Please help! Speaker choice (1 Viewer)

[Number1AVdork]

It sounds like you are going to have great system. The little kef speakers for the surrounds ought to work just fine. Be sure to get the towers out from the back walls at least two feet. Hopefully that won't be a problem.

 

[Nitsuj79]

What's the reason for the towers needing 2 foot clearance from the wall? I thought it wouldn't matter due to not having ports.

 

[schan1269]

They don't "need" two feet. They probably should be at least 6 inches though. Ideal placement is based on your ears. The closer to the wall, the more pronounced the bass...which if you use the room correction, will be accounted for anyway.

 

[Number1AVdork]

A larger speaker like the Kef needs space. It's not going to sound as good as it should if it is close to the back walls. All the room correction in the world isn't going to correct bad speaker placement. Nitsuj79, it doesn't matter if it is sealed or ported. Standing room resonance is going to happen in greater abundance if you have the speakers closer to the wall. That perceived bass boost from placing the speakers near the wall could be compromising tonal balance.
When you get the speakers your going to have to experiment with toe in and spacing. It makes absolutely no sense in your case to try to boost the low frequencies by placing the speakers closer to the wall. Since you will have subwoofers helping out. But keep in mind two feet from the back walls is a good idea. It will help the speakers throw a wider soundstage.

 

[schan1269]

But there is no reason to say "they need two feet".
My Infinity Crescendo 3007(a much more bass punchy speaker than the Q900) sits at 14" from the back wall and 23" from the side walls, in a 16' room.
My BIC V830 sit 9" from the back wall and 11" from the side walls in a 13' wide room.
The only speakers that sit "far from a wall" in my house are the DCM TF600. Those sit 33" from the walls behind them and almost 6 feet from the side walls. Very large room. 35x40 and the "theater area" takes up 18 feet of the 40 wall and about 20 feet out. The DCM are perfect for that room. The 350(my rears) sit free in the room, with book cases behind them. The back side of the room is nothing but bookshelves angled around the seating area of the theatre.
And, if you look here, at KEF's own site, that is hardly 2 feet in the video...(I also wouldn't call it "stellar placement" either)
http://www.kefdirect.com/q900-floorstanding-loudspeaker.html

 

[Number1AVdork]

They will sound better with spacing at two feet. 18-20 inches would also work better than 1 foot. A little space is better. Kef shows the way it does because most people are going to place speakers close to the wall without concern. The average person is not an acoustic nerd like some of us.
I'm not here to argue. I simply know that those Kefs will be a fantastic speaker if they are placed two feet from the back walls. Also a slight toe in would greatly improve the width of the sound stage. They should also be placed as far apart as possible.
I am sure your Infinity speakers work fine...but have you tried them in another larger room with better placement and spacing...Also I hope your packing some juice. Those old Infinities were some power sucking monsters.

 

[schan1269]

Everything sounds better with "proper spacing"...
But, proper spacing and "reality of the room" are often contradictory.
Every single speaker (even this...http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SS-B1000-4-Inch-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B000OG88KY/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1355342647&sr=1-1&keywords=sony+ss-b1000 ) sounds better at "two feet" rather than 6 inches.
Moot point.

 

[maeaguilar]

Speakers? Well, one thing in my mind., the brand named Samsung. And if you need the best home theater receiver try Samsung SWA-5000 Wireless Receiver.

 

[schan1269]

Nevermind, I deleted the post immediately preceding this one...

 

[Nitsuj79]

Ok. Got everything in and installed. I think it sounds good but I was hoping for better. Maybe my expectations were set to high and my room sure doesn't help either. The company mentioned another seperate amp to power the two q900 towers. Do you guys think this will make a big improvement. I want it to sound the best it possibly can. Let me know all your input. Also how far apart should the towers be. The wall is 19 feet wide

 

[schan1269]

Have you run Audyssey yet? (which won't really help, as you'll re-run it when they loosen up)
Those Q900 are decently efficient. They are also "brand spanking new". Brand new speakers won't start sounding good till about "hour 50". By hour 100 they"ll loosen up as much as they are going to.
To hasten the break in, let em run on soft music when you go to bed.
Report back once they've had 20-30 hours...

 

[Nitsuj79]

They ran audysey. They said they need break in as we'll. just wondered what your thoughts were about the extra amp . They said they will sound a lot cleaner and better all around. Remember I have the 818. They originally were trying to get me into the 3010 that's always still an option also. I just really want it to be the best it can be. I always had awesome car audio set ups with jl audio because I bought the best. I don't know much about home theater yet since I'm new to it. I don't want to waste money but if something is worth it then I can justify it.

 

[schan1269]

All of your speakers are in the 90db range in efficiency.
The 818 chews 8.1 amps off the wall. That works out to...972.
Take 100 for video, that leaves you 872/...how ever many speakers you got going.
Even if 7, you got 124 per channel.
Give em time to break in. If you need more power, you can always add an amp. By the way, power progression of the Q900...
1watt=91db
2=94
4=97
8=100
16=103(the volume where you are already rocking...given room size)
32=106(the volume where you are trying to go deaf)
64=109(the point where the 818 is working hard, but is still no-where near clipping)
128=112(using 5 channels....the 818 will get here)
200-114...the max of these speakers.

 

[Nitsuj79]

Ok. I will break them in then let you know.