Seeking advice - Living room - 5.1 setup (Europe)

[SinSei]

Hi everyone!

I'm in the process of designing my living room, which is currently a blank canvas. We're planning to turn it into a cozy and functional space for listening to music (vinyl, CDs, streaming, etc.), watching movies, and gaming. Here's the kicker: we're expecting our first child in March, so I’d love to complete the build before then!

Here’s the Layout:​

• Non-functional fireplace as the central feature. (will house a center speaker on top of the fireplace)
• Two cabinets will be built on both sides of the fireplace to house frontspeakers, a receiver, and other equipment.
• Sofa will be placed on the opposite wall, facing the setup.

My Initial Idea (5.1 Setup):​

• Front Speakers: Klipsch RP-500M II (€1299.00)
• Center Speaker: Klipsch RC-64 III (€1339.00)
• Subwoofer: Klipsch RP-1000SW (€799.00)
• Back Speakers: Klipsch RP-502S II (€1799.00)
• Receiver: Denon AVC-X3800H (€870.00)

Total Price:​

€6106.00

I’d love to hear your input and recommendations regarding:

• Speaker choice: Are Klipsch a good pick for my space and goals, or should I consider alternatives?
• Receiver: Is the Denon AVC-X3800H a good match for this setup, or are there better options at this price range?
• Subwoofer: Do you think the RP-1000SW will suffice, or should I go for something more robust?
• General setup advice: Is a 5.1 system ideal for a mix of music, movies, and gaming, or should I explore 7.1 or Atmos setups?

Additionally, I’m curious about any tips for making this space child-friendly while maintaining the sound quality and aesthetic.

Thanks in advance for your thoughts and expertise!

 

[kyuu]

Putting your speakers into cabinets is generally a bad idea. If having some floorstanders or bookshelves on stands on their own is an issue, have you considered in-walls?

Regardless of your answer to the above, there's pretty much always a better option than Klipsch. What's your budget?

The Denon receiver should be more than adequate for your needs.

 

[SinSei]

Post for AudioForum:

Hi Kyuu,

Thanks for the feedback! I’ll definitely explore some floorstanders as part of the setup.

For reference, my budget is around €6,000.

A couple of notes:

- I’ll need to mount the rear speakers in the ceiling corners.
- The idea of placing speakers in custom cabinets came from a friend who’s a skilled woodworker. He can help me design cabinets with doors featuring speaker mesh (instead of glass, for example) to seamlessly integrate them into the room.


I’m super excited

 

[kyuu]

Should have been able to figure that out myself given you ended up at just over 6000 Euros total.

I'm going to assume by the fact that you totally ignored my question about in-walls that you aren't interested in that option.

So let's see, 6000 minus roughly 1700 for the receiver and sub leaves us with 4300.

How do you feel about white speakers? Kef has a great deal on their Q750 in white for 809 Euros a pair. Combine it with an R6 Meta center and two Q4 Metas for your surrounds and you've got a great setup for well under your budget.

 

[GXAlan]

Klipsch is more than double the price in Europe! In the U.S. the RP-500M II is $400.

At 6000€ you should be able to get some nice Focal speakers. You can even consider active speakers if you have the option for it (power management, aesthetics).

How large is your space?

 

[Chrispy]

The 3800 is a very nice avr, richly featured and with Dirac options if you really get into that direction. Personally I don't care for Klipsch but don't know why you like them particularly. What else is available where you are if that's a limitation....

 

[SinSei]

Hi everyone,

Thank you all so much for the thoughtful input and advice! I wanted to address some of the questions and points raised in one go to keep the discussion organized.

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Question 1: Brick Walls and Wiring
All our walls are made of brick, so building speakers into them isn’t an option. However, since the living room is stripped down to the brick at the moment, I do have the flexibility to wire cables through the ceiling or the floor (we have a basement beneath). This should help with keeping things tidy and concealed.

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Question 2: Why a Receiver Over Active Speakers?
We’re expecting our first child soon, so this setup is as much about creating a family-friendly space as it is about sound quality. My wife also enjoys gaming, and we have a few consoles that I’d love to connect for an extra immersive dimension. Beyond that, we use a variety of devices—digital TV boxes, CD players, a DVD player, and a record player for my vinyl collection.

With so many inputs, a receiver feels like the right solution to manage everything in one place rather than juggling active speakers across multiple sources.

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Question 3: Dirac and Learning Curve
I’ll admit, I’m new to Dirac and will need to read up on it to understand how it works. I’ve always been more of a headphone and DAC/amp person since I moved around a lot. This is my first attempt at creating a more permanent setup that works for the whole family and gives me a cozy listening space for my vinyl collection.

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Other Things to Mention

1. Cabinets Design
   The cabinets haven’t been built yet, so there’s still flexibility to adjust the design. I like the idea of integrating speakers into the cabinets more discreetly, but I also appreciate the suggestion of keeping towers next to them for easy cleaning. I’ll need to figure out a balance between aesthetics and practicality. I made some quick 3d drawings to help set the scene .
2. Speaker Choice: Switching Focus to KEF
   I’ve been leaning toward Klipsch based on another forum post, but the KEF recommendations caught my attention. I’ll shift my focus to exploring KEF options to see how they compare for my needs.

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Finally, I just want to thank you all again for taking the time to share your knowledge and advice! It’s been incredibly helpful, and I’m feeling more confident about building a setup that works for us.

Looking forward to more ideas and suggestions!

 

[SinSei]

Should have been able to figure that out myself given you ended up at just over 6000 Euros total.

I'm going to assume by the fact that you totally ignored my question about in-walls that you aren't interested in that option.

So let's see, 6000 minus roughly 1700 for the receiver and sub leaves us with 4300.

How do you feel about white speakers? Kef has a great deal on their Q750 in white for 809 Euros a pair. Combine it with an R6 Meta center and two Q4 Metas for your surrounds and you've got a great setup for well under your budget.

This is fantastic advice—thank you so much! This is exactly the kind of setup I was hoping to find, and it aligns perfectly with both our design preferences and budget. Our whole house is all white with black accents, so white speakers would blend beautifully with the space.

I really like the idea of the KEF Q750s in white for €809 a pair. They’re not only aesthetically pleasing but also highly regarded for their performance (after some research). Pairing them with the R6 Meta center and Q4 Metas for the surrounds sounds like an incredibly balanced and high-quality setup that fits well within my budget. It’s also great to know I won’t have to compromise on quality to stay under budget.

I’ll definitely start exploring this route more seriously. Thanks again for the suggestion—it feels like you’ve saved me a ton of time and helped me find the perfect solution for both sound and style.