New home cinema plans

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AlmaataKZ

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bigboss said:
Thanks for your comment on motorised ceiling speakers. I'm hoping the same too. My current system has centre speaker positioned above the TV, near the ceiling. And it sounds great!

I'm not sure if anyone even offers demo of ceiling speakers. Paucity of reviews makes the decision even harder! :?

BB, Bang and Olufsen shops sometimes have in ceiling speakers on demo. They have motorised models similar to the ones you linked to, too.
 
AlmaataKZ said:
bigboss said:
Thanks for your comment on motorised ceiling speakers. I'm hoping the same too. My current system has centre speaker positioned above the TV, near the ceiling. And it sounds great!

I'm not sure if anyone even offers demo of ceiling speakers. Paucity of reviews makes the decision even harder! :?

BB, Bang and Olufsen shops sometimes have in ceiling speakers on demo. They have motorised models similar to the ones you linked to, too.

Now you're talking! :cheers:

It's the BeoLab 15 (and BeoLab 16 subwoofer). Looks amazing, and price isn't bad either (considering you don't need a separate AV receiver)! Can this be made into a 5.1 system?

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AlmaataKZ

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http://www.bang-olufsen.com/en/customer-service/product-support/loudspeakers/beolab-1516

The amp module is separate. Not sure about 5.1. A dealer should be able to explain options.
 

Xanderzdad

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bigboss said:
Xanderzdad said:
BTW I have a projector in my main room and can only sensibly use it with the curtains pulled as it looks washed out with any light falling on the screen area. If you find a solution to the ambient light issue I would be interested to hear.

I checked ReAct 2.1 screen which looked superb even under brightest halogen lights and window open. You should demo it.

That looks good but is way, way out of my price range. I think I'll have to stick to pulling the curtains (it's good exercise and I don't watch a lot of TV in the day).
 
Is it possible to have 2 sets of front and centre speakers sharing the same rear surrounds running off the same amp, in such a way that only 1 set of fronts and centre is on at a time?

Thinking if a corner TV could be used for TV, and projector for movies...
 
Well, I am buying an amp with 2 video outputs, but the projector and TV will have different fronts and centre.

The other option is to use my existing amp for TV, and the new amp for projector use with both amps sharing the rears.
 

buzz_lightclick

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If I had your room layout, my choice would be to keep your Pioneer TV and place in the corner of the living room as in the photo, and go for a projector setup in the garage for a proper cinema room. It seems like a lot of faff to have a projector screen over the fireplace and centre speaker in the ceiling etc, I'm sure you'd get a much better result with a dedicated setup in the garage and the Pioneer is still a great TV for general tv viewing. Maybe go for a 2.1 sound system in the living room and then a full 5.1/7.1 or whatever you prefer in the garage.
 

Frank Harvey

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bigboss said:
I think I've found the perfect compromise! :clap:

kef_ci3-80qt_2.jpg


Ci3-80QT_header.jpg

Hi BB

I thought I'd post up that reply for the benefit of others who might be in a similar situation. There were paragraphs, but copying and pasting to here seems to lose them.
People who go for a full in ceiling set up tend to be those that want everything to be as discreet as possible, and that is the main concern. The disadvantage with full in ceiling is that the coverage of those in ceiling speakers can be a little limited, especially in larger rooms. The front three are the most important, but it is those speakers that are usually furthest from the seating position. The wider dispersion of the KEF UniQ models helps, but you'll never usually be within the ideal dispersion of all of the speakers. This is why KEF brought out the motorised in ceiling speakers, so that they can be discreet, but when needed, they can be angled more towards the listening position.
If people go for part in ceiling/part in room installations, it is usually the front three being in room and the rears being in ceiling. There have been a few who have gone for in wall centre maybe, but fairly rare. The main issue you will have with using R Series as front left and right with an in ceiling centre is the difference in the point of their source. The front left and right are coming from more or less ear level, whereas the in ceiling would be coming from a point some two metres above that, which doesn't make for good sound panning across the front soundstage. I'd highly recommend keeping the front three as close to a single horizontal plane as possible. I have no problem with people going for in ceiling rear speakers, as these can be far more desirable than boxes, and can work well. To some extent, speakers behind us sound a bit different from those in front, no matter how close they are in design. Most "matching" rear speakers tend to sound different anyway, either because their cabinet volume is far smaller, the mid/bass drivers they use are smaller, efficiency is quite different, or because of their design (dipole/bipole etc). So don't worry if the rear speakers are a bit different - whatever you go for, they'll probably sound different anyway, and the only way around that is to go for exactly the same at the rear as you have at the front.
I would, at a total guess imagine that the driver area of the Ci380 is not too far off that of the Ci200, but with the Ci200 being an 8" driver, it will sound fuller with more presence, which is an advantage in a larger room, and will allow a lower crossover point - ideally we need to be looking between about 60-90Hz.
As for getting a suitable AV receiver, either something like the Yamaha RXA3030 or Anthem MRX710 are about as good as one box receivers get, and you're then into pre/power combinations. The above, particularly the Anthem, having good EQ systems, and the Anthem is particularly flexible, so whatever the system sounds like when it is installed, the Anthem should ensure you get the most out of the system.
 
Thanks David! And Happy Birthday!! :cheers:

With regards to Ci380 vs Ci200, the former is a 3-way speaker while the latter is a 2-way. From their website,

"The Ci3-80QT comprises a Uni-Q® array with a coincident mounted, twin neodymium magnet, 15mm (3⁄5in.) aluminium dome, high-frequency unit, a 75mm polypropylene midrange unit and two 75mm bass drivers."

"The two-way Ci200.3QT combines 100W power handling and 88dB sensitivity, for a maximum output of 108dB. A 200mm (8in.) polypropylene cone bass/mid unit with a coincident mounted 25mm (1in.) aluminium dome, ferrofluid cooled high-frequency unit gives superb off-axis dispersion characteristics."

Would the Ci200 lack in performance due to it?
 

Frank Harvey

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Thanks BB :)

Oddly enough, your room looks like the sorts of rooms you see in some speaker manufacturer's brochures...

Apologies. For some silly reason I presumed the Ci380 was a two-way :doh:

While I'm all for three way speakers and the extra accuracy they tend to bring, I still feel the Ci200 would be the better choice in a larger room. With greater mid/bass cone area to shift more air, and a larger tweeter, this would be my choice of the two. Its a shame the new in wall speakers they're about to produce aren't available in motorised form. In fact, I'll ask the question...
 

skippy

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bigboss said:
Is it possible to have 2 sets of front and centre speakers sharing the same rear surrounds running off the same amp, in such a way that only 1 set of fronts and centre is on at a time?

Thinking if a corner TV could be used for TV, and projector for movies...

This any good?

http://www.qed.co.uk/switching_units/switching_and_control_units/ss21_2_way_audiophile_parallel_speaker_switch.html
 
skippy said:
bigboss said:
Is it possible to have 2 sets of front and centre speakers sharing the same rear surrounds running off the same amp, in such a way that only 1 set of fronts and centre is on at a time?

Thinking if a corner TV could be used for TV, and projector for movies...

This any good?

http://www.qed.co.uk/switching_units/switching_and_control_units/ss21_2_way_audiophile_parallel_speaker_switch.html

Thanks! I was looking at it yesterday. What about the centre speaker? QED also makes one for 3 pairs of speakers, not sure if I could use that for centre speaker....

It's only making things complicated I realise.

If my wife insists on a TV, it may be better for the TV to go above the fireplace, with this mount :? :

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That way, I can use the same set of speakers for all viewing.
 
David@FrankHarvey said:
Thanks BB :)

Oddly enough, your room looks like the sorts of rooms you see in some speaker manufacturer's brochures...

Apologies. For some silly reason I presumed the Ci380 was a two-way :doh:

While I'm all for three way speakers and the extra accuracy they tend to bring, I still feel the Ci200 would be the better choice in a larger room. With greater mid/bass cone area to shift more air, and a larger tweeter, this would be my choice of the two. Its a shame the new in wall speakers they're about to produce aren't available in motorised form. In fact, I'll ask the question...

Thanks David. So, what if I use Ci380 for centre and Ci200 for fronts? Would that be the best option?

I'll wait for your report from Kef. :)
 
Ok, now this changes things back to my first post (except this time the TV will be in the ideal position). :grin:

She has agreed for the fireplace to be removed, and replaced with a slim electric fire which has the visual effects of a fire, but a fan heater to blow the heat forwards. So heat will travel forwards and not upwards. The TV can be a mere 6 inches away from it.

That would bring the TV down to eye level. A 65-inch HU8500 will suit nicely there.

I'm thinking of MA 6AV12, with the centre placed on a shelf above the fireplace & below the TV (or above the TV).

All the AV equipment will be in a cabinet in the corner where that corner TV is placed in the picture on the first post.
 

Frank Harvey

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bigboss said:
She has agreed for the fireplace to be removed, and replaced with a slim electric fire which has the visual effects of a fire, but a fan heater to blow the heat forwards. So heat will travel forwards and not upwards. The TV can be a mere 6 inches away from it.

That would bring the TV down to eye level. A 65-inch HU8500 will suit nicely there.

I'm thinking of MA 6AV12, with the centre placed on a shelf above the fireplace & below the TV (or above the TV).

The shelf will ensure that any heat that does rise from the fire will be directed away from the TV.
 

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