Please Help! Need 7.1 System w/ Rear Surrround Constraints

[mo3211]

I recently purchased a Yamaha RXV-1600 ($664 http://www.authorizedelectronics.com/yarxfrsh.html) thanks to my research on this site.

I want to setup a 7.1 system.

My constraints are:
1. A small apartment wide living room.
2. Couches are along my back wall and are side by side (3-person couch next to a 2-person couch in a straight line).
3. Approximately a $1,000 budget.

My main concern right now is the long couch setup right against the back wall. I'm not sure what rear-back-wall surrounds to use b/c they need to reach all 5 seats at a very close, yet wide distance.

I need small speakers for the back due to the space. I thought of the Bose sattellites b/c each of their speakers can be faced in 2 separate directions to reach the wide area of of close listeners, but have stayed way from those due to the negative reviews here. I recently saw the Mirage Nanosats and found their 360 coverage appealing (though it's a little concerning they may be shooting sound back through the wall to my neighbor).

I have looked at the following systems (which I would need to add 2 extra speakers to achieve the 7.1):
Athena Micra 6
Athena Point 5 MKII System

I would prefer floorstanding fronts, though that is only a preference.

I am open to any suggestions and would really appreciate any help offerred as from my readings, I see that the members here really know their stuff.

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker system

Good buy on the receiver.
If you must have really small speakers, then check out Orb audio and avoid Bose. However, you will get superiour performance from 2-way bookshelf speakers. Check out the speaker sub package from SVS. Another good option is the Onix XL-S speakers and sub from AV123.com. They are both great options in your budget.

Based on your room limitations and small apt. you might settle for a 5.1 system. The rear surrounds speakers are not much benefit in a small room, especially if the couch is close to the rear wall.

 

[dm_4u]

Consider using the wonderful Yamaha "Presence" speaker setup, instead of rear surrounds.

I too have a couch right up against the back wall and have two surrounds firing inward and decided to go with the "presence" speakers...and I'm sure glad I did...awesome 7.1 sound.

 

[Johnd]

I agree with both dm's and jc's suggestions. You have failed to give the room size and layout, but given the fact that it is a "small apartment" and that the couches are along the "back wall," I don't see the benefit of the extra back speakers unless you either:
a) move the couches off the back wall at least a couple of feet; or
b) use the Yamaha presence function in lieu of back speakers.
Cheers.

 

[Phantomguy]

I agree with both dm's and jc's suggestions. You have failed to give the room size and layout, but given the fact that it is a "small apartment" and that the couches are along the "back wall," I don't see the benefit of the extra back speakers unless you either:
a) move the couches off the back wall at least a couple of feet; or
b) use the Yamaha presence function in lieu of back speakers.
Cheers.

Hey Johnd (& others). I have a similar situation with a larger room (13'wide x 22' long). I have 3 seating rows and the back 3 seater is HARD against the back (brick.. the only one) wall. Cant move forward .. no more space. I need the rears to serve the front 2 rows. Also I have purchased an extra pair of Jensen EHT-4 s for Presence speakers for my Jammie 2600. I know that you can have Rears or Presence active at one time NOT BOTH. So I guess I can switch between 7.1 and 5.1+Presence. 1) Right?
2) But do Presence take the 2 rear soundtracks or only decode when there is a sprecial presence soundtrack for them? 3) Is there no way the position the rear EHT-4 s to give the back row some rear effect? These EHT-4 have an angled driver so could I mount them above the rear seats and point their drivers at the rear brick wall and reflect their output about 1' behind the ears of those seated in the back row. Would that work? And would that "destroy" the rear sound for those sitting in rows 1 and 2? Then should I use pairs of Rears in parallel (with impedence compensation circuitry to maintain 6 ohms per channel - one per channel pointing at the rear wall and one per channel pointing foward towards Rows 1 and 2?
Help I'm getting confused?
Phantomguy

 

[jbracing24]

I have seating at the back walls and a 7.1 system. My rear speakers are small and are wall mounted near the ceiling, firing down toward the seating. The only time I really notice them is when I play 7.1 encoded DVD's. There is some "presence" when processing in PL 11X. There is little value when watching TV in DD5.1 or multichannel music SACD/DVD-A. But when an encoded disc fires up the rears, look out!

 

[jcPanny]

Yamaha Presence Channels

The Yamaha presence speaker are mounted on the front wall outside the fronts and help to widen the front sound stage. As suggested, you can use presence OR the surround back speakers but not both. They will be active only when you are using one of the Yamaha DSP modes.
I think it is possible to connect presence AND surround back speakers to the receiver and switch between the two modes depending on your preference and the source material. However, 9 speakers is overkill for most users.

 

[mo3211]

Good buy on the receiver.
If you must have really small speakers, then check out Orb audio and avoid Bose. However, you will get superiour performance from 2-way bookshelf speakers. Check out the speaker sub package from SVS. Another good option is the Onix XL-S speakers and sub from AV123.com. They are both great options in your budget.

Thank you all for your feedback.

Seeing that the Onix XL-S speakers are sold out until July and that I am not going to consider the really small speakers for my back surrounds since I am going to bypass that for now in favor of the front presence speakers, I think I'm going to go for the 7.1 system from SVS. I will just place the extra speakers up front for the presence.

Thanks again for the knowledgeable recommendations.