Home Theater Speaker Questions

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Kaboosewithakay

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#91646 18-Oct-2011 07:17

Hi All

I am quite new to home theatre and have a question for you.

I have a Samsung D6600 TV and an Onkyo 609 receiver. I have a pair of ok wharfedale book shelf speakers.

I have just bought this set up and am quite excited to get into proper dolby surround but my appartment is quite Small and me and my girlfriend are squashed in, i don't really have room for a big sub so my question is this..

Should i but a surround speaker package with sub and spend a grand or so from JBHIFI or is it legitiamte to just go get a couple of rears and a center to get me going for now, will i be under utilizing what i think is decent mid range receiver by adding on speakers piece meal?

Any help appreciated!

corksta

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#534539 18-Oct-2011 07:46

Well doing the latter would work but wouldn't give you the best experience but probably only you could answer the first part of the question as it's easier for you to visualise how the proper setup would look and fit in your apartment.

Are you going to be there a while? If you are maybe go with the latter until you move into a new/bigger place then you can get proper speakers and have a proper setup.

So there's a couple ways of looking at it: spend the money now on some good speakers knowing that they'll last but you won't have the best setup in your small space, or save your money and get some passable speakers in the meantime until you move somewhere where you can have a proper setup.

Having said that, regardless of the size of the room any form of surround sound, even without a sub, is still going to be better than just two front speakers.

grolschie

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#534547 18-Oct-2011 08:24

I reckon the fronts should definitely match the centre speaker. The rears are less important in my opinion. The centre speaker needs to be decent for home theatre. One option is to buy a decent matching centre speaker and front speakers from a range that you can add to your setup from later, and possibly move your bookshelf speakers to the rear for now. Just my $0.02.

Jaxson

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#534553 18-Oct-2011 08:44

grolschie's idea sounds good. The centre channel is all important for home theatre, a lot of specific info comes out of there and the rest is often surround. Some prefer the phantom mode though, where the left and right simulate the centre channel. Each to their own on that side of things.

grolschie

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#534557 18-Oct-2011 08:59

Yep, heaps comes out of the centre. My understand is that one would want to hear clear dialogue without having to crank the centre channel volume level so much that becomes obvious when panning from left (through the centre) to right, or vice versa - panning being one reason for it to be voiced to match the fronts.

Dunnersfella

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#534618 18-Oct-2011 11:18

Through the bookshelves to the rear, and get yourself some decent fronts. If you're not so keen on a large subwoofer, don't worry. Some larger front floor standing speakers offer some very good bottom end response... but if that doesn't work for you, consider a compact sub like the Velodyne Impact Mini.

cyril7

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#534622 18-Oct-2011 11:28

Yep, heaps comes out of the centre. My understand is that one would want to hear clear dialogue without having to crank the centre channel volume level so much that becomes obvious when panning from left (through the centre) to right, or vice versa - panning being one reason for it to be voiced to match the fronts.

I am one who prefers not to use a centre speaker and simply phantom it, there is no major draw back to this, you still get the same level of dialog, only downside is slight lack of "locked" to the screen which I never really notice unless sitting way of centre which I never do except to get a drink.

Cyril

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Kaboosewithakay

7 posts

Wannabe Geek

#534890 18-Oct-2011 18:39

Thanks for the replies everyone, i have taken on board your advice, i'm going to be in my small place for a while so i am going to look at the options, i may look at picking up a small satellite speaker system like the Jamo A102 to keep me going for now and then invest in a proper system when i have more space, very interesting about the centre speaker and its role. Its good to know there is somewhere to go for advice!

andrew027

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#540376 2-Nov-2011 15:31

A bit late to jump in on this thread but just to add a couple of things:

+1 for the idea of moving the bookshelves to the rear and getting a matching L-C-R setup.

I went for ages with a decent set of front/centre/rear speakers and no subwoofer. I was really happy with this setup. Until I finally did get a sub. I couldn't believe how much better it sounded and I wish I had got one way earlier. That said, I notice you said you live in an apartment. I don't know how you get on with your neighbours, but if you have anyone living downstairs, a sub may not make you very popular...

Jaxson

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#540382 2-Nov-2011 15:41

andrew027: I notice you said you live in an apartment. I don't know how you get on with your neighbours, but if you have anyone living downstairs, a sub may not make you very popular...

Bingo:

Tactile Transducers

andrew027

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#541934 7-Nov-2011 10:33

Jaxson: Bingo: Tactile Transducers

Interesting idea. And looking at their online retailers, not as expensive as I'd have thought. Already got the sub in the lounge though - I wonder if I can convince the wife to let me install one in the bed...