New media room/HT

[tiggere]

I am in the process of remodeling a room to use as a media room/home theater...

Room size is 17'-7" x 14'-6" (18' x 15') with a cathedral ceiling that goes from 7'-6" to 9'-6" to 7'-6"...for now there are 4 windows on both of the long side walls and 2 large windows on one of the short side walls...the other short side wall has a 6' x 7' opening...it is essentially a sunroom that we are converting...the tv will sit on the 18' wall...all hard surface with carpeted floors (we can add curtains and the thought is to replace the sofa with a 3 bay theater seat...I would love to turn everything onto the short wall and delete a few additional windows in the remodel but that would be a hard sale to the wife as she likes the view from those two windows...

TV - LG C7 Oled 55"
AVR - Yamaha RX A770
Speakers - Elac Uni-Fi UB5 (fronts), Elac Uni-fi UC5 (center), Elac Debut B5 (rear), SVS PB1000 (sub - one for now but eventually two)
Room use - primarily tv and all movies are watched in here...Nintendo switch for a little bit of Zelda...
Budget - $4000ish range (including tv which is approx $2000)

My main concern is the 4 ohm Elac speakers on the Yamaha...am I going to have an issue with this? Can you give a better recommendation if there will be a problem...

I have also been looking at the Definitive Technology SM65's (three in front L/C/R) with two SM45's for the surrounds...and then I also found the Outlaw Ultra-X12 sub...could be used with either bookshelf speaker sets I assume but I have to expand the budget a bit...

Thoughts? Concerns? Something I missed?

 

[lovinthehd]

Can't say what I've read about Elac would have me going that direction. Try this review http://noaudiophile.com/ELAC_UB5/

Personally I'd consider the Ascend Acoustics 340SEs across the front, 170SE or 200SEs for surrounds. $1170 approx either way shipped (may also be sales tax if you're in California?). Bundle it with a Rythmik LV12R perhaps (you can do that thru Ascend). Maybe a package from Hsu Research.

Why the Yamaha particularly? The Elac choice? Or DefTec speakers?

 

[tiggere]

Those look like very nice speakers and from the reviews I had time to read are worth looking into...thanks for the tip...

No real reason for anything I mentioned other than reviews that I have been reading the last couple days...the Yamaha looked to do everything I would be using it for...also it was the one recommended by our local HT installer and he does sell Onkyo, Denon as well...do you have another suggestion that I should be looking at?

I am open to suggestions...

 

[2channel lover]

I am in the process of remodeling a room to use as a media room/home theater...

Room size is 17'-7" x 14'-6" (18' x 15') with a cathedral ceiling that goes from 7'-6" to 9'-6" to 7'-6"...for now there are 4 windows on both of the long side walls and 2 large windows on one of the short side walls...the other short side wall has a 6' x 7' opening...it is essentially a sunroom that we are converting...the tv will sit on the 18' wall...all hard surface with carpeted floors (we can add curtains and the thought is to replace the sofa with a 3 bay theater seat...I would love to turn everything onto the short wall and delete a few additional windows in the remodel but that would be a hard sale to the wife as she likes the view from those two windows...

TV - LG C7 Oled 55"
AVR - Yamaha RX A770
Speakers - Elac Uni-Fi UB5 (fronts), Elac Uni-fi UC5 (center), Elac Debut B5 (rear), SVS PB1000 (sub - one for now but eventually two)
Room use - primarily tv and all movies are watched in here...Nintendo switch for a little bit of Zelda...
Budget - $4000ish range (including tv which is approx $2000)

My main concern is the 4 ohm Elac speakers on the Yamaha...am I going to have an issue with this? Can you give a better recommendation if there will be a problem...

I have also been looking at the Definitive Technology SM65's (three in front L/C/R) with two SM45's for the surrounds...and then I also found the Outlaw Ultra-X12 sub...could be used with either bookshelf speaker sets I assume but I have to expand the budget a bit...

Thoughts? Concerns? Something I missed?

If I'm reading into this right, you have $2k to spend on 5 speakers and a sub and eventually will double up on the sub.

After reading the link from LTHD, you have to appreciate the reviewer's candor. I would be leery of the ELACs as well. On the flip, I have seen the positive reviews so it makes you wonder.

I like the suggestion of the HSU pkg...their CCB-8 might not leave a ton of room for a sub with 5 of them, but 4 and a sub is not bad and run it phantom for a while. The CCB8 is getting a lot of strong reviews from the pros.

 

[PENG]

Those look like very nice speakers and from the reviews I had time to read are worth looking into...thanks for the tip...

No real reason for anything I mentioned other than reviews that I have been reading the last couple days...the Yamaha looked to do everything I would be using it for...also it was the one recommended by our local HT installer and he does sell Onkyo, Denon as well...do you have another suggestion that I should be looking at?

I am open to suggestions...

The AVR-X3300W/X3400W or SR-6011 will be better alternatives than the RX-A770 because they have pre-outs for external amps, aside from being more powerful.

 

[lovinthehd]

Those look like very nice speakers and from the reviews I had time to read are worth looking into...thanks for the tip...

No real reason for anything I mentioned other than reviews that I have been reading the last couple days...the Yamaha looked to do everything I would be using it for...also it was the one recommended by our local HT installer and he does sell Onkyo, Denon as well...do you have another suggestion that I should be looking at?

I am open to suggestions...

Ascend makes good speakers, I have Sierra-1s, 170SE and 200SEs, plus are nice folk to deal with. I almost got the 340SE but some used Sierra-1s came up at the time. The 340SEs are relatively easy to drive with an avr, and you might consider their stands for placement. Where are you placing/mounting speakers? Do they need to be small and wall mounted or something?

I don't have any b&m stores to shop at (well a BB 45 miles away with no decent audio section), so usually look to the internet first anyways. I've never used an installer, prefer to do it myself; are you going to have one plug everything in, hide wires sort of thing and run some sort of measured acoustical setup for your gear?

I prefer Denon/Marantz myself for the better sub eq over YPAO, and a model with pre-outs as Peng suggested gives you amp flexibility should you end up with low impedance/low sensitivity speakers that you need a beefier amp down the line (altho I'd start with easier to drive/higher sensitivity speakers and just the avr and see if that suffices for your uses first).

 

[Pogre]

I've never used an installer, prefer to do it myself; are you going to have one plug everything in, hide wires sort of thing and run some sort of measured acoustical setup for your gear?

I've never used an installer either. I can't imagine what one would do so much better than I can, to justify the expense.

Setting everything up and installing it myself is also part of the fun for me. Plus there's no better way to get to know your system when you've handled each piece and ran all the interconnects yourself.

 

[slipperybidness]

Can't say what I've read about Elac would have me going that direction. Try this review http://noaudiophile.com/ELAC_UB5/

Personally I'd consider the Ascend Acoustics 340SEs across the front, 170SE or 200SEs for surrounds. $1170 approx either way shipped (may also be sales tax if you're in California?). Bundle it with a Rythmik LV12R perhaps (you can do that thru Ascend). Maybe a package from Hsu Research.

Why the Yamaha particularly? The Elac choice? Or DefTec speakers?

Oh man, if I were starting from scratch for a HT, I would be starting my search with those Coax Hsus!!!

 

[lovinthehd]

Oh man, if I were starting from scratch for a HT, I would be starting my search with those Coax Hsus!!!

They definitely look nice but the 5.0 set is 1728 plus 180 shipping and that is his budget for avr and sub as well pretty much....altho a combo of 3 CCB-8s across the front and HB-1 mk2's for surrounds would save some money...

 

[Bucknekked]

I am in the process of remodeling a room to use as a media room/home theater...

and 2 large windows on one of the short side walls...the other short side wall has a 6' x 7' opening...it is essentially a sunroom that we are converting.. and delete a few additional windows in the remodel but that would be a hard sale to the wife as she likes the view from those two windows...

tiggere
I will agree with most of the hardware recommendations listed so far. You say you are in the process of remodeling a room to use as a media room. Beyond the equipment, the room itself is one of the major players in how the finished product will sound. What are you doing to the room ?

My first and only thought was the windows. Folks who take this stuff to the next level almost always try and have no windows in their dedicated room(s). Your wife , the WAF factor, may heartily disagree with that. If I was to toss out just one suggestion (and remember it aint my dollars and it aint my room) I would look at taking care of those windows for the best quality room.

Many folks, me included, can't afford to do that, or, we'd become single unattached men again if we did that. But hey, you're remodeling so I can toss it out there.

 

[2channel lover]

They definitely look nice but the 5.0 set is 1728 plus 180 shipping and that is his budget for avr and sub as well pretty much....altho a combo of 3 CCB-8s across the front and HB-1 mk2's for surrounds would save some money...

There must be some really good things going on with the CCB-8s...everyone I know that has heard them or talked to someone that's heard them have spoken highly.

 

[shadyJ]

There must be some really good things going on with the CCB-8s...everyone I know that has heard them or talked to someone that's heard them have spoken highly.

They haven't received universally positive praise. Some people have found them to be very bright, which they are, on the direct axis, but they are intended to be listened to at a 15 degree angle toed inward. I suppose they are a little fussy about positioning, but once you get them in place, they are pretty stellar... but I am getting ahead of myself. Audioholics will be publishing a review of these soon with a full battery of measurements.

 

[2channel lover]

They haven't received universally positive praise. Some people have found them to be very bright, which they are, on the direct axis, but they are intended to be listened to at a 15 degree angle toed inward. I suppose they are a little fussy about positioning, but once you get them in place, they are pretty stellar... but I am getting ahead of myself. Audioholics will be publishing a review of these soon with a full battery of measurements.

I haven't heard them myself...I have read bright was a critique, not universal raving.

I'll be curious to hear what AH thinks of them.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The AVR-X3300W/X3400W or SR-6011 will be better alternatives than the RX-A770 because they have pre-outs for external amps, aside from being more powerful.

When will people ever learn that Denon/Marantz are better than everything else, especially when you can get it brand new for ~ 40% off?

Like Denon X3300 for ~ $550-$600.

GlocksRock and Audiosaur both just bought brand new authorized Denon X4300 for $750 shipped.

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/denon-x3300-599-amazon-july-2017.107954/#post-1201756

Call IQ Entertainment store and maybe they will sell you the Denon X3300 for $550 shipped, instead of $600.

 

[PENG]

GlocksRock and Audiosaur both just bought brand new authorized Denon X4300 for $750 shipped.

I bet they don't ship to Canada..

 

[tiggere]

Sorry for the slow response...work has been crazy...the room will have one side of the long wall windows completely removed (tv side) and all the other windows will be reduced in size and number...so I will go from 10 windows in the room to 4 and all will have their heights reduced as well...I do plan to add curtains (this is a highly debated topic with the wife as well...lol) and the room does have carpet...this wont by any stretch be a dedicated HT...it will be the "holy crap we want to watch the movie in here room"...

I am not hung up on Yamaha...like I said I went to our local HT store and this is what he recommended over all the others...I will take a look at the Denon/Marantz receivers...I will also only be running a 5.1 (second sub makes it 5.2?) setup for now so don't really need 7.1 but am trying to somewhat future proof my setup in case something changes down the road...

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I bet they don't ship to Canada..

Not for $750.

 

[tiggere]

So I just got the Denon X4300H AVR from IQ Home Entertainment...$749 shipped...the project has officially started !!

I am seriously leaning towards the CMT 340's, the 170's for surrounds, and adding the Rythmik LV12R sub...since i can get it all from the same supplier makes it that much easier...will only be one for now but if it is needed can always add another later...I am a little over budget now which just means I have to wait until Black Friday for my TV or catch a killer sale...

 

[tiggere]

Speakers ordered...CMT340 L/C/R and the HTM 200's for surrounds...got the LVX12 sub for the boom...AVR got here today...still have not even opened it up yet...now to get some speaker wire and banana plugs...

 

[tiggere]

Quick question...I bought the speaker wire yesterday and got monoprice's all copper 14awg wire...I plan to run it behind the built in up to the crown moulding (which will be 1" down from the ceiling essentially making a channel) and use the crown as a raceway around to the surround speaker...I will poke a hole in the sheetrock behind the crown and drop it down wall to the speaker...do I need to use CL2 wire for the 5 feet of cable that will be in the wall if the cable stays in the same room?...meaning the entire run needs to be CL2 rated?