Looking to buy 2.1 system for my living room.

[Mkilbride]

Dynamic compression is only for nighttime listening. Otherwise it just neuters the peaks in movie soundtracks. I would turn it OFF for best fidelity.

Ah ok, I use it on my PC, because with it, I can hear the lows far better, like footsteps and whatnot, in high volume scenes and such.

And I can move it more to the left, I suppose, but wouldn't that put it more out of the room? I could move the entire thing over another foot, the TV, ect and whatnot, to give more room to the left, but I heard that Staircase was not good for my setup.

As for the Subwoofer, anything wrong with it's placement?

I put it @ -4dB also. That seemingly removed most of the "BOOM BOOM BOOM" bass and made the low frequency sounds more clear and crisp and left just enough bass to make "Thump"


So far with the addition of the Subwoofer, Speakers set to small, ect, voices sound abit better and thinks blend more.

Voices aren't as clear as I'd like them and it makes me consider getting a center channel, but I feel that'd be weird with a non-surround setup. Not sure.

 

[jonnythan]

Just adjust it how you want and run the calibration when you get the 1712. Boomy bass is often the result of a room mode and Audyssey should smooth that out. It'll also set the level and properly, which you can't really do by ear.

BTW, before running Audyssey you want to set your sub volume at about 25% and the phase to 0.

I also strongly suggest you get a center. Phantom center works fine if you sit in the prime listening position only, but as soon as you move off to one side a bit one speaker begins to overpower the other. A center anchors the sound to the screen.

 

[zieglj01]

And I can move it more to the left, I suppose, but wouldn't that put it more out of the room? I could move the entire thing over another foot, the TV, ect and whatnot, to give more room to the left, but I heard that Staircase was not good for my setup.

As for the Subwoofer, anything wrong with it's placement?

So far with the addition of the Subwoofer, Speakers set to small, ect, voices sound abit better and thinks blend more.

Voices aren't as clear as I'd like them and it makes me consider getting a center channel, but I feel that'd be weird with a non-surround setup. Not sure.

Not talking about shifting everything left, Just try to move the left speaker
6 to 8 inches to the left if you can. Voices can also bounce off the cabinet
and TV, and it will effect some of the blending of music and voices. That
is why it is reccomended, that the speakers do not sit back of the cabinet.
Can you slide the cabinet back? I would get a center channel, a 3.1 system
can be really nice.

 

[Mkilbride]

Boston Acoustics CS225C Cherry (Ea) Classic Series center channel speaker, In Stock at OneCall.com

or

BOSTON ACOUSTICS A225C 2-Way Center Channel Speaker Black | Accessories4less

(Basically an updated version, not sure of the differences), but only 20$ more)

A-225-C

Power rating: 15 - 175W
Impedance: 8 ohms
Tweeter: 1" Kortec soft dome
Woofer: dual 5.25"
Sensitivity: 89dB SPL/28V/m
Crossover frequency: 2.6kHz
Frequency response: 65Hz - 25kHz

CS-225-C

Recommended Amplifier: 15 – 175 watts

Sensitivity: 89dB [SPL/2.8V at 1m]

Nominal Impedance: 8 ohms

Crossover Frequency: 2,400Hz

Woofers: Dual 51/4" (133mm) DCD Graphite injected polymer woofer

High-Frequency Driver: 1" (25mm) Kortec Soft Dome

Would this be good for a center? The only place I can think of putting it would be...on the stand itself, in front of the TV, providing it's height is enough so that it doesn't reach the screen or the light hits it badly.

Other than that, right below it, in the Cabinet, I suppose I could somehow mount it to the roof of it, so it'd be right below it abit. Else, not really sure where I'd put it.

Slide the cabinet back? That'd be pressing it against the wall almost...there's a little over a foot of distance, thought that wasn't a good thing.

 

[zieglj01]

Boston Acoustics CS225C Cherry (Ea) Classic Series center channel speaker, In Stock at OneCall.com

Slide the cabinet back? That'd be pressing it against the wall almost...there's a little over a foot of distance, thought that wasn't a good thing.

The matching center is the one at Onecall - the best placement is
outside of the cabinet. Some of us raise the TV a little higher, by
using some wood or other things to raise the TV up. Also there are
some, that have a stand just above the TV.

The reccomendation to move the cabinet back, is for better sound
some of us have been through this experience. The final decision
and compromise is yours to make.

 

[Mkilbride]

The matching center is the one at Onecall - the best placement is
outside of the cabinet. Some of us raise the TV a little higher, by
using some wood or other things to raise the TV up. Also there are
some, that have a stand just above the TV.

The reccomendation to move the cabinet is for better sound - some of us
have been through this experience. The final decision and compromise is
yours to make.

So move it closer to the wall, really? I don't fully understand the logistics of it, but ok.

The wood idea is a good one...might look into that.

And I know it matches, but the second one for 20$ more, I can tell, reaches lower frequencies better, 65 VS 80.

Just curious is all.

 

[zieglj01]

And I know it matches, but the second one for 20$ more, I can tell, reaches lower frequencies better, 65 VS 80.

Just curious is all.

The CS225 was designed to timbre (voice) match with your
tower speakers. You can choose either center - if you want.
You may find that there is a somewhat higher quality with
the A series, and then it may put a desire in you, to buy the
A series tower speakers. I do not pay a lot of attention
to manufacturer specs on speakers - I look a little harder at
subwoofer specs.

 

[Mkilbride]

The CS225 was designed to timbre (voice) match with your
tower speakers. You can choose either center - if you want.
You may find that there is a somewhat higher quality with
the A series, and then it may put a desire in you, to buy the
A series tower speakers. I do not pay a lot of attention
to manufacturer specs on speakers - I look a little harder at
subwoofer specs.

Ok.

Ordered.

For 99$ & free shipping, I guess I can't go wrong.

I guess that's one of the things I've missed about these so far...it's not that they sound bad, I guess, it's voices that just don't sound so good on them. I guess it's cause they're more musical or so?

Voices don't have the crispiness I want, you know, when music is playing or backround effects and they blur together and you can't tell out the distinct details?

My PC Speakers have that and I think it may be due to the center channel, even if they are crappy speakers.

 

[zieglj01]

Ok.
Voices don't have the crispiness I want, you know, when music is playing or backround effects and they blur together and you can't tell out the distinct details?

Sometimes it is the source - also the speakers are not perfect.
There are better speakers around >> tight budgets are not easy.
Sometime in the future, try to do expierments with some simple
room things. Find a way to sit more in the center and off the wall.
Maybe throw some rugs down in front of the speaker area - try to
hang more pictures and things on the walls - and did you treat the
glass by the stairs. The room is still cool looking.

 

[Mkilbride]

Sometimes it is the source - also the speakers are not perfect.
There are better speakers around >> tight budgets are not easy.
Sometime in the future, try to do expierments with some simple
room things. Find a way to sit more in the center and off the wall.
Maybe throw some rugs down in front of the speaker area - try to
hang more pictures and things on the walls - and did you treat the
glass by the stairs. The room is still cool looking.

Haven't done the Windows by the stairs...soon.

Plenty of pictures already. And I know there are better speakers, but my cheap Logitech 5.1's I got years ago, for like 80$ still produce some clarity and sound effects these aren't. For example, at the beginning of a scene in Broken Blade, there is a Lizard crawling along the ground. You can hear the pitter patter of his footsteps as he crosses a little area of sand. This isn't notable on my setup in the living room, but on my 5.1 computer set, I can hear it clearly. Then, in the next scene, there is sound effects from a type of motor-bike, they make a unique nuance. My PC Speakers sound them out nicely. My living room setup doesn't detect them at all. I assume it has to do with it being 5.1, but they are a cheap set, so I'm just disappointed. Watching these down there, it feels like stuff is missing. It's just alot of the small sound effects are lost. Even in stereo 2.0 FLAC, I hear more sounds on these, than I do on my downstairs setup. It's just I was hoping with real speakers, even a budget system would destroy 80$ PC speakers from 2003ish, in terms of sound stage and clarity.

I was thinking a real set would have a proper sound stage is all and a little bit disappointed it didn't destroy a cheap, AiO kit from like 2003. It still sounds good though. Can only approve over time, once my ears adjust.

I put the front two speakers @ +2 dB

and the Subwoofer @ -6dB, as at about that, it stopped vibrating. Still really punchy though.

 

[zieglj01]

It still sounds good though. Can only approve over time, once my ears adjust.

I put the front two speakers @ +2 dB

and the Subwoofer @ -6dB, as at about that, it stopped vibrating. Still really punchy though.

When the center comes - then see how it goes.

I would not boost the db on the front speakers.

As far as the sub goes, not my preference or pick.

Hope things work out - good luck.

 

[GranteedEV]

Haven't done the Windows by the stairs...soon.

Plenty of pictures already. And I know there are better speakers, but my cheap Logitech 5.1's I got years ago, for like 80$ still produce some clarity and sound effects these aren't. For example, at the beginning of a scene in Broken Blade, there is a Lizard crawling along the ground. You can hear the pitter patter of his footsteps as he crosses a little area of sand. This isn't notable on my setup in the living room, but on my 5.1 computer set, I can hear it clearly. Then, in the next scene, there is sound effects from a type of motor-bike, they make a unique nuance. My PC Speakers sound them out nicely. My living room setup doesn't detect them at all. I assume it has to do with it being 5.1, but they are a cheap set, so I'm just disappointed. Watching these down there, it feels like stuff is missing. It's just alot of the small sound effects are lost. Even in stereo 2.0 FLAC, I hear more sounds on these, than I do on my downstairs setup. It's just I was hoping with real speakers, even a budget system would destroy 80$ PC speakers from 2003ish, in terms of sound stage and clarity.

I'm not familiar with the boston speakers, so it's tough for me to say if they're good or not. But it'll really help if you can do somethhing about the reflection behind you (maybe hang a rug there temporarily), below you (on the floor), and above you (on the ceiling) and pull those speakers out forward a few feet in front of the TV, like I suggested earlier.

Else, you can't compare nearfield listening to far field listening. Getting that resolution in the farfield is flat out more difficult. The room is the vast majority of what you hear; although better speakers will load the room in a way where it's not a negative.

All that said, i'll say one more thing:

Don't let "details" be your judge of any one loudspeaker. Sometimes the worst loudspeakers will have the most "apparent" detail simply because they are not balanced in their reproduction.

 

[afterlife2]

Full article here: Speaker Placement for Home Theater

Your subwoofer

A powered subwoofer delivers crucial impact in a home theater system, but is one of the least demanding speakers to position. Since low bass frequencies are omnidirectional, you can usually place your subwoofer just about anywhere in your home theater room with good results.

Placing your subwoofer near a wall will generally result in more bass, and placement near a corner — where three room boundaries come together — will get you even more. Keep in mind that even though the bass increases as you place the sub near a wall or corner, the quality of bass may be slightly "boomier" and less controlled. Aim for a spot where you get a compromise between quality and quantity of bass.
One cool technique for placing for your subwoofer is to put your sub in your listening spot, play some music, move around the room, and listen. You'll probably notice that the bass sounds a little bit different as you move around from location to location within the room — where it sounds the best may be where you want to put your subwoofer.
Many powered subwoofers are equipped with a phase control — usually a 2-position switch. Choose the setting that produces the most bass while all your speakers are playing.

After you've got your sub where you want it, check out our article on tuning your subwoofer for more tips on how to get great bass.

Your room

One thing to remember when setting up your speakers is that your room plays a key role in how your system will sound. Your room's shape, layout, and where the speakers are placed in the room are all factors that will affect a home theater system's performance.

Placing your front speakers next to a wall will slightly increase their bass output. This can improve the sound of smaller, bass-shy satellite speakers, but can muddy the sound of floor-standing speakers. Conversely, bringing speakers out from the wall may lessen their bass response but improve clarity.
A room with too many reflective surfaces, such as windows and tile, can add harshness to the sound or make it seem too bright. Adding carpets or drapes can help your system sound much more natural.

 

[Mkilbride]

Should I put the Low Pass Frequency for LFE to 80 or 120HZ?

Getting mixed messages on Google. Some swear by 120, some swear by 80, and some say it depends on your speakers that go with the Sub.

So what should it be?

My Speakers Crossover thing is 80Hz, as was suggested earlier.

 

[zieglj01]

So what should it be?

My Speakers Crossover thing is 80Hz, as was suggested earlier.

You are doing the answer.

 

[Mkilbride]

You are doing the answer.

Yes. my speakers.

It is a different setting for LPF for LFE, it is not talking about Crossover.

 

[afterlife2]

Yes. my speakers.

It is a different setting for LPF for LFE, it is not talking about Crossover.

The answer is 120hz.

 

[zieglj01]

Yes. my speakers.

It is a different setting for LPF for LFE, it is not talking about Crossover.

This is from the Batpig Denon dictionary > set it to 120hz, and
then forget it. Enjoy

In newer models you will also find an "LPF for LFE" setting here. This setting only determines the upper limit (low pass filter) for the LFE channel in multichannel content with a "point 1" track (e.g. 5.1 or 7.1) . It is not a crossover and it does not affect any of your speakers' bass management. It also is NOT a general "subwoofer setting". It ONLY affects the LFE track, period. Set it to 120Hz (this is the actual specified upper limit for LFE material) and forget about it. If the distinction between crossovers, subwoofers, and LFE is confusing, you may want to read this great article on the misunderstood LFE channel.
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/technical-articles/163-the-misunderstood-01-lfe-channel-in-51-digital-surround-sound.html

 

[its phillip]

LPF for LFE should be left at 120hz.

 

[Gordonj]

"LPF for LFE should be left at 120hz."

You might need to watch the sub placement at 120Hz simply due to more dirctionailty vs at 80Hz.