Starting a Home Theatre

[SilentKnight]

Hello everyone,

 

I'm interested in setting up my own home theatre system. For a while now I've always gone with Home Theatre in a box systems but have finally decided to build my own.

 

I'm trying to decide which Kilpsch speakers to buy, my budget is around $3000. The room I plan on putting the home theatre in is a 20 x 13 x 8 rectanglish room. 

 

I noticed BestBuy.ca has Black Friday deals on all Klipsch speakers and this 5.1 Reference Set for $1289.95 has really caught my eye. It includes the following; 

 2x R26F 100-Watt Front Speakers

R10SW 10" 300-Watt Powered Subwoofer

R25C 400-Watt Centre Speaker

2x R14M 200-Watt Bookself Rear Speakers

 

Separately they have R28F front speakers, and R12SW 12" subwoofer. Are these noticeably different then the ones included in the set? 

 

As far as I understand to make the set Dolby Atmos i would need to buy the modules. Best Buy has the Reference Premiere 50-Watt Dolby Atmos Elevation Speakers on sale for $499.99. This includes 2 of them. Would i need 4 of these (2 for the front, 2 for the back) or would 2 be enough based on my room size? 

Would i need 2 subwoofers as well?

For a receiver i was looking at getting the Denon AVR-S730H 165-Watt 7.2 Channel 4k Dolby Atmos AV Receiver. Its on sale at Best Buy for $449.99. Would this receiver be a good match with the speakers? I know the set is a 5.1 and the receiver is 7.2, this is just in case i want to add more speakers in the future. 

Sorry for the long post and questions, i'm trying to rap my head around all this and just need some further clarification.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you. 

 

 

 

[rebuy]

First off consider a refurbed Denon--same model for 200 less.

 

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs730h/denon-avr-s730h-7.2-ch-x-75-watts-networking-a/v-receiver-w/heos/1.html

[rebuy]

You can do better on the speakers also getting better Klipsch series.

The guys around here will help you spend your money....

[billybob]

Welcome to the forum! You have some nice options to consider.

 

[SilentKnight]

Thank you for the replies. 

 

Does anyone have any suggestions?

[TomR]

Hi Silentknight ,

Look for some rf62s, rf82s,klkf10. They will all be used but they will sound a whole lot better. Build by buying a piece at a time.

You will thank yourself in the end

[Boilermaker86]

 

Ive got a better set up in mind:

 

RF-82 IIs Frys  $400-450

RC-62 IIs Frys $135-200

RB-61 IIs Frys $168

R-115sw          $600-700 Best Buy or with an online Klipsch retailer like Cory.

 

Depending on what sale you get, you can get close to what you put together and you get a lot more. I’m not near a Frys and was able to get the RF-82 IIs and RC-62 with free shipping. 

 

Look on at the alerts section in the garage sale and you will see the notices for the Frys deals.

 

Second option: 

 

If you don’t want to worry about upgrading,  in the future....    

 

Get a pair of RF-7 IIs or RF-7 IIIs and build around it over the next few years, a piece at a time. You will be spending a lot of money on two speakers but won’t have to worry about the “what if’s, and upgraditis” 

 

Also so there are a few online Klipsch authorized dealers that can put together a package at a great price. 

 

 

 

 

 

[holtrp]

I think atmos is fantastic and would highly recommend it. Even if you aren't using it for atmos content, you still get a bigger sound from 5.1 - 7.1 material with the extra speakers. No replacement for displacment when it comes subs. 2 x 12" ported klipsch subs would be an absolute minimum, but I am addicted to bass so there is that. 

 

As for what and where to purchase, your best bet is buying used gear off of craigslist. As long as the speakers were not abused, they last forever. It would be hard to buy anything at a brick and mortar anymore regardless of how good of a price they offer, knowing that as long as I was patient I could find whatever it is for 50% online used.

[billybob]

21 hours ago, SilentKnight said:

Separately they have R28F front speakers, and R12SW 12" subwoofer. Are these noticeably different then the ones included in the set? 

In this situation, do think it would be noticeable. When buying a new setup, you may want to plan for the future. A little more now may in the way of a system,  prevent any remorse later. Personally, think a room that size may well benefit with a bit more.

Have they any other deals that interest you as a next tier up?

Thanks!

[Youthman]

Welcome to the forum, as mentioned, the R26F are Klipsch's lowest tier in what they are calling "Reference".  These are essentially the same speaker as the previous "Synergy" Series but now with a "Reference" label on them.  The "Reference Premiere" is a step above that and the RF-7 III is the highest tier in the Reference Series.

 

If you want to buy new, a Klipsch dealer could get you the best pricing.

 

If you don't mind buying used, you can save a lot and get a lot more for your money, they just might not be absolutely mint condition. 

 

I just think if you went with the Best Buy system you mentioned, you would end up selling it due to upgradeitis, and losing money in the process.  Feel free to ask all the questions you want. We are here to help.

[Youthman]

My room is 13' x 19' with 10' ceilings.  I started out with RF-83, RC-64, & RS-35, then upgraded to RS52, then upgraded the RS-52 to (4) RS-62, then upgraded to (4) RS-62 II, then upgraded my front three to LaScala Trio. 

 

Subs I went from (1) Velodyne HGS-15, then added a second HGS-15, then bought a Klipsch RSW-15.  It sounded as good as the Dual HGS15's so I sold them and over time ended up buying a total of (4) RSW-15's. 

 

My system was built over several years, patiently waiting for ridiculous deals to come along and it has totally paid off. 

 

Here is my current setup

 

 

[SilentKnight]

Thank you everyone for the responses.

 

I think I am leaning towards the Klipsch Reference Premiere Series. Based on the replies it seems best to build my system slowly rather then get a bundle. I think i am too used to the Home Theatre in a Box mentality. 

 

Based on what I have been reading the past few weeks the most important piece to a home theatre are the front towers. How would you guys recommend building the set. Starting with the front speakers, followed by the centre channel, then the two book shelf speakers and lastly the subwoofer?

 

Does anyone know a good place to buy used speakers in Canada? I've also been looking at electronicsforless.ca. Has anyone used this website before, if so would you recommend them? 

 

Thanks again for the help. 

 

 

[billybob]

Yes, the 2 fronts and a center, in my limited opinion. Others will have ideas of their own. Cheers!

[derrickdj1]

24 minutes ago, SilentKnight said:

Based on what I have been reading the past few weeks the most important piece to a home theatre are the front towers. How would you guys recommend building the set. Starting with the front speakers, followed by the centre channel, then the two book shelf speakers and lastly the subwoofer?

Actually the center is the most important in an HT setup and then the front speakers.  Look at this site and give them a call.  http://www.acousticsounddesign.com/  They are know for making even better deals than listed on the website.

[Youthman]

I think you have a good plan in order.  I would only suggest that you buy the sub before buying surrounds.  IMO, the 2 most important speakers in a HT is the Center and the Sub.  The center plays around 80% of everything that happens in a movie so be sure not to skimp on it.  The sub is where the impact is, again, don't skimp on a cheap sub.  If you need to cut corners, do so in the surrounds as they will have the least impact on your system.

 

Also, reach out to @MetropolisLakeOutfitters .  He's an Authorized Klipsch Dealer and a member here.  I recently picked up my Forte III from him.  He was super quick to answer any questions I had and was great to deal with.  You might be surprised how much he can save you.

[holtrp]

Second the center and subs being most important speakers in a system. The center channel just does so much work. Sub(s) is the most impactful, immersive addition to a theater. You can get a lot of stuff wrong, but if you have solid low end, it is going to be immersive and impressive. Towers are important, but arguably not nearly as much unless you listen to a lot of stereo source stuff. Least important is surround speakers. 

[Peter P.]

I see a full-Klipsch home theater setup for sale locally on craigslist of $800. Doesn't say what models they are but it doesn't look like a HTiB.

Here are 2 examples. They're not necessarily local to you but it's one idea.

 

System #1

 

System #2

 

My point is; you can get a good system in your quality range for well under the $3k your seeking. Put the price savings into proper wiring so the surrounds sit on the wall with nice wall jacks and mounting brackets, and hidden wiring all around.

[garyrc]

5 hours ago, billybob said:

Personally, think a room that size may well benefit with a bit more.

 

Agree!

 

Have you purchased the AVR yet?  Unfortunately, most, if not all, AVR manufacturers fudge their power specs.  Separate power amps are usually rated less misleadingly.  If you already have the AVR S730H, it's O.K., but I would seriously consider upgrading (the power output) in the future.  It would take a considerable stretch of the imagination to think of the AVR S730H as a "165 watt" unit.  That figure, according to Denon's own data sheet came from measuring at 1K Hz only, at an impedance that is a little too low, at a horrendous amount of distortion (10% -- Klipsch speakers are very revealing of everything, including distortion) and at only 1 measly channel driven.  In general, the more channels that are driven, the more strain that is put on the power supply part of the AVR.  Denon also provides an available power rating that uses long standing audiophile standards, at 8 ohms, 20 to 20K Hz, 0.08%, but with only 2 channels driven, this time.  That power output, according to Denon, not me, is 75 watts per channel.   You will be running at least 5 channels (the .1 for the sub doesn't count, because the sub has its own amp).   I have read that most AVRs can produce about 80% of their rated power measured with 2 channels driven, when asked to drive 5 channels.  For the AVR S730H, we would expect that figure to be 60 watts per channel. 

 

Fortunately, most Klipsch speakers are very efficient.  If you were to get the  RF-82 IIs Boilermaker86 recommended (at the good prices he mentioned at Frys).  You would only need about 32 watts per channel to reach the movie industry full scale (peak volume) of 105 dB at the main listening position (I figured at 13 feet in a room your size) for the main channels.   A common mistake is to believe the sound pressure level ("volume") at 1 meter, where speakers are rated, is what you will have.  It isn't, unless you sit 1 meter away from the speakers.

 

The sub channel, with its built in amp, needs to be able to put out 115 dB at the same listening position;  Boilermaker's recommended R-115sw is rated at a "MAXIMUM ACOUSTIC OUTPUT of 122dB," but they don't say at what distance, or what kind of space.  Since inside a room, we lose about 3 dB for every doubling of distance (not 6 dB per doubling, like we would outside, atop a flagpole, or in an anechoic chamber), and we assume they measured the max acoustic output at 1 Meter, at 13 feet we would have 2 doublings, or 6 dB.  Because the needed 115 dB + the 6 dB for distance = 121 dB, 1 dB below the max acoustic output would be about what you would get, so, be slightly conservative.

 

[billybob]

Think the conservative on the speakers and the AVR a good takeaway here. Think it may have been H/K that were much better at rating their power output. In any case. What I think I was supposed to takeaway here early on was headroom over the requirement(threshold), which for an AVR would make sense. And size of the speaker. There is no real compensation for the size of the speaker physics come into play. Presence and the pressurization tend to go hand in hand.

Dang @garyrc you tend to make it rather easy to follow. Cool...
 

 

[SilentKnight]

So I think I will be purchasing the Reference Premiere RP-280 home theatre system. I was able to find a great deal on a bundle.

 

It will include 2x RP-280F, RP-450C and 2x RP-250S. For the sub I am leaning towards the R-112SW.

 

Can the RP-250S be used as back speakers (bookshelf)? If so what speaker stands do you recommend, nothing too expensive. I cant mount them on a wall due to my room layout.

 

Thank you for the help.