Would A small system actually be better than a large in this situation?

[AngelusNexx]

Hey guys Im building a HT for my bedroom. A small bedroom. 11 x 13 with 8 foot ceilings.

I hate to go with a small speaker setup like the Infinity Tss750 or the Polk RM6900 but if large speakers dont have enough room would I actually be better off with smaller?

This system is 100% for Games and movies. I will be getting bookshelf speakers seperate for music.

What do you guys think about this and what would you recommend?

This is not something im turning into a living room HT later on or anything. This will always and forever be a bedroom setup that I want to keep for awhile.

P.S. - I get 50-60% off Polk/Infinity but im willing to pass it up if something else is considered much better.(Like Orb audio, Mirage Onmisat etc..)

 

[jaxvon]

At the very far end of small speakers, it's hard to get good sound out. It's a physical impossibility. So I'd say just go for some small bookshelves. Axiom has some nice offerings, as does AV123, among others. Plus, since some good bookshelves would negate the need to get separate ones for music. Finally, if you shop right, you can find bookshelves with low enough response to keep your subwoofer in the frequencies where bass is still non-directional. Although...the omnistats are quite sexy...

 

[Rob Babcock]

I think you can have "too much speaker" for a room. In my experience largish floorstanders with a lot of drivers need "room to integrate", meaning sit too close to the speaker and the drivers don't blend together. Plus, too much bass in a small room can be a mess- small rooms will often have many bad modes very near to each other. That can make good bass very hard to get.

I suggest a good two-way tower. Generally a two-way tower will have a bit more cabinet volume than a typical bookshelf and go a bit lower and play a bit louder than a bookshelf, but without "overpowering" a room. Plus, a small room is easier to pressurize in the bass region than a large room, meaning a smaller speaker can play with enough volume and punch to satisfy. Lastly, going with a tower means you don't need stands.

Monitor Audio fanboy that I am, I use a pair of MA Bronze 3 towers in my bedroom. I have a 100 Wpc Techniques receiver driving them, fed by my Denon DCM-380 CD carousel, Pioneer DV-260S DVD player, my old Magnavox VCR, plus my Sony PSOne and Xbox consoles. I have a 32" Toshiba TV for gaming. My rig is almost 100% for gaming- for music in my room I typically listen at my PC (with Griffin PowerWave Tripath amp & JBL HLS-610 speakers), and I don't really watch a lot of TV in my room, maybe just part of a 2nd tier football game that's not worth going downstairs to fire up the projector. At any rate, my Bronze 3's really rock my smallish bedroom (maybe 11' X 12' with 9' ceilings). Good for gaming, but still very nice if I wanna crank up some tunes, too.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

P.S. - I get 50-60% off Polk/Infinity but im willing to pass it up if something else is considered much better.(Like Orb audio, Mirage Onmisat etc..)

There's no reason not to take advantage of that huge discount. The RM20 would be a huge hit for a gaming/HT system in a bedroom. Can you land one of those at 50-60% off? I'm not a big fan of big box towers or bookshelves in a bedroom (unless you really want it or have the room). Make sure you can do better than the set on ebay for $825 shipped.
http://www.polkaudio.com/home/products.php?category=1
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5789093596&category=32861&ssPageName=WDVW&rd=1

 

[AngelusNexx]

For some reason the RM20 is not availavle. I can get the RM6800, RM6900, or the RM6750. I HATE polk subs so im replacing the sub with a Velodyne DPS-12 I can get for $210 so This will just be for the Sats if I go for Polk. Should have mentioned that.

 

[shokhead]

Yamaha YSP1 would be pretty cool in there.

 

[AngelusNexx]

lol ya I was hoping to win it when they gave it away.

 

[j_garcia]

My bedroom is a little larger than that, and I'd have to say you don't need a big system to fill it up. I agree with what Rob Babcock said, a sub can be very tough to integrate in a smaller room, so you may be better off with a decent bookshelf speaker or a smaller tower. Properly setup, a small system can yeild adequate amounts of bass in a smaller room.

 

[AVRat]

Can you purchase other separate pieces like: Polk RTi6, Monitor 40, CSi 3, Monitor 50, to build a custom system?

 

[AngelusNexx]

Yes I can. The only thing I cant get is the LSi series.

 

[j_garcia]

Not a big loss, since the LSis are 4 Ohm and would require a decent power section to drive. I had LSi7s in my bedroom setup and they liked plenty of power.

 

[Vancouver]

What about the B&W FPM 2s? They look great, and sound great for the size. Vienna Accoustics Berg would also be an interesting option, but they are more then the B&W FPMs and not better.


http://www.bwspeakers.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/products.models/label/Model FPM2

 

[mkossler]

This is an example where Acoustic Research HC-6's would be perfect. A 5.1 setup of piano black bookshelf speakers with an 8-inch Sub that has extension down to 35Hz. About 300.00 (MSRP originally 800.00) from J&R Audio for the set. They aren't this years' latest, but so what? Show me something for the same price that even comes close *duck*.

Quality, fit & finish are not to be believed at this price point. Obligatory rave link:
http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/acousticresearch_hc6.htm

Good luck!

Cheers,

Matty K.

 

[j_garcia]

I installed the HC-6 for my dad in his den. I picked them up for $300 with stands basically brand new locally. For the price, it is definitely not a bad little system at all. The mains lack useable lower midrange, but that is to be expected with any small satellite system. The sub is surprisingly decent. It doesn't go very low, but it has respectable output for what it is and the current price, especially compared to ANY comparable HTiB-type system. The cabinets are gorgeous too.

 

[ebterp]

Acoustic Research HC-6 over Bic / sub setup

Guys,

I am a newbie just putting together a system in a fairly small room 13 X16 and don't want to spend too much on speakers. Space is a concern. How do you think this system compares to a bic setup with sub. Probably be going with entry level receiver Pioneer 814. Also a little concerned how old this system is.

E

 

[mkossler]

Here is an example where the inability to audition speakers with ones' own ears is a real disadvantage. I can tell you that the HC-6's were an excellent solution for my small room (that was more or less the same size as yours), and that age of the system in this case is immaterial. I can also tell you that I am naturally biased by my choice of purchase.

I must say that if your concern is at a level that it warrants research here and seeking advice from other enthustiasts, then more research is going to be the only way for you to feel good about your purchase. The best research, of course, is your listening experience in a room acoustically similar to your own. Other than that, it's off to learn about comparitive factors in speakers such as driver materials, configurations, efficiency, response, and more.

Good luck - I'm sure you will be happy with any of the choices you are considering!

Cheers,
Matty K.