Speakers to mount in corners of room

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Hi all,


I'm looking to buy a brand new hi-fi setup from scratch – I’m not upgrading from anything, so I need both speakers and an amp. My priorities and setup are a bit specific, so I’d love some advice!

What I'm after:

• Mainly for streaming music (most important), but also for TV sound (we just bought a new TV)
• I need HDMI ARC support on the amp
• Budget is around £400 for speakers and £400 for the amp, though I can stretch a bit for the right gear
• Not interested in CD players, record decks, etc. – just streaming + TV

Room setup:

• The speakers will be mounted in the top corners of the room, about 3m apart and 3m from the listening position
• The left speaker will be above a door, and I only have 36.5cm between the ceiling and the top of the door, so compact size is key
• They'll need to be angled down toward the sofa, which has proven tricky so far

What I’ve tried so far (with Richer Sounds):

1. Argon Fenris A4 + Wiim Mini – active setup, but the supplied speaker cable wasn’t long enough to reach between corners. Was instead recommended...
2. Dali Oberon 1 + Wiim Amp Pro – sounded promising, but the installer couldn’t angle them down enough to point at the sofa
3. Now they’re recommending Monitor Audio Radius 90 + Wiim Amp Pro

At this point I’m getting a bit suspicious – I’m on the third speaker recommendation, and they’re still pushing the same amp. Is it normal for the Wiim Amp Pro to be equally suited to something like the Oberon 1s and Radius 90s, given they’re quite different speakers?


I’d love to hear your thoughts:

• Are there better compact passive speakers in this price range that would suit corner mounting (ideally with good vertical angling brackets)?
• Any other amps with HDMI ARC and a built-in streamer I should consider?
• Would a subwoofer be worth planning for down the line, and if so, any recommendations that would complement this kind of setup?

Really appreciate any advice – thank you!

(I've attached a picture of the room - obviously TV will go in the middle on the wall)

 

[RTHerringbone]

If the TV is mounted on the wall, is it viable to have the speakers at a more conventional height underneath it?

Obviously it depends on what your plans were for the space under the TV, but the right sized unit there could neatly accommodate the amp, the speakers and any other electronics, the wiring would be less conspicuous and the speakers would be at a decent height.

I'd say it could be preferable to have bookshelf speakers not on stands but at a "normal" height, than having them offset and in unconventional positions.

 

[Messiah]

I’ve not used the WiiM amp myself but it seems to fit the bill for what you need and it gets a lot of praise.

If the speakers have to go where you say then I would certainly recommend the Monitor Audio Radius 90. I use them in my home cinema set up and in the kitchen with a Denon DM-41DAB. Whilst you can buy them brand new, there are always lots available on eBay. Owning both the latest version and the prior version (Radius 90 HD), there is very little between them. Can typically pick up a decent pair for £150-£200. (Brackets may or may not be included - if you have to get them separately just make sure you get the right ones).

This would then leave money for a sub which I would say is almost essential for the MA speakers. Whilst their bass is adequate, the small drivers certainly need help.

Plenty of sub options for £200 2nd hand.

 

[daytona600]

Elipson Planet wall / Corner /Ceiling mounting brackets
Add extra speakers if required in the future 5.1.4 Atmos below

.

 

[hybridauth_Facebook_10153931135364868]

Thanks so much for your thoughts. I guess the reason we're thinking of having speakers in the corners is the slightly awkward room shape, which means the TV is off centre to the right (the door in the photo isn't actually the far left of the room). I wish the TV could be more to the left but it can't, but if the speakers were in the corners they'd more be in line with the rest of the room. They would be offset to the tv though, but when we watch tv we could adjust the balance. I hadn't actually considered that having them in the corners was unconventional - I assumed that if they were angled down they would sound fine. Further research proves this not to be the case!

Also we have a one year old so trying to keep breakable things out of his way!

I've found a photo of how the living room looked with the previous occupants (we've just moved in) - their TV is the same size as ours. Does there look like enough space to mount the speakers on the wall either side of the tv? (it acutally looks like their tv was slightly to the right, we'd have ours installed centrally on that wall)

It does seem that there are second hand options which I hadn't thought of yet - this is the first I saw https://www.gear4music.com/Speakers...-ads&msclkid=36f637cf10fe128888295030a2678537

The room diagram shows what we were thinking (armchair at top of diagram, sofa on left, footrest at bottom, blue = tv, yellow = speakers in corners)

 

[Fandango Andy]

If the HDMI ARC, and inbuilt streamer are important to you, the WiiM amp is probably the best bet without doubling your budget.

Your room layout is compromised, however you will be better putting them on stands either side of that unit. It won't be ideal, but it will be infinitely better than putting them in the corners. bring them out as far from the wall as possible 40cm from back of speaker to wall should be enough.

Speakers are a very personal thing as to what suits your room, matches with your amp, as well as personal preference of sound. You really need to borrow some speakers and audition them. Around your £400 budget I like the Triangle Boreea BR03. I haven't heard the smaller BR02, but they may work in your room. The Q Acoustics 5020 are excellent but size and shape may not work for you. I haven't heard their 3020c, but they have a good reputation. Finally, within the price, the Dali Oberon 1 are probably the best smaller speakers and the most forgiving of positioning, they are certainly worth a listen.