HT questions and room size (1 Viewer)

[Ken Robbins]

Hi,
I have a couple of questions and need the expert opinions that y'all usually have...
Here is my room:
A
BC
D
Wall D is 16' in length with an 8' ceiling. There are 4 windows on this wall that pretty much take up the entire wall. (I've got good blinds on this wall.)
Wall B is a 14' wall that has a fireplace on it (But, I've never used it in the 2 years that I've lived there and I'm vaguely aware that it's there when I go into the room.)
Wall B is a comparable to wall A with the exception that the ceiling on this wall is roughly 13'. (Ceiling slopes from 8' on wall D to 13' on wall A.)
Wall C is an 8' wall that connects to wall D.
There is an opening between walls A and C that leads into a 15' by 15' kitchen. The angle of the opening is about 30 degrees.
My sofa is place against wall D. My 51" Sony is on wall A. My eyes are about 98" from the TV.
Viewing/Listening Habits:
I'm a movie guy. My habits will be about 90% movies/10% music. As with everything else, my wife is isn't really a movie buff, but loves music. Her habits will be 60% music/40% movies (she has to watch some movies with me.
Equipment I'm looking at:
I am looking at purchasing the Atlantic Technology System 350THX. I am also looking to get an Onkyo 797 or Denon 2802 receiver. I heard good things about each and have demoed the Onkyo and liked it. I have also looked into the HK line of receivers and like the ease of configuration with them...
Questions:
Will the 350THX be overkill for the room size that I have?
Is the 350THX primarily a good sytem for both movies and music?
Any thoughts on my receiver choices?
Will I notice the difference between having a full THX system or not having one?
Any other thoughts or suggestions for me?
Thanks in advance...

 

[Bob McElfresh]

That Atlantic system has a good reputation and can work well in that sized room.

But personally, I am not fond of THX certified speakers.

When I auditioned a M&K THX system, I found that the center-speaker tone changed depending if I was sitting, standing or sitting on the floor. This is due to the strict horizontal-throw requirement THX places on things. This narrow sound-field is un-acceptiable to me with a large family.

While I applaud Lucas for creating the THX standard for movie theaters, it's not necessary for home equipment. If someone just wants to throw money for a home system, looking for the THX logo is a good way to get quality equipment. But those of us who love/obsess over equipment know that there is a lot of models that dont have THX certification that are as good/better than the ones with it.

So no, you will not miss anything if you mix THX and non-THX equipment as long as it's good quality.

Hope this helps.