3.1 Home Theater Setup?

[JSt0rm]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
While this is the most important for dialog generally that is the only thing played through the speaker.

Try watching parts of a movie with your L and R disconnected and see if you think that's still the case.

Well there are exceptions but you will admit that dialog is the most important thing in the center channel. You can't cram tons of information into that speaker and expect your dialog to shine. I'm just saying I don't think its the most important *if* you are only going to have a 2 channel set up anyhow.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dmw16
the TV is an LCD projection, so I dont think that would work. I could measure, but I doubt it.

Just checked the speaker dimensions, it is larger than I thought. Might work under the TV, but are the magnets going to effect the picture? Also not sure that raising the TV 8.5" would look all that good. Is above the TV on the wall a bad thing/

Magnets are only going to matter if you have a CRT based display.

I think the X-CS might be magnetically shielded too.

Above the TV works too. You're going to have to make sure you get a really good speaker mount for it though. I know some people are using mounts that were designed for televisions with their X-CS and RSC-200. You're going to want the ability to angle it down to aim it to the listening height as well.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: JSt0rm01
While this is the most important for dialog generally that is the only thing played through the speaker.

Try watching parts of a movie with your L and R disconnected and see if you think that's still the case.

Well there are exceptions but you will admit that dialog is the most important thing in the center channel. You can't cram tons of information into that speaker and expect your dialog to shine. I'm just saying I don't think its the most important *if* you are only going to have a 2 channel set up anyhow.

I didn't want to turn my projector on to get to an action scene so I put in Matrix Reloaded that starts out with an action scene to just test out the results again and everything from gunshots to music to explosions to fighting sound and vehicle noises were all being played through the center in addition to the dialog.

I will admit that dialog is the most critical duty of the center channel but it's going to be doing a lot of stuff besides that, especially in action movies.

I don't see the point of saying it's not the most important if you don't have it... how could it be?
Would that be equivalent to saying that the subwoofer is the most important part of a 2.0 system? I don't get it.

Also if your point of saying the center does dialog only and "You can't cram tons of information into that speaker and expect your dialog to shine.", doesn't that mean that diverting dialog to the front stereo speakers would be detrimental to performance?


From my perspective, I see the actual center track of the movie as a very demanding one to play back. Whether it's played by a dedicated speaker or your front speakers, it's going to take nice ones to really play back everything well (dialog while it's playing an explosion at the same time for example).

I see the biggest advantage to the center channel is centering sound at the screen for multiple seating positions. If you think that's an important thing to have, then you'd better get a very capable speaker since in movies, it's going to be asked to play back much of the critical sound from the movie (dialog) as well as a ton of other sounds at the same time, especially in action movies.

 

[JSt0rm]

My point is that a L/R set up that costs equal to a L/C/R setup would be a better investment *if* the plan is to fill out the 5.1 at a later date. Of course in big action films you will get information in the center aside from dialog but I think in TV and in more dialog films you will find the production efx, dialog and some music (with exceptions of course).

I'm listening to bjork on my adam p33a's right now through lucid converters and the voice is centered in the image@my listening position. i know this is apples to oranges but the point is that a mono signal will be represented on both speakers evenly and if those speakers are of high quality then the level of quality would be above a 3 speaker setup.

Again though we are arguing opinion and that never really means much

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I would agree that if you're at a central position in the sweet spot that a center channel isn't a big deal as I stated already, but it seems like his fiancee is a significant consideration here for at least what it's going to look like so I assumed that it was going to be at least 2 if not more people watching at the same time.

Wouldn't listening to bjork sound strange and distracting to two people sitting a couple feet apart on your setup if you knew she was supposed to sound like she was right in the middle?

 

[dmw16]

Do you have an X-CS? Do you know what the back of it looks like to allow for wall mounting to a TV mount? I read about people using a certain LCD TV mount because it can be aimed, but I dont know what the mount provisions are like on th speaker so I wasnt sure what to look for in a mount.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dmw16
Do you have an X-CS? Do you know what the back of it looks like to allow for wall mounting to a TV mount? I read about people using a certain LCD TV mount because it can be aimed, but I dont know what the mount provisions are like on th speaker so I wasnt sure what to look for in a mount.

The back of it doesn't have any sort of mounting hardware on it.

http://www.av123forum.com/phot...owphoto.php?photo=5509
http://www.av123forum.com/phot...owphoto.php?photo=5544

People that have mounted it have basically just had a flat platform for it to fest upon.

I think you can see from these pictures how truly deep it is and how standard mounting hardware on the back of it could be a recipe for disaster.

I just have some classic X-LS so I haven't seen an X-CS in person.

 

[dmw16]

I guess I need to just do a little browsing around somewhere like home depot or best buy. I found a few wall shelves, but they would not allow for any "aiming". The second link looks better than the first, I wish the person had said what it was and where they go it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I guess I need to just do a little browsing around somewhere like home depot or best buy. I found a few wall shelves, but they would not allow for any "aiming". The second link looks better than the first, I wish the person had said what it was and where they go it.

He mentions he got it at walmart in this thread
http://www.av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=21195

I tried finding it on the walmart site but didn't see it

 

[dmw16]

It gives me a direction tho. Im sure I can overpay at Best Buy if all else fails.

 

[dmw16]

I have another question. When researching receivers, what do I look for to be able to tell if it supports audio via HDMI?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dmw16
I have another question. When researching receivers, what do I look for to be able to tell if it supports audio via HDMI?

I don't have a really good way to tell right away since the terminology differs from company to company and it seems like they often make descriptions purposefully ambiguous.

I think the safest way to tell for sure is to look up the product manual and see where it shows connecting an HDMI device. If it's necessary to connect another audio cable, then you know it's not doing audio over HDMI.

If you see that the receiver features decoding of the new HD audio formats, that's another solid spec that means you'll have the features you want.

There are some additional complexities on top of this that you should probably be looking at.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=738511

 

[dmw16]

Back on the topic of subs. The BIC H-100 seems like a good way to go given my budget. The ebay links are all "Or Best Offer". Does anyone know what they usually go for or are worth?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: dmw16
Back on the topic of subs. The BIC H-100 seems like a good way to go given my budget. The ebay links are all "Or Best Offer". Does anyone know what they usually go for or are worth?

This is what I had down in my sticky thread:

"BIC H-100 (~$230)
No link for this one as this one is generally bought off ebay. A search for ?BIC H-100? (without the quotes) should bring up some with ?Best offer? auctions. From what I understand, an offer of around $229 tend to get accepted."

 

[dmw16]

Thanks much. We'll see how that goes over.

 

[dmw16]

Everything has been purchased and I wanted to give an update since everyone was so helpful. I ended up going for a 2.1 setup and buying good speakers that I think will serve me well for a long time.

Speakers: AV123 Rocket RS450
Sub: BIC H-100
Receiver: Yamaha HTR-6160
BluRay Player: Playstation 3 (already have an Xbox 360 as well)
Cables: BlueJeans Cables

I will post pics when things arrive and I get stuff setup. But it could be a few weeks before everything is setup right.

 

[blckgrffn]

Please do update with your listening impressions

Nat

 

[dmw16]

Will do. The speakers are supposed to be delivered tomorrow. I am not sure everything will get hooked up tomorrow, but by the weekend for sure.

 

[eflat]

Originally posted by: dmw16
Everything has been purchased and I wanted to give an update since everyone was so helpful. I ended up going for a 2.1 setup and buying good speakers that I think will serve me well for a long time.

Speakers: AV123 Rocket RS450
Sub: BIC H-100
Receiver: Yamaha HTR-6160
BluRay Player: Playstation 3 (already have an Xbox 360 as well)
Cables: BlueJeans Cables

I will post pics when things arrive and I get stuff setup. But it could be a few weeks before everything is setup right.

Good call. That is what I did in a similar situation.

edit: I'm not sure if you mentioned it, but what projector are you using?

 

[dmw16]

No projector (maybe someday when I don't live in apartment). Right now I have a 42" Sony LCD Projection TV.

 

[biostud]

I have a 3.0 setup, and once had a 5.0 setup and I don't feel I miss much by not having my rear speakers. (But the room I had wasn't really that well suited for a 5.0 setup)

I have 2xDali 808 + 1xDali C1000 + NAD T750 reciever

 

[kalrith]

Originally posted by: biostud
I have a 3.0 setup, and once had a 5.0 setup and I don't feel I miss much by not having my rear speakers. (But the room I had wasn't really that well suited for a 5.0 setup)

I have 2xDali 808 + 1xDali C1000 + NAD T750 reciever

Is there a reason that you don't use a sub?