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RedCharles

Full Audioholic
I used to run DT 600s. Steady pressure over time can break down WAF. It took two years, but I got some decent speakers out of my office and into the living room.

First I set up an IR repeater, then I put everything under the stairs.

Then I tested two configurations. First was SVS Ultra LCR, and SB 2000s. But it just wasn't working the way I wanted, so I pulled the makeshift stand and center channel, and then lowered the TV down to eye level.

Phantom center is not bad, but it is slightly inferior in some scenes and listening to positions to LCR, but in some cases it actually sounds better. I could put another Ultra bookshelf under the TV, but it would be on the floor.
IMG_20191119_222845.jpg


My wife still wants a coffee table/entertainment center to fill the space. At 15 inches tall, I figure I'm going to have build one. I've considered putting in a space for a vertical center, but I think it might look nuts. Any other ideas?

And I'm definitely going to add a rug.
 
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shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I used to run DT 600s. Steady pressure over time can break down WAF. It took two years, but I got some decent speakers out of my office and into the living room.

First I set up an IR repeater, then I put everything under the stairs.

Then I tested two configurations. First was SVS Ultra LCR, and SB 2000s. But it just wasn't working the way I wanted, so I pulled the makeshift stand and center channel, and then lowered the TV down to eye level.

Phantom center is not bad, but it is slightly inferior in some scenes and listening to positions to LCR, but in some cases it actually sounds better. I could put another Ultra bookshelf under the TV, but it would be on the floor.View attachment 32321

My wife still wants a coffee table/entertainment center to fill the space. At 15 inches tall, I figure I'm going to have build one. I've considered putting in a space for a vertical center, but I think it might look nuts. Any other ideas?

And I'm definitely going to add a rug.
What about using a third SVS Ultra booshelf speaker as a center. Have it below the TV angled upright, and build two narrower entertainment shelves to the sides of it.
 
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RedCharles

Full Audioholic
I'm afraid it might look weird. Ever seen anyone do that?
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Weird right?
Looks good poges. Thanks for puttin that you.
 
Truthslayer

Truthslayer

Full Audioholic
My wife still wants a coffee table/entertainment center to fill the space. At 15 inches tall, I figure I'm going to have build one. I've considered putting in a space for a vertical center, but I think it might look nuts. Any other ideas?

And I'm definitely going to add a rug.
That's why sometimes, it's cheaper and more fun, in the long run just to get rid of the wife. o_O :D
 
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RedCharles

Full Audioholic
Chopped up some ikea furniture. Made it five inches shorter and two inches narrower. Cut out the middle drawer, add a shelf. SVS Ultra just fits.

I listened a lot to phantom center vs real center, and even in a small room with the left and right being seven feet apart, a real center is superior. Some soundtracks do not reveal a large difference, but some do.

I put in a rug, and it wasn't worth it. Could not detect much difference at all. On other forums, many posters were very positive about old hardwood floors.

Adding toe in for critical music listening improved the sound dramatically. I thought that the degradation in sound quality was due to carpet vs hardwood, but in reality it was due to the angle of the speakers.

And it still does not sound as good as it did, but it's close enough.
 

Attachments

Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Nice, tho I still see some opportunity with your speaker placement. I'd pull them forward so they're at least even with the front edge of the sub and cabinet. Maybe toe in a little more too. Looks nice tho! I can see you're putting some honest effort into this!
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Nice, tho I still see some opportunity with your speaker placement. I'd pull them forward so they're at least even with the front edge of the sub and cabinet. Maybe toe in a little more too. Looks nice tho! I can see you're putting some honest effort into this!
I’d get the center up off the floor too.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
I’d get the center up off the floor too.
I didn't even see it all shrouded in shadow!


Yes, absolutely. If you think the center is superior the way you have it now wait til you hear it the way it's meant to be heard. You gotta raise that thing up, or at the very least angle it up so the tweeter is aimed at your head. Ideally the level of the tweeter should be at the same level as your ears.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
I didn't even see it all shrouded in shadow!


Yes, absolutely. If you think the center is superior the way you have it now wait til you hear it the way it's meant to be heard. You gotta raise that thing up, or at the very least angle it up so the tweeter is aimed at your head. Ideally the level of the tweeter should be at the same level as your ears.
Absolutely. I’d put the tv on a riser(if necessary) and get that CC up there. All the way to the front.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
Absolutely. I’d put the tv on a riser(if necessary) and get that CC up there. All the way to the front.
Not only did I not see it at first, but is that another bookshelf in there?! If he's stuck with it on the floor I think flipping it upside down and angling it up would help, but there are more issues than how high it sits. Not good to stick speakers in cubbies in general. Especially rear ported speakers.
 
William Lemmerhirt

William Lemmerhirt

Audioholic Overlord
Not only did I not see it at first, but is that another bookshelf in there?! If he's stuck with it on the floor I think flipping it upside down and angling it up would help, but there are more issues than how high it sits. Not good to stick speakers in cubbies in general. Especially rear ported speakers.
Yes. Angling up would be a good plan B. And maybe stuff some accustuff or something in there if it has to stay. I imagine it sounds like speaking into a box.
Definitely come a long ways though! Looks good, and I like the closet.
 
Shanman

Shanman

Audioholic
I get the title, but my main takeaway to many of the challenges here seem to be coming from the low mounted TV. Why not get that thing a bit higher up on the wall? Looking at the first pic and the outlet on the wall slightly obscured, we're looking at the bottom of the TV maybe 18" off the floor? Obviously your limitations are width within your space, but why not open things up a bit more vertically? Mount that that TV higher on a wall mount and that center SVS on top of the iKea hack and it will likely be much better overall.
 
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RedCharles

Full Audioholic
Too dangerous to pull the speakers forward; it's a high traffic area. I do pull them forward for critical listening, but that's pretty rare lately.

I may tilt the center up as a future upgrade, but that would involve more woodwork than I want right now. I was worried the sound stage would be narrow, but the dialogue sounds like its coming from the TV rather than the floor.

And it is more important to me to keep the TV at eye level than get the center at ear level. I'm not into the first row theater experience.
 
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snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
Looks like a studio monitor isolation pad would fit and then you could at least angle the center speaker upward a bit. (Foam wedge basically)

They have them on Amazon.
 
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RedCharles

Full Audioholic
Fit is too tight for foam. Got maybe a half inch of vertical clearance. And I'm satisfied with how it sounds for now.

Thanks for the replies.
 
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