Alex.D
Agent
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2002
- Messages
- 33
Hi guys,
Long-time lurker here, but it is time for me to build an HT setup for my parents. I'm operating within some pretty significant constraints, but I hope to find an acceptable solution that will fit my requirements for functionality, the geometry of the room, and my parents' budget.
The goal is to put together a 5.1 system with a pair of full-range tower speakers, bipole / dipole surround sound speakers, a sub, and a 5.1 receiver for $1400. The reasons for towers and bipoles are due to the listening habits of my parents, and the configuration of the room. All speakers should be aesthetically pleasing, and be made by the same company, so individual boxes don't look out of place.
My questions for you guys:
1) So far, I've found an Athena system (AF-F2.2 mains, R1.2 surrounds, C1.2 center, AS-P6000 sub) that fits my budget, along with Premier Acoustic PA-6F system. Both come in at under $1100 shipped. Can either system be recommended, and will a typical $300 mid-fi receiver provide enough power for it?
What concerns me is this: Athenas are sold in Best Buy (which leads me to believe that the same level of quality can be found in other brands sold online, and for a little less money) and Premier Acoustics have generated enough controversy with their reviews that I'm more inclined to believe Luis Gabriel Gerena's negative impressions of them.
2) Below I outline the room I'm working with and my reasons for insisting on floorstanding speakers in the front and real surrounds in the back. Are there any faults in my logic, am I missing the point anywhere?
3) Are there any other alternatives for a $1100 speaker setup that you think will work in this room?
First, the listening area:
The living room itself is vaguely P-shaped, and the room is about 26 feet by 14 feet. However, the listening area is the right half of the room - 11x14 feet. The area to the left is dominated by my mom's baby grand piano (she is a piano teacher, so that was a nice tax writeoff). The two areas are not separated by any partitions or dividers - that's just the architecture of a house built in the 1970's
The living room has high ceilings - about 17 feet in the back, over the couch, sloping to 11 feet over the TV. A lot of air volume to fill.
-----------------------------
| SPK TV/ SPK|
| CTR |
| F|
| 12ft P|
| |
| |W
| 15 feet |N
---------------| |D
2ft -> |SL couch SR|W
-----------
8 ft wall
Notes:
To the left of the 12ft wall is a 3 foot wide passageway into the dining room and kitchen. (the dining room is behind the listening area of the living room) There is no door.
Surround speakers will be mounted 7 feet off the ground, and will fire sideways, towards the couch
FP: Fireplace
WNDW - Window
Self-imposed design constraints:
Front speakers must be full-range towers. The system will be used for stereo music at least 30% of the time. I've always found listening to music on a small-sat / subwoofer system to be a little unsatisfying, so I want full-range fronts.
Side speakers must be dedicated surround units, not small sats. The room architecture dictates that the side speakers are on the same vertical plane as the couch, not further back, and have to be aimed inwards. So, to avoid the "I have teh speaker over my left ear yay" effect so prevalent with small sat surrounds in small rooms, and make the back speakers provide more of an enveloping atmosphere, I feel that I HAVE to use actual surrounds.
I still haven't picked out a receiver (open to recommendations!) or where I will place the subwoofer.
Other equipment in use:
LG LDA-511 upconverting DVD player
Logitech Harmony 676 remote
Sony 32" Trinitron SDTV. HDTV purchase planned in 1-2 years.
Thank you very much in advance, and I appreciate any help and advice you can give me.
-Alex
Long-time lurker here, but it is time for me to build an HT setup for my parents. I'm operating within some pretty significant constraints, but I hope to find an acceptable solution that will fit my requirements for functionality, the geometry of the room, and my parents' budget.
The goal is to put together a 5.1 system with a pair of full-range tower speakers, bipole / dipole surround sound speakers, a sub, and a 5.1 receiver for $1400. The reasons for towers and bipoles are due to the listening habits of my parents, and the configuration of the room. All speakers should be aesthetically pleasing, and be made by the same company, so individual boxes don't look out of place.
My questions for you guys:
1) So far, I've found an Athena system (AF-F2.2 mains, R1.2 surrounds, C1.2 center, AS-P6000 sub) that fits my budget, along with Premier Acoustic PA-6F system. Both come in at under $1100 shipped. Can either system be recommended, and will a typical $300 mid-fi receiver provide enough power for it?
What concerns me is this: Athenas are sold in Best Buy (which leads me to believe that the same level of quality can be found in other brands sold online, and for a little less money) and Premier Acoustics have generated enough controversy with their reviews that I'm more inclined to believe Luis Gabriel Gerena's negative impressions of them.
2) Below I outline the room I'm working with and my reasons for insisting on floorstanding speakers in the front and real surrounds in the back. Are there any faults in my logic, am I missing the point anywhere?
3) Are there any other alternatives for a $1100 speaker setup that you think will work in this room?
First, the listening area:
The living room itself is vaguely P-shaped, and the room is about 26 feet by 14 feet. However, the listening area is the right half of the room - 11x14 feet. The area to the left is dominated by my mom's baby grand piano (she is a piano teacher, so that was a nice tax writeoff). The two areas are not separated by any partitions or dividers - that's just the architecture of a house built in the 1970's
The living room has high ceilings - about 17 feet in the back, over the couch, sloping to 11 feet over the TV. A lot of air volume to fill.
-----------------------------
| SPK TV/ SPK|
| CTR |
| F|
| 12ft P|
| |
| |W
| 15 feet |N
---------------| |D
2ft -> |SL couch SR|W
-----------
8 ft wall
Notes:
To the left of the 12ft wall is a 3 foot wide passageway into the dining room and kitchen. (the dining room is behind the listening area of the living room) There is no door.
Surround speakers will be mounted 7 feet off the ground, and will fire sideways, towards the couch
FP: Fireplace
WNDW - Window
Self-imposed design constraints:
Front speakers must be full-range towers. The system will be used for stereo music at least 30% of the time. I've always found listening to music on a small-sat / subwoofer system to be a little unsatisfying, so I want full-range fronts.
Side speakers must be dedicated surround units, not small sats. The room architecture dictates that the side speakers are on the same vertical plane as the couch, not further back, and have to be aimed inwards. So, to avoid the "I have teh speaker over my left ear yay" effect so prevalent with small sat surrounds in small rooms, and make the back speakers provide more of an enveloping atmosphere, I feel that I HAVE to use actual surrounds.
I still haven't picked out a receiver (open to recommendations!) or where I will place the subwoofer.
Other equipment in use:
LG LDA-511 upconverting DVD player
Logitech Harmony 676 remote
Sony 32" Trinitron SDTV. HDTV purchase planned in 1-2 years.
Thank you very much in advance, and I appreciate any help and advice you can give me.
-Alex