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Looking for advice on speaker sizes!
Appropriate Speaker Size?
As the title suggestions, I’m looking for advice on speaker sizes for my home theatre. My audio knowledge is limited, please help, lol.
My room is 14ft x 13ft, and due to the configuration I’m limited to a 5.1.2 setup. I’ll be in this house for the foreseeable future (10+ years) and will most likely keep the equipment without upgrading/changing for the same amount of time, so I want to get it right.
I’m looking at a klipsch package but don’t know wether to pick tower speakers with 4, 6, or 8 inch woofers, what size ceiling speakers etc… I’ll be keeping the equipment for a long time but don’t want to overdo it and have it sound bad or be inappropriate for the room.
It will be used for about 40% gaming, 40% movies and about 20% music. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
As the title suggestions, I’m looking for advice on speaker sizes for my home theatre. My audio knowledge is limited, please help, lol.
My room is 14ft x 13ft, and due to the configuration I’m limited to a 5.1.2 setup. I’ll be in this house for the foreseeable future (10+ years) and will most likely keep the equipment without upgrading/changing for the same amount of time, so I want to get it right.
I’m looking at a klipsch package but don’t know wether to pick tower speakers with 4, 6, or 8 inch woofers, what size ceiling speakers etc… I’ll be keeping the equipment for a long time but don’t want to overdo it and have it sound bad or be inappropriate for the room.
It will be used for about 40% gaming, 40% movies and about 20% music. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
1 - 20 of 30 Posts
Budget for speakers including the sub or subs and any other AV equipment needed?Appropriate Speaker Size?
As the title suggestions, I’m looking for advice on speaker sizes for my home theatre. My audio knowledge is limited, please help, lol.
My room is 14ft x 13ft, and due to the configuration I’m limited to a 5.1.2 setup. I’ll be in this house for the foreseeable future (10+ years) and will most likely keep the equipment without upgrading/changing for the same amount of time, so I want to get it right.
I’m looking at a klipsch package but don’t know wether to pick tower speakers with 4, 6, or 8 inch woofers, what size ceiling speakers etc… I’ll be keeping the equipment for a long time but don’t want to overdo it and have it sound bad or be inappropriate for the room.
It will be used for about 40% gaming, 40% movies and about 20% music. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
My budget is flexible, I’ve got my hands on the Yamaha RX-A4A. I still need the 7 speakers and subwoofer, I was hoping to keep it around 3k. That being said my knowledge is limited and for all I know that might not be enough…Budget for speakers including the sub or subs and any other AV equipment needed?
FWIW, I usually listen at about -20db, maaaaaaaaybe -10db for fun. And I have dual 18" subwoofers, and am building mains with 12" woofers and 96db sensitivity. Headroom is a beautiful thing if you have the space for it. The more headroom, the less distortion.My budget is flexible, I’ve got my hands on the Yamaha RX-A4A. I still need the 7 speakers and subwoofer, I was hoping to keep it around 3k. That being said my knowledge is limited and for all I know that might not be enough…
Paradigm Monitor SE is in your price range for your 5.0, a pair of Monoprice 8" speakers with 15* angled baffles, and an SVS PB-1000 Pro, and you will have a pretty darned good 5.1.2 setup:
Fronts: Monitor SE 8000F
Centre: Monitor SE 2000C
Surrounds: Monitor SE Atom
Atmos: Monoprice 134198 in-Ceiling Speakers 8 Inch Carbon Fiber 2-Way with 15 Angled Drivers (Pair) - Alpha Series: Amazon.ca: Electronics
Subwoofer: SVS PB 1000 PRO Subwoofer BLACK [2021 MODEL]
Total: $3688 before taxes and shipping. This is all MSRP, Paradigm usually has a Black Friday sale (or other, periodic ones) that have a 25% discount on the Monitor SE series. Of course, you can always negotiate with a dealer for discounts.
Fronts: Monitor SE 8000F
Centre: Monitor SE 2000C
Surrounds: Monitor SE Atom
Atmos: Monoprice 134198 in-Ceiling Speakers 8 Inch Carbon Fiber 2-Way with 15 Angled Drivers (Pair) - Alpha Series: Amazon.ca: Electronics
Subwoofer: SVS PB 1000 PRO Subwoofer BLACK [2021 MODEL]
Total: $3688 before taxes and shipping. This is all MSRP, Paradigm usually has a Black Friday sale (or other, periodic ones) that have a 25% discount on the Monitor SE series. Of course, you can always negotiate with a dealer for discounts.
Size depends on the seating distance, to some extent. If you're sitting 6-8 feet away from the speakers, I don't think anything more than a 6.5" driver would be necessary, especially if you have a solid subwoofer. If you go with a larger pair of bookshelf speakers instead of towers, you can put the money saved towards a second subwoofer.Appropriate Speaker Size?
As the title suggestions, I’m looking for advice on speaker sizes for my home theatre. My audio knowledge is limited, please help, lol.
My room is 14ft x 13ft, and due to the configuration I’m limited to a 5.1.2 setup. I’ll be in this house for the foreseeable future (10+ years) and will most likely keep the equipment without upgrading/changing for the same amount of time, so I want to get it right.
I’m looking at a klipsch package but don’t know wether to pick tower speakers with 4, 6, or 8 inch woofers, what size ceiling speakers etc… I’ll be keeping the equipment for a long time but don’t want to overdo it and have it sound bad or be inappropriate for the room.
It will be used for about 40% gaming, 40% movies and about 20% music. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Paradigms would be a solid choice, as per @sigpig 's recommendation (Gibbys often has them on sale, I think), but I would also take a look at KEF's Q series (Visions, Centre Hi-Fi and 2001 Audio Video usually have good sales on them).
Klipsch would also be good, but look at their RP series instead of the lower R series - the RP's are less harsh, and reportedly don't come with the same feeling of listening fatigue as the R series.
I also just noticed that Visions is now carrying the new Polk Reserve speakers (as well as some of the Legend series, finally) - they might be worth investigating as well.
BASED on what you want, get the Klipsch package with the 8 inch woofer towers. That is not too big for 13x14 room. the bigger the woofers the better the front soudstage, even with subs. Sit back and enjoy, not worrying about upgrading.
(Until you get the 10 inch itch and budget).
(Until you get the 10 inch itch and budget).
The problem with the packages is they often skimp on the centre channel (and usually the subwoofer if there's one in the package as well), which is probably the most important speaker in any HT. With a typical crossover of 80Hz, the 8" drivers on the towers won't offer much benefit over 6.5" drivers with a solid subwoofer supporting the low end.BASED on what you want, get the Klipsch package with the 8 inch woofer towers. That is not too big for 13x14 room. the bigger the woofers the better the front soudstage, even with subs. Sit back and enjoy, not worrying about upgrading.
(Until you get the 10 inch itch and budget).
Thank you so much for all the info! you seem to like the paradigms, is there any advantage to them over the Klipsch equivalent? (Only asking because on paper the klipsch look slightly better)Paradigm Monitor SE is in your price range for your 5.0, a pair of Monoprice 8" speakers with 15* angled baffles, and an SVS PB-1000 Pro, and you will have a pretty darned good 5.1.2 setup:
Fronts: Monitor SE 8000F
Centre: Monitor SE 2000C
Surrounds: Monitor SE Atom
Atmos: Monoprice 134198 in-Ceiling Speakers 8 Inch Carbon Fiber 2-Way with 15 Angled Drivers (Pair) - Alpha Series: Amazon.ca: Electronics
Subwoofer: SVS PB 1000 PRO Subwoofer BLACK [2021 MODEL]
Total: $3688 before taxes and shipping. This is all MSRP, Paradigm usually has a Black Friday sale (or other, periodic ones) that have a 25% discount on the Monitor SE series. Of course, you can always negotiate with a dealer for discounts.
Aside from better sensitivity and lower distortion, though Klipsch is known to heavily overrated their sensitivity by like +6db anyway.With a typical crossover of 80Hz, the 8" drivers on the towers won't offer much benefit over 6.5" drivers with a solid subwoofer supporting the low end.
Maybe some dealers skimp on centers and sub but if you look at the Klipsch theater web site you'll see they are matching speakers based on size and engineering, not deals.The problem with the packages is they often skimp on the centre channel (and usually the subwoofer if there's one in the package as well), which is probably the most important speaker in any HT. With a typical crossover of 80Hz, the 8" drivers on the towers won't offer much benefit over 6.5" drivers with a solid subwoofer supporting the low end.
As far as crossing at 80 and using big subs, I admit little experience, because I started out with big towers (10" x4 )and THEN got big subs (15" x 2), and my crossover is 40 for the front, after trying none (Audyssey said large front and center), 60, and 80. I don't need 80 because I have plenty of power and it would be like a governor on RF7's capability.
6.5 inch or 8", yeah 80hz.
Buying speakers in Canada is a P.I.T.A. of you want a decent entry-level setup. We simply do not have the availability of ID companies in the US, as most of them do not ship to Canada.
FWIW, I love my Paradigms, and have an older 3.0 set for my living room, whenever I get around to it. The Klipsch Reference-series that you can find at BestBuy (or their even worse "Black Label" series) have a reputation fo rharshness and elevated treble energy that tends to cause listener fatigue
With a good subwoofer, especially at your listening distance, a loudspeaker with a 6.5" woofer is fine.
Here's a decent Klipsch 5.0 setup:
Using the same sub and Atmos speakers this all comes to $3,380.
Of course, there's no real NEED for floor-standing speakers. The RP-600M bookshelf speakers are $799/pr MSRP, and that will save you $200. However, you need to add about $100 for decent speaker stands, so that brings it down to a $100 saving. As you can see, you're already saving $900 on the mains and centre.
FWIW, I love my Paradigms, and have an older 3.0 set for my living room, whenever I get around to it. The Klipsch Reference-series that you can find at BestBuy (or their even worse "Black Label" series) have a reputation fo rharshness and elevated treble energy that tends to cause listener fatigue
With a good subwoofer, especially at your listening distance, a loudspeaker with a 6.5" woofer is fine.
Here's a decent Klipsch 5.0 setup:
Using the same sub and Atmos speakers this all comes to $3,380.
Of course, there's no real NEED for floor-standing speakers. The RP-600M bookshelf speakers are $799/pr MSRP, and that will save you $200. However, you need to add about $100 for decent speaker stands, so that brings it down to a $100 saving. As you can see, you're already saving $900 on the mains and centre.
Paradigm is a great company and produces quality speakers. I've never really been a fan of the Klipsh sound, but I can understand why others like them. I'm not familiar with Paradigm's prices in Canada since I bought my setup from a US dealer, but they were a really good price/performance ratio. I would imagine the prices in Canada would be even more attractive.Buying speakers in Canada is a P.I.T.A. of you want a decent entry-level setup. We simply do not have the availability of ID companies in the US, as most of them do not ship to Canada.
80% gaming & movies, only 20% music = you do NOT need anything much larger than 6.5" woofers, in fact 5.25" woofers might be fine if you listen at typical 60-75db levels rather than being a volume freak who regularly pushes 80-85db plus levels.Appropriate Speaker Size?
My room is 14ft x 13ft, and due to the configuration I’m limited to a 5.1.2 setup. I’ll be in this house for the foreseeable future (10+ years) and will most likely keep the equipment without upgrading/changing for the same amount of time, so I want to get it right.
about 40% gaming, 40% movies and about 20% music. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Tower speakers are more of a VISUAL preference than a FUNCTIONAL need, unless you plan to do that 20% music listening in 2.0 mode not 2.1 ... a quality subwoofer will provide deeper and better quality bass than tower speakers while taking a huge load off your receiver.
Critical to the question of how much subwoofer you need: Is your 14 x 13' room totally enclosed, or part of an open plan space?
Generally speaking, electronics prices in Canada are much higher than here in the US and you do not have access to many of the internet-direct brands and online deals that we enjoy south of your border. Sigpig gave you some good recs in Post #6 especially the SVS subwoofer rec ... however, unless you have a strong VISUAL preference for towers I'd suggest simply using the Monitor SE Atoms for your front L/R as well as your surrounds, and putting the savings into getting a true 3 way center speaker: if you want to stick with Paradigm I'd splurge on their Premier 500C center. The center does 60-80% of the HT output and 99% of the dialogue so it SHOULD be the biggest and best speaker in your setup.
If you are open to using a center from a whole other brand, I'd look at the Emotiva C1+ or (if you have the space) the C2+ ... these ship from the US for a nominal charge and if you tell them to use USPS not UPS or Fedex you apparently are able to avoid paying Canadian duties.
If you are not averse to the aesthetics of the Emotivas, they would be a safe choice to do a whole system with them (excluding their subs) if you find that their prices are similar to that of the Paradigm SE series with Premier 500C. My rec in that case would be T0 slim/mini-towers up front (they cost only around $100 more than the bookshelf speakers plus stands) with the C2+ and two pairs of B1+ bookshelves for your surrounds and Atmos height speakers. You can call/email them for a full quote that includes all shipping and duties, to compare with your local Paradigm options.
The advice regarding driver size from the above post is wrong. My room is small and I sit about 8 ft and have been running towers with 6.5 drivers for years with 2 subs. Get the biggest speakers you can fit and afford. 5 inch drivers are better suited for near field desk top situations. Up to you though.
What about the Klipsch RF 7 III's? You mentioned skip the R series and go with the RP, but what about these?Size depends on the seating distance, to some extent. If you're sitting 6-8 feet away from the speakers, I don't think anything more than a 6.5" driver would be necessary, especially if you have a solid subwoofer. If you go with a larger pair of bookshelf speakers instead of towers, you can put the money saved towards a second subwoofer.
Paradigms would be a solid choice, as per @sigpig 's recommendation (Gibbys often has them on sale, I think), but I would also take a look at KEF's Q series (Visions, Centre Hi-Fi and 2001 Audio Video usually have good sales on them).
Klipsch would also be good, but look at their RP series instead of the lower R series - the RP's are less harsh, and reportedly don't come with the same feeling of listening fatigue as the R series.
I also just noticed that Visions is now carrying the new Polk Reserve speakers (as well as some of the Legend series, finally) - they might be worth investigating as well.
This. My current speakers have 6.5" woofers and I can hear them start to distort when I get the AVR to about -10db to -5db. Listening distance is 9 feet. Remember too that you'll see up to +20db swings so you'll need headroom for that and you don't want the speaker to distort.Get the biggest speakers you can fit and afford.
What about the Klipsch RF 7 III's? You mentioned skip the R series and go with the RP, but what about these?
Well, you need more power.This. My current speakers have 6.5" woofers and I can hear them start to distort when I get the AVR to about -10db to -5db. Listening distance is 9 feet. Remember too that you'll see up to +20db swings so you'll need headroom for that and you don't want the speaker to distort.
Bigger speakers don't always need more power , being more efficient. However when one state get the biggest speaker you can afford of course that means affording ample power too.
And if your goal is reference* in a theater, another reason to get the bigger speakers....with amps. Speakers that can deliver and handle that.
We watched Battleship and Unstoppable, double feature, the other day at reference, and it was like being right there.
*Silly me, I always assumed for most theater people on this site that the goal was accurate distortion free reference sound.
The RF7 is an amazing speaker. I own RF7's. I've been to a lot of trade shows. Never bought a thing. If you have those you aren't here asking about size issues or sound issues just proper placement
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