HooStat
Addicted to Fun and Learning
I have checked a few options with my spouse for our living room. I would be interested in people's thoughts on the good and bad of these options. You can see in the attached photo, I have been playing around with a center channel -- for many years we simply went with a 2.1 system with KEF Q300 speakers and a JL Audio F113 sub. It sounded fine except dialog can sometimes be muddy. I added a KEF Q100 speaker as a center channel because it was inexpensive (used) to test out. I don't know that having a center channel is "better" but I think the dialog is a little clearer. We watched the Taylor Swift documentary "Folklore" and it was the first time that I really enjoyed multichannel. I thought the sound was great. I don't know whether stereo would have been as good -- need to check that. But it made me reconsider multichannel (3.x -- no rear channels). But a center channel isn't necessary.
Anyway, here are the options. A bit eclectic, but there are reasons. Note that I can't put subs around the room in the "right" spots. At best, I might get away with one sub on either side of the TV. I can get away with narrow subs behind the entertainment center, which will have ~8" of space behind it. The new media cabinet is the same width as this one, but is 8" shorter (24" vs 32"). And it is only 14" deep which is a problem for components since many need more depth than that.
I don't need the biggest bass -- just enough to enjoy music and appreciate movies. It isn't a home theater. Clean lines and good sound are the priorities.
Anyway, here are the options. A bit eclectic, but there are reasons. Note that I can't put subs around the room in the "right" spots. At best, I might get away with one sub on either side of the TV. I can get away with narrow subs behind the entertainment center, which will have ~8" of space behind it. The new media cabinet is the same width as this one, but is 8" shorter (24" vs 32"). And it is only 14" deep which is a problem for components since many need more depth than that.
I don't need the biggest bass -- just enough to enjoy music and appreciate movies. It isn't a home theater. Clean lines and good sound are the priorities.
- KEF R2C with grills x 3 (left, center, right) + 3 KEF T2 subs behind the entertainment center
- Have to solve problem of 3 channel sound processing and amplification. Not much room inside the new media center we are getting.
- Sealed, and relatively short (7" tall) so they should not be visually dominating or hard to integrate with subs
- Sub solution is less than optimal.
- Neumann KH 310 with grills x 3 + 3 KEF T2 subs behind the entertainment center
- Have to solve problem of 3 channel surround processing
- Not sure if the grills affect the sound in any appreciable way
- Not sure if a sub is needed with 3 x 8" woofers
- Dutch & Dutch 8c x 2 + no subs
- Pricey!
- Cleanest system (visually)
- All black and rectangular should mesh well
- Might be a big big (visually) but are really only 2.5" taller and wider than the KEF Q300
- No sub needed