Home Cinema - 5.1 or 3.1 ?

[admin_exported]

Hi all,

I'm one step closer to home cinema utopia as I purchased a Denon 2130 at the weekend to accompany my Sony 40EX503 and 370 bluray player.

The final question is speakers!

I have listened to KEF 2005.3, Q Accoustic 2000, B&W 685 cinema pack, MA BR5, Kef IQ50s and B&W 684s.

Rather an electic mix but I was trying to get an idea of quality at different prices points and feel for how many speakers I need.

Out of everything I heard the stand outs were listening to "The Panther" on the 685s, Sting Live on the Q Accoustics and everything I heard on the 684s!

The one I'm missing is hearing the B&W MT-25 pack, which should happen on Saturaday.

My system is used for 60% cinema and 40% music.

Currently I'm thinking of getting the 684s and adding an B&W M1 as a centre speaker. I understand on the Denon you can route the sub channel through the front speakers, so that would get the full front setup.

Maybe I would get rear speakers later, but with the cost of everything thus far I would like a setup that I'm happy with today, rather than wishing away another 6 months until I can complete things.

Any thoughts on this setup?

Thanks,

Ian

 

[professorhat]

Agree with getting things in stages rather than getting a full system and then wishing you'd got something better, but don't bother with the M1 as the centre - it won't fit with your 684s tonally and will probably spoil some of the panning sounds in the front of the room. Just go for the 684s for the front pair - dialogue will be presented through both in a "phantom centre" fashion and will be fine for the short term (same for the subwoofer - the 684s are more than capable of dealing with the low end in a stereo setup for the short term).

Then, when you can afford it, go for the HTM62 (or HTM61 if you wish) centre speaker which is designed to work with the 684s, and then eventually the full sub and rears to complete the setup.

 

[chudleighpaul]

If you read The Big Question in this months edition, you will steer well clear of the Q-Accoustics. All of us hated them, they were very harsh.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Prof - I will listen to the MT25s on Saturday and see if they are worth the extra cost over just running the 684s for the moment. The 684s give out a good width and depth of sound so I don't think I will be dissappointed by just purchasing them.

Would the M1s work as surrounds, is tonally balance so important front to back compared to across the front? (space is tight for book shelf speakers behind the sitting area).

Ian

 

[professorhat]

Ian140:Would the M1s work as surrounds, is tonally balance so important front to back compared to across the front? (space is tight for book shelf speakers behind the sitting area).

The balance isn't quite as key from front to back as it is across the fronts, and I think you'll get away with M1s as rears - I say this fairly confidently as I use the 685s as fronts with M1 rears (same issue on the space). I actually auditioned the 686s and the M1s for my rears in the position they would need to be in my flat and found that, although the 686s were clearly superior in their standard position, when put in the position they'd need to be to fit them in my flat, it just didn't sound right. The M1s could be put in the standard position behind the listening position and this sounded much better. The M1 is a seriously good speaker consdiering its size and you may find the MT-25 package does everything you want it to (though I can't believe it'll be anywhere near as good as the full 684 Theatre package).

Again, if you can, when the time comes, go get an audition between the 686s and the M1s as rears and see what you think.

 

[steve_1979]

Have you considered the slightly older but still fantastic sounding Q Acoustics 1010i 5.1 speaker package? They have dropped in price from £550 down to just £300 which is an absolute bargin.

www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/q-acoustics/1010i-5.1/qaco-1010i-5.1-pack www.whathifi.com/Review/Q-Acoustics-1010i-51/

 

[Pistol Pete1]

Then add these for the fronts and use the extra 1010i's to make a 7.1 system?

http://www.richersounds.com/product/floorstanders/q-acoustics/1030i/qaco-1030i-blk

If your VIP, they are now £99.99 too......

 

[Anonymous]

Is the QA1010i the predecessor to the QA2000 Cinema pack or the model down the range?

I will audition the MT25 pack and see where that takes me next.

Peter

 

[professorhat]

It's the predecessor to the 2000 range and, fantastic though it is for the money, it was no comparison to my 685 package (unsurprisingly since the 685 package was almost triple the cost at the time) so is not going to come close to the 684 package you're looking to build up to.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Prof!

 

[professorhat]

Welcome