please help with speaker/sub set choices

[mike c]

thanks jaxvon!
oh, i compared word for word the 515 and 315 specs. only thing different is YST II for the 515 and I for the 315 (yamaha servo technology) whatever that is. i guess i wont miss it if i dont know what it does.

ok ... what about the speaker wires? 12 14 or 16? anybody?
these are the cheap type ... approx. 1USD+ per meter
there are even cables that are 13USD per meter (but these are round)

 

[jaxvon]

Ah, the servo control helps the sub maintain high linearity and control. I'm not sure how much version II improved this though.

Regarding speaker wire, $1USD/meter is expensive. If you can do it, go for 12ga wire. This will provide a good, low-resistance signal path for your speakers. You could also go with 14ga, as 12ga is overkill, but will be fine for any speaker cable run you have to do. The 16ga is kinda thin. Okay for short runs, but I wouldn't want to be wiring surrounds with it.

I'm not sure what shipping would run, but for us here in the US, the cheapest place to get 12ga speaker wire is Westlake Electronic. They sell Belden 5000UE cable for 19 cents a foot, which is still well under $1/meter. You should check them out.

Westlake Electronic

 

[mike c]

thanks, i asked the senior sales staff of the store and said his guy was pushing a cable that was meant for high end users and not in my case ...

he's suggesting another cable that i think is around 40-50 centsUSD per meter now.
he's coming over tomorrow too to help in positioning the speakers

 

[musikluver]

you can try yamaha NS7390 rated 60-220watts for your front and rear. for surround you can use NSP60(60-180watts center 50-150 for surrounds). which will be a ideal for your receiver.

 

[jaxvon]

Mike, that's not too bad of a price. Just make sure that the cable you get is of a sufficient thickness. Resistance is not your friend with speaker cables.

 

[mike c]

thanks jaxvon

will get the fattest cables (4) that fits into two pieces of 3/4" pipe (i gave up and had the walls cut again)

 

[mike c]

ok, somebody nixed my idea of using 333's as the 4 rear speakers (unless i wanted them pointing straight down)

so, the professional guy suggested ceiling flushed speakers ...
problem is ive never heard of the brands they have : sonance? [sic] keft? [sic]

have you heard of these? are they good?

 

[jaxvon]

I assume then that your chair or whatever is right against the wall? If you can move it out, you could use the the 333 speakers as you planned. If the in-ceiling speakers would work better for placement, Sonance is a great option. They are one of the premeire makers of installed audio stuff. I just worry that they'll sound very different than your Yamahas and you will have a sound timbre change as you pan the sound around the room.

Acutally, come to think of it, KEF is a great brand too. He wasn't yanking your chain with these recommendations.

 

[mike c]

i agree about the speakers not having the same quality ...
so the guy suggested installing the 333's flush to the ceiling

 

[jaxvon]

Hmm...I would think that would have bad acoustical implications, as those speakers aren't designed to do that. I think you'd have diffraction issues with the tweeters and consequently have poor imaging.

Is there any way you could move the listening position forward so you can place the speakers behind you?

Sorry you had to rip out your walls...but at least you can get some beefy wire installed.

 

[mike c]

the space i am using is 4meters front to back and 4.5meters left to right

i am using a La-Z-boy sofa and thus would have a long space behind it if i moved it forward ... hmm

 

[jaxvon]

I've attached an idea for your setup. The dimensions are to scale, with the room being 4m front to back and 4.5m left to right. I figured the couch as being 1m front to back and 3m long. The rear speakers could be either stand or wall mounted for their position (elevated above the back of the couch). I think wall mounting might work best, as it allows you to easily angle them downward.

 

[mike c]

thanks for drawing it for me ...
if it was right behind the sofa, wouldnt i be deafened by the rear back left and right?

OR how about this ...
here are my options: (4 pieces for the rear surround LR and the rear back LR)
JBL SP8 ceiling mounted
Sonance CR101

 

[mike c]

i also drew my room layout BUT did not know how to use paint so i did it in MS word.

please check it out.

my room is 4meters X approx. 10 meters (but only using 4m x 4.5m)

is this a good idea?
option 1:
using ceiling mounts JBL SP8 for the LEFT RIGHT surround
using 2 of my old JBL SCS 150 satellites for the LEFT RIGHT BACK

 

[mike c]

im an idiot. all this ceiling mounted crap is all because the sofa has its back to the wall. im moving the furniture instead of the speakers!

now im considering bookshelf speaker stands ... what height should i get? (ns-333 is 12 5/8" H)

 

[jaxvon]

Get whatever height will raise the speakers above the back of the sofa. At the very least, you want the tweeters about level with your ears. You could aslo get a stand so they're above the couch, then angle them downward with some rubber doorstops behind or, if you want to be fancy, some Auralex Foam.

Speaking of angling speakers, it's good to do the same with your center speaker. Angle it downward so the drivers point right at you. It will help the sound a lot.

 

[mike c]

thanks for the advice!

 

[mike c]

ok, i've even found suppliers of the yamaha speakers cheaper than the posted MSRP prices ...

and instead of the 555's for my front, ive decided to use the 777 as main left and right.
the 444 for main center.
333's for my rear left/right BACK

my questions are:
1) what do you think i should use as my left and right REAR surround?
2) if im going to base my amp options on the 777s, wouldnt it overpower the other channels? e.g. 100 watts nominal for 777 and only 60 watts for the 333's

 

[jaxvon]

Sounds good. Since all the NS speakers are made to go with each other, there should be no problems using the 777s with the 333s as surrounds. No matter if you go for 5.1 or 7.1, I would recommend that you opt for the 333s for your rear for speakers. Then the 777s up front and the 444 as the center. If Yamaha made dipole surrounds, it might be a bit harder to choose. But seeing how they don't 333s all around in the surround channels.

Oh, and no, they shouldn't overpower your other speakers. If they end up being too loud (doubtful), you can always adjust the levels on your receiver.

 

[mike c]

thanks again jaxvon!