Complete rookie looking for help in choosing a 3.1 setup for a very open living room

[Yogart]

Everyone I've talked to about shopping for a home theater system has pointed me here for recommendations, so I'm hoping to get some assistance! After browsing the forums a little bit, I can tell you guys know substantially more than I do in this space.

I'm looking to piece together a 3.1 setup with the front speakers mounted around the TV, but I've been warned that with our living room being so open that I might have trouble getting great acoustics.


Pictures of living room (wiring is a work in progress): Living Room - Imgur

If you stand at the back door and look forward, it's super open leading to the kitchen / dining area so there basically isn't a closing wall around the living room at all.


On the subwoofer front I was told that the BIC F12 would be a solid piece, but that's really all I have in terms of what I'm looking at.

As far as a budget goes... keeping it around $700 would be awesome, but if a few hundred more dollars would make a big quality difference in what components I can get... I wouldn't be against it!

 

[theJman]

Speakers will be an issue, but subwoofers will be a problem...

Because of where your TV is I think the only thing you'll be able to use are wall mounted speakers. Anything other than that and you're probably going to hear the sounds emanating from an area different then the picture is coming from, which would total destroy the experience.

Suwboofers (yes, that's plural, because a small single is probably going to struggle) will more than likely push you over the projected budget. Unlike speakers, which can be somewhat undersized provided you aim them directly at the listeners, a subwoofer will "see" the entire volume of space and try to fill it. Get one that isn't up to the task and you'll have lousy and/or weak bass, along with a shortened amp life because it was being pushed too hard. You could always try a single F12 to see what it can do, and then get a 2nd one when the funds allow. Another potential option is to start with a pair of Dayton SUB-1200's.

 

[Irishman]

Everyone I've talked to about shopping for a home theater system has pointed me here for recommendations, so I'm hoping to get some assistance! After browsing the forums a little bit, I can tell you guys know substantially more than I do in this space.

I'm looking to piece together a 3.1 setup with the front speakers mounted around the TV, but I've been warned that with our living room being so open that I might have trouble getting great acoustics.


Pictures of living room (wiring is a work in progress): Living Room - Imgur

If you stand at the back door and look forward, it's super open leading to the kitchen / dining area so there basically isn't a closing wall around the living room at all.


On the subwoofer front I was told that the BIC F12 would be a solid piece, but that's really all I have in terms of what I'm looking at.

As far as a budget goes... keeping it around $700 would be awesome, but if a few hundred more dollars would make a big quality difference in what components I can get... I wouldn't be against it!

Are you open to running speaker wire through the walls for your setup, or will you be installing cable covers to paint over to match the wall color? Either option will modify your budget and lessen that which can be allocated for speakers.

Further, do you have an AV receiver to connect everything through?

 

[Mike Mizerk]

And if you haven't picked a avr yet what will you be hooking up to it just tv dvd etc

 

[sgtjim]

I see you have a Husky. Did you vacum before you took the pics? ( I also have a Husky and just finished sucking all of her loose hair off my floor, but I still love her)

By the way, huge room, it's going to take a lot of "energy" to fill it to movie theater levels. However, I personally don't care for movie theater volumes or all the nonsense that also occurs to annoy a customer.