Small room, can't play high volume... should I bother?

[smania]

Hi,

I just moved to a new apartment where I was able to setup a projector room (11'x15'x11') and I'm going to buy the audio part now...
I'm in an apartment so I don't think I'll be able to play music or movies at very high volume.
Screen is not centered in the room so one front speaker will be very close to a wall.
I'm not an audiophile by any means. Always used an old Sony "micro hifi" with its small front speakers. Now I have the opportunity to go "surround" so I'm going to buy a cheap AV receiver (well those AV things are never cheap...) and 5.x setup.
I don't think I'll be able to treat the room in any way (not that I think I would be good at it anyway...)

I've always used the speakers for movies and headphones for music, but maybe if the new system plays nice I might use it for music too (never really had good speakers).
Should I just go with some very basic setup? I was thinking something like Polk XT (XT60+15+30) as they are "cheap" but seems to be not terrible. I don't think I'll be able to tell the difference to something slightly better in such a room at low volume levels? And maybe add a subwoofer later?

(BTW: Almost all reviews on amazon.com for any speaker are 4.5 stars. Even for the Jamo that has been tested as very bad... That's not helping... it looks like most people can't tell the difference?)

 

[RickSanchez]

it looks like most people can't tell the difference?

Correct. Try reading the speaker measurements on ASR, that will help you.

 

[GalZohar]

How much you should spend depends on mostly how much you're going to use it and how much you can afford...

It's hard to say how much your neighbors will hear the system. I can play my system pretty loud at night and the neighbors seem to hear nothing. Some can play moderate levels, and some very low levels.
Below a certain level you're probably better off using headphones (which are also much cheaper), but most people (even in apartments) can probably manage to play loud enough to make their system better than headphones.

If your budget can allow at least 2 (preferably 4 or 5) speakers that can play flat down to below 80Hz with good volume and a subwoofer that can to the same down to 20Hz (or 30Hz if you really can't afford better, but 20Hz is much preferable), and if you can play at least at a moderate level without getting calls from neighbors, then I would say you will very likely enjoy this system more than you could enjoy headphones. If your system doesn't meet the above criteria, then you risk that it might not sound any better than much cheaper headphones (even relatively higher-end ones cost much less than a basic home theater system).

With very strict volume levels and/or very limited budget, you might be better off with just good headphones.


One last thing to consider, is that the closer you are to your speakers, the lower the absolute power they will require to be heard at the same loudness, and less power means your neighbors hear them less while you hear them the same as you get closer (assuming you calibrate).

 

[mhardy6647]

It's actually a bit of a challenge to get truly fine sound at low volume levels -- and one, I'd opine, that is well worth the effort, if one truly loves music (not audio per se).

It is easy in this day to get very pleasant 'background' sound in a home (even a large one) with smart speakers. We have friends in Baltimore whose fairly simple whole-house wireless system sounded great to me as background to a dinner meet-up of long-time friends. But background music is a very different thing (to me, at any rate) than music to listen to. Some, perhaps most, folks have little interest in the latter, but do desire the former. That's a pretty individual decision (preference) I would think.

Not sure if that helps, but that's the way I "see" (hear?) it.

 

[smania]

Thank you for the replies.
Volume won't be super low, I just won't be able to play music or movies at cinema-level.
So people prefer headphones instead of speakers for HT??? I've never thought of using headphones... It will be mainly me and gf watching movies...

 

[GalZohar]

I meant headphones for extreme cases, such as if you must listen at -50db from reference or lower. Headphones lack a lot of things especially low bass energy, but if you turn down the system so much you can't hear the bass anyway, the lack of bass in the headphones isn't an issue (good headphones do play low bass frequencies, just not nearly as loud as the higher frequencies).

If you can listen at more appropriate levels (I'd say at least -40db and preferably -30db) then probably go with the proper system. Note that while 0db is "reference/cinema" level, it's pretty damn loud for most people at homes. I watch movies at maximum -17db and it's loud enough that I don't understand how the neighbors never complain, although it is a new building with concrete walls. I'd say below -20db is where it gets fun and -25db is bare minimum to hear everything, but -30db or even -40db probably still works, especially if there's little to no background noise.

It would be hard to guess in advance what SPL level you'll be able to put out (and again, the closer you are to the speakers, the louder you can hear them without increasing neighbor noise). If you have the option to borrow from friends or take something for home trial from the shop - Then do that and test it with your neighbors.

 

[VMAT4]

I use two Kanto YU4 speakers for my TV in an 11' wide by about 16' long room. They work well. The YU6 was reviewed here and got a good review. These are powered speakers. This means you'll need pre outs on your AVR. If the room is small maybe you don't need a center channel? The spealers are sold in pairs.

 

[ex audiophile]

Buy a hi end sound bar, like the Ambeo, and see what you think. With Amazon you can return within 30 days if you don't like it. I have a very complex and expensive HT system in a smallish room and now that these devices are so much better I have to wonder....

 

[mhardy6647]

I don't like the isolation of headphones, full stop.
That's just me, though, of course.
YMMV.

 

[FrantzM]

Hi

Welcome... A few questions:
What's your budget?
Will your GF use the system too?
Are you patient and willing to learn?

Let us know ..

 

[smania]

What's your budget?

I think that's the whole point of the discussion. Suppose I have a budget of €2000. Would I hear the difference compared do a (say) Polk XT* system (which costs €600 with 2 towers 2 satellites and central)?
Again, small room, listening distance 8' or less, can't play very high volume. Mostly movies.

I can add one or more subwoofers if it helps (I understand it's where the money should go?)

Will your GF use the system too?

Yes

Are you patient and willing to learn?

Yes but I can't make major modifications to the room

 

[GalZohar]

You're almost always going to be able to get some kind of audible improvement by spending more $$ if you spend it wisely. As long as you can still hear your system and not playing at an absurdly low volume. While larger rooms with longer listening distances require higher wattages and speakers that can handle it, smaller rooms benefit more acoustic treatment, better EQ, and probably multiple subwoofers. There's practically always something to upgrade as your budget increases.

 

[Hipper]

Don't some AV's have DSP/EQ? If you can get one you may be able to control the bass. Controlling the bass means stopping it being boomy and it's usually the boomy frequencies that your neighbours will hear. This would involve measuring of some sort.

The point made earlier about sitting closer to the speakers so reducing the overall sound levels is also a good one. Bring the speakers out for listening, store them out of the way when not. Make little marks on the floor/carpet to help with their positioning.

 

[kthulhutu]

To get good sound at low volumes you need well-controlled reverberation and properly integrated bass, and potentially loudness compensation.