Help with Speakers - size and budget constraints (1 Viewer)

[squishy1657]

Looking for some reccommendations on a 5 speaker / sub setup……trying to keep speaker price under $1000, just want something halfway decent for movies and music and have the following restrictions

1) Size issue with front speakers. Have a 56 inch Sony TV in a huge wall unit (Essentially a big square with a hole in the middle for the TV).

Option 1 is to put all 3 fronts in cabinet areas above the TV. Each area is only 9.5h by 24w, so many of the bookshelf speakers I have been looking at would have to lay on their side. Is this OK? ....or do I need to ensure I get something that can fit upright (have looked at the Def Tech 800's)

Option 2 is to "go low" and put the L&R speakers in the bottom part of the cabinet, essentially at ground level - center channel would stay directly above TV. These lower cabinets have "mesh" doors and give me more space since they are 14h by 12w.

2) Complication # 2 is I want in-wall surrounds since it is already wired.

Am looking at Onyko SR606 and Yamaha RXV465 for receivers, but would also appreciate any feedback here.

 

[Bob McElfresh]

Hi Michael. Welcome to HTF!

Well - a couple of problems here...

- Speakers do not sound too good when put into a cabinet. The sides do vibrate and generate sound to the sides and back and this creates a unpleasant echo sound.

- Ideally all your speakers will be the same make and model so the sounds do not tone-shift as they move around. To be honest - they usually do not send dialog or critical music to the rears so these could be different. But what brand are your rears and do they make external speakers for the front?

Ok - the cool part about monitor style speakers is that you can play with the placement and decide which sounds good to you. And you can always add 2 more externals for the rears if you dont like the tone -shift without needed to take out a loan.

The DefTech speakers are a good choice. But the ProCinema series have that passive radiator sticking out the top - not a great choice for putting in a wall unit as I am afraid it might echo rather badly.

You want a heavy speaker (to reduce the vibrations) and all the drivers should face outward to reduce the echo. While I love DefTech (I own their towers and center), the ProCinema would not be my first choice.

Look into the Polk RT systems or perhaps Energy Take 5 - more traditional speakers with front-firing drivers that are all well-respected and budget priced.

RECEIVERS:

I love yamaha but the Onkyo TX-SR series of receivers have been shocking the industry with the low price, good quality and large number of features. You have already made a good choice so go with the Onkyo.

 

[squishy1657]

Thanks Bob. I'll take a look at these options....are the Polk bookshelfs ok to place horizontally in the cabinet? Had also been looking at Boston Acoustics HS and CS series, any thoughts on these?