AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › Setting up a home theater for a bedroom
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Setting up a home theater for a bedroom

post #1 of 16
11/24/12 at 2:37am
Thread Starter 
Hey guys, just needed some advice for a home theater. I've been running a HTIB and finally bit the bullet and bought a receiver through a black friday deal (Onkyo 818). I wasn't going to get such a nice receiver but the deal was pretty good and I had extra Amazon gift cards lying around so it came out very cheap when all was said and done. I'm looking to get speakers to go along with the 818 and I'm wondering what you guys would recommend for me. Should I stick with a 5.1 setup in a bedroom? I'm assuming a 7.2 would be useless in my situation.
Edited by Pete the Greek - 11/24/12 at 10:18pm
Reply
Reply

AVS Top Picks

post #2 of 16
11/24/12 at 2:54am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

Hey guys, just needed some advice for a home theater. I've been running a HTIB and finally bit the bullet and bought a receiver through a black friday deal (Onkyo 818). I wasn't going to get such a nice receiver but the deal was pretty good and I had extra Amazon gift cards lying around so it came out very cheap when all was said and done. I'm not looking to get speakers to go along with the 818 and I'm wondering what you guys would recommend for me. Should I stick with a 5.1 setup in a bedroom? I'm assuming a 7.2 would be useless in my situation.

3.1
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 16
11/24/12 at 2:56am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by GusGus748s View Post

3.1

Rear bookshelf speakers above the bed wouldn't help? Like in the rear corners of the room I was thinking.
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 16
11/24/12 at 3:28am
Buy a good 3.1 system and g from there.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 16
11/26/12 at 4:21pm
Thread Starter 
Can anyone give me some advice? There are some Polk monitor 70 II's on sale and I'm thinking of grabbing them along with Polk's center (CS2). Are these too low end for my receiver? I was originally looking at the Klipsch reference series but I'm considering going cheaper and saving $$ if it won't be a big noticeable difference .
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 16
11/26/12 at 4:24pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

Can anyone give me some advice? noticeable difference

How big is the bedroom?
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 16
11/26/12 at 4:32pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by zieglj01 View Post

How big is the bedroom?

12 X 15
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 16
11/26/12 at 4:51pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

12 X 15

Towers need space away from the back and side wall, and need breathing room in front
of them to function properly. Are you sure you have room for them.

A system with bookshelves, center and sub, can work in that room.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 16
11/26/12 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by zieglj01 View Post

Towers need space away from the back and side wall, and need breathing room in front
of them to function properly. Are you sure you have room for them.
A system with bookshelves, center and sub, can work in that room.

I haven't thought of that, I wanted to put something nice in my room. I just figured a system that consists of only bookshelf speakers would be sub par
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 16
11/26/12 at 5:04pm
~sigh~

Whether something needs to be away from a wall has nothing to do with whether it's a tower or bookshelf. The wall acts as a baffle and it has to do with how the baffle-step is configured (and whether it's rear-ported) and the FR range being produced. In my bedroom I actually run bookshelf fronts and tower rears.

There is no reason in the world that a bookshelf+subwoofer set will not sound as good as a tower+sub set (and better than a tower-sand-sub set given the needs of bass placement).

Further (and mileage will vary) I disagree with LCR. I'm running phantom center in my bedroom because it sounds better in that small a space.

If you are going to use stands, might as well use towers instead. If you have mounts, go bookshelf. I'd run 4.1 (or 4.2) and add a center only if I didn't like the front soundstage. Note: that's what I'm actually running as well.

Put most of your money into 2.1. Your surrounds' quality won't have nearly the impact that the fronts and sub do.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 16
11/26/12 at 5:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

I haven't thought of that, I wanted to put something nice in my room. I just figured a system that consists of only bookshelf speakers would be sub par
As long as you have/buy a decent subwoofer - you will get a lot of sound

HTD Level Three bookshelves and center can work for you
http://www.htd.com/Products/level-three-speakers/Level-THREE-Bookshelf-Speakers

http://www.htd.com/Products/center-channel-speakers/Level-THREE-Center-Channel-Speaker
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 16
11/26/12 at 5:08pm
If it were me I would spend a little more money on a nice or really nice set of bookshelf/monitors instead of some cheap towers. In a 12x15 room you don't need a ton of volume just for the sake of volume (Polk monitors, Klipsch reference). Get something with a great overall sound.

Not knowing your preferences toward sound or budget the forum members can only recommend what they/we prefer to our ears. You may need to go out and demo as much as possible to take advantage of many of the 30 day in home trials or 60 days with Crutchfield.

I would look toward something like the NHT Classic 3 or Swan D1.1SE or 2.1SE or Ascend Acoustic Sierras. There are of course many choices in and around this price point that are probable equally as good.
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 16
11/26/12 at 5:12pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kini62 View Post

If it were me I would spend a little more money on a nice or really nice set of bookshelf/monitors instead of some cheap towers. In a 12x15 room you don't need a ton of volume just for the sake of volume (Polk monitors, Klipsch reference). Get something with a great overall sound.
Not knowing your preferences toward sound or budget the forum members can only recommend what they/we prefer to our ears. You may need to go out and demo as much as possible to take advantage of many of the 30 day in home trials or 60 days with Crutchfield.
I would look toward something like the NHT Classic 3 or Swan D1.1SE or 2.1SE or Ascend Acoustic Sierras. There are of course many choices in and around this price point that are probable equally as good.

What would be optimum for movies? That's mainly what I'm using them for. There's no set limit on price, although I'm not willing to spend some outrageous amount on my speakers. I'd prefer cheaper but if the value is present in more expensive speakers I will save up and go that route. I don't want to buy something and be dissatisfied with it a few months down the line, I'd rather build my setup for many years to come.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 16
11/26/12 at 6:01pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

What would be optimum for movies? That's mainly what I'm using them for. There's no set limit on price, although I'm not willing to spend some outrageous amount on my speakers. I'd prefer cheaper but if the value is present in more expensive speakers I will save up and go that route. I don't want to buy something and be dissatisfied with it a few months down the line, I'd rather build my setup for many years to come.

HTD Level 3's are awesome. I currently have front Monitor 70 towers, pair with a Klipsch RW-12D sub, and it sound awesome, but the HTD 5.1 set up that my friend has sounds more detailed and clear. I am hoping to buy a new house next year, and I will be replacing my current set up with HTD level 3.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 16
11/26/12 at 6:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete the Greek View Post

What would be optimum for movies? That's mainly what I'm using them for. There's no set limit on price, although I'm not willing to spend some outrageous amount on my speakers. I'd prefer cheaper but if the value is present in more expensive speakers I will save up and go that route. I don't want to buy something and be dissatisfied with it a few months down the line, I'd rather build my setup for many years to come.
Paired with a subwoofer, there's no sonic difference between good bookshelves and good towers. Factors are price (remember to add stands for the bookshelves if needed) and aesthetics.

At the low end: there are a lot of fans of the Pioneer http://www.avsforum.com/t/1278774/pioneers-speaker-genius-hits-low-price-point
There are a lot of fans of the Polks.
There are a lot of fans (including me) of the Infinity Primus and Beta lines.
Behringer has a (visually perhaps ugly but impressive sounding) bookshelf in that range as well.

Move up and you'll see EMP, Ascend, Hsu, etc.

Further and you can get into Paradigm Studios and the like.

Around $3k, I'll start recommending Salk fronts with non-Salk surrounds (others will have their preferences); and for me at least, I'll stay there through any reasonable increase.
Reply
Reply
post #16 of 16
11/26/12 at 6:26pm
EMP is having a good sale right now!
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Speakers

AVS Top Picks

AVS › AVS Forum › Audio › Speakers › Setting up a home theater for a bedroom