[jmcates]

I am creating my theater room for my house in my basement. The dimensions are 30x10. The theater portion is in essentially a 15ft. x 10ft. space. With the 10 ft. portion being the space from my TV to the back wall where my couches are about 1-2 ft. off the wall.

Current Setup:
Center: Klipsch Center Channel RC35 (based on some of the threads I have read should I consider replacing?)
Front: I purchased Klipsch Pro 4650 2 way ceiling speakers (reconsidering this and potentially putting them in above the couches.)
Rear: Bose 161 (considering moving these to fronts)
Subwoofer: BIC F-12 12" 475W Front-Firing Powered Subwoofer
TV: 60" Samsung LED
Receiver: Yamaha RX-V679BL 7.2-Channel MusicCast AV Receiver with Bluetooth (just purchased on amazon for $399)

Ideally I would like to spend under $300 for either bookshelf speakers to complement the center channel or using the bose speakers as fronts and buying new surrounds to mount behind the couches. Is there something I should be doing differently or any advice on speakers I should purchase/replace?

I was looking on Amazon and they have the Klipsch R-14M's or the R-15M's at under $300.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Zorba922]

1. You never, ever want to use ceiling speakers for your fronts. That is a disaster. So yes, move them to surround or Atmos duty if you are unable to return or resell them.

2. Keep the Bose 161 as surrounds, that's the most I would ever use them for.

3. If you have no trouble understanding dialogue with the RC35 without needing to crank up the volume, then keep it. If you do, then replace them...the center is the workhorse of any HT system, so make sure it can fulfill its one simple function to your satisfaction.

4. If you want to go with Klipsch speakers for your surrounds, I'd recommend the new Reference Premiere series over the old model lines. And I'd recommend ordering from Crutchfield since they give you a flat $10 return shipping rate in case you don't like the speakers.

http://www.crutchfield.com/shopsearch/klipsch_bookshelf_speakers.html

 

[gajCA]

Agree with Zorba; keep the Bose for surrounds.

These are only on sale through tomorrow at Crutchfield so I would jump on them ASAP; your current center should be fine IMHO...and if not you can always upgrade to an RP center down the road.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_714RP150MC/Klipsch-Reference-Premiere-RP-150M-Cherry.html?tp=186

 

[jmcates]

Thanks for the advice. I looked at the bookshelf speakers. The wife gave the no go on the Cherry ones. Looks like the black RP-15's arent on sale. Would you go with the 16's over the 15's? I am concerned about space but the price difference is $20. Thanks again.

 

[gajCA]

Thanks for the advice. I looked at the bookshelf speakers. The wife gave the no go on the Cherry ones. Looks like the black RP-15's arent on sale. Would you go with the 16's over the 15's? I am concerned about space but the price difference is $20. Thanks again.

Surprisingly almost no difference in bass extension; 64hz vs. 62hz but might have a fuller mid range sound with the larger cabinet.

 

[jmcates]

I was going to ask this before. Everything I have read says that I want to match my center channel brand to the fronts brand. Do you subscribe to that as well or should I consider other brands?

 

[gajCA]

I think that if you like the Klipsch sound they are perfect for home theater due to their high sensitivity.

 

[jmcates]

Ok great really appreciate the help.

 

[lizrussspike]

I was going to ask this before. Everything I have read says that I want to match my center channel brand to the fronts brand. Do you subscribe to that as well or should I consider other brands?

Yes most would say that keeping your L/C/R left, center, and right are very important to the front sound stage, and keeping within the same brand.

 

[Zorba922]

I was going to ask this before. Everything I have read says that I want to match my center channel brand to the fronts brand. Do you subscribe to that as well or should I consider other brands?

So long as the center channel actually provides decent VOICE CLARITY (meaning, you don't have to crank up the volume just to understand the darn dialogue) then sure why not, if you want to follow conventional wisdom. But some center channels are notoriously incompetent at that one simple function, in which case I'd happily toss the "timbre matching" myth out the window and finding a center that IS competent...having a "timbre matched" front stage that produces muddy or garbled dialogue is absolutely useless...a complete waste of money and space.

 

[jmcates]

Looking at replacing the center channel now

As discussed before the Klipsch RC35 in my experience the Dialogue is not great. My wife is always complaining she can't hear and I have to crank the volume. Any advice on which of the Klipsch Center Channels I should go with?

Would not let me post a link to the Crutchfield list of Klipsch Center channels.

The room is rectangular the center would be 12' feet to the Surrounds (back wall) and I would have the space for the RP-440C but wondering if that will be overkill?

I went with RP 15's for the bookshelf speakers.

 

[jmcates]

As discussed before the Klipsch RC35 in my experience the Dialogue is not great. My wife is always complaining she can't hear and I have to crank the volume. Any advice on which of the Klipsch Center Channels I should go with?

Would not let me post a link to the Crutchfield list of Klipsch Center channels.

The room is rectangular the center would be 12' feet to the Surrounds (back wall) and I would have the space for the RP-440C but wondering if that will be overkill?

I went with RP 15's for the bookshelf speakers.

Talked to Crutchfield and they recommended the Reference RC-62 II. $329 on closeout.

 

[gajCA]

Talked to Crutchfield and they recommended the Reference RC-62 II. $329 on closeout.

$10 to return if not happy.

You might like it.

Has a different tweeter than the RP centers; the RP speakers have been the best received Klipsch line in quite a while.

RC Tweeter: Tractrix® horn with 1" titanium dome tweeter

RP Tweeter: 90° x 90° Hybrid Cross-Section Tractrix® horn with 1" LTS (Linear Travel Suspension) titanium diaphragm tweeter