Sensible 4.2 living room setup? - input wanted

[Helical]

Greetings!

I'm planning to set up a 4.2.0 (or possibly 6.2.0) home cinema (with compromises) in the livingroom for the family to enjoy. Speaker placement is 100% non-flexible due to consideration of a certain family member who is less inclined to appreaciate high fidelity when speakers conflict with decorating, so I have to work with this in mind. I've included schematics of the room (made in MS Paint ) to give you an idea. Blue squares are L+R and purple is the screen. My questions/concearns are below the picture. I greatly appreciate any input you might have!

- I'm planning to go for Monitor Audio Soundframe 3 for surrounds. These speaker have a "pivotable tweeter" (not sure how pivotable it is..) The speakers will need to be mounted on wall, diagonally behind main seating area with center of speaker at precicely 2 meters (78 inches) high, this would put the tweeter slightly below that point. Will this be sufficient for decent enough surround effects? Keep in mind that I'm not building a reference cinema by any means..

- Would there be any point in installing surround back channels? (marked with "?"-marks). They would have to be mounted all the way up in the corners in the back, aprox. 2,35 meters (92,5 inches). These speakers I could angle towards listening area, but the distance might be too far away from the couch?

- Choice of receiver: I'm limited to a slimline design (again a huge compromise, I know), and in my country only the Marantz Cinema 70s seems a fit. This product seems severely lacking in room correction from my point of view, so I'll be looking into some external form of room correction, hidden out of sight, at least for the subs. Would this be a feasible way of achieving good enough correction?

Again, any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[Triliza]

Hi. You probably have seen this already, but here is what dolby recommend for a 7.2 setup:

I suppose you cannot move the couch a little bit further from the tv? I don't have a multichannel system, so I cannot tell how it will sound with both the surrounds and the rears so further back from the couch.

 

[techsamurai]

Greetings!

I'm planning to set up a 4.2.0 (or possibly 6.2.0) home cinema (with compromises) in the livingroom for the family to enjoy. Speaker placement is 100% non-flexible due to consideration of a certain family member who is less inclined to appreaciate high fidelity when speakers conflict with decorating, so I have to work with this in mind. I've included schematics of the room (made in MS Paint ) to give you an idea. Blue squares are L+R and purple is the screen. My questions/concearns are below the picture. I greatly appreciate any input you might have!

View attachment 265405

- I'm planning to go for Monitor Audio Soundframe 3 for surrounds. These speaker have a "pivotable tweeter" (not sure how pivotable it is..) The speakers will need to be mounted on wall, diagonally behind main seating area with center of speaker at precicely 2 meters (78 inches) high, this would put the tweeter slightly below that point. Will this be sufficient for decent enough surround effects? Keep in mind that I'm not building a reference cinema by any means..

- Would there be any point in installing surround back channels? (marked with "?"-marks). They would have to be mounted all the way up in the corners in the back, aprox. 2,35 meters (92,5 inches). These speakers I could angle towards listening area, but the distance might be too far away from the couch?

- Choice of receiver: I'm limited to a slimline design (again a huge compromise, I know), and in my country only the Marantz Cinema 70s seems a fit. This product seems severely lacking in room correction from my point of view, so I'll be looking into some external form of room correction, hidden out of sight, at least for the subs. Would this be a feasible way of achieving good enough correction?

Again, any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Are the numbers centimeters?

You have several options.

A soundbar like the Sennheiser Ambeo might provide a great movie experience without any speakers and doesn't need a sub.

The Sony HT-A9 uses Sony's new spatial audio with 4 speakers to create 12 phantom speakers. You just need to plug them in for power/no other cables and they can be mounted on walls, one can sit on furniture etc. If you have white walls, they might disappear.

If you going with a home theater, are in-ceilings an option? I would put 4-6 round white ceiling speakers and use them as my surrounds and atmos. It's the best way to add surround speakers except for the HT-A9.

Then there is the huge decision of 4.x vs 3.x. The center channel is the most important channel but you can still get incredible sound from 2 speakers.

If you want floorstanding or bookshelves and looks matter without breaking the bank, nothing touches the Triangle Borea BR08 Floorstanding Speaker, Light Oak or the bookshelf version.

I'd buy 1 sub before I buy 2 - they are decor killers and they need a plug and a wire. Which one do you have in mind?

If looks are important, I would seriously consider the Triangle Borea BR08 Light Oak for the Left and Right.

As for the Cinema 70, fewer channels are probably better since it's rated at 50 watts in 2 channel. I would also look at the upcoming Sony STR-AZ1000ES as it's going to have Sony's Spatial audio and it has its own room correction so it should a better choice than the 70. It also has 100 watts in 2 channel which is double the power.

 

[techsamurai]

Hi. You probably have seen this already, but here is what dolby recommend for a 7.2 setup:

View attachment 265430
I suppose you cannot move the couch a little bit further from the tv? I don't have a multichannel system, so I cannot tell how it will sound with both the surrounds and the rears so further back from the couch.

Yeah but moving the couch back resizes the TV - going back 1 foot changes the TV from 77 inches to 65 inches. 2 feet and your TV just dropped in size and value by 50%

 

[techsamurai]

The Monitor Audio Soundframes are really cool (wow, the speaker disappears). How would you get the speaker cables there?

 

[TimW]

The upcoming Sony STR-AZ1000ES may not be slimline but it is only 4.7 cm taller than the Marantz. The room correction and surround sound processing it can do looks very promising. Also It is compatible with some of their wireless speakers and subs if those work for you.

 

[Helical]

Are the numbers centimeters?

Yes the numbers are centimeters

I also forgot to mention one important thing - the fronts which I already have set up are active speakers (LS50W). Stereo music subjectively sounds really good. So I’m planning on keeping them. (Wife approved + good sound).

The Sony unit menitioned by some isnt that tall I agree, but still a tad to large.

 

[techsamurai]

Yes the numbers are centimeters

I also forgot to mention one important thing - the fronts which I already have set up are active speakers (LS50W). Stereo music subjectively sounds really good. So I’m planning on keeping them. (Wife approved + good sound).

The Sony unit menitioned by some isnt that tall I agree, but still a tad to large.

Interesting so you don't need to power the LR which makes the AVR's power less important. I'd stick with KEF for the surrounds - look at the XT301 if you do 4 speakers.

Will you use pre-outs to connect them?

You should give Sony's spatial audio a try.

 

[Helical]

The Monitor Audio Soundframes are really cool (wow, the speaker disappears). How would you get the speaker cables there?

I’ll be running the cables upwards in the left corner, and then inside/above the ceiling, then visible cable the few centimeters down on each side. Unfortunately the ceiling is to shallow to allow for in-ceiling speakers.

 

[techsamurai]

Wait, how are you going to get sound to the KEF LS50W from the AVR? Isn't it wireless?

Are these the speakers?
LS50 Wireless II

 

[luft262]

Greetings!

I'm planning to set up a 4.2.0 (or possibly 6.2.0) home cinema (with compromises) in the livingroom for the family to enjoy. Speaker placement is 100% non-flexible due to consideration of a certain family member who is less inclined to appreaciate high fidelity when speakers conflict with decorating, so I have to work with this in mind. I've included schematics of the room (made in MS Paint ) to give you an idea. Blue squares are L+R and purple is the screen. My questions/concearns are below the picture. I greatly appreciate any input you might have!

View attachment 265405

- I'm planning to go for Monitor Audio Soundframe 3 for surrounds. These speaker have a "pivotable tweeter" (not sure how pivotable it is..) The speakers will need to be mounted on wall, diagonally behind main seating area with center of speaker at precicely 2 meters (78 inches) high, this would put the tweeter slightly below that point. Will this be sufficient for decent enough surround effects? Keep in mind that I'm not building a reference cinema by any means..

- Would there be any point in installing surround back channels? (marked with "?"-marks). They would have to be mounted all the way up in the corners in the back, aprox. 2,35 meters (92,5 inches). These speakers I could angle towards listening area, but the distance might be too far away from the couch?

- Choice of receiver: I'm limited to a slimline design (again a huge compromise, I know), and in my country only the Marantz Cinema 70s seems a fit. This product seems severely lacking in room correction from my point of view, so I'll be looking into some external form of room correction, hidden out of sight, at least for the subs. Would this be a feasible way of achieving good enough correction?

Again, any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated. Thanks!

If you don't want the side speakers due to the lack of a wall why not do a 5.2 with dual subs and ceiling coaxial surrounds?

 

[Helical]

The LS50W has rca inputs

Alot of great advice here, which I really appreciate. However, I guess I should have expressed my self a bit more clear from the beginning: None of the selections I’ve outlined here are really up for debate (unless someone can help me convince the wife )

So what I’m really curious about is whether or not the outlined plan might work, or to which extent it might work.

And also what my options might be with regards to room correction.

(I also have a dedicated room for movie watching, but lately I find that we use the living room alot more.)

 

[luft262]

The LS50W has rca inputs

Alot of great advice here, which I really appreciate. However, I guess I should have expressed my self a bit more clear from the beginning: None of the selections I’ve outlined here are really up for debate (unless someone can help me convince the wife )

So what I’m really curious about is whether or not the outlined plan might work, or to which extent it might work.

And also what my options might be with regards to room correction.

(I also have a dedicated room for movie watching, but lately I find that we use the living room alot more.)

Room correction, either Audyssey or DRAC will work, but I'd highly recommend a center channel. Phantom center will never be as good. Even a poorly designed center channel will be better than none at all for movies and games. Your AVR will process the audio that would have went to the missing center channel and send it to the L/R channels. I'd also recommend subs that have manual peq filters built in, such as svs, or using something like miniDSP for optimal bass.

 

[Helical]

Center channel might be a possibility, perhaps a single LS50 meta matching the L+R, but this will be somewhere down the line.

What I’m curious about right now, though, is whether or not to pull the trigger on my current plan…

 

[Doctors11]

Won't you need pre-outs on the receiver to run your front L and R? The Sony has none. It looks like you'll need to stick with the Marantz. It should be fine running a 4.1 set up, especially since it won't have to power the front speakers. The room correction is "good enough". I'm not sure the little Kef surrounds would work well in that room. What kind of volume will you be listening at, and will you be playing any multi channel music?

 

[Helical]

They are not KEF surrounds, but Monitor Audio. Im aware that mixing brands in a surround setup is not optimal, but for this use case it is what it is

Mainly concearned with the fixed speaker placement(s) and lack of proper room correction, with the Cinema 70 on having the basic and ancient MultiEQ. Hmmm

 

[Doctors11]

They are not KEF surrounds, but Monitor Audio. Im aware that mixing brands in a surround setup is not optimal, but for this use case it is what it is

Mainly concearned with the fixed speaker placement(s) and lack of proper room correction, with the Cinema 70 on having the basic and ancient MultiEQ. Hmmm

Sorry I was responding to the other post that suggested the Kef surrounds. I would definitely get surrounds that are aimable, and I would forget about the rear surrounds. Too far back and too high to do much good. I have the older version of that Marantz receiver in our living room. I don't have anything to compare it to but we've been very happy with it for years.

 

[Doctors11]

Have you looked at any other surround speakers? I'm guessing the Monitor Audio Apex A40 would perform better, and it's easier to drive with that receiver.

 

[mcdn]

Phantom center will never be as good. Even a poorly designed center channel will be better than none at all for movies and games.

This is commonly said but is simply untrue most of the time. Most of the time people are best off without a centre channel. The only reasonable scenario I can think of where a centre is better is if you have listeners really close to the screen or spread very wide, _and_ you are prepared to invest in a centre at least as good as if not better than your existing L/R speakers _and_ your centre has really good horizontal dispersion. So basically a dedicated home theatre setup with multiple rows of listeners.

 

[Doctors11]

Phantom center can sound very good, but you lose the ability to raise or lower the center volume.