Suggestions on AV setup

[scorpious]

Hello all,

I need your guidance on the home theater setup i would like to have.

I currently have a pair of b&w 803 speakers, a preamp (no hdmi) & amp. I plan to use these B&W fronts with a sonos arc ultra, a pair of SVS sub, and a pair of sonos(not sure which) for rears. I would like to use a wireless speaker setup with the B&Ws

The living room is 30x23 ceilings are 24. Glass wall on one side, open on the other 2 sides to the rest of the house. So not much wall space. Few power outlets on the floor to connect rear speakers and subs.

My family and I usually watch movies through the inbuilt apps on the TV sony A95L(yet to arrive) upgrading from an old pioneer 500M. So all of the audio source will be from the TV. How can I setup such that I can setup a surround sound system with Dolby atmos?

Thank you

Ashish

 

[everettT]

Hello all,

I need your guidance on the home theater setup i would like to have.

I currently have a pair of b&w 803 speakers, a preamp (no hdmi) & amp. I plan to use these B&W fronts with a sonos arc ultra, a pair of SVS sub, and a pair of sonos(not sure which) for rears. I would like to use a wireless speaker setup with the B&Ws

The living room is 30x23 ceilings are 24. Glass wall on one side, open on the other 2 sides to the rest of the house. So not much wall space. Few power outlets on the floor to connect rear speakers and subs.

My family and I usually watch movies through the inbuilt apps on the TV sony A95L(yet to arrive) upgrading from an old pioneer 500M. So all of the audio source will be from the TV. How can I setup such that I can setup a surround sound system with Dolby atmos?

Thank you

Ashish

I'd personally hire a custom installer if you're looking for ATMOS in that large of a room and even going with the bed layer surround, wireless is still sketchy. How far from the display do you sit and what country are you in?

 

[scorpious]

Hello from Mukilteo, WA!!.

I could skip atmos, if it's going to complicate the setup. But a multi channel surround is something at least i would like to incorporate without solely having to rely on the soundbar. The new 77in TV is temp, until i can get a bigger one. We usually sit 15ft from the current 50in. Yes wireless is still making it's way around, but it something i can make do without having to make holes in the floors.

Ashish

 

[everettT]

Hello from Mukilteo, WA!!.

I could skip atmos, if it's going to complicate the setup. But a multi channel surround is something at least i would like to incorporate without solely having to rely on the soundbar. The new 77in TV is temp, until i can get a bigger one. We usually sit 15ft from the current 50in. Yes wireless is still making it's way around, but it something i can make do without having to make holes in the floors.

Ashish

I'd focus on the front three channels to start and go from there. A custom installer will probably see the best options for surround sound, including height channels that you may not. You have a very large space and capable LCR and subs will be the most beneficial to your experience, especially given the room information you have provided.

 

[scorpious]

Thank you so much, any suggestions on a local installer in seattle, WA?

 

[everettT]

Thank you so much, any suggestions on a local installer in seattle, WA?

Moderna Digital has a good reputation.

 

[scorpious]

Thank you

 

[Golfx]

Thank you

Often times installers have preferred brands they like to install—some of these options are good options and others have custom DIY like speakers that have marginal performance. You can come back here after you get a quote to see how his recommended options sit with this forum.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Often times installers have preferred brands they like to install—some of these options are good options and others have custom DIY like speakers that have marginal performance. You can come back here after you get a quote to see how his recommended options sit with this forum.

This is also good advice.

 

[Wardog555]

You can start by sitting alot closer to the screen.
This is a subject I've done extensive research on and I can assure you this. Do not sit beyond 10 feet without the appropriate sized screen.
I kid you not. Being closer is a make or break your enjoyment type of situation.

Only after that then I can discuss speaker placements futher.

 

[scorpious]

I completely understand your perspective. Unfortunately, sitting closer than 10 feet isn’t going to work out. Attached is a picture showing the current setup with a 50-inch screen. To improve the viewing experience, I plan to upgrade to a 98-inch G4 or whatever newer model is available. For now, I’ve purchased a 77-inch TV as a temporary replacement for the Pioneer.

I’m also considering settling for a 2.1 system and adding an SVS subwoofer. However, if I need a center channel, I’m not sure what to choose—I’d prefer something wall-mounted under the TV.

So far, we haven’t been able to fully enjoy movie audio. The current setup—using the PS4’s optical output into the preamp to feed the amp connected to the B&W 803s—has been great for music, but not ideal for movies. The biggest issue is that when the volume is adjusted for vocal clarity, action scenes become overwhelmingly loud, forcing us to constantly adjust the volume.

I don’t currently have an AV receiver in the setup, so I ordered a Marantz Cinema 30 to enhance the surround sound. However, I’m wondering if it might be overkill for what I need—something smaller might suffice to improve surround sound and audio clarity.

 

[Naku]

"However, I’m wondering if it might be overkill for what I need"
With a room that big, unlikely anything is overkill. That's a beautiful room. Nothing is impossible, but far from ideal to serve as a lounge area and home theater. I'm gonna keep an eye out on this to see what people suggest. If it were me, I'd keep this space a lounge with 2.2 audio and use a different room for home theater.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I completely understand your perspective. Unfortunately, sitting closer than 10 feet isn’t going to work out. Attached is a picture showing the current setup with a 50-inch screen. To improve the viewing experience, I plan to upgrade to a 98-inch G4 or whatever newer model is available. For now, I’ve purchased a 77-inch TV as a temporary replacement for the Pioneer.

I’m also considering settling for a 2.1 system and adding an SVS subwoofer. However, if I need a center channel, I’m not sure what to choose—I’d prefer something wall-mounted under the TV.

So far, we haven’t been able to fully enjoy movie audio. The current setup—using the PS4’s optical output into the preamp to feed the amp connected to the B&W 803s—has been great for music, but not ideal for movies. The biggest issue is that when the volume is adjusted for vocal clarity, action scenes become overwhelmingly loud, forcing us to constantly adjust the volume.

I don’t currently have an AV receiver in the setup, so I ordered a Marantz Cinema 30 to enhance the surround sound. However, I’m wondering if it might be overkill for what I need—something smaller might suffice to improve surround sound and audio clarity.

There’s a lot going on in there. Very beautiful room. Believe it or not, what I noticed very quickly was the Yamaha pro amp. Picture is not clear, but it looks exactly like my P2500s. I use it on my mains. Great amp.

 

[scorpious]

Thank you!.. exactly yes that's a Yamaha p2500s and a parasound preamp.

 

[scorpious]

We’ve given a lot of thought to creating a dedicated home theater, but over the last 10 years, we’ve never felt the need to use a separate space solely for movie watching. The lounge has always been our go-to area for movies, but this means I’ve had to make compromises with the audio setup. At most, I can add a pair of small bookshelf speakers for the rear channels. There aren't any walls for me to add hidden wall speakers.

I’m considering whether a soundbar like the Samsung HW-Q990D could work alongside the B&Ws, but I’m aware that investing in standalone speakers would likely offer better value and performance than a "home theater in a box" solution.

 

[scorpious]

Here’s the update: I’ve finally set everything up, and for now, it’s running as a 2-channel system.

The setup is as follows:
- **eARC** (hdmi 3) from the Sony A95L is connected to the Marantz Cinema 30 (earc hdmi).
- The B&Ws are connected to the Marantz 30 rca line out via the amp/preamp set
- Apple TV is also connected to the Marantz 30.
- The TV's speaker settings are configured to use the external audio system.

I’ve ordered an SVS Ultra 17 subwoofer and am considering adding four surround speakers (though I haven’t decided on the specific ones yet). 2 front height, 2 rear height

For the center channel, I plan to connect the RCA preamp center channel line-out from the Marantz 30 to the TV's speaker terminals using the following product: [Link](https://a.co/d/6vapNeZ).
What are your thoughts on this approach?

Since I’ll be using the preamp out from the Marantz, would it be safe to connect it this way, considering it’s not a high-wattage output like the speaker terminals?

I don’t have room to add a dedicated center channel speaker, so I’d like to use the TV for center channel audio. The only other option I have is to add two front height speakers, which would be mounted approximately 10 feet above the floor, positioned above the TV and angled toward the listening area.

Let me know your thoughts!

Regards,
Ashish

 

[Golfx]

Is there a reason other than money you want to use you TV sound for a center channel? It will be like to tiny noisy radio compared to you LR speakers.

Your best bet is to get the “same” speaker you use for your LR speakers for your center and if not the same then a matched B&W center.

 

[scorpious]

Center channel placement is not ideal from aesthetics perspective.

 

[Golfx]

Center channel placement is not ideal from aesthetics perspective.

Any disruption in aesthetics will disappear with familiarity after a couple of weeks. I would figure out a way to add a real speaker for center channel use.

 

[everettT]

Any disruption in aesthetics will disappear with familiarity after a couple of weeks. I would figure out a way to add a real speaker for center channel use.

Or very capable mains of doing a a phantom center. I've been considering a center channel to add to my latest 2.2 setup but haven't found a good reason just yet. I'd have the add the Philharmonic HT center to get the closest to the sound of my mains and it's an excellent value.