Suggestions for the first home theater?

SergSlim

SergSlim

Audiophyte
Hello, forum members!

I've been wanting to buy acoustics for my TV for a long time. Sometimes I look at various comparisons on different sites, but nothing catches my eye. One of the times I thought about it again - for some reason many articles wrote that the Klipsch system is good, and I thought about it. But their forum didn't help me much, so I think it's better to ask here.

- Room area - 16 m2
- Which acoustics/receiver do I already have - none
- Music/movie percentage ratio - 0/100 for now, but when I get normal acoustics, I think it will be 40/60.
- Total budget - mentally prepared for $5K, maybe more if has good explanation why it should be such expensive.
- Location - Ukraine

Regarding music - I would like to buy a vinyl player later and hook it up to this system. In the meantime, I'll listen to my collection in FLAC from the NAS.

Throughout the years I've heard numerous recommendations ranging from Klipsch Reference Premiere 8000F/8000F II, to Monitor Audio Bronze/Silver 200/300, to Polk Audio Reserve R600/R700, to Acoustic Energy AE300 for fronts.

I'm the type of person that can pick something for a very long time before I'm sure that I'm buying the best option for the money and my needs. But selecting acoustics for TV takes way too long. First real thoughts started around 2018, and it's 2025 and I'm still without any....

For the given budget, ideally I'd want to have 5.1.2 system with Atmos in ceiling + receiver.
However, I can start off with just the fronts + receiver and buy the rest gradually.

Any suggestions on how to finally pick something?
 

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flyboylr45

flyboylr45

Senior Audioholic
I‘m no expert but, what ratio of music/movies you want is irrelevant. The speaker is either good or not. Out of the brands you mentioned, Monitor Audio is the only one I have experience with. It was my introduction to “high end” speakers years ago. With that budget in mind, a receiver is your best bet. Anything from Denon, Marantz, Yamaha and Onkyo will probably fit the bill and be your best bet. At that budget, you wont have enough for acoustic panels unless you DIY which is a very good option.
 
Eppie

Eppie

Audioholic Ninja
@SergSlim Hi and welcome. The most important piece in determining the sound quality will be the speakers. If you can listen to any of those models in a store or friend's house, that would be preferred, as some personal preference does come in to play. Of the models listed, my preference would be the Polk R700 as it has been proven to be a good value for the money and excellent sounding. The Klipsch have a higher sensitivity, so they will play louder given the same power, but some people find the Klipsch horns a little bright (but that is a personal preference). Monitor Audio Silver has a good reputation but I have not personally heard any. The mid-range drivers tend to be on the small side which can be a concern. If you can get KEF as well, I would consider Polk and KEF.

Since your main speakers will be close to the TV, you can save some money by foregoing the centre speakers and using a "phantom centre" approach. With the speakers that close together, a centre speaker can interfere with the mains. Your rear speakers do not have to be the same brand but it can help with timbre matching. Polk Reserve also has some good bookshelf speakers for rear channel.

For ATMOS, I think a single pair slightly ahead of your seating area would suffice (like you have indicated in your diagram). Try and get a model with an angled baffle that aims the speaker at your seating area, if possible. If the budget is not big enough, you can pre-wire for the two ceiling speakers and add them latter.

The four AVR makes mentioned above are what most people use here, especially when starting out. We don't know what prices are like in Ukraine, though. Denon S series are less expensive for those on a budget. AVR-X2800H is a good starter if you want something a little better. The X3800H might get over your budget when you add all of the speakers in. You may get better pricing on comparable Yamaha and Onkyo AVRs but we would need to know your costs there. You will likely get 7.1.2 support in that price but having the two extra unused channels is ok (less draw on the power supply).

We would need to know what brand of subwoofer you can get. Avoid cheap Klipsch subs. They do not last. You need to move up to their higher models or look at SVS, REL, Rythmik and the like. A good subwoofer will take up a good part of your budget but will make a big difference in sound quality, especially for movie effects. The Polk R700 have very good bass for music, but if you like electronic music or pipe organ, which can go very deep, you will want a subwoofer that is rated down to 20Hz. (A subwoofer rated down to only 30Hz will add little to your main speakers.)

Provide what extra information you can and you will get some more recommendations from members.
 

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