Speakers in entertainment center - OK? (1 Viewer)

[Tom>WFL]

Here's my situation folks... I've just built a custom home and thought I'd prepared fairly well for HT. The living room has a big built-in entertainment center about 9'H & 9'W. It's divided into 3 sections: a large center one for the video, with much narrower sections on each side, about 14" W and 5" tall - with moveable shelves. I was planning to put the speakers on the shelves, but now I'm reading this will degrade the sound. It's not possible to put the L-R speakers on either side of the built-in. I could put speakers on top, but at 9ft high they'd be way up there, and it wouldn't look as good. Does anyone have related experience I could learn from?

 

[Tony Genovese]

Most sealed box speakers should perform admirably in the cabinet (particularly if crossed over at 80hz). Think M&K (S150), NHT (M5), CSW (MC500 or MC300) among others. You can actually match left, center and right using the same satellites within each range.

 

[Mike Mitrook]

I've got to second Tom on this one. I was in a similar situation and tried a few (okay, many ) bookshelf type speakers to actually fit in a bookcase. Sealed box or front ported tend to work better in such a position. I ened up with some M&Ks and haven't looked back.

You can't always have the ideal setup but by using the right speakers you can make the best of what some might view as less than ideal.

Good luck,
Mike

 

[BrianWoerndle]

As long as they are not rear ported speakers you are fine.

 

[Blaine P]

Anyone know if the Paradigm Atoms and/or Titans are rear ported?

 

[Paul_Fisher]

Mike, which M&K's do you have?

 

[JeremyR]

Both the Atoms and Titans are rear ported.

 

[Blaine P]

Should rear-ported speakers be much of a problem in a bookcase which has 2 feet of clearance behind the speaker (as opposed to flush)?

 

[Paul_Fisher]

2 feet is plenty of clearance. I have about 4 inches and they sorta sound weird.

 

[BrianWoerndle]

In a bookcase it does not matter how much space is behind the speaker, it is still always a bad situation with a rear ported speaker. A bookcase is basically a larger enclosure, with its own acoustics. Since sound comes from the rear port it will echo and resonate in the bookcase. That will create all sorts of dips and bumps in the frequency response of the speaker. Usually it is most noticable with the bass, which becomes boomy.

If you have to place a rear ported speaker in an enclosure you can try adding sound deading material in the back of the bookcase to reduce the effects.

 

[Blaine P]

What type of materials would you suggest?

 

[Mike Mitrook]

Paul,
I have 3 of the K7s across the front and K5s for the center rears for a 7.1 setup. They fit my budget, sound great, and are visually unobtrusive. When the HT is not in use the room really looks like a den.
Mike

 

[Abe Rodrigue]

hi, very newbie here with kinda the same situation as Tom, but in my case I haven't started the mill work yet. I am looking into the home theater stuff before I start the saw. My question is it possible to hide all of the front speakers? I am talking about inside the cabinets (with a black fabric or something in front of them). I want to hide everything. even the TV if possible. I have seen it done before, but did not investgate the speakers at all. If I could post a picture of the built in I would but that will have to wait. Thanks a bunch, and what great site!!

 

[Tony Genovese]

RANT ON Tom>WFL's post did not pass Tony's 20 post threshold, meaning I try not to respond to newbies who don't stick around for at least 20 posts. If I had done my research, I would not have wasted may time responding to someone who crapped and ran. RANT OFF Next time, I'll know better!

 

[JasonBrandon]

Tony,

You mentioned that the MC300 and MC500 are suitable for use in an entertainment center. I currently have an MC400 in an entertainment center, paired with Classic Towers as the mains. Do you think I would get better results with the 300 or 500? Please note that there is no back on the entertainment center.

Thanks

 

[Tony Genovese]

No I do not. I am using a similar setup in one of my systems (MC400) and it works great and is a better match to the T500 timbrally than the MC500 (which has identical drivers). Strange to say the least.

I had an MC500 and switched it out with an MC400 and it performs very well. I realize it's ported, but with the open back it works fine for me and I'm sure fine for you too.

Oops, I see you only have one post. Hopefully you'll actually come back and read the response .

 

[JasonBrandon]

Thanks for the reply Tony. It is not easy to find other owners of CSW speakers at the usual places. Did you compare the T500's with the Classic Towers. I was wondering if the T500's would be an upgrade. I appreciate your responses. Also, what are you using for surrounds? I have a pair of s300's but I was thinking about using M50s or 60s.

 

[GregBe]

Hi Jason,

I am a big CSW fan, and currently have M50 bookshelves with a p500 sub, MC400 center and Surround 5.1's. I listened to their tower lines quite a bit before I made my decision, and went bookshelves because of space issues. I think the T500's are awesome, and I think Tony owns them, so he can better speak for them. In my opinion, if you are thinking of getting a high end sub with the classic towers, I would go that way. If you only want the floorstaning speaker, the T500 is a better choice. You can't go wrong either way.
For what it's worth, I think your setup is great. If space was not an issue, I would have went with the Towers, MC400's and my p500 sub.
Greg

 

[JasonBrandon]

GregBe,

I have the p1000 as my current sub. I just love to constantly have new speakers and I always have buyers remorse even though I think they sound great.

 

[Tony Genovese]

Join the club !

I'm using M50's as surrounds which I may switch out for MC400s. I'm debating it. I'm using the T500 towers crossed over at 40hz to an NHT U1 sub. I found that really loud low bass (as in scene 25 in the Nemo DVD) made the passive radiator of the T500 chatter like crazy. Crossing over at 40 fixed that. Fortunately, my processor allows different crossover frequencies for each channel.

I am unfamiliar with the classic towers. Believe or not I decided to give the T500 a listen based on Mickey Fremer's bashing in SGHT. The measurements were excellent...but Mickey said they sounded like crap, dull, formless, over bassy. HUH! I have never heard a speaker sound so different from a hatchet job review (and more like the measurements) than this one.