I think I found a solution...

[TDubbs]

Reading these forums has been mindboggling.
I was ignorant as all get out. I haven't purchased any audio equipment for at least 10 yrs. My current receiver was rather decent at the time - surround, dobly digital, dvd input-6 sound modes - but thats about it, Kenwood 1080. After looking at the rear of newer receivers I knew I was in some serious trouble.
So to say I have learned enormous amounts of information is an understatement.


I needed a system that would complete the movie and music experience in a soon to be finished basement - drop ceiling 8' all around. South-west 15 x 15 corner of a 35 x 40 basement. I will be projecting 92" from a panny 900 using yamaha or denon avr (haven't decided yet). What to do about speakers???

You guys have helped a ton.

After researching for about a month I believe I have come up with a rather simple solution.

5 Polk RC80i's all around. (Will all five celings give me "consistent surround" for a "low" room?
or
2 wall RC85's for L/R and RC80 ceiling for center w/ 2 RC80's for surround.
If I go the later route will there be a difference in say "height level" of sound from a jet moving left to right along the L/C/R.

Thanks for you input.

T

 

[bryantm3]

well, those speakers only need 20-100 watts, so powering them won't be any problem. i've heard that the same speakers all around is a good option, but will you have to put the rear speakers 8' off the ground into the wall? cos with staging that might sound odd. but i'd wait for more advice, i'm a beginner like you.

 

[AVRat]

Option 2 may depend on the height of the 85s. Would an 85 for center be feasible for you?

 

[TDubbs]

Thanks for the replies.
A little more information might help.

The screen will be motorized and drop in front of a stone fireplace.
Thus I am unsure or what to do for a center. Ceiling is the easiest.
or
Make a mantle and set on on it. When the screen drops it will be at the bottom or right behind the bottom.

I don't think i could manage an 85 on the shelf, but what about putting it in the ceiling??

Thanks

 

[AVRat]

It sounds like the 85s will be high enough so that the 80 center will work fine.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

My own personal opinion is that Ive never been real fond of ceiling speakers...I dont mind them for the rears so much but I dont like them at all for the fronts....It's abit of a tricky situation with your circumstances...I'd look to explore every option to avoid putting your fronts in the ceiling....

Can you buy a pair of towers/bookshelfs to set to the l/r of the fireplace? And is there anyway for you to mount a center down from the ceiling on an angled support? I'd even consider doing the same with the l/r's if you can do it and it looks ok cosmetically. Will the wife approve? I just think you'll lose alot with the fronts in the ceiling...

Is this going to be you're regular daily tv viewing area as well? Or is it just more for the once/twice a week movie time? If its the latter, would you consider two towers and a center on a stand that you can just move into its proper position during movie night?


It's all about getting the most out of your entertainment time and we all know what a difference properly setup sound/video can make....explore every option.

 

[TDubbs]

Thanks for the replies

I could angle them down.
If i do this I was thinking the Polk 6900 system all around.

I also thought about having standup fronts built into cabinets.
The center would be built into the stone fireplace w/ a removable "rock".
When watching tv the rock can be taken out, exposing the speaker.
The screen can drop to just above or just over this speaker.

Do these scenarios sound any better than the In-wall-ceiling mounts?

T

 

[Resident Loser]

Consider this a reply...

...from a disinterested third-party...I'm not fond of HT for any number of reasons, but...

In-ceiling speakers always smacked of Muzak-type sound...diffuse...omni-present and pervasive...Now if that's what your looking for with music...well OK, a nice sorta' bathed-in-sound kinda' deal is cool, but...I think for HT you are really gonna' wanna' have some directionality, particularly with the center channel...it can be psychologically disturbing to see an image at a fixed point and having disembodied voices, etc. come at you from, at best, another direction, at worst, no particular direction...it really is a symbiotic relationship...And with just music, you can say goodbye to any sort of soundstage, again that doesn't mean it can't be a pleasant experience, but it'll just sorta' be there...

Since you are in construction mode, have you considered in-wall units?

jimHJJ(...just my two cents, FWIW...)

 

[jcPanny]

Center channel

Many screen manufacturers offer acoustically trasparent projector screens. This may give you some extra flexibility for placement of the center channel and mains. You do not want to position the center channel behind a regular screen because it will effect the frequency response of the speaker.

 

[ricocetj]

I agree with jcPanny that an acoustically transparent screen may be a good option for you. If you'd like to read a good discussion of the different options available to you if you decide to go this route, there is one here.

 

[Daz3d&Confus3d]

Removable rock???

Thanks for the replies

I could angle them down.
If i do this I was thinking the Polk 6900 system all around.

I also thought about having standup fronts built into cabinets.
The center would be built into the stone fireplace w/ a removable "rock".
When watching tv the rock can be taken out, exposing the speaker.
The screen can drop to just above or just over this speaker.

Do these scenarios sound any better than the In-wall-ceiling mounts?

T

"A removable ROCK?"....anyone willing to go to that extreme has my vote!...lol! Be sure to post pics for us.

All jesting aside....I like the fact that you really are considering every option and I'm glad to see others have chimed in about ceiling speakers....I just think that you can find at least two viable alternatives to ceiling speakers and you can pick the better one. Just remember that you'll want to stick with the same speaker line to match the timbre on those fronts, so whether you go with towers or bookshelves for your l/r be sure to use the matching center channel as well....you could potentially use two in wall l/r fronts and match them alright with a center on a shelf (behind a rock) but also remember that in wall speakers never sound (unless their quite expensive) as good as a speaker housed in a good cabinet bookshelf or tower.

Brainstorm abit how you might place your center channel and that well lead to an easy solution on your l/r's. And the ceilings may not be bad for your rears...

 

[TDubbs]

Daz3d,
How do you like your Klipsch?
Is your center channel clear and adequate?

T