Which speakers for living room/home cinema?
Discussion
I need some help please choosing a brand of speakers to install a 5:1 system into my living room.
This won't be a dedicated home cinema as the room still needs to function and look like a living room with sofa and armchair, but I'm going to move furniture around to have more bias to being a home cinema. We have a 2nd living room that the wife tends to prefer to use for TV, so I kind of have free rein to do as a please with this room.
The room is approx 12ft x 12ft and I'll have the armchair as the main listening position, positioned square on to the TV, sitting around 10ft from it.
I'll be buying a new OLED TV (75"?), maybe a Denon AVC-X3800H receiver and perhaps an SVS amp. But I'm struggling to choose the FL, FR, Centre, RL & RR speakers as there are just so many brands to choose from. My budget for these 5 x speakers will be around £3k. Not sure yet if I want the FL & FR to be floor standing or bookcase. I need a starting point to then go listen to some. Does it make sense to stick to the same brand for all 5 speakers?
This won't be a dedicated home cinema as the room still needs to function and look like a living room with sofa and armchair, but I'm going to move furniture around to have more bias to being a home cinema. We have a 2nd living room that the wife tends to prefer to use for TV, so I kind of have free rein to do as a please with this room.
The room is approx 12ft x 12ft and I'll have the armchair as the main listening position, positioned square on to the TV, sitting around 10ft from it.
I'll be buying a new OLED TV (75"?), maybe a Denon AVC-X3800H receiver and perhaps an SVS amp. But I'm struggling to choose the FL, FR, Centre, RL & RR speakers as there are just so many brands to choose from. My budget for these 5 x speakers will be around £3k. Not sure yet if I want the FL & FR to be floor standing or bookcase. I need a starting point to then go listen to some. Does it make sense to stick to the same brand for all 5 speakers?
The Gauge said:
I need some help please choosing a brand of speakers to install a 5:1 system into my living room.
This won't be a dedicated home cinema as the room still needs to function and look like a living room with sofa and armchair, but I'm going to move furniture around to have more bias to being a home cinema. We have a 2nd living room that the wife tends to prefer to use for TV, so I kind of have free rein to do as a please with this room.
The room is approx 12ft x 12ft and I'll have the armchair as the main listening position, positioned square on to the TV, sitting around 10ft from it.
I'll be buying a new OLED TV (75"?), maybe a Denon AVC-X3800H receiver and perhaps an SVS amp. But I'm struggling to choose the FL, FR, Centre, RL & RR speakers as there are just so many brands to choose from. My budget for these 5 x speakers will be around £3k. Not sure yet if I want the FL & FR to be floor standing or bookcase. I need a starting point to then go listen to some. Does it make sense to stick to the same brand for all 5 speakers?
You'll be auditioning speaker systems hopefully; so stick with the main well known brands for now. Keeps it easyThis won't be a dedicated home cinema as the room still needs to function and look like a living room with sofa and armchair, but I'm going to move furniture around to have more bias to being a home cinema. We have a 2nd living room that the wife tends to prefer to use for TV, so I kind of have free rein to do as a please with this room.
The room is approx 12ft x 12ft and I'll have the armchair as the main listening position, positioned square on to the TV, sitting around 10ft from it.
I'll be buying a new OLED TV (75"?), maybe a Denon AVC-X3800H receiver and perhaps an SVS amp. But I'm struggling to choose the FL, FR, Centre, RL & RR speakers as there are just so many brands to choose from. My budget for these 5 x speakers will be around £3k. Not sure yet if I want the FL & FR to be floor standing or bookcase. I need a starting point to then go listen to some. Does it make sense to stick to the same brand for all 5 speakers?
So Bowers & Wilkins, Monitor Audio, Q Acoustics, KEF, Dynaudio, Dali etc - you'd soon get a system sorted from them
FWIW my pal has a 5.1 system based around his Marantz Cinema AV amp and he went for the MA Silver 100s with the MA Silver centre speaker & MA subwoofer - he runs Chord cables and Amazon special intereconnects to my old Rega Apollo CDP I've lent him, as he fixed it for me (he's good at tinkering, I'm not) haha
I've no idea re the TV he has; I think it's a 60'ish inch TV that stand mounted, his speakers are all on Atacama stand mounts (the glass tube ones) - I've watched the Band of Brothers series with him on that system and it was immense in my simple opinion as I know nothing re AV 5.1 systems etc - I was liuterally turning around when I could hear ricochet's and shouting that was coming from behind etc - very clever!
FYI he got it all via Peter Tyson up in Carlisle
The Gauge said:
Thanks. I'll be trying out some sneakers, probably at my local Richer Sounds who have a demo room. I have some time to do research as I first need to decorate and sell/buy furniture before buying any AV gear.
Ultimately your ears will dictate your preference, you won't really go wrong with anything you demo at somewhere like RS.Your speakers don't have to match either, my fronts, centre, sub and rears are all different, theres pros and cons to having them match, it just depends which route you want to take and where you want the majority of your budget to go.
You could go for an all in one box like this: https://www.focal.com/products/mu-so-hekla They are quite sensitive to positioning though.
£3k will definitely get you something decent. Echo the suggestions to go to RS and PT and demo some.
Re floor standers Vs bookshelf at the front; I have floorstanders for my front mains and whilst I love them, I'm not convinced I have any real advantage over a pair of decently large bookshelf speakers and a meatier sub.
Benefit of buying a speaker "package" is more aesthetic than anything. I used to have a 5 speaker set where all five speakers were identical, but I don't recall ever sitting there thinking "thank christ my rear left speaker doesn't have slightly more treble than my front left speaker, or I'd hate this experience!"
I have Q Acoustics all round (5.1.4) and it's nice that they all have the same finish, but there's no way that five different designs of speaker, with different drivers, cabinet sizes, four of them in the ceiling, one with an onboard amp, will be acoustically matched in any meaningful way. Even if the manufacturer implies it. That is why you can do automatic room EQ on most/all home cinema receivers.
Re floor standers Vs bookshelf at the front; I have floorstanders for my front mains and whilst I love them, I'm not convinced I have any real advantage over a pair of decently large bookshelf speakers and a meatier sub.
Benefit of buying a speaker "package" is more aesthetic than anything. I used to have a 5 speaker set where all five speakers were identical, but I don't recall ever sitting there thinking "thank christ my rear left speaker doesn't have slightly more treble than my front left speaker, or I'd hate this experience!"
I have Q Acoustics all round (5.1.4) and it's nice that they all have the same finish, but there's no way that five different designs of speaker, with different drivers, cabinet sizes, four of them in the ceiling, one with an onboard amp, will be acoustically matched in any meaningful way. Even if the manufacturer implies it. That is why you can do automatic room EQ on most/all home cinema receivers.
For surround duties i have a pair of these small speakers in white. They replaced a set of Sonus Faber home surrounds. Decent enough for effects, and small enough that they hide well. For front, floorstanders or add a decent subwoofer if you have space. Domestically, a nice pair of floorstanders looks great.
https://www.richersounds.com/cambridge-audio-msx20...
https://www.richersounds.com/cambridge-audio-msx20...
Your room size and layout dictate certain types of speakers will suit you best.
Front L/R : These should be a compact design. The room is not massive and you’ll be adding a capable sub, with an 80hz crossover.
Large speakers would be wasted in this scenario, and even cause you issues.
Suitable stands around 400-500mm tall.
Speakers of this nature will also mean a 3800 will not be over stretched.
A room size such as yours will mean 80-90hz crossover, to avoid too many issues.
Centre : This has to be able to physically located as close to the button of the screen as possible, away from any parallel surfaces.
Surround L/R : given your proximity to the rear wall, I suggest these be slim and wall mounted. This gives you the freedom to locate them properly, without the drive units getting any closer to you than absolutely necessary.
Subwoofer : This should be the best you can possibly afford. It’s not possible to have the bass perform to the same levels as the rest of the system above 80hz, but the better the sub, the more realistic the WHOLE system will be!
Perhaps a REL HT1205mk2?
Two ranges spring to mind as offering speakers that can fulfil these duties.
KEF Q Meta…..
Front : Concerto Meta
Centre : Q6C Meta
Surround : Q4 Meta
These offer a dynamic, wide and more cohesive type of sound.
There will be a new Monitor Audio Silver range along very soon.
This will also have an on wall surround and similar types of cabinets to the old range. They’ll be a huge step forward in performance though!
Silver 50, Silver C and Silver on wall should be within your budget.
Those will off more zing and attack, with a more focussed presentation.
ALWAYS buy speakers form the same brand. It is sometimes possible to mix/match ranges, but not across the front three ideally.
Before you run the Audyssey set up, make sure your sub x-over is set to 100% / maximum.
Run the mic in the first three locations, then store.
Dynamic EQ : On
Dynamic volume : Off
Then go back into the manual settings, setting them to custom, and then edit crossovers.
L/R 80hz
C : 90hz
Surr : 120hz
Do not edit the levels or distances.
Both will be brilliant, but in a tighter space, I think an expansive soundstage is harder to perfect.
I’d also suggest you mount some acoustic panels on the rear wall.
Some more on the side walls, if your speakers are quite close. You want to hear the speaker sound, not the sound’s first reflection from the side walls. Aiming them in a little can also help.
Do you favour a brand already?
Perhaps share images, or a basic sketch of the layout?
Front L/R : These should be a compact design. The room is not massive and you’ll be adding a capable sub, with an 80hz crossover.
Large speakers would be wasted in this scenario, and even cause you issues.
Suitable stands around 400-500mm tall.
Speakers of this nature will also mean a 3800 will not be over stretched.
A room size such as yours will mean 80-90hz crossover, to avoid too many issues.
Centre : This has to be able to physically located as close to the button of the screen as possible, away from any parallel surfaces.
Surround L/R : given your proximity to the rear wall, I suggest these be slim and wall mounted. This gives you the freedom to locate them properly, without the drive units getting any closer to you than absolutely necessary.
Subwoofer : This should be the best you can possibly afford. It’s not possible to have the bass perform to the same levels as the rest of the system above 80hz, but the better the sub, the more realistic the WHOLE system will be!
Perhaps a REL HT1205mk2?
Two ranges spring to mind as offering speakers that can fulfil these duties.
KEF Q Meta…..
Front : Concerto Meta
Centre : Q6C Meta
Surround : Q4 Meta
These offer a dynamic, wide and more cohesive type of sound.
There will be a new Monitor Audio Silver range along very soon.
This will also have an on wall surround and similar types of cabinets to the old range. They’ll be a huge step forward in performance though!
Silver 50, Silver C and Silver on wall should be within your budget.
Those will off more zing and attack, with a more focussed presentation.
ALWAYS buy speakers form the same brand. It is sometimes possible to mix/match ranges, but not across the front three ideally.
Before you run the Audyssey set up, make sure your sub x-over is set to 100% / maximum.
Run the mic in the first three locations, then store.
Dynamic EQ : On
Dynamic volume : Off
Then go back into the manual settings, setting them to custom, and then edit crossovers.
L/R 80hz
C : 90hz
Surr : 120hz
Do not edit the levels or distances.
Both will be brilliant, but in a tighter space, I think an expansive soundstage is harder to perfect.
I’d also suggest you mount some acoustic panels on the rear wall.
Some more on the side walls, if your speakers are quite close. You want to hear the speaker sound, not the sound’s first reflection from the side walls. Aiming them in a little can also help.
Do you favour a brand already?
Perhaps share images, or a basic sketch of the layout?
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