I have had a Definitive Technology ProCinema 600 5.1 system in my family room for some time and have been increasingly unhappy with it. It is in particular not great for relatively low-volume TV watching at night, as we can barely understand dialog from the small center channel. After installing some KEF in-ceiling speakers in my kids' bedrooms and seeing some glowing reviews of their in-wall speakers online, I want to move to a KEF system that would have in-walls for the fronts, a standard speaker for center and likely the on-wall Q4 meta for the surrounds. Given my furniture config (a chair to one side of the TV) I need in-wall or very small wall-mount bookshelfs for the fronts (e.g., something like the DefTech I already have), and based on everything I am seeing KEF makes great in-wall speakers that would be a better option than any ultra-compact bookshelf speakers I can find. The KEF R2 center channel is the pick given that the height is low such that it can sit on top of my media console without overlapping the TV. However, the KEF R-series in-walls (Ci3160RLM-THX) are relatively expensive at $2,300 each. The Ci4100QL-THX are the Q series in-walls, and are only $700 each. The Q series has three 5.25" LF drivers, while the R series has two 6.5" LFdrivers. The room is 14'4" long x 9'10" wide by 9' high. The TV and front LCR speakers are along one 9'10" wall. One 14'4" wall is about 60% open to the kitchen which extends that 9'10" width by another ~15'. My questions for the esteemed commentators on this website are:
- Am I likely to notice any difference between a R series center and Q series fronts as sounds pans across? I have always had matching LCR speakers in the past.
- Is the Ci3160 actually overkill given that the room in question is not that large (albeit with one perpendicular wall largely open to a 15' deep kitchen). Note that I will have a subwoofer of some sort, I may use an older 10" Hsu sub I have from my basement home theater and then get duals down there.
Separately, these are all 4 ohm speakers. I currently have a Yamaha RX-V685 - can this actually run 5 channels of 4 ohm speakers at decent volumes without having a problem? It will also be running a pair of 8-ohm Atmos speakers that I will not be swapping out - given how little content plays through those, I highly doubt I will notice a difference by going from DefTech to KEF on those. This receiver also runs a pair of outdoor PSB spears on my deck as zone 2, but again this is rarely used. Would something like a Yamaha RX-A4A be more stable with this 5 channel 4 ohm load? I have all Yamaha throughout my home and use MusicCast multi-room a lot, so has to be Yamaha.
- Am I likely to notice any difference between a R series center and Q series fronts as sounds pans across? I have always had matching LCR speakers in the past.
- Is the Ci3160 actually overkill given that the room in question is not that large (albeit with one perpendicular wall largely open to a 15' deep kitchen). Note that I will have a subwoofer of some sort, I may use an older 10" Hsu sub I have from my basement home theater and then get duals down there.
Separately, these are all 4 ohm speakers. I currently have a Yamaha RX-V685 - can this actually run 5 channels of 4 ohm speakers at decent volumes without having a problem? It will also be running a pair of 8-ohm Atmos speakers that I will not be swapping out - given how little content plays through those, I highly doubt I will notice a difference by going from DefTech to KEF on those. This receiver also runs a pair of outdoor PSB spears on my deck as zone 2, but again this is rarely used. Would something like a Yamaha RX-A4A be more stable with this 5 channel 4 ohm load? I have all Yamaha throughout my home and use MusicCast multi-room a lot, so has to be Yamaha.
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