Suggestions for a large-ish room

[Acuity]

Hi All,

I am planning on a new setup and would love to hear any feedback or suggestions on the planned setup:

Room size 22' x 16' & 11' height. The setup will be along the long wall. So the distance will be around 14' from the system to the seat (Not a multi row seating).

Channels: 5.2.2
Fronts (L R): B&W 703 S3
Center: B&W HTM71 S3 (Matching to L R)
Surrounds: B&W CWM664 (2 nos)
Atmos: B&W CCM 664 (2 nos)
2 Subs: SVS SB 2000 Pro 2 nos.

AVR: Denon AVR-X3800H 9.4 Channel
Or Marantz something?
Amp: Emotiva XPA-3 (For LCR)

Acoustic treatment for the room, with an RT60 target.

My usage is 50% movies and 50% music. Movies source is FireTV Stick and the music source is AppleTV. Music genre is mostly Pop, House and Relaxing.

I have auditioned the B&W 703 speakers with the Emotiva Amp, and I liked them quite a bit. I have not auditioned any of the other items listed above.

Do you have any suggestions for this setup, anything you can suggest to make it sound better.

The cost is coming to about Rs 15 Lakhs including cables (The three front speakers itself are about 8 Lakhs).
Acoustics is an extra Rs 4 Lakhs.

Can I do anything to save about 2 Lakhs on the cost... Like can I bi-amp the receiver and avoid buying the Emotiva XPA amp.

For a room of this size (22'x16'), can I opt for 1 sub instead of 2 (Sealed 12" is the plan).

My other systems are: Tannoy+NAD and Klipsch+Marantz. I'm looking for something special.

This is a big purchase and for a long term usage. Highly appreciate any feedback.

Thank you

 

[prateekatasniya]

Hi All,

I am planning on a new setup and would love to hear any feedback or suggestions on the planned setup:

Room size 22' x 16' & 11' height. The setup will be along the long wall. So the distance will be around 14' from the system to the seat (Not a multi row seating).

Channels: 5.2.2
Fronts (L R): B&W 703 S3
Center: B&W HTM71 S3 (Matching to L R)
Surrounds: B&W CWM664 (2 nos)
Atmos: B&W CCM 664 (2 nos)
2 Subs: SVS SB 2000 Pro 2 nos.

AVR: Denon AVR-X3800H 9.4 Channel
Or Marantz something?
Amp: Emotiva XPA-3 (For LCR)

Acoustic treatment for the room, with an RT60 target.

My usage is 50% movies and 50% music. Movies source is FireTV Stick and the music source is AppleTV. Music genre is mostly Pop, House and Relaxing.

I have auditioned the B&W 703 speakers with the Emotiva Amp, and I liked them quite a bit. I have not auditioned any of the other items listed above.

Do you have any suggestions for this setup, anything you can suggest to make it sound better.

The cost is coming to about Rs 15 Lakhs including cables (The three front speakers itself are about 8 Lakhs).
Acoustics is an extra Rs 4 Lakhs.

Can I do anything to save about 2 Lakhs on the cost... Like can I bi-amp the receiver and avoid buying the Emotiva XPA amp.

For a room of this size (22'x16'), can I opt for 1 sub instead of 2 (Sealed 12" is the plan).

My other systems are: Tannoy+NAD and Klipsch+Marantz. I'm looking for something special.

This is a big purchase and for a long term usage. Highly appreciate any feedback.

Thank you

It's a decent sized room With pretty large seating distance for a low sensitivity speaker to provide you with the dynamics needed to bring your system to life.
Why do you need a floor standing speaker when you are anyway going to use subwoofers for low frequency.
And why such fancy looking speakers for a dedicated space ? Fancy looks means most of the money goes into making the cabinet look beautiful instead of producing great sound.
That's why below average looking but better sounding speakers can be bought for just 20%-30% of the price you are have allocated for the LCR.
Then you can get an acoustically transparent screen and hide all those speakers making the room look clean and pleasant not just for you but for everyone who enters the room.

Coming to subwoofers - with DIRAC live bass control in access. You need to make sure that the subwoofer number and placement should be appropriate to get the best bass possible in your room which was a distant dreams at thiss price point( a couple of years back)

Something special needs something special and not the run of the mill products and system design.

Hope this helps you in taking the right path towards your dream home theatre build.

 

[Acuity]

Hi Prateek, thanks for your inputs.

Agree, there is a premium in going for the looks . I would like to to look good too. Having said that I'm open to changing them / putting speakers behind a transparent screen.

better sounding speakers can be bought for just 20%-30% of the price you are have allocated for the LCR.

Please do suggest on the better sounding speakers please... would appreciate your inputs on this.

Why do you need a floor standing speaker when you are anyway going to use subwoofers for low frequency.

This is a good point
I did try the B&W 705 bookshelf speakers with one sub, in the showroom. Somehow felt the floorstanders sounded better - maybe I was biased.
Anyhow, I'll reconsider, and re-audition. Thanks for that.

 

[prateekatasniya]

This is a good point
I did try the B&W 705 bookshelf speakers with one sub, in the showroom. Somehow felt the floorstanders sounded better - maybe I was biased.
Anyhow, I'll reconsider, and re-audition. Thanks for that.

bookshelf speakers should be properly integrated with the subwoofer. Otherwise it sounds unimpressive - like what you have experienced.

 

[Acuity]

Hi all,
I was planning to buy the B&W 703 s3 speakers with the Emotiva amp for my HT setup as described above. I came across a B&W amp:

CDA-2HD - Amplifiers | Bowers & Wilkins - US

Bowers & Wilkins

www.bowerswilkins.com

I believe this comes with a DSP with a selection preconfigured to work with the speaker model, and I don't believe the Emotiva has a configurable DSP. How big a benefit is this? Has anyone heard of the B&W amplifiers, do you suggest I take a chance with this, as I'm not able to audition it before buying?

 

[argho]

Hi.

Just my thoughts.

- 15 lacs is a very sizeable budget. I would suggest audition carefully before buying
- Maybe start small and add later
- In this budget I would reccomend a higher end AVR and speakers that are less expensive
- Maybe step up from the Denon X3800 to the Denon X4800
- Have you auditioned other speakers ? Not everyone likes the B&W sound. Something like Q Acoustics speakers are reasonably priced and perfrom well in home theatre setups. Dali and Wharfedale are also worth a listen
- 2 subs are hard to integrate well. Are you sure you need 2 subs. Usually a single powerful sub is better

Do visit other dealers. Many will try to upsell and push needless items.

As I said, just my thoughts.

 

[Acuity]

@argho

Thanks for your inputs.

The B&W 703 s3 floorstanders I'm considering are slightly on the bright side, ideally I would have preferred a warmer sound. But otherwise they sound pretty good and better than what I've auditioned. They look great too.

I was able to audition KEF R7 speakers. I expected great things from KEF, but maybe the way it was setup, or maybe the way it was driven, it was overbearing and did not sound good. If it was good I would have gone for KEF R7 Meta.

I already have a setup with Klipsch. So I did not consider them again.

I will try to audition Monitor Audio. Not much else to demo in Hyderabad, do share where I can see Dali & Wharfedale in Hyd.

As for the AVR: I've changed it to Marantz Cinema 60 (plus an amp), would you consider that better than the Denons? I need to decide on the amp for the floorstanders.

 

[argho]

All brands are available for audition in Hyderabad, and there are many forum members who can guide you.

Dali dealer in Hyderabad is Edomotics.
You can call Kiran +91 94413 42690

Dont know about QA. Others can guide.
QA is available online at hifimart : https://hifimart.com/

In my personal view, both B&W and KEF designs aim for something similar - transparency and accuracy.
This sound can be bright / fatiguing.

Dali speakers are lively / musical.
Wharfedale speakers are a bit on the warm side. Non fatiguing.
QA is quite and does well for HT.

I have not experienced the Marantz Cinema 60.

My AVRs have all ben Denon and I have had a very positive experience with them.
My stereo amps have all been Marantz and I have been very happy with them too.

Denon / Marantz have the same parent company but different sound signatures.

End of the day, you should go with what sounds good to you. My only advice is to audtion more and take your time before deciding.

In your budget you can very comfortably have separate HT and stereo setups.

 

[Nagaraj S]

1.5 million for an HT is a dream budget for many . For that budget and a large room, I would:
Invest on speakers that sound good, but not on fancy brands.
Have at least two subwoofers, which will tame the room modes and offer a better in-room response.
Power amplifier at least for the LCR.
A good AVR. Separates would be better.
Room treatment. Perhaps, this should come first.

 

[fLUX]

Per your budget I would also recommend you to have a look at the below options
i) Monitor Audio Platinum bookshelf and center . I had a Monitor Audio Gold 300 4g & Gold c350 centers , they worked tremendously well for HT & stereo alike.

ii) Audiovector R1 Arette & equivalent center . I presently have an Audiovector SR1 Arette & center from other series thats Q150 ( HT usage has reduced so settled with a lower budget center)

In addition I would recommend you to get dual subs from Rhytmik/Ardenal/XTZ etc vs SVS ( personal preference). Get a professional to do the calibration as it won't be easy to get everything right from the get go and since you have budget will be worth the spend.

Since your affinity is high towards music too, a good integrated amp with ht bypass will be a better option than just a power amplifier like Emotiva.

 

[ssf]

Since your affinity is high towards music too, a good integrated amp with ht bypass will be a better option than just a power amplifier like Emotiva.

I was thinking this too also since the OP is investing in good speakers.

 

[argho]

Per your budget I would also recommend you to have a look at the below options

Since your affinity is high towards music too, a good integrated amp with ht bypass will be a better option than just a power amplifier like Emotiva.

Agree. I have used a Denon PMA-2500NE in a setup like this, and it works very well for both HT and music.

 

[argho]

So many reccomendations for dual subs. Just curious - how many people have dual subs ?

I have a single Q Acoustics QB12 sub, and I need to keep its volume low.
It can get really loud if required.

 

[Saiganesh]

Hi All,

I am planning on a new setup and would love to hear any feedback or suggestions on the planned setup:

Room size 22' x 16' & 11' height. The setup will be along the long wall. So the distance will be around 14' from the system to the seat (Not a multi row seating).

Channels: 5.2.2
Fronts (L R): B&W 703 S3
Center: B&W HTM71 S3 (Matching to L R)
Surrounds: B&W CWM664 (2 nos)
Atmos: B&W CCM 664 (2 nos)
2 Subs: SVS SB 2000 Pro 2 nos.

AVR: Denon AVR-X3800H 9.4 Channel
Or Marantz something?
Amp: Emotiva XPA-3 (For LCR)

Acoustic treatment for the room, with an RT60 target.

My usage is 50% movies and 50% music. Movies source is FireTV Stick and the music source is AppleTV. Music genre is mostly Pop, House and Relaxing.

I have auditioned the B&W 703 speakers with the Emotiva Amp, and I liked them quite a bit. I have not auditioned any of the other items listed above.

Do you have any suggestions for this setup, anything you can suggest to make it sound better.

The cost is coming to about Rs 15 Lakhs including cables (The three front speakers itself are about 8 Lakhs).
Acoustics is an extra Rs 4 Lakhs.

Can I do anything to save about 2 Lakhs on the cost... Like can I bi-amp the receiver and avoid buying the Emotiva XPA amp.

For a room of this size (22'x16'), can I opt for 1 sub instead of 2 (Sealed 12" is the plan).

My other systems are: Tannoy+NAD and Klipsch+Marantz. I'm looking for something special.

This is a big purchase and for a long term usage. Highly appreciate any feedback.

Thank you

More than a decade back got greedy and built a large HT room (24x 22feetx10 feet)
That too in chennai..
Cooling it down in summer with 3 x 2 tonn acs and imagine the electricity bills...that was the first big challenge.
The next big challenge was the power of the amplifier and speaker throw.
That hurt a lot. Monitor audio silver was fine but it was the subwoofer that took the beat.

With larger rooms surely go for higher wattage speakers and higher wattage amplifiers - 300 watts on LCR...surrounds the avr like 3800 can manage.

I always wanted B& w 800 series. Recently demoed 600 series with denon and it was unbelivably good with the avr itself. Monitor audio gold and platinum are very good too.

For that size rooms atleast go for 2 x svs 2000series...3000 is the best for my room but I need 4 of these...never skimp on subwoofers else everything takes a hit to pressurise the room when we try to get loud...

 

[Acuity]

Thanks all for your inputs.

The challenge is finding the right speakers to audition. For example one store had Q Acoustics floor standers, but not larger ones suitable for my requirement. There is no place where I can find Monitor Silver/ Gold/ Platinum, to listen to.

Another challenge is the room acoustics. The same speaker sounds like apples and oranges from one vendor to the other. Add to this the variation in amps used from store to store.

I even considered a blind buy of KEF 7 Meta without a demo, based solely on reviews.

I may need to travel to Mumbai or Delhi just to audition!

 

[Acuity]

In addition I would recommend you to get dual subs from Rhytmik/Ardenal/XTZ etc vs SVS ( personal preference). Get a professional to do the calibration as it won't be easy to get everything right from the get go and since you have budget will be worth the spend.

Since your affinity is high towards music too, a good integrated amp with ht bypass will be a better option than just a power amplifier like Emotiva.

Thank you. Regarding Dual Subs: do you suggest considering an Amp driven passive Sub? Or Active.

Can you suggest an integrated amp with ht bypass. I’m not familiar with the ht bypass.

 

[Saiganesh]

Thanks all for your inputs.

The challenge is finding the right speakers to audition. For example one store had Q Acoustics floor standers, but not larger ones suitable for my requirement. There is no place where I can find Monitor Silver/ Gold/ Platinum, to listen to.

Another challenge is the room acoustics. The same speaker sounds like apples and oranges from one vendor to the other. Add to this the variation in amps used from store to store.

I even considered a blind buy of KEF 7 Meta without a demo, based solely on reviews.

I may need to travel to Mumbai or Delhi just to audition!

I Am bitten by kef r11 meta...but needs a very good amp. Never try to power it with avr or smaller amps. Kef meta series I guess is generally good. But need a proper powered amp
VFM polk r700 try it!
Come down to chennai have a store here who can demo gold and platinum monitor audio. They are absolutely fantastic.

Problem with speaker audition is run-in.
Speakers sound in a totally different legue after a long run in. Platinums and gold monitor audio are fantastic. Dont know how do they conpare with kef r7 or r11.
But the store manager himself is bitten by b&W and I love his choice of gear!!!

 

[fLUX]

Purpose of dual sub is to give a more even response &

Thank you. Regarding Dual Subs: do you suggest considering an Amp driven passive Sub? Or Active.

Can you suggest an integrated amp with ht bypass. I’m not familiar with the ht bypass.

Active subs driven via lfe channels of the avr , in future if you get more adventurous then mindisp can be experimented with.

What's the budget out of 15 you would like to allocate to an integrated ? Also the amp is best chosen once you finalise your speaker, not all amps do well with all kinds of speakers.

 

[Yogesh]

@prateekatasniya carried out some excellent projects with QSC speakers. Explore that option as well.

 

[rwnano]

@argho

Thanks for your inputs.

The B&W 703 s3 floorstanders I'm considering are slightly on the bright side, ideally I would have preferred a warmer sound. But otherwise they sound pretty good and better than what I've auditioned. They look great too.

I was able to audition KEF R7 speakers. I expected great things from KEF, but maybe the way it was setup, or maybe the way it was driven, it was overbearing and did not sound good. If it was good I would have gone for KEF R7 Meta.

I already have a setup with Klipsch. So I did not consider them again.

I will try to audition Monitor Audio. Not much else to demo in Hyderabad, do share where I can see Dali & Wharfedale in Hyd.

As for the AVR: I've changed it to Marantz Cinema 60 (plus an amp), would you consider that better than the Denons? I need to decide on the amp for the floorstanders.

Focals are the sound signature that you may be looking for... please try to explore.

Also....you can consider a multi channel AVR amplifier and then class d fosi v3 monoblocks to make individual channels stronger like front right and left ...