[Frohlich]

I know we are all HT fans and are interest in both audio and video but I am curious if you lean more towards sound or video. I realize this is the "speaker" forum so it might skew the results but I wasn't sure where else to put this thread. Let me give you a generic example of what I mean (though this is very similar to my actual situation because of space limitations in the way my family room is set-up). If you were forced between one of the two options below, which way would you lean. Put aside all the questions that will come up around room size, acoustics, viewing distance,etc.. and just keep a simple generic question.


1)65 inch HDTV with bookshelf left and right speakers and a quality surround speakers system including a quality subwoofer


2)55 inch HDTV with floor standing left and right speakers and a quality surround speaker system including a quality subwoofer


In real life I lean towards option #1 in my current set-up. I like listening to 2 channel music but ultimately what gives me the most pleasure is watching blu ray movies and playing video games and that is how I spend most of the time using my HT and so lean a little more towards screen size and video presentation. Of course watching regular HD shows on TV is probably what I use the room for the most but it is not were my "obsession" is .

 

[mgproudfit]

55 inch w/ full sound system.



Easiest question Ive ever answered.


-Matt

 

[flickhtguru]

For me I would choose option 2. I like sound. I have a similar situation I have a 55" HDTV 1080i pre HDMI. I would like to upgrade to a bigger TV with 1080p and HDMI in the space im in now, but I just have an Onkyo HTIB and would rather have quality speakers. So for me I'm going to start with sound first and then do video later. Especially knowing that in 6 or 7 years we will be moving and building a home and I'm going to do a dedicated home theater with a front projector and a 110 to 120" screen.

 

[prepress]

I lean overwhelmingly towards sound, as I'm an audio person first. My setup is a music-first system to which I later added video. So, I'd go for option 2 for music purposes, confident that the system will work for HT also if I buy right. The overwhelming majority of my DVD/BD purchases are music/concert material, in fact; I'm not that much into movies.


Others who are more HT-oriented may think differently, of course.

 

[apodaca]

2/3 of my budget went to speakers and amps. TVs change so much and constantly drop in price that I find it a poor investment compared to a set of high quality speakers.

 

[Daman S]

I agree with the above posters.. i will take the floor standers and the 55 inch anytime over the smaller speakers.


Quality sound packs a lot of punch and good speakers last a lot longer than tv's. Plus their value does not drop either unlike the video components.

 

[MIkeDuke]

Given my room size I am a sound guy mostly. Not that I don't like big screens. My friend has an 84in screen I love the picture he gets from his Sim projector, But my room will only comfortably fit something like a 46in TV. So, I try and get the audio sounding the best I can. And it does sound pretty good for movies and music. If I do say so my self

.

 

[mjg100]

Neither. For a good HT experience I think that you need a large screen and good sound. Get a projector and a screen. You can go that route for the same cost as the 55" TV and have good sound. As far as sound goes, for HT I would much rather have good bookshelf speakers and multiple subs over tower speakers and a single sub. I had an HT that used five on-wall speakers (RBH WM-30's with center behind AT screen) and five subs that gave a better HT experience than a lot of the HT's that used tower speakers and a single sub.

 

[mjg100]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MIkeDuke /forum/post/18153867


Given my room size I am a sound guy mostly. Not that I don't like big screens. My friend has an 84in screen I love the picture he gets from his Sim projector, But my room will only comfortably fit something like a 46in TV. So, I try and get the audio sounding the best I can. And it does sound pretty good for movies and music. If I do say so my self

.

How big is your room?

 

[MIkeDuke]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mjg100 /forum/post/18153995


How big is your room?

12.5fLx9.5fWx8fH. So, pretty small

. You can click on the "my system" link to get an idea of the room size. my next step is to get the tube TV out of there which is a big ole 34i box and wall mount a nice 46in Plasma.

 

[Frohlich]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mjg100 /forum/post/18153986


Neither. For a good HT experience I think that you need a large screen and good sound. Get a projector and a screen. You can go that route for the same cost as the 55" TV and have good sound. As far as sound goes, for HT I would much rather have good bookshelf speakers and multiple subs over tower speakers and a single sub. I had an HT that used five on-wall speakers (RBH WM-30's with center behind AT screen) and five subs that gave a better HT experience than a lot of the HT's that used tower speakers and a single sub.

"If you were forced between one of the two options below, which way would you lean. Put aside all the questions that will come up around room size, acoustics, viewing distance,etc.. and just keep a simple generic question."



Clearly you didn't read my guidelines

 

[RonaldoCombs]

Sound is my priority. Neither option would be my choice - with my budget (around 2k for speakers) I prefer bookshelf L/R to comparable floorstanders.


Ron

 

[craig john]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Frohlich /forum/post/18154042


"If you were forced between one of the two options below, which way would you lean. Put aside all the questions that will come up around room size, acoustics, viewing distance,etc.. and just keep a simple generic question."



Clearly you didn't read my guidelines

I read your guidelines, and I still agree with mjg. I am both a video and an audio guy, (but audio is a little more my strength.) Still, I don't *prefer* a setup with floorstanders. I *prefer* a system with bass-capable satellites, (AKA bookshelf speakers, monitors, whatever you want to call them), mated to capable subwoofer systems.


I realize you don't want your thread to "devolve" into a floorstanders vs. bookshelf argument. However, you worded the original question to almost make the distinction unavoidable.


Craig

 

[ccotenj]

bigger tv and good bookshelves...


towers have no advantage over properly setup/integrated bookshelf/sub... either for music or home theater... for the great majority of people's rooms...

 

[mjg100]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MIkeDuke /forum/post/18154033


12.5fLx9.5fWx8fH. So, pretty small

. You can click on the "my system" link to get an idea of the room size. my next step is to get the tube TV out of there which is a big ole 34i box and wall mount a nice 46in Plasma.

There are guys that have installed projectors in rooms that are smaller than that. My room is 11.5' x 13.5' and I am running a 106" AT screen. Projectors are so cheap now that you can do a projector set up for the same money (maybe less) as a good TV.

 

[mjg100]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Frohlich /forum/post/18154042


"If you were forced between one of the two options below, which way would you lean. Put aside all the questions that will come up around room size, acoustics, viewing distance,etc.. and just keep a simple generic question."



Clearly you didn't read my guidelines

I am very much a sound guy. I use three JTR T8's up front, two Klipsch RB-35's for surround and five subs for the low end. Feeding the mains 650 watts each. For a good HT experience I just think that you need a large screen also. It was one thing when projectors cost an arm and a leg, but now they are about as cheap as TV's and very easy to set up.


Added

I did basically answer your question, but I added a little.

I said bookshelf speakers and multiple subs. I just substituted a projector for the TV since you can buy a projector and screen for about the same money as the 55" TV. I paid $605 delivered for a new Planar PD7130. I paid $325 delivered for a new fixed frame screen. $935 is pretty cheap and definitely in 55" TV range.

 

[Frohlich]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mjg100 /forum/post/18154232


I am very much a sound guy. I use three JTR T8's up front, two Klipsch RB-35's for surround and five subs for the low end. Feeding the mains 650 watts each. For a good HT experience I just think that you need a large screen also. It was one thing when projectors cost an arm and a leg, but now they are about as cheap as TV's and very easy to set up.


Added

I did basically answer your question, but I added a little.

I said bookshelf speakers and multiple subs. I just substituted a projector for the TV since you can buy a projector and screen for about the same money as the 55" TV.

I was just trying to keep the discussion focused to my original question. Nothing personal

BTW, you have a beautiful set-up.

 

[MIkeDuke]



Quote:
Originally Posted by mjg100 /forum/post/18154179


There are guys that have installed projectors in rooms that are smaller than that. My room is 11.5' x 13.5' and I am running a 106" AT screen. Projectors are so cheap now that you can do a projector set up for the same money (maybe less) as a good TV.

I know I know

. It just that with my setup, with the gear in the front of the room, I am not sure I can get the screen mounted in such a way that I am not straining my neck to watch a movie. Plus one of my chairs is really only about 6 feet from the front of the room. I am afraid that if get a very big screen that for anyone sitting there it will be overwhelming. But I do hear you and I have seen rooms my size with FP screens.

 

[BowerR64]

This is a hard decision, just compromise and go with the 65" and the full blown tower setup then everyone is happy.

 

[mjg100]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Frohlich /forum/post/18154276


I was just trying to keep the discussion focused to my original question. Nothing personal

BTW, you have a beautiful set-up.

Thank you. Just trying to spread projector info. There are a lot of people that are still intimidated by a projector set up and many others that think they can't afford a projector set up. They are not for everyone, but it should be an option to be considered.