Passing the wife test.....

[TheRealOC]

Evening all,

Hopefully some of you might remember my previous posts detailing the journey of the 7.4.4 living-room setup. ("Please critique my setup!") ("Made a pretty stupid mistake in the home theatre setup") ("Placement of rear speakers") I'd hoped that choosing only in-wall speakers and painting the speaker grilles the same colour as the walls would help me pass the wife test, but I got tripped up at the final hurdle, and am reaching out for some advice and suggestions.

Before anyone suggests divorce, I can actually see her point - the challenge lies in the placement of the side surround speakers. Currently, the cable for this speaker exits the wall uncomfortably close to a tall, vertical window. The design of the speaker I initially chose, the CP-WT260, is quite similar to the window's orientation (tall and rectangular). This proximity creates a bit of an aesthetic clash.

Here are the specs for the CP-WT260, to give you a sense of what I was initially working with:

Frequency Response: 65 Hz – 25 kHz
Power Handling (RMS): 65 W
2-Way: 6" C-CAM cone bass driver & 1" C-CAM pivoting Gold Dome tweeter
Overall Dimensions (H x W x D): 415 x 262.5 mm
Mounting Depth: 96 mm
Weight: 3.31 kg
Construction Material: Mineral Filled ABS Plastic


Given this, I'm looking for alternatives that:

* Offer a comparable sound profile to the CP-WT260, although I'm obviously willing to compromise on this (Could be worse, it could be front LCRs....)
* Have a design that would either blend better with the proximity to the window, or could be placed in a slightly different location without compromising the sound field too much
* Budget is somewhat flexible but would appreciate some options from a range of price tiers. Interested to know if anyone has faced a similar issue or has recommendations based on these constraints - for example, maybe there's some compact on-wall speakers, or ones with a grille that can be customised to make them almost invisible? (just throwing out ideas here)

Feedback and help is much appreciated, many thanks as always

 

[TLS Guy]

Evening all,

Hopefully some of you might remember my previous posts detailing the journey of the 7.4.4 living-room setup. ("Please critique my setup!") ("Made a pretty stupid mistake in the home theatre setup") ("Placement of rear speakers") I'd hoped that choosing only in-wall speakers and painting the speaker grilles the same colour as the walls would help me pass the wife test, but I got tripped up at the final hurdle, and am reaching out for some advice and suggestions.

Before anyone suggests divorce, I can actually see her point - the challenge lies in the placement of the side surround speakers. Currently, the cable for this speaker exits the wall uncomfortably close to a tall, vertical window. The design of the speaker I initially chose, the CP-WT260, is quite similar to the window's orientation (tall and rectangular). This proximity creates a bit of an aesthetic clash.

View attachment 63722View attachment 63723


Here are the specs for the CP-WT260, to give you a sense of what I was initially working with:

Frequency Response: 65 Hz – 25 kHz
Power Handling (RMS): 65 W
2-Way: 6" C-CAM cone bass driver & 1" C-CAM pivoting Gold Dome tweeter
Overall Dimensions (H x W x D): 415 x 262.5 mm
Mounting Depth: 96 mm
Weight: 3.31 kg
Construction Material: Mineral Filled ABS Plastic


Given this, I'm looking for alternatives that:

* Offer a comparable sound profile to the CP-WT260, although I'm obviously willing to compromise on this (Could be worse, it could be front LCRs....)
* Have a design that would either blend better with the proximity to the window, or could be placed in a slightly different location without compromising the sound field too much
* Budget is somewhat flexible but would appreciate some options from a range of price tiers. Interested to know if anyone has faced a similar issue or has recommendations based on these constraints - for example, maybe there's some compact on-wall speakers, or ones with a grille that can be customised to make them almost invisible? (just throwing out ideas here)

Feedback and help is much appreciated, many thanks as always

It will look bad that close to the window.

Move it to the left, it won't matter, especially if you can move the speaker opposite that one.

 

[TheRealOC]

Just had a thought... tell me if this is crazy

What if, instead of fixed in-wall side surrounds, I used wall plates with speaker binding posts at the initially intended positions? So when we want to use the full 7.4.4 setup, I could bring in a pair of portable stand-mounted side surround speakers. And when they're not in use, the speakers could be stored away.

It's a balance between maintaining the 7.4.4 soundstage and getting the aesthetics right. What do you guys think? Any potential pitfalls or recommendations on portable side surrounds that would work well for this? I think the terminal would look something like the picture below. It would be at about shoulder height on the wall, but would be much less conspicuous than the in-wall speaker.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Here’s an example of what it might look like in your room. My compromise for going from 7.3 to 7.3.4 in our living room was in wall side surrounds. The other part was, NO, it won’t go anywhere else. I pay the mortgage too lol. Right side surround is mounted in a 12’ tall pillar that I purpose built for housing a speaker, and the light switches for the kitchen and LR. Everyone has their limits and only you know hers. And yours for that matter.
Point was just to show what a speaker next to a window looks like. To me it’s not horrible, and I don’t even notice them, but I don’t really care either. My old sides were 40lb JBL monitors!

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Also, for me I would not want to deal with hauling speakers in and out to use the system.
PITA.

 

[TLS Guy]

Here’s an example of what it might look like in your room. My compromise for going from 7.3 to 7.3.4 in our living room was in wall side surrounds. The other part was, NO, it won’t go anywhere else. I pay the mortgage too lol. Right side surround is mounted in a 12’ tall pillar that I purpose built for housing a speaker, and the light switches for the kitchen and LR. Everyone has their limits and only you know hers. And yours for that matter.
Point was just to show what a speaker next to a window looks like. To me it’s not horrible, and I don’t even notice them, but I don’t really care either. My old sides were 40lb JBL monitors!

That is a terrible idea. My advice is to move the speakers as I suggested, or forget the side surrounds.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

It will look bad that close to the window.

Move it to the left, it won't matter, especially if you can move the speaker opposite that one.

Move it to left, it won’t matter…..brilliant.

 

[isolar8001]

Here’s an example of what it might look like in your room. My compromise for going from 7.3 to 7.3.4 in our living room was in wall side surrounds. The other part was, NO, it won’t go anywhere else. I pay the mortgage too lol. Right side surround is mounted in a 12’ tall pillar that I purpose built for housing a speaker, and the light switches for the kitchen and LR. Everyone has their limits and only you know hers. And yours for that matter.
Point was just to show what a speaker next to a window looks like. To me it’s not horrible, and I don’t even notice them, but I don’t really care either. My old sides were 40lb JBL monitors!

That bird is too big for that cage...he cant be comfortable.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

That bird is too big for that cage...he cant be comfortable.

lol. Yes. But it passes WAF.

 

[lovinthehd]

Here’s an example of what it might look like in your room. My compromise for going from 7.3 to 7.3.4 in our living room was in wall side surrounds. The other part was, NO, it won’t go anywhere else. I pay the mortgage too lol. Right side surround is mounted in a 12’ tall pillar that I purpose built for housing a speaker, and the light switches for the kitchen and LR. Everyone has their limits and only you know hers. And yours for that matter.
Point was just to show what a speaker next to a window looks like. To me it’s not horrible, and I don’t even notice them, but I don’t really care either. My old sides were 40lb JBL monitors!

I am the last person to accommodate waf (as I have never been married let alone give up my audio stuff for most wives' ideas about home decor), but seems if you do use that cover for the wall plate you could decorate it perhaps to help out. I might also want to move it to a better place considering that window....

I'd also find it annoying to haul speakers out just for particular use cases, but maybe that works for you. You don't have to move the three subs in/out might be a small victory, tho.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I am the last person to accommodate waf (as I have never been married let alone give up my audio stuff for most wives' ideas about home decor), but seems if you do use that cover for the wall plate you could decorate it perhaps to help out. I might also want to move it to a better place considering that window....

I'd also find it annoying to haul speakers out just for particular use cases, but maybe that works for you. You don't have to move the three subs in/out might be a small victory, tho.

Seems you might be posting to the OP and myself. The pic I posted was my left side surround. It ain’t movin… the op still can move his. I think WAF is stupid, and if the best place for the speaker is next to a window, so be it. You know, compromises and such. Why does the husband have to bend to the wife’s will. Should be fair on both sides. If my side speakers are ugly to someone, I don’t give a Fukk. In the context of my whole house, you wouldn’t even notice.
Yes moving three subs would be a major PITA. Thank god I don’t have to. In fact, my friend just tried giving me a pair of lilmike tapped horns. I measured and measured and just can’t make them work. Too bad. They’re complete with drivers and amp.

 

[lovinthehd]

Seems you might be posting to the OP and myself. The pic I posted was my left side surround. It ain’t movin… the op still can move his. I think WAF is stupid, and if the best place for the speaker is next to a window, so be it. You know, compromises and such. Why does the husband have to bend to the wife’s will. Should be fair on both sides. If my side speakers are ugly to someone, I don’t give a Fukk. In the context of my whole house, you wouldn’t even notice.

Nah, just the OP's case. I think I know how you view it generally Most men considering that the wife has better taste in the home....meh.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Nah, just the OP's case. I think I know how you view it generally Most men considering that the wife has better taste in the home....meh.

lol. Right?!?
You should read my edit above about the free lilmike f20’s I turned down. DAMN IT!!!!!

 

[Wardog555]

There's nothing wrong with the original plan.

The issue here is the wife. Is she hates home theater and how its done. Tell her to go somewhere else.

 

[TLS Guy]

Nah, just the OP's case. I think I know how you view it generally Most men considering that the wife has better taste in the home....meh.

A home has to be a space that you both enjoy living in.

 

[TLS Guy]

There's nothing wrong with the original plan.

The issue here is the wife. Is she hates home theater and how its done. Tell her to go somewhere else.

I hope your income and bank account can support your alimony payments.

 

[cpp]

The issue here is the wife. Is she hates home theater and how its done. Tell her to go somewhere else.

Big freaking talk. , You tell her to go somewhere else and you then find out how much poop you will lose during a divorce and how much you pay.

 

[DigitalDawn]

It sounds like Triad would be a great match for you. The company will paint match the speaker to your wall color for free, and feature in-wall speakers with low-profile, magnetic grills.

 

[Mr._Clark]

Just had a thought... tell me if this is crazy

What if, instead of fixed in-wall side surrounds, I used wall plates with speaker binding posts at the initially intended positions? So when we want to use the full 7.4.4 setup, I could bring in a pair of portable stand-mounted side surround speakers. And when they're not in use, the speakers could be stored away.

It's a balance between maintaining the 7.4.4 soundstage and getting the aesthetics right. What do you guys think? Any potential pitfalls or recommendations on portable side surrounds that would work well for this? I think the terminal would look something like the picture below. It would be at about shoulder height on the wall, but would be much less conspicuous than the in-wall speaker.

My suggestion is to store the wife away when she's not in use.

Actually, for me, moving speakers back and forth would be too much hassle. I'm also not wild about stands for various reasons. However, that's just me. I imagine it might work for some people.

 

[Eppie]

@TheRealOC I'm with the Doc. Move them back a little. Side surrounds are typically a little behind the seating position so you won't loose anything. From what I remember from the room they should still fall within the Dolby guidelines for placement. Too close to the window will look out of place but I hope that you have paintable grills. I have in-walls in my living room and they have a fine metal mesh grill that is paintable. The new centre speaker I purchased from Paradigm, in particular, has a finer mesh and it practically disappears into the wall. The only part that stands out is the vertical edge opposite the window (the left edge in your case). The grill is thin but there is a small shadow from the one edge. If I remember later I'll try and post a photo.

The fine mesh was little tricky to paint. You can use a spray can if you can match the colour but I used a small craft brush with stiff bristles and the same latex paint that I used on the wall. I kept the brush fairly dry and dabbed the paint, like stippling. Too much paint on the brush and the tiny holes will get filled and blocked. If any holes get blocked dab with the brush in other areas until the brush is more dry and then go over the blocked holes to remove the excess paint.

I would not opt for speaker plates and speakers on stands. For one, the speaker terminal plates will look worse than a painted grill that matches the wall colour. Second, moving the speakers back and forth will get annoying rather quickly. You will get more enjoyment when the system is convenient to use.