Magnetic Speaker Shielding and RPTV

[Spiffyfast]

I am curious about how far speakers need to be away from a TV for it to be safe if they arent magnetically shielded. The reason I'm asking is, I am looking to get a new setup with Paradigm Monitor 7's for the mains, but the only color that is shielded is the black and it just doesnt look as nice as the rosewood. If it has to be too far from the tv I guess I'll have to settle with the black but I'd rather not.

 

[MDS]

You would only have to be concerned with shielding if the tv is CRT. A rear projection CRT may be less affected by the magnetic field from the speakers because the projector is mounted in the base of the tv. With a direct view CRT tv, it can be more of a problem. Still there is no general rule for how far away the speakers need to be placed; you'll have to experiment, but probably 1 foot or more will be adequate.

 

[Spiffyfast]

Well a foot away wouldnt be bad. Ill have my audio rack on one side and thats more than a foot wide. I suppose I could buy a DVD rack aprox. the same size and put the other main outside of that. It just makes me nervous to use a speaker that isn't magnetically shielded. This being my first real surround sound system purchase is non magnetically shielded speakers something that is the norm, or is Paradigm just the only that does this? it may sway my decision to use them.

 

[MDS]

Paradigm is not alone in the practice of making non-magnetically shielded speakers. I think as the market shifts more toward DLP/LCD/Plasma non shielded speakers will be more the norm because those types of tv are not affected by the magnetic field of speakers.

In my prior setup, I had a wood entertainment center with the speakers on each side. The speakers were therefore about 6-7 feet apart and a good 2 feet from the tv (separated by the wood of the wall unit). I never had interference on the tv. I'm not sure if wood is a good shield from magnetic fields or not, so maybe it was just the distance of 2 feet that did the trick.

I know what you mean about Paradigm's design and color schemes. I was going to buy Monitor 7/CC-370/ADP-370 and would really like the rosewood color to match the kitchen cabinets that are visible from the living room, but the center and surrounds are only available in white or black. Now what good is it to have beautiful rosewood front speakers that blend well into the room when the center and surrounds can only be black and stick out like a sore thumb? I've decided to defer the purchase for awhile and decide if I can live with all black speakers.

 

[Spiffyfast]

I know that I'd be fine with the all black, and then it would all be shielded, but it looks so good in the rosewood.....I wonder if I could get them specail ordered and still shielded, I guess I'll have to talk to the store and see if it's even possible, seings how I know nothing about how they shield speakers I have no idea, but I will find out and be sure to post it on here.

 

[claudermilk]

IIRC Paradigm does offer a shielding option on all its speakers. Shouldn't be a problem getting a set ordered, there's not much to the shielding as I understand it & otherwise all the guts are the same.

That Rosewood finish is very nice, that's what mine are & the speakers just blend right into the room.

 

[saurabh]

min 2 ft distance is the safest bet, since you will still find some interference if you keep them just 1 ft away.