Upgrade to 7.1 surround sound.

[admin_exported]

Can anyone help with a bit of advice:

I currently have a Denon 3805 receiver,sony bdp s-500 blue ray dvd player, monitor audio silver RS1 speakers, RS silver centre speaker and mission m3ds rear speakers and mj acoustics pro 50 sub. I want to upgrade to 7.1 surround sound and am in 2 minds: 1) buy another pair of m3ds rears or upgrade all 4 rears to monitor audio R45 speakers but will these speakers be ok as rears. I do not have the room to upgrade to monitor audio BRFX speakers not all 4 anyway would 2 BRFX and 2 R45 be a good comprise. Any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[Anonymous]

As I've said elsewhere, the best surround systems employ even tonality from speaker to speaker to deliver a more convincing multichannel whole. In that regard, abandoning your Mission rears in favour of a Monitor Audio solution all around makes sense. However, R45s are going to sound way too small for you.

How about R90s? They're not that much bigger, and certainly no bigger than m3ds Missions. If that'll work, then use a pair of Monitor Audio's RSFX rears for your main surround channels, and a pair of R90s for surround backs. If that's too costly, then go for R90s for all four surround channels rather than introduce another, potentially slightly different tonality in the shape of the BRFX rears (ie avoid building a system using three types of loudspeaker - RS Silver front, Bronze BR rear, Radius surround back).

 

[Anonymous]

thanks for the reponse. I cannot afford 4 R90 at the moment but i think i will replace my mission now and add 2 more R90 in a few months. Is there any way i can send a picture of my room so that i can check the positioning of my rears and then my 2 additional centre rears.

thanks again.

 

[Anonymous]

Sure, jot something down and stick it in the post to me, I'll give it the once over.

Andy Kerr

Deputy Editor

What Hi-Fi? Sound and Vision

Haymarket Media Group

Teddington Studios

Broom Road

Teddington

TW11 9BE

 

[Anonymous]

thanks andy will do so this week,

thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

Andy,

thanks again for help so far, i am still unsure wether to go for bronze sfrx speakers or the R90 i am going to go for 4 speakers to get my 7.1 surround. I like the idea of bi-pole and switching the speakers to create the right sound. But which will sound better with my system and my silver rs1 also i am considering either the onkyo sr 875 or 805 will they sound ok with my monitor audio speakers.

any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Anonymous]

Let's take a look at your room layout first and then talk more. There's a lot to commend bipoles and dipoles in surround channel applications, but equally, using Bronze sides, Radius rears and Silver fronts might not be the ideal. It's a hobby-horse of mine, as many will know, but tonal consistency really does make a very big difference to effective surround sound: using Monitor Audios all around is a good idea, but even better is (as far as is possible) using the same type of Monitor Audio in each location. Anyway, like I said: we'll follow this up when your letter arrives.

Cheers, Andy

 

[Anonymous]

andy,

have you received my layout yet, i am a bit concerned because i found out that there was a fire in the local post box and just want to make sure you received the letter. Please let me know if you received it.

thanks alot

steve

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, got it today. I'll make notes on the document. I'll look forward to reading your notes tomorrow about your room's dimensions.
Cheers, Andy

 

[Anonymous]

Andy,

Starting at the top wall with the chimney at the top the dimensions are 1500mm chimney 1400mm then 1600 total 4.5m, then working clockwise the dims are 2900, 1500, 800, 3000, and 3700.

Hope this makes sense. Distance from front/centre speakers to main seat 2600mm right surround 1200mm and left surround 1900mm. Any advice you can give me will be greatly appreciated. I am buying an onkyo sr875 and new surround speakers at the same time either bronze BRFX or R90 (7.1 surround) or stick with 5.1 and have the silver surrounds. What is your opinion.

thanks again

 

[Anonymous]

Andy,

Have you had chance to look at the layout with dims yet mate, anyway i have managed to scrape together £400 and am undecided wether to replace my missions with Monitor Audio RSFX or 4 x BRFX or 4 x R90. Which would you recommend either 5.1 with SRFX or 7.1 with either BRFX or R90.

Any advice greatly appreciated.