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Shopping for a new home theater system.

post #1 of 7
3/10/10 at 7:32pm
Thread Starter 
Hello all. I am new to this forum and have some questions. I have search all over the net for answers and i am still not sure what to get.

I am looking into getting a whole new system. Right now i am looking into getting a Onkyo TX SR 607 receiver, or TX SR 507 receiver, LG BD 570, L,R,C in wall NS-IW760, depending on the the receiver i will either have 2 or 4 rear speakers of either the NS-IW280C or the NS-IW480C. I have already bought a Harmony 900 remote to handle the RF since our components will be hidden.

 My problem is i am not sure if a 7.1 system will be a good setup in my house. My living room is 13ftx13ftx8ft with wood beams showing 4ft apart. There is room for me to put 1 of each of the 4 speakers between each beam. They will all be at the same height and distance. Will this just be a waste of money? Should i just go with a 5.1 system?

 Also I am wondering if i should go with the 6 1/2" 3 ways or the 8" 3 ways? I have an older 10" sony sub that i am going to use at the moment until i buy a new one so i am not really looking for the rears to handle any bass. But it is not that much more for the 8" compared to the 6 1/2".

I am also looking at getting a PS3 instead of the LG Blu ray player. I dont play video games much but for $50 dollars more im thinking why not?

 Sorry if this is a lot of info and if i left any thing out please let me know.

                                                                          Matt
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post #2 of 7
3/11/10 at 6:27am
 Hi Matt,

I'm not sure what you are saying here...  Do you want to put 4 speakers on the BACK wall???  Surrounds go on the side walls and should be pointed towards the listener.  REAR surrounds in a 7.1 system go behind you.

Take a look at this:  http://www.dolby.com/consumer/setup/speaker-setup-guide/index.html

Also, are you absolutely set on the inwalls?  
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post #3 of 7
3/12/10 at 6:20pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the quick response David. I was pretty sure my post didnt make any sense. I was all hopped up on Benadryle when i wrote it. So let me try again.

I do NOT want to put 4 speakers in the back wall. I do know where speakers are supposed to be placed. Sorry if it sounded that way.

 I want to place my Rear and Surround speakers in the ceiling. We just moved in this house and my wife asked for the speakers to be hidden. So in the wall they will be. Im just happy to be getting a new setup so i am not about to argue about it.

The couches are against the rear wall in a L shape. What i want to do is put the 2 Rear speakers as far back as possible. They will not be behind the couches. They will be directly over the couch that is pushed up against the wall. My seat.

 I was thinking of putting the 2 Rear speakers over the couch and the 2 Surround speakers off to the side and about 2 ft out diagonal/forward from the Rears towards the TV. Do you think that will work or will it be just a waste of money? Or i could get a 5.1 system and put the speakers above the ends of the couch and call it a day. Thats why i was asking if i should go with a 7.1 or a 5.1.

 Here are a fews pics of what i am working with.


Edited by badfish - 3/12/10 at 6:35pm
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post #4 of 7
3/12/10 at 6:34pm
Thread Starter 
Back wallTV
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post #5 of 7
3/12/10 at 9:19pm
Thread Starter 
This is where i was thinking of putting the Rear and Surround speakers.
speaker placement.jpg

This is where i want to put ther R,L,and C, speakers

Speaker placement 2.jpg

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post #6 of 7
3/13/10 at 6:21am
For the left and right speakers, they will need to be moved to the edge of those short walls otherwise the sound waves will reflect off of them.

As for the in-ceiling surrounds, just go with a 5.1 system and use 2 surrounds.  With your placement, you will get no benefit from the extra rear surrounds.
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post #7 of 7
3/13/10 at 8:13am
And do NOT go with in-ceiling surrounds.  Do the extra work or pay the extra money to make the surrounds in-wall, instead.  Surrounds should be slightly above ear level at the primary listening area.  Soundtracks are encoded with that in mind.  A "directional" sound effect that is supposed to come from just a bit to screen right is going to sound absolutely bizarre coming from above you.

Ever been in a theater that used in-ceiling speakers for films?  No, you haven't.  In-ceiling speakers are use in supermarkets, airports, warehouse stores and other places where the primary need is for a public address system.  Incidentally, these systems are also used for music - which invariably sounds like crap.  Want your theater to sound like the lobby of your dentist's building?  Go for in-ceiling.

There are lots of ways to make speakers "invisible" or at least unobtrusive, that don't involve rendering them unfit for their intended purpose, which mounting them inside that raked ceiling pretty much will.   (Not to mention the vibration and other issues that will be caused by the AC vent.)

Less than ideal (that wainscoating really limits you're placement options, since it starts at just above the level where the speakers should go) would be to build the speakers to go into alcoves that match the (windows?  niches?) above the couch in your photos.  Put two or three of those on each side wall (for aesthetics) and cover each opening with black speaker grille cloth and then put a speaker in one of the alcoves on each wall.  Adds some form while maintaining function.  

Just a thought,

Joe
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