... Will a decent set of powered speakers work for tv viewing? ...

A pair of good-quality, well-rated active speakers will work as well as anything else (and better than some things) for TV viewing.

... I’d have to figure out where to put them since my tv sits on a media center that is barely wider than my tv. ...

Speaker stands.

 

A pair of good-quality, well-rated active speakers will work as well as anything else (and better than some things) for TV viewing.


Speaker stands.

Thanks. That’s what I figured. I haven’t found any videos that specifically address how they handle the “center channel” for dialog when watching movies. I’ve pretty much given up on Atmos since I’d have to install ceiling mounted speakers. Same goes for surrounds. I can get a subwoofer later since they usually have a sw port if the speakers are not enough.

I don’t have a lot of room on the sides of the tv console. There’s a door to the bedroom on the left and bookshelves on the right. But I’m sure I can shift stuff around a little to get them to fit.

 

Better tonality may depend on a lot of things. However, standalone powered speakers will almost unequivocally offer flexibility placement and actual stereo soundstage and imaging that no soundbar can touch.

 

rabbit hole alert!

 

I narrowly escaped! But…

 

Soundbars tend to use multiple tiny drivers in a tiny enclosure. This is inherently bad from a comb filtering and frequency response perspective. Stereo bookshelf speakers are typically better, powered or not. Though there are some exceptions of extremely large and expensive sound bars. At that point you might as well have two or three separate speakers.

Soundbars are good for a lot of people though. They're great if you prioritize an unobtrusive and simple upgrade and don’t care a ton about sound quality or max volume. They’re a big upgrade over TV speakers.

 

That was my reasoning when I got my Sony soundbar. I wanted simplicity and better audio than my tv. Plus I didn’t want spend a lot since I had just shelled out a lot of money to get my Sony tv. Now that’s it been a couple of years, I’m starting to explore what else is there. I still want to keep it simple (and keep the cost down) so I don’t want to get into AVRs.

 

That makes total sense. A a pair of powered speakers would be a definite upgrade, especially if you want to add a real sub. There are a ton of options. Many have built in dsp that make smaller/bookshelf speakers have a decently flat frequency response. They can even do bass limiting based upon volume so distortion is less of a problem.

I went with SVS prime wireless pro speakers and their micro 3000 sub for this type of setup. they use an active crossover and a four channel amp so that the woofer and tweeter are powered separately. Yep, the cable from the master speaker to the other speaker has four conductors instead of two. Combined with the sub output, the sound is great for the size. This sounds nothing like a soundbar!

That’s just one option though. You would love the upgrade no matter the brand, as long as it’s a decent, modern powered speaker pair. You can somewhat choose on aesthetics too if something like the kilpsch really matches your taste. The key is probably finding someplace to hide a small sub. That takes a lot of bass load off the powered speakers, reducing distortion and increasing the max volume.

 

I often test gear at home and in my family room it's a similar situation, not really a great setup for surround sound. I could use a soundbar or a stereo speaker system. The speakers are definitely better sounding. Sound bars can give some simulated surround sound which you will not get from the speakers. But sound quality goes to the speakers. You just can't beat the bigger drivers and the vertical orientation of the drivers for sound.

Some hints about using speakers instead of a sound bar. Don't worry about the center channel but don't place your speakers too far apart. The closer the speakers are together the larger the audience will experience the phantom Center channel. Mine are I think about six and a half feet apart and they are on my TV stand. When I'm testing speakers on stands there about 8 ft apart, and that also works well. Due to aesthetics I decided to just keep smaller speakers on the TV stand.

I would recommend a subwoofer, but I would also recommend one if you were using a sound bar as well.

If you're willing to have a little bit of equipment. You would have a lot more options for speakers. Nothing wrong with Klipsch, Kef, SVS, Etc. However using a streaming amplifier for passive speakers or streaming preamp for active speakers gives you a lot more options. Something like a Wiim amp or Wiim Ultra is very reasonably priced and you would have a ton of speakers to choose from. Just food for thought. I know you want to keep everything as clean as possible.

 

I often test gear at home and in my family room it's a similar situation, not really a great setup for surround sound. I could use a soundbar or a stereo speaker system. The speakers are definitely better sounding. Sound bars can give some simulated surround sound which you will not get from the speakers. But sound quality goes to the speakers. You just can't beat the bigger drivers and the vertical orientation of the drivers for sound.

Some hints about using speakers instead of a sound bar. Don't worry about the center channel but don't place your speakers too far apart. The closer the speakers are together the larger the audience will experience the phantom Center channel. Mine are I think about six and a half feet apart and they are on my TV stand. When I'm testing speakers on stands there about 8 ft apart, and that also works well. Due to aesthetics I decided to just keep smaller speakers on the TV stand.

I would recommend a subwoofer, but I would also recommend one if you were using a sound bar as well.

If you're willing to have a little bit of equipment. You would have a lot more options for speakers. Nothing wrong with Klipsch, Kef, SVS, Etc. However using a streaming amplifier for passive speakers or streaming preamp for active speakers gives you a lot more options. Something like a Wiim amp or Wiim Ultra is very reasonably priced and you would have a ton of speakers to choose from. Just food for thought. I know you want to keep everything as clean as possible.

Thanks for the advice. I intend to get a subwoofer eventually if I dint get it at the same time as the speakers. I don’t want furniture moving vibrations but id like something to add to the overall sound experience.

I do want to keep things relatively straightforward for now.

 

Klipsch The Five

Here's a review
https://www.stereophile.com/content/klh-model-five-loudspeaker
Likely a solid choice. I believe volume control should happen through the HDMI. Other powered speakers without that would need analog input-does you TV have that? Analog output BUT it must vary with the volume control, that is not so common any more.

 

What will it take for you to have a avr and speakers?

It really doesn't appear this Is the right hobby for you.

 

Nonsense.

 

Going a little further:

You could get a pair of Kali IN-5 (I know you claim you're not an audiophile, but link provided for pictures and proof of performance), and

A small DAC like a Topping EX5. Optical in, RCA out. Topping makes a lot of different units but I recommend this one because it has what you need plus a volume knob for when you're close to the TV, and a clear display that can be read from a distance. You could also find a used D50s which would save some $ but lose the better display and knob.

Advantages:

These are powered speakers so you don't need an amp or AVR. You just need to connect them to the small DAC. They are an upgrade in sound quality over the Klipsch Fives and most other powered speakers you'll look at.

And, since the DAC has Bluetooth, you could use other devices with it. For example, you could use your phone, laptop, or tablet for just music without the TV. If you have a disc player, it can be easily connected to it as well. Just make sure the sources (TV, DVD, etc) are set to output 2-channel stereo because without an AVR you cannot decode Dolby or DTS.

Downsides:

The only "downside" to these speakers is that they radiate somewhat narrow compared to others. This isn't a problem if you know where you'll be seated most of the time. If you want something that throws a wider soundfield, there are other options.

As for the DAC, going this route means you can not add a subwoofer.

So if you think you'll want Dolby and DTS decoding for surround sound, and/or want to add a subwoofer, you're going to need an AVR. No way around it.

 

Going a little further:

You could get a pair of Kali IN-5 (I know you claim you're not an audiophile, but link provided for pictures and proof of performance), and

A small DAC like a Topping EX5. Optical in, RCA out. Topping makes a lot of different units but I recommend this one because it has what you need plus a volume knob for when you're close to the TV, and a clear display that can be read from a distance. You could also find a used D50s which would save some $ but lose the better display and knob.

Advantages:

These are powered speakers so you don't need an amp or AVR. You just need to connect them to the small DAC. They are an upgrade in sound quality over the Klipsch Fives and most other powered speakers you'll look at.

And, since the DAC has Bluetooth, you could use other devices with it. For example, you could use your phone, laptop, or tablet for just music without the TV. If you have a disc player, it can be easily connected to it as well. Just make sure the sources (TV, DVD, etc) are set to output 2-channel stereo because without an AVR you cannot decode Dolby or DTS.

Downsides:

The only "downside" to these speakers is that they radiate somewhat narrow compared to others. This isn't a problem if you know where you'll be seated most of the time. If you want something that throws a wider soundfield, there are other options.

As for the DAC, going this route means you can not add a subwoofer.

So if you think you'll want Dolby and DTS decoding for surround sound, and/or want to add a subwoofer, you're going to need an AVR. No way around it.

Erin states these speakers are not suited for HT and are designed for nearfield use from 1-2 meters. Klipsch the Fives's, SVS, Elac and others seem better suited for HT/TV use. No separate DAC needed and they have sub out, which in my opinion is definitely needed for watching movies as the OP states is the intended use.

 

In my wife's room we have both a Sony soundbar and a pair of powered Peachtree speakers ($399 / pr at Audio Advice), which are connected via optical to the TV. For everyday TV watching, she just uses the sound bar. For music we'll use the speakers. Occasionally, like with films that need a bigger sound, she'll use both together. Good set up for space maximization and simplicity of operation.

 

Part of the equation is ease of use and how importtant that is for yourself and family. Most TVs do not adjust the volume output when using optical. So you need a second remote to use something like the Topping. While the Topping is a terrific piece a Wiim Ultra will give ARC/eARC to allow controlling your TV remote or other devices connected to it like an Apple TV remote. Plus you can add a sub.

I think the Kali IN-5 is a great speaker (I own a pair) but might be pushing the $1000 budget. Their price went up and they are now $900/pair plus another $330-$350 for a Wiim or Topping. They used to be $700/ pair. Defnitely, recommended if the extra is OK. Otherwise change the IN-5 to an LP-6 or LP-8 and that keeps you under budget. Another option is the Kali MM-6 which is an LP-6 with a remote and optical connection in it. Definitely under budget and enough left over to add a sub.

 

I like that this category of speakers doesn’t require me to get an AVR.

There are now other options, like the Wiim previously mentioned, that are a small form factor and inexpensive. Using a Wiim would allow you to spend more of your budget on better speakers. Plus, if you decide to add a sub later the Wiim has bass management.

A bit over budget (ok, like 30% , but how about these and a Wiim?
The Ceramic Mini Monitor (Price per PAIR)

Also, there are stands you can buy to raise the TV if you don't want to wall mount it. Raising it by a foot or so will give you room to place speakers on the console.

 

The

There are now other options, like the Wiim previously mentioned, that are a small form factor and inexpensive. Using a Wiim would allow you to spend more of your budget on better speakers. Plus, if you decide to add a sub later the Wiim has bass management.

A bit over budget (ok, like 30% , but how about these and a Wiim?
The Ceramic Mini Monitor (Price per PAIR)

Also, there are stands you can buy to raise the TV if you don't want to wall mount it. Raising it by a foot or so will give you room to place speakers on the console.

The Wiim Amp is intriguing. I like that the amp has the wires going into it and that will allow for easier concealment versus the powered speakers with all of the wires coming out of one of them. And those speakers are gorgeous but I’d like to try to keep everything at most $1000. Any other recommendations?

I saw Andrew Robinson’s review of the Wiim and he had issues with it. It could be that he was trying to power as pair of speakers that are bigger than my car. I assume they would have no major issues handling a pair of desktop speakers.

I can see why soundbars are an appealing option to normies. Other than deciding which brand and model to get, you don’t have to torture yourself with the endless combinations.

 

After many years of owning multiple soundbars, I noticed that powered speakers were starting to come into existence that had the HDMI connection. For me, that was the "final answer" (Klipsch The Sevens in my case). The quality of the sound is much better than any of the soundbars I've owned over the years (including the Samsung Q990-whatever it was). The separation is great. I've heard the proverbial "things I never heard before" in many movies. I don't miss the surrounds at all, or the "atmos" that was practically nonexistent anyway.

I even hooked up a Sony subwoofer I have to them, but didn't feel that the sound was any better than just the speakers themselves.

P.S. @Ellebob , can I ask if you have your 2.1 speakers toed in, or facing straight out into the room? Thanks.

 

I just checked the current speaker distances (things change a lot in my room). The speakers are 5 feet apart and they are not toed in. The couch is an L couch so there are some seats closer and further to the speakers but the center seat that would be between the speakers is 11 feet away.

This is because the current speakers are on the TV stand which also has a UST projector on it for the TV. The speakers go further apart when I have speakers on stands beside the TV stand and sometimes I toe them in slightly but not much.

 

They can work for you. I suggest buying from a vendor where you can buy, try and return if necessary like Best Buy or Amazon. A soundbar like the Sonos Arc Ultra can also work. Again buy, try and return is the way to go in my experience. Sonos will let you buy direct and try for 30 days and return for free if needed. It depends on what works for you in your room.

 

The fives may not be the best choice for a powered speaker setup sound wise. The powered speakers work great for tv sound. After years of use, my Klipsch 2.1 computer speaker setup failed, followed by a faulty LG soundbar, so I ended up going with my current setup. You can also add a decent 10" or 12" sub for more punch if you need it. I chose the edifier s1000w based on a consumer report review of powered speakers. Center channels are more trouble than it is worth in a smaller set up. My wife has hearing issues and is just fine with what we have (no hearing aids required!). I connected the speakers to the headphone output on my sony x95k instead of HDMI. This allowed me to control the volume easier with the Sony remote. I also powered the system with a smart power strip, so the speakers turn off when you turn off the TV.

 

Look at SONOS speakers. I love them !!

 

Look at SONOS speakers. I have several including soundbars. No connection wires , woek great.

 

If running speaker lines are not an option then SVS wireless is a good option. I have their wireless subwoofer box. My home theater was taking to long so before my return period ended I purchased a wireless box

Now that it’s fully wired I don’t really hear a difference.

 

Paradigm used to have a system that was the perfect upgrade to the soundbar. It could even simulate a center channel and surrounds. Too bad it is no longer made. It won awards. Millenia CT

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/paradigm-millenia-ct-speaker-system.3332754/?post_id=64198688&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-64198688

 

Paradigm used to have a system that was the perfect upgrade to the soundbar. It could even simulate a center channel and surrounds. Too bad it is no longer made. It won awards. Millenia CT

https://www.avsforum.com/threads/paradigm-millenia-ct-speaker-system.3332754/?post_id=64198688&nested_view=1&sortby=oldest#post-64198688

You can still get the MilleniaOne speakers. Just use whatever you want to power them like Wiim and add a sub. They have went up in price and would over his budget.

MilleniaOne 1.0

Single Satellite Speaker

www.paradigm.com

BTW, they are excellent small speakers and what I am currently using in my family room with a Paradigm Element 10 subwoofer and MRX-slim receiver. Definitely, over the $1000 price range.

 

If you're considering the Wiim Amp, then there are any number of passive bookshelf speakers you can look at.

 

Amazon.com: Yamaha YHT-5960U Home Theater System with 8K HDMI and MusicCast : Electronics

Amazon.com: Yamaha YHT-5960U Home Theater System with 8K HDMI and MusicCast : Electronics

www.amazon.com

the Yamaha is avery easy set-up and you can use your tv remote with E ARC to keep it simple.

 

The Rabbit Hole is drawing me back in! LOL.

You guys have given me a ton of food for thought. So many options and combinations. Thanks.

 

You could use the Kali's or other studio monitors with a TV, but you would have to use something like a Wiim/Fosi/etc. preamp to have the ARC function for volume control.

Correct. I didn't think that was worth spending another $200 for, though.

I can speculate why Erin said not for HT and I think it is the limiter. The limiter kicks in and that is immediately noticeable as an uh oh moment. Where the other speakers distort and you will notice but will probably keep playing.
If you compare Erin's measurements Kali against Elac and SVS the latter have higher distortion at 96db, both are close though. At 102db the Kali limiter kicked on where the others still played at 102db but their distortion was well into the audible range. Neither should really be run that loud. So I can understand his recommendation but I think it's a little overblown for most people's use, again depending how loud one likes to listen.

How often will this person hit a limiter at 102 dB? I bet not often.