Confused between BS and satellites for my HT setup.

[bobby74]

I am planning for an HT setup for my bedroom. Room dimension is 11'x15', but I have to place the speakers within 11'x8'.
So the maximum distance between the FL and FR can only be 8'.I will be the only listener.
I know center speaker is very important in 5.1 setup, but considering the small distance between fronts and me at the exact center, can I skip the center speaker?

I am planning for Wharfedale Diamond 121 as fronts and 10.DFS as surrounds.

For subwoofer, which among SW150 and PowerCube SPC-8 is better? Or some other make, max budget is 30K.

It is mainly for TV and movies. I live in an apartment and watch mostly in the night. If I go for satellites, I am afraid I become too dependent on the sub, which I may not be able to use all the time.

Is it advisable to go for bookshelves here? Or am I better off with satellites and subwoofer for such small space?

 

[sl4y3r]

If your primary use will be movies,considering your room size go in for sats imo. Also, you must have a center speaker for you dialogue track, its of utmost importance in a HT.

 

[GeorgeO]

Why do you have reservations about the sub? For movies it is definitely something that you should have, so you might as well enjoy the extra dimension that a sub will give you.

 

[bobby74]

Why do you have reservations about the sub? For movies it is definitely something that you should have, so you might as well enjoy the extra dimension that a sub will give you.

I am definitely buying the sub.

As I told in my first post, I may not be able to use the sub optimally for most of my viewing, hence the confusion whether to go for BS instead of satellites.

 

[subbubusk]

I am planning for an HT setup for my bedroom. Room dimension is 11'x15', but I have to place the speakers within 11'x8'.
So the maximum distance between the FL and FR can only be 8'.I will be the only listener.
I know center speaker is very important in 5.1 setup, but considering the small distance between fronts and me at the exact center, can I skip the center speaker?

I am planning for Wharfedale Diamond 121 as fronts and 10.DFS as surrounds.

For subwoofer, which among SW150 and PowerCube SPC-8 is better? Or some other make, max budget is 30K.

It is mainly for TV and movies. I live in an apartment and watch mostly in the night. If I go for satellites, I am afraid I become too dependent on the sub, which I may not be able to use all the time.

Is it advisable to go for bookshelves here? Or am I better off with satellites and subwoofer for such small space?

Bookshelves and center is enough for small to medium sized rooms.No need for subs also. u can go for Polk bs and polk center since your interests are movies.You will surely like this combo if you audition it .Don't go for satellite speakers , incidentally if you want enjoy music some time they wont do any good imo. BS is also future proof and satellite speakers wont do good in bigger rooms .

 

[Naturelover]

For more apt suggestions, give your room layout and why you need to restrict to 11 x 8. Maybe somebody can help you work around that. Check out the bedroom setup of just4kix, one of the forum's most active members.
If you look around the forum, you will probably find something that will make you think, "now why didn't I think of that"!!.

 

[bobby74]

For more apt suggestions, give your room layout and why you need to restrict to 11 x 8. Maybe somebody can help you work around that. Check out the bedroom setup of just4kix, one of the forum's most active members.
If you look around the forum, you will probably find something that will make you think, "now why didn't I think of that"!!.

just4kix's setup is really nice.

But 11'x8' is the maximum I could manage because of the position of doors and windows.
My main worry is anything other than satellites will sound overwhelming in this area or not.

 

[musicbee]

Bookshelves and center is enough for small to medium sized rooms.No need for subs also. u can go for Polk bs and polk center since your interests are movies.You will surely like this combo if you audition it .Don't go for satellite speakers , incidentally if you want enjoy music some time they wont do any good imo. BS is also future proof and satellite speakers wont do good in bigger rooms .

I would beg to disagree here. Bookshelves without sub are fine for music (except hip hop) but not for movies. Either floorstanders without a sub or bookshelves with a sub for movies. I don't see the point in going for floorstanders plus sub in a home theater setup either as bookshelves will suffice for most medium to small rooms and the sub will take care of the LFE.

 

[bobby0909]

To many questions .........

What will be your source for movies?

What is your amplifier/ AV receiver ? Or are you looking for powered speaker packages?

Have you listened to any demo of either a bookshelf speaker package, with and without the centre speaker and have you listened to any satellite 5.1 speaker package? Your ears are always your best friend.

Your listening area perfectly suits a satellite speaker system for surround sound experience.

my humble 2 cents

 

[Santy]

^^ For a min, I got thoroughly confused as it appeared that bobby was answering his own questions. hyeah:

OK, 11x15 is not a too small room to rule out bookshelves. Infact it is big enough for small floor standers. 8' is quite a lot of space for front L/R. But they can be placed at 9' comfortably according to me. I don't see a reason why you cannot, unless you have trained ears and you are concerned about acoustics.

A HT without centre and sub is a huge compromise. May be manageable with floorstanders but sub is a sub, it needs a place in all HT.

Go for bookshelves which has a CC version also. An FM called John bought odd no. of pieces of KEF Q300; you may also try to get 3 nos. There are many other models with proper centre channel, just search on this forum for suggestions or on hifimart.com.

 

[Naturelover]

Your room size is 15 x 11. Your speakers will play in this space and not in 11 x 8. I believe much will depend upon their placement. It is therefore that I had asked you to post the room layout. You may be able to accommodate your proposed configuration of Diamond 121 as fronts and 10.DFS as surrounds.
Yes, you do need a centre and a sub for proper HT experience. The SW150 is time tested. No idea of the powercubes.
One advantage with sats is that you can place them above lintel level pointing towards you. Maybe then you can use all your space.

 

[bobby74]

Your room size is 15 x 11. Your speakers will play in this space and not in 11 x 8. I believe much will depend upon their placement. It is therefore that I had asked you to post the room layout. You may be able to accommodate your proposed configuration of Diamond 121 as fronts and 10.DFS as surrounds.
Yes, you do need a centre and a sub for proper HT experience. The SW150 is time tested. No idea of the powercubes.
One advantage with sats is that you can place them above lintel level pointing towards you. Maybe then you can use all your space.

This is an approximation of my room layout. No other configuration is possible because of doors and windows.
Actually only 7' is possible between FL and FR.

 

[bobby74]

To many questions .........

What will be your source for movies?

What is your amplifier/ AV receiver ? Or are you looking for powered speaker packages?

Have you listened to any demo of either a bookshelf speaker package, with and without the centre speaker and have you listened to any satellite 5.1 speaker package? Your ears are always your best friend.

Your listening area perfectly suits a satellite speaker system for surround sound experience.

my humble 2 cents

AVR I haven't decided, but mostly X1000 or RX-V475.

My source for movies will be mainly DTH and DVD Rips from MediaPlayer.

It is difficult to get any demo at my place.

 

[Calvin]

This is an approximation of my room layout. No other configuration is possible because of doors and windows.
Actually only 7' is possible between FL and FR.

This is almost similar to my setup (give or take 1-2 feet) and I have a floorstander package. If you have the budget, go for bookshelves. Sats would suit just fine too, provided you don't intend to use your HT for music.

 

[Naturelover]

Certainly go for bookshelves or even small floorstanders.
Much better if you can go somewhere for demos.
@Calvin, do you have any issues with soundstaging since one side is open?
Designer Audio (Wharfedale distributor) has several dealers in Kerela & Tamil Nadu

 

[Calvin]

@Calvin, do you have any issues with soundstaging since one side is open?

My set up is more aligned to center than what Bobby has, so not much issues with soundstaging. I meant to say room dimensions and the distance between speakers are quite similar to my room.

 

[007india]

My set up is more aligned to center than what Bobby has, so not much issues with soundstaging. I meant to say room dimensions and the distance between speakers are quite similar to my room.

Ok! I'm answering to my knowledge.

Rule 1: Your ear is the judge and not forums or online reviews or demo's. They are just to assist you. Satisfaction is paramount in all these.

- In a home there is always a possibility to listen to music and movie. Hence you can consider going for a floor stander without sub. But center is must. With a floor stander for front and satellite for surround and a good center speaker will make a ideal package.

- Having a book shelf will warrant you to go for a SUB, which will spike the cost. Also SUB needs to be positioned properly inorder to get the best out of it. I have wharfedale diamond 9.6 for front and jamo 101 for rest. Still I didn't use my SUB at all as my front floor standers negates the need of SUB, the SUB is now in roof and not even opened.

When you buy receiver make sure it has following (ONKYO 515)
- Dual HDMI out
- USB to play MP3
- Enough sound DSP
- Video upscaling or upconversion facility to 1080i.
- Ability to interact with smartfones without use of wifi dongles or built in WiDi.

 

[bobby74]

Ok! I'm answering to my knowledge.

Rule 1: Your ear is the judge and not forums or online reviews or demo's. They are just to assist you. Satisfaction is paramount in all these.

- In a home there is always a possibility to listen to music and movie. Hence you can consider going for a floor stander without sub. But center is must. With a floor stander for front and satellite for surround and a good center speaker will make a ideal package.

- Having a book shelf will warrant you to go for a SUB, which will spike the cost. Also SUB needs to be positioned properly inorder to get the best out of it. I have wharfedale diamond 9.6 for front and jamo 101 for rest. Still I didn't use my SUB at all as my front floor standers negates the need of SUB, the SUB is now in roof and not even opened.

When you buy receiver make sure it has following (ONKYO 515)
- Dual HDMI out
- USB to play MP3
- Enough sound DSP
- Video upscaling or upconversion facility to 1080i.
- Ability to interact with smartfones without use of wifi dongles or built in WiDi.

This is for my bedroom. Not interested in floorstanders, there is not enough room for that also. Max I can go is for smaller bookshelves.

 

[007india]

I know its for bedroom, not using floor standers will require you to use SUBs which will occupy floor space and they need surrounding too + high cost. Where as your floor stander is going to occupy only vertical space. I live in apartment where my AVR can give amazing output without disturbing my neighbor. Now adays systems have improved a lot.
Anyways I just suggested.