Should I do 5.2.2 or 7.2.4 setup in this Complex Room and where should I place the speakers

[Nondemo01]

Sadly that is not possible for us. We need to have that Single Bed, Sofa etc. Because Guests regularly visit our house. And Grandma comes stay at out house from time to time. So she sleeps there. And Guests sit in Sofa. So those cannot be removed. Same with the Dining table.

Okay. The futon IS both the sofa AND the bed. Does grandma sleep while you have guests on the sofa? Get a good soundbar and a sub, you won't need anything past a 2.1 in that small of a room, and if you don't trust us, reach out to Matt Poes, he does this for a living.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Okay. The futon IS both the sofa AND the bed. Does grandma sleep while you have guests on the sofa? Get a good soundbar and a sub, you won't need anything past a 2.1 in that small of a room, and if you don't trust us, reach out to Matt Poes, he does this for a living.

No both don't happen at the same time. But see not comfortable for Grandma to sleep on Sofa. And it is not comfortable for guests to sit on the bed. Actually we had two single bends on both sides instead of that Sofa but we removed that and got the sofa because it was not comfortable to sit.

Nah definitely need the Surround setup. Unable to enjoy the movies as is. It is not matter of trust. It is the matter of being used to. See at home we are used to that surround experience. As we are stuck here(sadly) for years we want to experience the same. Not enjoying the movie watching experience to the point we stopped watching them completely.

 

[Eppie]

Can you fit the Q6 on the side walls? It's 25" tall and 12" deep. Good to know that you managed to listen to the Q4. The Q8, being a smaller 2-way, will likely have the same issue.

Have you considered the Q Concerto Meta? It's a 3 way bookshelf and has received good reviews. A pair of Concerto Meta will be slightly less expensive than 2 Q6 and should have a similar sound profile. The Concerto is also 12" deep but only 16" tall.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Can you fit the Q6 on the side walls? It's 25" tall and 12" deep. Good to know that you managed to listen to the Q4. The Q8, being a smaller 2-way, will likely have the same issue.

Have you considered the Q Concerto Meta? It's a 3 way bookshelf and has received good reviews. A pair of Concerto Meta will be slightly less expensive than 2 Q6 and should have a similar sound profile. The Concerto is also 12" deep but only 16" tall.

Ah yes. Good recommendation on Q Concerto Meta. But One thing I am not sure with them is how will placing them attached to wall will effect the sound. Because Q6 Meta is designed to be placed close to wall. While Concerto Meta is not. I did listen to Concerto Meta but that was good 1.5ft away from Wall.

Seriously if Q Concerto Meta are manageable close to wall I would take them. I be saving a lot of money that way. They only INR105,000($1,050) while 2x Q6 Meta would cost INR140,000($1,400)

Good thing you mentioned them. They completely skipped my mind. Thank you very much.

 

[Eppie]

The Concerto does have a rear firing port while the Q6 is a sealed design. Placing the speaker against the wall can make the bass a little "boomy" but port plugs or bungs can help alleviate that. Maybe ask the KEF dealer if the Concerto includes port plugs?

 

[KING DRANZER]

The Concerto does have a rear firing port while the Q6 is a sealed design. Placing the speaker against the wall can make the bass a little "boomy" but port plugs or bungs can help alleviate that. Maybe ask the KEF dealer if the Concerto includes port plugs?

Okay. That is a really good option though.

 

[Wardog555]

Can't have Main Listening Position that forward. That would block walking path around the table and make it hard for anyone sitting in sofa or bed to move around. Very inconvenient.

Edit: also not going to remove the Bed, as when Grandmother visits she sleeps there. So that stays. So is the case with the Sofa. When guests visit they sit there.

You are making things worse for yourself here.
Stop being just another dismissive person

Rip

 

[KING DRANZER]

You are making things worse for yourself here.
Stop being just another dismissive person

Rip

No sadly we cannot remove the Bed. As I said Grandmother sleeps there when she visits. And not only that even people sit on it when there are lot many visitors at a time. And we get that a lot here. Like during family gatherings etc.

I am not trying to be dismissive. But see removing the bed is not an option. Same with the Sofa. Actually as I mentioned above we had another bed in that place of Sofa before. But as sitting was not comfortable on that. We replaced it with a Sofa.

 

[TLS Guy]

Okay. That is a really good option though.

Port plugs are a daft idea, as ported and sealed (closed) designs require totally different enclosure volumes.

May be for movies this room might give some of the audio effects, but I don't see any of these plans producing a good sounding room.

I don't watch many movies, seldom in fact. However, I'm not convinced all this tech enhances the movie experience much, as the screen is not 3D and so vision and sound are way out of synch.

What I do enjoy from my rig, is that it able to do a good job or recreating the acoustic environment of the hall/or other space, to give you that "you are there impression. Well done, it can and does transport you to the venu.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Port plugs are a daft idea, as ported and sealed (closed) designs require totally different enclosure volumes.

May be for movies this room might give some of the audio effects, but I don't see any of these plans producing a good sounding room.

I don't watch many movies, seldom in fact. However, I'm not convinced all this tech enhances the movie experience much, as the screen is not 3D and so vision and sound are way out of synch.

What I do enjoy from my rig, is that it able to do a good job or recreating the acoustic environment of the hall/or other space, to give you that "you are there impression. Well done, it can and does transport you to the venu.

I an understand your hate for surround setups. Probably something major happened to make you feel like they don't work or just 2ch setups are better. I can absolutely understand a surround setup which is not properly calibrated can sound really bad. I really hope you get to experience properly setup surround setup at some point. And finally you end up enjoying it.

But seriously after experiencing and enjoying proper surround setup previously. I am not able to enjoy the Movies at all in 2ch setup. As I said multiple times above I stopped watching movies due to that.

 

[TLS Guy]

I an understand your hate for surround setups. Probably something major happened to make you feel like they don't work or just 2ch setups are better. I can absolutely understand a surround setup which is not properly calibrated can sound really bad. I really hope you get to experience properly setup surround setup at some point. And finally you end up enjoying it.

But seriously after experiencing and enjoying proper surround setup previously. I am not able to enjoy the Movies at all in 2ch setup. As I said multiple times above I stopped watching movies due to that.

That is not what I am saying, surround set ups do work, and very well. My AV room is 7.2,4. However most rooms including yours are not suitable. To get the correct results usually requires a building project. The room and equipment become an integral design.

When I bought out Lake home and installed my first surround system it began with a huge demo project right back to the "sticks".

When we moved here to Eagan in 2019, we built the home from scratch and equipment and room are part of a totally integrated design.

My wife wanted a system in out great room and I designed a 3.1 system for that, which has been very successful and we love it.

I have one advantage in that I have never bought a speaker. I design my own. So I can come up with unique solutions to my problems. We also have a nice 2.2 system in our family room.

What I can be certain of is that multichannel surround is highly intolerant of compromise, and the reasons for that are sound.

So my point is that two or three channel systems will always best poorly designed and shoe horned multichannel systems.

In your situation, and I have a long experience in audio, is that in your room a good two, or three channel system, will beat any surround type system.

If you want to waste a lot of money, go ahead, but you have been warned.

 

[KING DRANZER]

That is not what I am saying, surround set ups do work, and very well. My AV room is 7.2,4. However most rooms including yours are not suitable. To get the correct results usually requires a building project. The room and equipment become an integral design.

When I bought out Lake home and installed my first surround system it began with a huge demo project right back to the "sticks".

When we moved here to Eagan in 2019, we built the home from scratch and equipment and room are part of a totally integrated design.

My wife wanted a system in out great room and I designed a 3.1 system for that, which has been very successful and we love it.

I have one advantage in that I have never bought a speaker. I design my own. So I can come up with unique solutions to my problems. We also have a nice 2.2 system in our family room.

What I can be certain of is that multichannel surround is highly intolerant of compromise, and the reasons for that are sound.

So my point is that two or three channel systems will always best poorly designed and shoe horned multichannel systems.

In your situation, and I have a long experience in audio, is that in your room a good two, or three channel system, will beat any surround type system.

If you want to waste a lot of money, go ahead, but you have been warned.

See I agree with you on some of the points but I disagree on the specific point of multichannel surround being highly intolerant of compromised odd design rooms. Like if we have to speak in general then I would have to agree with that. But see people thought of it and worked around it for decades now. And thing is when working in rooms like that it is more important to pick up proper gear. Not all speakers work similar and there are some unique speakers like KEFs I plan to use which work exceptionally well in oddly designed rooms like this. There is a reason I picked those.

Wow you build your own speakers. That needs a lot of skill specially if building an passive speaker. I am not into DIY speakers but I do DIY Subs all the time. Seriously I get Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better result with DIY subs for the budget than what I get for spending double buying Pre-built. Specially here in India. SUB Woofers are expensive and not many good options available here.

 

[TLS Guy]

See I agree with you on some of the points but I disagree on the specific point of multichannel surround being highly intolerant of compromised odd design rooms. Like if we have to speak in general then I would have to agree with that. But see people thought of it and worked around it for decades now. And thing is when working in rooms like that it is more important to pick up proper gear. Not all speakers work similar and there are some unique speakers like KEFs I plan to use which work exceptionally well in oddly designed rooms like this. There is a reason I picked those.

Wow you build your own speakers. That needs a lot of skill specially if building an passive speaker. I am not into DIY speakers but I do DIY Subs all the time. Seriously I get Faaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar better result with DIY subs for the budget than what I get for spending double buying Pre-built. Specially here in India. SUB Woofers are expensive and not many good options available here.

I think this is the most difficult room we have had. It is small, cluttered and with openings.

It will be a real challenge to get anything that sounds decent in that space. I can tell for sure adding more than two or three front speakers will downgrade sound and performance. In this case less is definitely more.

Speakers are going to be too close to boundaries. I think that room is crying out for a good 2.1 or 3.1 in wall solution at the TV.

These are some pictures of our great room system designed and built at my wife's request.

L-C-R are sealed designs. The sub is an aperiodic transmission line.

Now, one of your problems is the Baffle Step compensation issue, which handles speaker transition from half to full space radiator and is dependent on cabinet width. If a free standing speaker is placed close to a wall then the sound is muddy. So in wall designs are designed without BSC.

In my studio the main speakers are active except for the tweeter, and I have designed a variable BSC system so BSC can be optimized to location.

Our situations are not entirely comparable since that is a large space and yours is a small space. However, the situations are similar as there are few to no good options for speaker placement. So that design seemed my only option. It has been very successful and easily fills that large space and then some.

In closing I would say that the last thing your room needs is more clutter. So, you should look carefully at an in wall solution.

 

[KING DRANZER]

I think this is the most difficult room we have had. It is small, cluttered and with openings.

It will be a real challenge to get anything that sounds decent in that space. I can tell for sure adding more than two or three front speakers will downgrade sound and performance. In this case less is definitely more.

Speakers are going to be too close to boundaries. I think that room is crying out for a good 2.1 or 3.1 in wall solution at the TV.

These are some pictures of our great room system designed and built at my wife's request.

L-C-R are sealed designs. The sub is an aperiodic transmission line.

Now, one of your problems is the Baffle Step compensation issue, which handles speaker transition from half to full space radiator and is dependent on cabinet width. If a free standing speaker is placed close to a wall then the sound is muddy. So in wall designs are designed without BSC.

In my studio the main speakers are active except for the tweeter, and I have designed a variable BSC system so BSC can be optimized to location.

Our situations are not entirely comparable since that is a large space and yours is a small space. However, the situations are similar as there are few to no good options for speaker placement. So that design seemed my only option. It has been very successful and easily fills that large space and then some.

In closing I would say that the last thing your room needs is more clutter. So, you should look carefully at an in wall solution.

In-wall is not possible at all. Because these are Concrete Walls and ceilings.

Cool. If I manage to figure out side surrounds placement I will get to surround setup. If not will think about it.

 

[TLS Guy]

In-wall is not possible at all. Because these are Concrete Walls and ceilings.

Cool. If I manage to figure out side surrounds placement I will get to surround setup. If not will think about it.

Our walls are also concrete. It is an ICF home. The solution is a false wall, which is what that is.

 

[KING DRANZER]

Our walls are also concrete. It is an ICF home. The solution is a false wall, which is what that is.

No that would eat into room space. Not going to do that. And also crazy expensive. Not remodeling the room. It stays as is.

 

[TLS Guy]

No that would eat into room space. Not going to do that. And also crazy expensive. Not remodeling the room. It stays as is.

If you put speakers beside and under the TV, that will also take up room space!

 

[KING DRANZER]

If you put speakers beside and under the TV, that will also take up room space!

But then I can also mount TV to the wall place SUB close to the Wall and also have TV Cabinet next to it etc. And you may say we can do that by cutting into False wall too. But see with that many holes and stuff. Making it that complex. Seriously it is a huge waste of money and effort. And actually with only speakers mounted on the wall. The Bed will go bit under the Front Left speaker too. With the Wall built I will have to push the Bed further back. Not ideal. Also will have to push main seating back as the TV will also be mounted more into the room. And as you can see then it will literally be blocking the entrance into the house. Not ideal at all.

 

[TLS Guy]

But then I can also mount TV to the wall place SUB close to the Wall and also have TV Cabinet next to it etc. And you may say we can do that by cutting into False wall too. But see with that many holes and stuff. Making it that complex. Seriously it is a huge waste of money and effort. And actually with only speakers mounted on the wall. The Bed will go bit under the Front Left speaker too. With the Wall built I will have to push the Bed further back. Not ideal. Also will have to push main seating back as the TV will also be mounted more into the room. And as you can see then it will literally be blocking the entrance into the house. Not ideal at all.

In that case I would purchase two or three good on wall speakers and a sub and call it good.

The KEF Q4 Meta would be a very good option

 

[KING DRANZER]

In that case I would purchase two or three good on wall speakers and a sub and call it good.

The KEF Q4 Meta would be a very good option

Yes Sir I got Q4 Meta recommendation. Thing is I dint like them

I can see the three Q6 on the front wall but the challenge is the side surrounds. The one over the bed is probably ok but the one over the couch/sofa could be an issue as the Q6 is fairly deep. The Q4 Meta is an on-wall speaker that is quite shallow. Q8 Meta might be an option as well since it is a height speaker and can be mounted higher on the wall pointing down at the main listening position.

Q4 and Q8 are designed to be mounted on the wall. Q6 needs a stand or shelf (no rear mounting hardware). You can use square channel or a cable raceway to run wires up the walls for a cleaner look.

I did listen to Q4 previously man. And it sounded even bit worse than Q1. Not sure why it is designed the way it is but it doesn't feel right to be part of the Q Meta lineup. It doesn't sound as full and rich. Neither is as detailed. I mean Q1 is more detailed than Q4. I think its port design is cause of the issue. I get that it is comprised to fit into that think form factor. But seriously I would not get that speaker. Q8 I have not heard.

Can you fit the Q6 on the side walls? It's 25" tall and 12" deep. Good to know that you managed to listen to the Q4. The Q8, being a smaller 2-way, will likely have the same issue.

Have you considered the Q Concerto Meta? It's a 3 way bookshelf and has received good reviews. A pair of Concerto Meta will be slightly less expensive than 2 Q6 and should have a similar sound profile. The Concerto is also 12" deep but only 16" tall.

Ah yes. Good recommendation on Q Concerto Meta. But One thing I am not sure with them is how will placing them attached to wall will effect the sound. Because Q6 Meta is designed to be placed close to wall. While Concerto Meta is not. I did listen to Concerto Meta but that was good 1.5ft away from Wall.

Seriously if Q Concerto Meta are manageable close to wall I would take them. I be saving a lot of money that way. They only INR105,000($1,050) while 2x Q6 Meta would cost INR140,000($1,400)

Good thing you mentioned them. They completely skipped my mind. Thank you very much.

The Concerto does have a rear firing port while the Q6 is a sealed design. Placing the speaker against the wall can make the bass a little "boomy" but port plugs or bungs can help alleviate that. Maybe ask the KEF dealer if the Concerto includes port plugs?

I think Q Concerto Metas will be the one I will end up using for Surrounds. Q6 Metas will be Front LCR and Q3 Meta as Atmos.