Home theater setup

[isaaca]

Hi,
I am looking into setting up a surround sound home theater system that can handle 5.1 and 7.1 sound format. For some reason I bought the Sony HTC sound bar system from someone at my work and it does not support 7.1 or rather does it very poorly by adding a lot of echo and almost too much bass.

Also the new setup will be in a bigger room so a sound bar is not really an option.

Sound clarity is more important to me than a loud thump. As for the budget I guess I am hoping not to spend more than 2K. I already have a LCD and a Blue ray player so this is more about the speaker, amp setup.

I am somewhat of a newbie so please do keep that in mind when suggesting any kind of setup :)

Thanks!!

[JoeE SP9]

What AV receiver will you be using to drive your speakers?

[isaaca]

Hi,
Since the setup is all from scratch I guess it depends on whatever works best with whatever setup I end up with.

[Mr Peabody]

Just my opinion, I'd get a Yamaha receiver with a Klipsch Reference speaker system. Energy would be another good budget speaker system. I also like Martin Logan's, Motion series speakers but it may push the budget if wanting floorstanding mains. The Klipsch may not be for every one but the horn technology is what is used in the theaters and they don't require big power to drive, the sound is typically dynamic. The Reference line is all new and supposed to be quite improved over the older line. I have not heard the new line but didn't have an issue with the older one. Other decent receivers would be Onkyo, Denon or Marantz. If you like the Klipsch I'd really lean toward the Yamaha or Marantz for a better match.

[isaaca]

I was looking online and there are a few different reference speakers around. Are any better or worse than others?

Also what about Paradigm? I have heard fairly good things about them as well. Also are there any subs that may not work well with certain speakers or any that work with all?

[isaaca]

I was looking online and there are a few different reference speakers around. Are any better or worse than others?

Also what about Paradigm? I have heard fairly good things about them as well. Also are there any subs that may not work well with certain speakers or any that work with all?

:2:

[Mr Peabody]

I like Paradigm and they would be a good choice to look into. Subs typically aren't picky which speakers you match them with, it's more important to get one that will match your room size. No matter the size room I wouldn't go any smaller than a 10" woofer.

The Emotiva subs are a good value. Not sure price but if you go with Paradigm they make decent subs. Just for fun look at these www.svsounds.com

[Poultrygeist]

I'd build this kit for my mains. Watch how easy they go together on the video. They'll sound better than anything three times their price.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-702

[Mr Peabody]

Some one posted a thread showing those Emotiva subs are on sale.

[dwayne.aycock]

I guess in the final analysis, it all comes down to price. Your budget and patience will determine where you from here. I guess we all could give you better guidance if we knew the ball park of your budget.
Dwayne

[isaaca]

I am not looking to go over 2500 for the entire setup. So I am not sure if floor standing speakers are feasible. Also this setup will be just for movies so I may get floor standing speakers for the music setup.

I am going to a store tomorrow to sample some of the speaker systems and I was thinking of trying out PSB Alpha, Infinity Primus and maybe a Wharferdale. Are there any budget speakers that I should also look at and since this will be mainly used for movies is there anything else that I should or should not focus on?

[JoeE SP9]

Once you have auditioned some setups you will have a better idea of exactly what you want. When you have narrowed your choices to two or three then the crowd here can chime in on their favorites.

Take your own source material when you audition speakers or any gear. The more familiar it is to you the better.

The speakers that stand out the most or play louder are probably not the best choice.

Any minor sound quirk that you notice and don't like will only seem to get worse the longer you hear it. Thinking that "I can equalize that out later" is starting down a long and slippery slope.

Your (and spouse) ears are the only ones that you need to please.

[Mr Peabody]

For just home theater it would be worth giving Klipsch a listen. They are in many actual theaters so you might find the sound to your liking and they are easy to drive so you wouldn't have to get a high power receiver.

Energy puts out some good budget speakers that could work more for both music and movies.

[isaaca]

I got to listen to KEF KHT 3005 which was a pretty good sounding system but since I was also auditioning floor standing speakers at the same time my attention was somewhat drifting towards the PSB Imagine tower speakers.

On my next visit I need to get a side by side test of KEF 500 and PSB Imagine. Based on that I can decide on if I wish to go with the KEF KHT for the home theater setup or use my old (circa 1976) Bose speakers as the fronts and get ceiling surround speakers and a sub.

[Nasir]

From my experiences, a movie setup must include subwoofer ( or two depending on room size ) and decent front and center speakers.

The center speaker is for dialogue, so it must make the voices sound good and natural rather than harsh and electronic. The Left and Right front speakers should handle reasonably loud levels without distorting or clipping and obviously form a set with the center channel meaning that they be either the same make and model or be made purposely as a center channel for the Land R speakers not only to please aesthetically ( but to posses the same timbre ).

The back speakers in my opinion can be much less critical as they are for effects only and I have used a variety of them providing their volume can be independently ( from the rest ) controlled by the amplifier or receiver.

[isaaca]

Thanks I ended up buying a KEF setup and now I am looking for a sub.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

The back speakers in my opinion can be much less critical as they are for effects only and I have used a variety of them providing their volume can be independently ( from the rest ) controlled by the amplifier or receiver.

Anyone who thinks the rear or side surrounds should be less critical than the fronts are not listening to modern day 5.1 or 7.1 soundtracks. As the mixer for Disney home video releases, I use 7 identical bookshelf monitor speakers and a sub. Every channel is treated as equal, because we do send very loud effects to the front as well as the surround speakers.

If you want to experience what I call the"sonic bubble", it can only be done with timbre matched speakers all around. This is also beneficial for multichannel music as well.

[Mr Peabody]

For a sub take a look at www.svsound.com

[isaaca]

Thanks I was debating on getting this one:

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html

The only problem is that there are no dealers since the company manufactures and sells these independently.

[isaaca]

While we are on the subject of home theater which AV receiver would you suggest. I don't want to spend 1K on it but would not mind spending 500-700 bucks for one with ipod support and good audio output.

Currently I have a Denon 591 which is pretty decent but I am not sure if it is the strongest when it comes to audio quality. I have an old Sony receiver which I have hooked up to 2 Bose bookshelf speakers (circa 1973) and that setup almost sounds better than my floorstanding KEF's which I am guessing is partially because the Denon is an AV receiver.

[Mr Peabody]

I'm not that familiar with models and price, look at the new Yamaha HT receivers, I believe they are the Aventage line. http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/av-receivers-amps/

I haven't heard that particular Denon but they typically aren't too bad. Maybe synergy with Kef isn't good.

HSU & SVS both sell direct, they do offer a trial period with return. I haven't heard a HSU but I am very pleased with my SVS.

[isaaca]

Thanks I finally used the audyssey setup on my Denon and it made a world of difference :)

[Mr Peabody]

Yup,proper set up can make a world of difference.

[Nasir]

Anyone who thinks the rear or side surrounds should be less critical than the fronts are not listening to modern day 5.1 or 7.1 soundtracks. As the mixer for Disney home video releases, I use 7 identical bookshelf monitor speakers and a sub. Every channel is treated as equal, because we do send very loud effects to the front as well as the surround speakers.

If you want to experience what I call the"sonic bubble", it can only be done with timbre matched speakers all around. This is also beneficial for multichannel music as well.

I have to admit that I have absolutely NO experience with the recent multichannel amplifiers/receiver that do the DTS-HD and the likes, so I would have draw on Sir TT and his background for the BluRay audio formats.
My older receivers and amplifiers worked on the Dolby ProLogic formats and to be honest sometimes the rear channels were so disconcerting that I preferred to lower their volume or disable them depending on what DVD or program material was being watched.
Unfortunately during my visits to audio/video dealers, I have yet to be impressed by a properly set up version of 5.1 or 7.1 system. Maybe if they spent some serious time on setting up their equipment correctly, I would have experienced the sonic bubble effect and my advise would not have played down the timbrel qualities of side and rear speakers.

[harley .guy07]

I would second Mr P's thought on the Yamaha Aventage receivers. they have taken a new thought to the better end receiver market and I think they have done something good with this line of receivers they have come up with and they will be able to power many speakers to good sound though more efficient designs might do you well since you are staying with a receiver and not seperates. The fact that you have bot been impressed by the home theater systems that you have heard might be one of two things. One being that you are a stereo guy that gets distracted by multichannel and the other is that the multi channel is not set up right. There are ways to set this up which makes the multi channel experience seem less and lets everything flow and I think when you find that you will know which way to go. Just don't expect a Best Buy dealer or something like that to know how to set it up right for a listen. go to a quality shop if you have one near you and make them set it up right for your setup and I think you will find what you are looking for.

[Mr Peabody]

That's true, not many larger retail outlets have the dedicated home theater rooms. Most things are hooked up through switchers and the like. Some of the smaller boutique places in town have pretty nice set ups.

[IBSTORMIN]

If you want to experience what I call the"sonic bubble", it can only be done with timbre matched speakers all around. This is also beneficial for multichannel music as well.

I've also found that this is very important. Even better than just timbre matched, all speakers being the EXACT SAME speaker makes a HUGE difference in making the whole experience real. When something moves, the sound of it does not change at all from speaker to speaker.

[isaaca]

A big thumbs up for HSU research subs!!

I got the STF-2 about two weeks ago and now it seems like the subwoofer is the best part of my system. This thing is packs a punch and is very accurate when handling the lower frequencies.

[Mr Peabody]

Yeah, typically hear good things about HSU and a great sub can make quite a difference in a HT set up.

[isaaca]

Also adding a sub automatically assigns small to the floorstanders, so that draws out most of the lower frequencies and some higher ones as well.

[Mr Peabody]

I wouldn't think the "small" setting would subtract from the highs. Which receiver do you have? Most I've seen still allow a choice of large or small with a sub.

[JoeE SP9]

Many people that have a surround receiver play two channel music in one of the synthesized surround modes. I don't know if this is because they like the sound or are too lazy to change modes. As for me, I have always been underwhelmed with any of the "fake" surround modes. The one exception is the Dynaquad system. When the rear speakers are not too loud it can make a very pleasant addition to the overall sound.on some recordings.

[Mr Peabody]

I tend to agree, way back when I bought my first processor, it was a Yamaha flagship, only Pro Logic in those days but a host of music DSP modes to play with, and that is basically what it was, just playing, I didn't care to do serious listening with any of them.

[IBSTORMIN]

As for me, I have always been underwhelmed with any of the "fake" surround modes.

I've always found the processors changing of the sound in fake modes introduces some noise. Subtle, but the music just doesn't sound as clean.