[SRT-11]

Stealth setup:

Half ass install revealed:

View of room from side:

well if you saw my previous thread, I ended up going with the paradigm mini monitor mk3's and a matching cc-300 center channel. I'm powering them with a Yamaha RX-Z1 receiver. This should be quite a step up from my bose system and my sony ES555 receiver! My question for you (very awesome) guys is this:


How important is placing the drivers at eye level? You can see my current setup now, I live in a small 1br condo and my options are limited for both drivers and placement, etc. I took the glass out of the top doors of the wall unit, put speaker grill cloth over them, and put the bose in there. the new paradigms will fit in there, but they're at about 6' whereas my eye/ear level is about 3' when on the couch.


My options are:


1. Put L & R monitors where the bose satellites currently are now, with the center channel in the middle where the three red pictures are, aim all three down at the center listening point on the couch


2. Replace the glass in the top doors, and remove it from the larger doors, put speaker cloth in place of the glass, put the speakers on the shelves at ear level and the center underneath the TV where the bose center currently is. This would require modification of the TV stand I built (don't laugh it actually looks decent with the "grille" up) and modification of the doors, purchasing more speaker cloth, and also adding in some sort of IR repeater as I still have to keep the audio gear mounted in the same area it is now (behind the larger doors)


3. ? you tell me!


I appreciate the input. Also I should note that I'll be building along the lines of a decorative acoustically dampening panel to go on the wall behind the couch, I know that wall must cause a painful amount of reflection.


Thanks!!!!!!!

 

[Dbuudo07]

Most important is to have the tweeters aimed at your ear level. Very important. Turn the left and right speakers in a bit and ensure that the tweeters are aimed at ear level.

 

[SRT-11]

I will, I typically use a laser pointer on some double sided tape to aim things as accurately as possible. one thing I thought about, I won't be able to fit both a sub and that huge ass CC 300 under the TV, I may be able to put a sub over in the in-wall shelves at the bottom by the couch...

 

[fireman325]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SRT-11 /forum/post/15503255


I will, I typically use a laser pointer on some double sided tape to aim things as accurately as possible. one thing I thought about, I won't be able to fit both a sub and that huge ass CC 300 under the TV, I may be able to put a sub over in the in-wall shelves at the bottom by the couch...

From looking at your bottom picture, your sub would do fine in the front next to the end of your entertainment uniton the floor, or even in the corner between the sofa and loveseat where that stool is. Wiring to that location might be an issue, but there is a wireless sub available from Hsu but it's expensive. Don't know what your budget for a sub is....

 

[SRT-11]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fireman325 /forum/post/15503419


From looking at your bottom picture, your sub would do fine in the front next to the end of your entertainment uniton the floor, or even in the corner between the sofa and loveseat where that stool is. Wiring to that location might be an issue, but there is a wireless sub available from Hsu but it's expensive. Don't know what your budget for a sub is....

I was thinking that but wife will probably require I keep it either under the stand where the bose one currently is or back in the in-wall shelves on the bottom shelf (out of sight)


What do you guys think between the Paradigm PS-1000 and the Elemental Designs A3-250? about the same price and both fit under the TV or in the corner...

 

[cjv998]

I'd do all I could to get the speakers at ear level...but then again, I have placed a computer desk in the middle of a room to get an ideal listening position before, when my speakers were ran through my old PC. I'm not OCD at all.

Anyway, I'd try to see if you can aim the speakers down enough without them tipping forward. If this doesn't work, maybe try getting a little creative with rearranging some furniture and squeeze some speaker stands on each side of the entertainment center. (How's the wall opposite from the entertainment center? Could you reverse the layout, switch the couch and entertainment center? Looks like you'd have more room along that wall for the entertainment center and a pair of speaker stands) Personally, I'd try this before I started pulling apart the entertainment center, but I'm not very mechanically inclined, and would probably end up messing something up with the entertainment center.


I have a HSU STF-2 sub I really like, not sure how it compares price-wise with the Paradigm sub, but I bet it blows it out of the water in terms of musicality (yes, this statement is coming from a die-hard Paradigm fan too). Not sure about the Elemental Designs sub, I think their car audio stuff is supposed to be really nice though. I'd just stuff the sub in a corner somewhere and be done with it. Then again, you are really tight on space. Maybe hold off on the sub until you get a bigger place. With that small of a room, a sub would almost be overkill...almost.

That's a really good idea about the laser pointer and double sided tape. Might have to try that out now.


That is a rough layout to work with; it bugs me when living rooms aren't designed to put a decent-sized TV in.

 

[SRT-11]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cjv998 /forum/post/15504038


I'd do all I could to get the speakers at ear level...but then again, I have placed a computer desk in the middle of a room to get an ideal listening position before, when my speakers were ran through my old PC. I'm not OCD at all.

Anyway, I'd try to see if you can aim the speakers down enough without them tipping forward. If this doesn't work, maybe try getting a little creative with rearranging some furniture and squeeze some speaker stands on each side of the entertainment center. (How's the wall opposite from the entertainment center? Could you reverse the layout, switch the couch and entertainment center? Looks like you'd have more room along that wall for the entertainment center and a pair of speaker stands) Personally, I'd try this before I started pulling apart the entertainment center, but I'm not very mechanically inclined, and would probably end up messing something up with the entertainment center.


I have a HSU STF-2 sub I really like, not sure how it compares price-wise with the Paradigm sub, but I bet it blows it out of the water in terms of musicality (yes, this statement is coming from a die-hard Paradigm fan too). Not sure about the Elemental Designs sub, I think their car audio stuff is supposed to be really nice though. I'd just stuff the sub in a corner somewhere and be done with it. Then again, you are really tight on space. Maybe hold off on the sub until you get a bigger place. With that small of a room, a sub would almost be overkill...almost.

That's a really good idea about the laser pointer and double sided tape. Might have to try that out now.


That is a rough layout to work with; it bugs me when living rooms aren't designed to put a decent-sized TV in.

The room isn't really set up to switch around like that, I've contemplated it, believe me! There's less than a foot between the back wall and the entertainment center, 8" max, so putting a sub there is out, although that's where the blose sub used to live when I had the smaller RP tv. I feel like sticking a sub in the bottom in-wall shelf would be too boomy... also I hate running Uber-long RCA's through the ceiling, stupid hardwood floors haha!

 

[fireman325]



Quote:
Originally Posted by SRT-11 /forum/post/15505572


The room isn't really set up to switch around like that, I've contemplated it, believe me! There's less than a foot between the back wall and the entertainment center, 8" max, so putting a sub there is out, although that's where the blose sub used to live when I had the smaller RP tv. I feel like sticking a sub in the bottom in-wall shelf would be too boomy... also I hate running Uber-long RCA's through the ceiling, stupid hardwood floors haha!

Ok, a few things to consider here:


1st. Based on reputation and price, if I had to choose between the 2 subs you've listed, I would choose the eD without hesitation.


2nd. The place you're wanting to put your sub would probably be the worst place in the whole room performance-wise. Either of the locations I suggested previously would most likely be better.


3rd. You don't have to run an RCA cable in the wall if you don't want to. RG6 (TV cable) is well suited to in-wall runs and long sections of it are cheap. And with these adapters it makes an excellent sub cable. Just be sure to tighten the adapters on with a wrench or pair of pliers.

 

[SRT-11]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fireman325 /forum/post/15507280


Ok, a few things to consider here:


1st. Based on reputation and price, if I had to choose between the 2 subs you've listed, I would choose the eD without hesitation.


2nd. The place you're wanting to put your sub would probably be the worst place in the whole room performance-wise. Either of the locations I suggested previously would most likely be better.


3rd. You don't have to run an RCA cable in the wall if you don't want to. RG6 (TV cable) is well suited to in-wall runs and long sections of it are cheap. And with these adapters it makes an excellent sub cable. Just be sure to tighten the adapters on with a wrench or pair of pliers.

OK well I took a couple more pics, I think I'm going to go with the eD sub, not sure which one though. Nothing is going to fit on either side of the wall unit (see first pic). The A2/3 250 would fit under the TV (with no modification) and remain stealth, it would also squeeze inbetween the couch and the wall there (second picture) or fit on that bottom in-wall shelf (where the wii fit is in the second picture). The A2/3 350 would only fit in that spot by the front door where the stool and the dog bed is (third pic), but I would most certainly have to build something to cover it as the eD subs are ass ugly and I want to keep the room at least a smidge aesthetically pleasing.


What's my best bet as far as effort and overall sound quality are concerned?


L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-250 sub under TV (easiest)

L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-250 sub squeezed between couch and wall in corner (semi easy)

L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-350 sub in custom built end table thingy where stool and dog bed are currently located? (getting harder)

L/R/C in Lower locations w/ A(x)-250 sub squeezed between couch and wall in corner (harder still)

L/R/C in Lower locations w/ A(x)-350 sub in custom built end table thingy where stool is (Pain in the Ass)

 

[SRT-11]



Quote:
Originally Posted by fireman325 /forum/post/15507280


Ok, a few things to consider here:


1st. Based on reputation and price, if I had to choose between the 2 subs you've listed, I would choose the eD without hesitation.


2nd. The place you're wanting to put your sub would probably be the worst place in the whole room performance-wise. Either of the locations I suggested previously would most likely be better.


3rd. You don't have to run an RCA cable in the wall if you don't want to. RG6 (TV cable) is well suited to in-wall runs and long sections of it are cheap. And with these adapters it makes an excellent sub cable. Just be sure to tighten the adapters on with a wrench or pair of pliers.

OK well I took a couple more pics, I think I'm going to go with the eD sub, not sure which one though. Nothing is going to fit on either side of the wall unit (see first pic). The A2/3 250 would fit under the TV (with no modification) and remain stealth, it would also squeeze inbetween the couch and the wall there (second picture) or fit on that bottom in-wall shelf (where the wii fit is in the second picture). The A2/3 350 would only fit in that spot by the front door where the stool and the dog bed is (third pic), but I would most certainly have to build something to cover it as the eD subs are ass ugly and I want to keep the room at least a smidge aesthetically pleasing.


What's my best bet as far as effort and overall sound quality are concerned?


L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-250 sub under TV (easiest)

L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-250 sub squeezed between couch and wall in corner (semi easy)

L/R/C in High location w/ A(x)-350 sub in custom built end table thingy where stool and dog bed are currently located? (getting harder)

L/R/C in Lower locations w/ A(x)-250 sub squeezed between couch and wall in corner (harder still)

L/R/C in Lower locations w/ A(x)-350 sub in custom built end table thingy where stool is (Pain in the Ass)

 

[fireman325]

I was originally thinking on the other end of the entertainment center, where that red cylinder thing is (umbrella stand maybe?), but where the dog bed and stool are would be good too. Anyway, with the eD subs you're looking at, if you're willing to pay an extra $25, you can get a matte finish which looks much better. You select the finish before you add it to your cart and next to the finish, click where it says "more info" and it'll show you a pic with the 2 different finishes.

 

[SRT-11]

What about building a sub enclosure to sit in the bottom in-wall shelf with the sub firing outward and using a separate amp/sub combo? Anyone have any opinions on boston amps? theres a guy selling one locally that looks like a solid deal. then I could get an eD sub and make a custom cabinet that would blend right in!