Hi, All! An old member here. I do not post much these days but still check the forum from time to time. Need some advice for kitting out a friend’s house during major refurbishment.
So -
The House:
It is a three-level semidetached house with 4 bedrooms, two baths and a large open plan kitchen/living area opening to the garden. More details on each area and their respective AV needs:
Level 0:
Living/kitchen/garden – the living part needs a new TV, 5.1 surround sound to watch bluray/DVD, iPlayer, iPad video and Freeview. The kitchen part needs stereo music which will also spill to the garden (no separate garden speakers). TV will be wall mounted. The speakers must be in-ceiling. Sub can be separate. AVR, bluray player and other gear must be located on shelves on the left wall.
Guest bedroom – needs airplay music
Level 1:
Large reception room – this needs airplay music. The solution is already fixed: existing Airport express + existing AVI DM10 speakers.
Study: This will have iMac computer, printer, small desktop speakers for music. A cupboard with internet modem, AirportExtreme hub, network switch (this will be the central hub for the Ethernet network).
Level 2:
3 bedrooms here, each to have airplay music. This floor will have no Ethernet network, only wireless.
Bathroom: This needs music. Not sure yet how to do this one yet.
The Client:
The owner will be mainly style/interior design driven but is a very keen classical music fan, music plays all the time and she appreciates high quality sound. The gear must be VERY simple to use and after the initial setup must need no tinkering.
Current thinking:
Ethernet network on levels 0 and 1 with hub in the study, wifionly on level 2.
Level 0: For the AV: Marantz SR6010, monitor audio CT280 L,R,C speakers and CT265 for SL,SR in ceiling speakers. TV model no clue. JL Audio Dominion 110 sub. Cheap compact Sony bluray player. Apple TV. For kitchen use AVR zone 2 and monitor Audio CT280 in ceiling stereo speakers (will spill out to the garden)
Level 2: all bedrooms to have existing airport expresses + existing active speakers. Bathroom – no clue.
The questions:
Which TV? Size? 4K or not? Sitting position is abt 3m from the wall but from the kitchen is abt 5m.
Which AVR? The SR6010 is only proposed because I know the Marantz range. Are there better alternatives (better = does the same cheaper).
Which ceiling speakers? From the marketing BS I struggle to understand which are high-performance good deals and which are overpriced average. Any advice?
How to sensibly serve the top floor bathroom? This is tricky due to electrical safety limitations. Could be a weatherproof single stereo speaker fed from e.g. xzone 3 of the AVR (but will need a more expensive AVR). Is there another way? E.g. andairport express in the central cupboard, a cheap signal sensing amp and then speaker cables up one level to the bathroom speaker?
Any advice re the network?
The reason Sonos is not considered is that it would be considerably more expensive as there is already an existing set of 4 airport expresses and 5 active speakers available, hence inclination to stay airplay based and ensure stability by using Ethernet.
Any other general advice, what else to consider etc etc.
So -
The House:
It is a three-level semidetached house with 4 bedrooms, two baths and a large open plan kitchen/living area opening to the garden. More details on each area and their respective AV needs:
Level 0:
Living/kitchen/garden – the living part needs a new TV, 5.1 surround sound to watch bluray/DVD, iPlayer, iPad video and Freeview. The kitchen part needs stereo music which will also spill to the garden (no separate garden speakers). TV will be wall mounted. The speakers must be in-ceiling. Sub can be separate. AVR, bluray player and other gear must be located on shelves on the left wall.
Guest bedroom – needs airplay music
Level 1:
Large reception room – this needs airplay music. The solution is already fixed: existing Airport express + existing AVI DM10 speakers.
Study: This will have iMac computer, printer, small desktop speakers for music. A cupboard with internet modem, AirportExtreme hub, network switch (this will be the central hub for the Ethernet network).
Level 2:
3 bedrooms here, each to have airplay music. This floor will have no Ethernet network, only wireless.
Bathroom: This needs music. Not sure yet how to do this one yet.
The Client:
The owner will be mainly style/interior design driven but is a very keen classical music fan, music plays all the time and she appreciates high quality sound. The gear must be VERY simple to use and after the initial setup must need no tinkering.
Current thinking:
Ethernet network on levels 0 and 1 with hub in the study, wifionly on level 2.
Level 0: For the AV: Marantz SR6010, monitor audio CT280 L,R,C speakers and CT265 for SL,SR in ceiling speakers. TV model no clue. JL Audio Dominion 110 sub. Cheap compact Sony bluray player. Apple TV. For kitchen use AVR zone 2 and monitor Audio CT280 in ceiling stereo speakers (will spill out to the garden)
Level 2: all bedrooms to have existing airport expresses + existing active speakers. Bathroom – no clue.
The questions:
Which TV? Size? 4K or not? Sitting position is abt 3m from the wall but from the kitchen is abt 5m.
Which AVR? The SR6010 is only proposed because I know the Marantz range. Are there better alternatives (better = does the same cheaper).
Which ceiling speakers? From the marketing BS I struggle to understand which are high-performance good deals and which are overpriced average. Any advice?
How to sensibly serve the top floor bathroom? This is tricky due to electrical safety limitations. Could be a weatherproof single stereo speaker fed from e.g. xzone 3 of the AVR (but will need a more expensive AVR). Is there another way? E.g. andairport express in the central cupboard, a cheap signal sensing amp and then speaker cables up one level to the bathroom speaker?
Any advice re the network?
The reason Sonos is not considered is that it would be considerably more expensive as there is already an existing set of 4 airport expresses and 5 active speakers available, hence inclination to stay airplay based and ensure stability by using Ethernet.
Any other general advice, what else to consider etc etc.
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