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Surround system setup (Atmos preferred)

7017 Views 106 Replies 13 Participants Last post by hieracity, Oct 18, 2021

hieracity

Discussion Starter · Jun 22, 2021 (Edited)

Hi all,

Likely a very noob question. I am going to slowly but surely upgrade my AV experience but was looking to start with audio and be patient for better TV deals down the road. If I have an Apple TV (the newest version) connected to an AVR (looking at Yamaha RX-V6A/TSR-700) which powers the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos Surround System (2 - R-625FA Tower Speakers; 2 - R-41M Bookshelf Speakers; 1 - R-52C Center Channel Speaker), will I still be able to get the Atmos sound even if my TV is from the bygone era?

And yes, this is very much the Costco set up but if anyone has better suggestions for a budget level Atmos set up, I will be very appreciative of your advice. I already bought 2 of the Klipsch R-12SW subs (they went on sale last month) so I have that as my starting point but everything else is a blank canvas.

Budget: prefer to keep it at $1500 but willing to stretch to $2k
Current equipment: 2 R-12SW subs ($330 total)
Use case: Mainly for movies/shows but also music (but i don't claim to be an audiophile by a long shot)
Room: 16 x 13. Ceiling is about 10ft and it's flat. It's the "LIVING" room in the picture below but the 3 feet I left out in my dimension is the walk way. Right now the TV is by the window (blue line) but will want to mount it on the fireplace at some point (assuming it's safe to wall mount on a fireplace)

TIA!

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1 - 20 of 107 Posts

Kini62

· #2 · Jun 22, 2021

hieracity said:
Hi all,

Likely a very noob question. I am going to slowly but surely upgrade my AV experience but was looking to start with audio and be patient for better TV deals down the road. If I have an Apple TV (the newest version) connected to an AVR (looking at Yamaha RX-V6A/TSR-700) which powers the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos Surround System (2 - R-625FA Tower Speakers; 2 - R-41M Bookshelf Speakers; 1 - R-52C Center Channel Speaker), will I still be able to get the Atmos sound even if my TV is from the bygone era?

And yes, this is very much the Costco set up but if anyone has better suggestions for a budget level Atmos set up, I will be very appreciative of your advice. I already bought 2 of the Klipsch R-12SW subs (they went on sale last month) so I have that as my starting point but everything else is a blank canvas.

TIA!

Yes. But the up firing Atmos setups don't usually work very well if at all. That particular package is OK but you could do better by piecing something together. Same for the subs. They're an OK start but it would be better to buy one better sub than 2 mediocre ones.

Your money and ears so...

hieracity

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 22, 2021

Kini62 said:
Yes. But the up firing Atmos setups don't usually work very well if at all. That particular package is OK but you could do better by piecing something together. Same for the subs. They're an OK start but it would be better to buy one better sub than 2 mediocre ones.

Your money and ears so...

Thanks for your reply. I just updated the post with a bit more detail. Any specific suggestions for a build?

Zorba922

· #4 · Jun 22, 2021

$1500-2000 will get you a very good system, esp. if movies/TV is your focus.

This is how I'd spend your budget:
Infinity R263 towers, $400/pr

Infinity REFERENCE 263 | 6-1/2" 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker

Infinity's Reference R263 three way floorstanding home speaker offers detailed, spacious, room-filling sound that will bring your music and movies to life.

www.harmanaudio.com

Infinity RC263 center, $350 (claims to be refurb, but most likely new)

Infinity REFERENCE 263 | 6-1/2" 3-Way Floorstanding Speaker

Infinity's Reference R263 three way floorstanding home speaker offers detailed, spacious, room-filling sound that will bring your music and movies to life.

www.harmanaudio.com

For the surrounds and height speakers, wait a month or two for the Infinity R152 to go on sale again, they're about $150/pr IIRC and you'd just need 3 pairs for a total of $450.

$1200 in speakers, then add a $600 SVS PB1000 Pro sub and you'll be all set. (If needed, a second PB1000 down the road but just one might be enough.)

Thank the gods for Costco's awesome return policy...I'd return those two Klipsch fart boxes immediately. But if you want to wet your pants laughing, keep them until the SVS sub arrives to compare. The SVS comes with free return shipping just in case you are not sufficiently bowled over.

hieracity said:
Hi all,

Likely a very noob question. I am going to slowly but surely upgrade my AV experience but was looking to start with audio and be patient for better TV deals down the road. If I have an Apple TV (the newest version) connected to an AVR (looking at Yamaha RX-V6A/TSR-700) which powers the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos Surround System (2 - R-625FA Tower Speakers; 2 - R-41M Bookshelf Speakers; 1 - R-52C Center Channel Speaker), will I still be able to get the Atmos sound even if my TV is from the bygone era?

And yes, this is very much the Costco set up but if anyone has better suggestions for a budget level Atmos set up, I will be very appreciative of your advice. I already bought 2 of the Klipsch R-12SW subs (they went on sale last month) so I have that as my starting point but everything else is a blank canvas.

Budget: prefer to keep it at $1500 but willing to stretch to $2k
Current equipment: 2 R-12SW subs ($330 total)
Use case: Mainly for movies/shows but also music (but i don't claim to be an audiophile by a long shot)
Room: 16 x 13. Ceiling is about 10ft and it's flat. It's the "LIVING" room in the picture below but the 3 feet I left out in my dimension is the walk way. Right now the TV is by the window (blue line) but will want to mount it on the fireplace at some point (assuming it's safe to wall mount on a fireplace)

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RayGuy

· #5 · Jun 22, 2021 (Edited)

If you want to keep everything "in the family" look at the RSL cg25 package. Maybe these:

CG25 3.1 Home Theater System - RSL Speakers

Then add a pair of these for the surrounds:

CG23 Monitor / Center Channel - RSL Speakers

If looking for a smaller footprint for the surrounds, look at the CG3.

Far superior sub to the one you recently bought. Neutral and clean sounding speakers. Best of all, no fee to return the set if you decide it's not giving you what you were looking to achieve.

Reactions: 2

Soulburner

· #6 · Jun 22, 2021

hieracity said:
Current equipment: 2 R-12SW subs ($330 total)

HOLD THE HORSES.

This is the very first thing you should upgrade. At minimum replace this with a 15" vented sub from HSU Research, Rythmik, or PSA before proceeding further. There is no other upgrade that will transform your experience as much.

Even better if you can get two and space them out for better bass.

Reactions: 1

sigpig

· #7 · Jun 22, 2021

Soulburner said:
HOLD THE HORSES.

This is the very first thing you should upgrade. At minimum replace this with a 15" vented sub from HSU Research, Rythmik, or PSA before proceeding further. There is no other upgrade that will transform your experience as much.

Even better if you can get two and space them out for better bass.

AVS - one of the few places where the first recommendation is a trippling of someone's subwoofer budget... lol
That being said, I completely agree with you about his subwoofer choice. Those subs are one-note fart boxes and a total waste of money for those naive enough to see them and go "WOW!". That's okay though, because good suggestions can address this.
While the Costco Klipsch bundle isn't what most of us would recommend, it's an affordable setup with sound that's MUCH better than TV speakers, soundbars, and HTiB setups. I would encourage the OP to listen to them for an extended period before making the decision to keep them; and with Costco's hyper-generous return policy, he would be able to return them at no cost except his time.
Some things for the OP to consider:
1. Bouncy-type Atmos modules, whether stand-alone or integrated into the top of a speaker, are the second-worst choice for sound quality, just above Atmos-enabled soundbars. IMHO, hanging bookshelf speakers with articulating mounts from the ceiling provides the best sound possible, followed by in-ceiling speakers with an angled baffle. The RSL C34E in-ceiling speaker is pretty much universally liked on this board, bue their availability is messed up due to all the COVID-related supply chain issues plaguing almost everyone. Monoprice has in=ceiling speakres with an angled baffle, as well as HTD, which would suit the OP's budget.
2. Subwoofer. Even an SVS PB-1000 is going to stomp all over those Klipsch subs. While I agree that the biggest, best sub is optimal, budget DOES come into play. There's nothing wrong with a single PB-1000 now, and adding another one later when funds allow.
3. AVR. The OP is looking at a $400 5.1.2 AVR. Combined with a PB-1000, that comes to $900 out of his $2k MAX budget. We now need to find LCR, surrounds, and height channels. We also need to know if the OP can mount anything on his walls or in his ceiling. At this time, the "forum darlings" that fit his budget are the Emotiva T0+/C1+/E2+ for $900 or the Infinity Reference R263/RC263/RS152 set when on their ridiculous sales. Apparently the towers are on for $200 each, but the centre and bookshelf speakers are not. There's also the JBL Studio 570/520C/530 when on sale too, but I can't reach the US site (geo-blocking by IP I guess).

All of those sets can be powered by that AVR, and the OP will only need to make a decision on his Atmos channels. I suggest small bookshelf speakers (like my BSB Alpha P3s) or "Elevation"-type speakers mounted at the wall/ceiling corner for Front Heights if he can't get a pair of in- or on-ceiling speakers for Top Middle.

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hieracity

Discussion Starter · #8 · Jun 22, 2021

Wow, thank you all for the insights. So it looks like the first order of business is to dump the subwoofers I have currently. I thought they were a great buy for 2 at $330 total and figured that 2 of them would compensate for whatever they might be lacking (from what I gathered that 2 ok subwoofers will provided a more balanced experience vs. 1 good subwoofer but that doesn't seem to be the case from everyone here). If I can get away with one good subwoofer, then that is perfectly fine with me. So I'll go the 1 subwoofer route.

I would have preferred Atmos but didn't want to really put anything on the ceilings (who knows, that might change down the road). So if the brain trust here is saying not to bother with upward firing speakers, then i can leave it at that and perhaps make that a future project (have to make sure AVR is future proof for this)

That still leaves with needing an AVR that can at least handle 7.1 (2 ceiling speakers for potential down the road upgrade). Does the Yamaha RX-V6A/TSR-700 fit the bill or there is something more suitable?

And thank you for keeping in mind the $1.5k - $2k budget. That does include speakers, subs and AVR.

I'll continue to research the suggestions provided here in greater detail and perhaps asks some silly questions to get better educated about speaker technology. But happy to hear to hear any other suggestions/thoughts that everyone has.

I won't lie, setting this up is exciting and overwhelming at the same time so I really appreciate everyones' expertise.

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Reactions: 2

hieracity

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jun 22, 2021

Zorba922 said:
$1500-2000 will get you a very good system, esp. if movies/TV is your focus.

Speaking of a silly question, it almost sounds like it's more affordable to get a good quality system for movies/tv for your money vs. music. Why is that?

Zorba922

· #10 · Jun 22, 2021

Yes, that Yamaha receiver from Costco will be fine and for $400 is a solid buy during this time of pandemic-driven inflation on overseas goods.

There is no such thing as "future proof" because you can count on the industry to pull some "must have, game-changer" gimmick/format out of its backside every other year to keep consumers on a perpetual upgrade cycle. Such are the joys of capitalism.

hieracity said:
Wow, thank you all for the insights. So it looks like the first order of business is to dump the subwoofers I have currently. I thought they were a great buy for 2 at $330 total and figured that 2 of them would compensate for whatever they might be lacking (from what I gathered that 2 ok subwoofers will provided a more balanced experience vs. 1 good subwoofer but that doesn't seem to be the case from everyone here). If I can get away with one good subwoofer, then that is perfectly fine with me. So I'll go the 1 subwoofer route.

I would have preferred Atmos but didn't want to really put anything on the ceilings (who knows, that might change down the road). So if the brain trust here is saying not to bother with upward firing speakers, then i can leave it at that and perhaps make that a future project (have to make sure AVR is future proof for this)

That still leaves with needing an AVR that can at least handle 7.1 (2 ceiling speakers for potential down the road upgrade). Does the Yamaha RX-V6A/TSR-700 fit the bill or there is something more suitable?

And thank you for keeping in mind the $1.5k - $2k budget. That does include speakers, subs and AVR.

I'll continue to research the suggestions provided here in greater detail and perhaps asks some silly questions to get better educated about speaker technology. But happy to hear to hear any other suggestions/thoughts that everyone has.

I won't lie, setting this up is exciting and overwhelming at the same time so I really appreciate everyones' expertise.

Reactions: 1

Zorba922

· #11 · Jun 22, 2021

hieracity said:
Speaking of a silly question, it almost sounds like it's more affordable to get a good quality system for movies/tv for your money vs. music. Why is that?

Because when watching TV/movies your EYES are the dominant sensory input not your EARS. All you need for a good video experience is speakers with sufficient detail (esp. voice clarity from the center), dynamics, and headroom...these attributes are easily found for not much money.

Critical music listening brings out a lot more nuances which would be otherwise happily overlooked during HT, so it can be much more complicated and costly to get exactly what you like.

Reactions: 1

8324669

· #12 · Jun 22, 2021

For atmos I just put four of these in 2 days ago and am very happy. $150 each, they punch above their price-point and if you don't like them you have 30 days to send them back. I thought they were too cheap for my system but was very surprised at the sound quality and tactile punch.

www.audioholics.com

RSL C34E In-Ceiling Speaker Preview

The RSL C34E in-ceiling speakers sport dual 4 1/2” polypropylene woofers in a lateral driver alignment, 7/8” pivoting silk-dome tweeter, and are suited for stereo or Dolby Atmos/DTS:X surround sound.

www.audioholics.com

hometheaterreview.com

RSL C34E In-ceiling Speaker Reviewed - HomeTheaterReview

Scott Schumer reviews RSL's C34E, a full-range in-ceiling speaker that uses dual 4.5-inch woofers and a single 0.88-inch cloth dome tweeter. This "edgeless" speaker carries an asking price of just $125 each.

hometheaterreview.com

Reactions: 2

Soulburner

· #13 · Jun 22, 2021 (Edited)

hieracity said:
I thought they were a great buy for 2 at $330 total and figured that 2 of them would compensate for whatever they might be lacking (from what I gathered that 2 ok subwoofers will provided a more balanced experience vs. 1 good subwoofer but that doesn't seem to be the case from everyone here). If I can get away with one good subwoofer, then that is perfectly fine with me. So I'll go the 1 subwoofer route.

It is an okay deal for a smaller system - it's just my opinion that I wouldn't get too far into upgrading other components because they will quickly become the weakest link.

Reactions: 1

sigpig

· #14 · Jun 22, 2021

You are correct that a pair of good subs can sound better than a single very good one. The problem is, those Klipsch subs are not what we would consider "good"
As Zorba said, that ave is fine. To get into a 9-chanel AVR, you're looking at $1300. While I usually advocate for 4 Atmos channels, that AVR and a "good" sub petty much eat up your entire budget.

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hieracity

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jul 4, 2021

So i ended up getting the Yamaha TSR-700 and the Klipsch Reference Dolby Atmos Surround System (2 - R-625FA Tower Speakers; 2 - R-41M Bookshelf Speakers; 1 - R-52C Center Channel Speaker) (Klipsch went on sale). So I am going to do what you guys suggested. Hook it all up and use it for 30-45 days and then likely return to Costco due to their generous return policy. It will then be nice get my feet wet with these guys and then upgrade each components per your suggestion. The only thing i plan on keeping is the receiver since the collective group here gave the thumbs up to the receiver.

I'll keep you all posted

In the mean time, if there are any other recommendations, I am all ears

hieracity

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 4, 2021

2

When comparing prices, the Emotiva set up is almost the same price as the Klipsch. But the Emotiva is significantly better huh?

The Infinity series is much more expensive but it sounds like they do go sale which can bring that price down quite a bit. Any idea what those sale prices tend to be? Guessing the Infinity series blow both the Emotiva and Klipsch out of the water...

sigpig said:
3. AVR. The OP is looking at a $400 5.1.2 AVR. Combined with a PB-1000, that comes to $900 out of his $2k MAX budget. We now need to find LCR, surrounds, and height channels. We also need to know if the OP can mount anything on his walls or in his ceiling. At this time, the "forum darlings" that fit his budget are the Emotiva T0+/C1+/E2+ for $900 or the Infinity Reference R263/RC263/RS152 set when on their ridiculous sales. Apparently the towers are on for $200 each, but the centre and bookshelf speakers are not. There's also the JBL Studio 570/520C/530 when on sale too, but I can't reach the US site (geo-blocking by IP I guess).

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sigpig

· #17 · Jul 4, 2021

hieracity said:
When comparing prices, the Emotiva set up is almost the same price as the Klipsch. But the Emotiva is significantly better huh?

View attachment 3151155

The Infinity series is much more expensive but it sounds like they do go sale which can bring that price down quite a bit. Any idea what those sale prices tend to be? Guessing the Infinity series blow both the Emotiva and Klipsch out of the water...

The Infinities usually go on sale for about 60% off or more. The JBLs regularly go on sale for 50%-off.
590s - $500/ea, 580s - $400/ea, 570s - $300ea, 530s - $300/pr, 520C - $150.
That Klipsch series has a tendency to sound bright ans harsh in the treble region for many listeners. It's a good idea to listen to them in your room first before making a final decision. The JBL, Infinity Reference, and Emotiva speakers you listed have a reputation of being more accurate in the treble region, and people don't mention "listening fatigue" (the desire to turn off your system, ears hurt/ring, etc) as much as they do with the entry-level Klipsch speakers.

Reactions: 2

rennyrb

· #18 · Jul 7, 2021

hieracity said:
The Infinity series is much more expensive but it sounds like they do go sale which can bring that price down quite a bit. Any idea what those sale prices tend to be? Guessing the Infinity series blow both the Emotiva and Klipsch out of the water...

I can't directly compare Infinity against Klipsch or Emotiva (though I am very much enjoying my new 253 and RC252 speakers, purchased for $150 and $175 [from Amazon] each), but I do remember the sale prices:
The 263 towers were $200 each, the RC263 "refurbished" for $350 (I am using scare quotes because people on this forum and reddit have reported purchasing refurbs from Infinity and receiving products that looked brand new sealed in box; maybe they're returns? maybe they're close outs? seems like a good way to save money, and they're still under warranty), and the RS152 were $130 for the pair; that puts the 5.0 setup at $880, and they seem to have pretty regular sale price cuts.

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Zorba922

· #19 · Jul 7, 2021

hieracity said:
When comparing prices, the Emotiva set up is almost the same price as the Klipsch. But the Emotiva is significantly better huh?

View attachment 3151155

The Infinity series is much more expensive but it sounds like they do go sale which can bring that price down quite a bit. Any idea what those sale prices tend to be? Guessing the Infinity series blow both the Emotiva and Klipsch out of the water...

Yes, all 3 of those alternatives would eat those Klipsch R series for lunch, especially if you ever do any sort of music listening. The Emos in particular will be much gentler in the treble region while retaining lots of clarity/resolution.

Nobody pays full retail on the Infinity Ref and JBL Studios.

SALE Prices:
Infinity R263 = $400/pr
RC263 = $150 ($350 as alleged "refurbs" the last several months)
RS152 = $130/pr

JBL 570 = $400-500/pr
JBL 520C = $110
JBL 530 = $250-300/pr

Reactions: 1

hieracity

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 7, 2021

Wow, that does bring the build to a similar price point to the Klipsch and it "sounds" like (pun intended haha) that the quality is way better. Thank you for the price comparison. Where do you guys keep your eye out for these deals? I have an alert on Slickdeals set up for now.

sigpig said:
The Infinities usually go on sale for about 60% off or more. The JBLs regularly go on sale for 50%-off.
590s - $500/ea, 580s - $400/ea, 570s - $300ea, 530s - $300/pr, 520C - $150.

rennyrb said:
but I do remember the sale prices:
The 263 towers were $200 each, the RC263 "refurbished" for $350 (I am using scare quotes because people on this forum and reddit have reported purchasing refurbs from Infinity and receiving products that looked brand new sealed in box; maybe they're returns? maybe they're close outs? seems like a good way to save money, and they're still under warranty), and the RS152 were $130 for the pair; that puts the 5.0 setup at $880, and they seem to have pretty regular sale price cuts.

Zorba922 said:
Nobody pays full retail on the Infinity Ref and JBL Studios.

SALE Prices:
Infinity R263 = $400/pr
RC263 = $150 ($350 as alleged "refurbs" the last several months)
RS152 = $130/pr

JBL 570 = $400-500/pr
JBL 520C = $110
JBL 530 = $250-300/pr

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