Moving - Build on Genelec or Start from Scratch for a Music/HT setup

[woodyohill]

I currently own a pair of Genelec 8341 with a 7360A Subwoofer running GLM. Source is a Matrix Element X2 using ROON.
As I will be moving to a new house, I have the opportunity to have a dedicated room. I love 2 channels (or 2.1) and listen to mostly classical music. But at the same time, I love watching a movie and sound is always important. Plan is to use a UST Laser TV projector with one of those motorized roll up screens.
What I hope to seek advice for is whether I should continue to build on top of Genelec or separate the HT and Music systems.
One of the systems I am thinking of is:
- Get another 8341 for Center Channel
- I want my surrounds to be in wall and in ceilings (passive)
So I will need to get an AVR and connect the surrounds to the AVR speaker outputs. But the LCR, I will get the signal from the AVR Pre Out.
Will that work? How can I connect such that I can continue to use my Matrix as my music source (bypassing the AVR), but switch to AVR for movies?
Do I still connect the 8341 to the 7360A? Can the Genelec switch between inputs automatically or do I have to do it via GLM?

Alternatively, I will just go get all passive in-wall for HT and then the Genelec 8341 for music.
Sorry lots of questions but clearly quite lost! Any advice will be appreciated.

 

[ban25]

I would say you're better off keeping your Genelec monitors for a dedicated 2.1 Music room. For your Home Theater, invest in an AVR/AVP and a quality set of passive HT speakers (i.e. dedicated LCR, maybe towers, surrounds, and in-ceiling).

 

[woodyohill]

I would say you're better off keeping your Genelec monitors for a dedicated 2.1 Music room. For your Home Theater, invest in an AVR/AVP and a quality set of passive HT speakers (i.e. dedicated LCR, maybe towers, surrounds, and in-ceiling).

Thanks. The reason for your suggestion is because you don't think the Genelec will blend well in the setup?

 

[ban25]

I would say it adds a lot of unnecessary complication to throw a pair (or three) powered speakers into a full Home Theater setup.

1. You have to figure out how to route/hide the power cables. Much easier to do with passives as you can easily run the speaker wire in-wall.
2. Depending upon how you have them set up, you're likely to end up doing an extra Digital -> Analog conversion from AVR (Digital) -> Preout (Analog) -> Genelec (Digital -> Analog). The biggest concern here is that it will add latency, which can cause audio/video sync problems. This is uncorrectable for interactive media such as video games.
3. Those monitors are generally for near-field listening. I've considered buying a set for my office. They may not provide enough SPL depending upon the size of your room and seating position in a HT environment.

TL;DR:

It sounds like you're building a pretty high-end Home Theater -- don't hobble it by building on-top of pre-existing hardware that's not ideal for what you're trying to achieve.

 

[Sancus]

- I want my surrounds to be in wall and in ceilings (passive)

If you're going to use Genelecs in a HT then all bed channels at least should be Genelecs IMO. If you want to use passives and you like coaxials I'd suggest looking at Kef as they have a full lineup including in-ceiling and in-wall options that use similar designs.

 

[woodyohill]

Thanks! Good advices and comments! I think I will go with an all passive approach and use the Genelec separately or elsewhere.
Any good in-walls to recommend?

 

[Vacceo]

Since you like concentrics, KEF has quite good in-walls. Some members of the forum use them with good results. My other go to would be Perlisten, but those can get seriosly expensive (not that KEF is super cheap either...).

 

[ban25]

As Vacceo said, take a look at KEF in-wall and in-ceiling:

In Wall

KEF US

us.kef.com

In Ceiling

KEF US

us.kef.com

 

[onion]

How large is your cinema room? What is the distance to the MLP? This would determine whether or not the 8341as would work as LCR speakers.

I have 8341s set up in a music room with W371a. My cinema room has M&K speakers. If I had the money and the inclination to redo all the walls, I'd redo the cinema room with 8361 as LCR with a mixture of 8351/ 8341/ 8331 for the sides, rear and ceiling speakers; most of them behind baffle walls. I don't think the 8341s would work as LCR - the MLP is around 3m from the front wall and the room length is circa 5.5m. The room is too large for 8341s to work as LCR

 

[woodyohill]

Thanks. Not big. Basically converted from a single garage.