across the front speakers, and didn't want to waste the extra speaker.
I am not up-to-date on HT stuff, but my old Technics D/A converter from 1995ish had a mode to play surround through the L/R fronts; just had to tell it that there were not any surround or center speakers and it would mix in the surround channels (I suspect with a bit of delay).
I don't know if it's the cheapest, but I know first hand it will convert the component to HDMI. I have the sr608 and a Wii connected to it via component cables and the output goes through HDMI to my TV. I bought mine when newegg had a giftcard reward. The end price was $380 with $50 back as a giftcard.
I did end up disabling the on-screen menu like many others have because watching blurays at 24fps through it causes an occasional skipping issue. Once disabled easily the problem stops.
I ordered some new speakers this past Thursday to upgrade my Cambridge soundworks model 6 that I've had for probably 15 years. I went with B&W CM9s. I listened to several for multiple hours over multiple days and found that I really enjoyed these.
ddrueding
Fixture
Looking for a place to buy them, and there is a massive price difference between vendors, with the usual suspects being on the high end (Crutchfield - $450, Safe and Sound - $220).
Any tips?
Any tips?
Stereodude
Not really a
Look at the reseller ratings of each vendor before you buy, and on the electronics don't necessarily buy the cheapest unit that has the minimum feature set you want.
ddrueding
Fixture
The Onkyo site has a semi-decent way of explaining what you get with every upgrade. The next version up gives Pandora and USB support, which would be a waste considering the primary input is a computer.
The one I'm looking at already has 7.2 support, HDMI 1.4a, Faroudja DCDi upconversion, and an army of inputs. Not sure what else I should be looking for.
The one I'm looking at already has 7.2 support, HDMI 1.4a, Faroudja DCDi upconversion, and an army of inputs. Not sure what else I should be looking for.
Stereodude
Not really a
Well, the amplifiers generally get better (more robust) as you move up the line. Specifically that they can output more power at the same time due to a larger power supply. But, if you're not listening loudly or not a demanding listener, spending more to go higher end may not be money well spent.
ddrueding
Fixture
The amp is 100W @ 8 ohms per channel, and the speakers are 125W @ 4 ohms. Not sure how that works.