Help me tweak my 7.2.4 home theater plans

[tbobpage]

Hello friends - 

 

We're adding onto our house and will have a (somewhat) dedicated area for a home theater area. As you can see, it's far from ideal shape-wise but it is what it is. Planning mostly movies, and rarely critical music listening (okay - just plan on movies).

 

My dilemma is the surrounds. I have wall space for the mid-surrounds but no solution other than ceiling mounted for the rear surrounds because there's no wall the length of the left side of the room (speakers on stands are NOT an option). The couch is sketched in there but probably will be back a few more feet than shown. I've highlighted the walls in red and the TV and front speakers/subs will be build into custom cabinets with acoustically transparent covers. TV is likely going to be 90-100" mini-LCD or OLED. (I'm not interested in a projector but could be convinced if a acoustically transparent screen would make more sense for speaker placement otherwise).

 

For details of that I have planned, that is outlined a bit lower but for the TL;DR crowd, I'm seeking advice for the surround rears.

 

PRO180LCR seems perhaps the best solution to me, set back at an appropriate distance such that the angle to the listener position is matched to the horn angle of those speakers.

 

Alternative would be a PRO180RC ("better" speaker (?) but no aimable tweeter) or a PRO18RC (aimable tweeter) or a CDT-5800C II (aimable tweeter).

 

Aside from "you shouldn't use ceiling speakers for your rear surrounds in a 7.2.4", what are your recommendations. Or maybe there's something I haven't thought of.

 

Remainder of the system:

 

L+R: RF7 III (or RP600M-II)

Center: RC-64 (or 504C-II)

Sub: RP1600W x2 (or might just do RP1200W because 16" might be a bit overkill)

Surround middle: PRO180RPW

Atmos:  PRO18RC for the four atmos speakers (probably would be fine with PRO16 but it seems aimable tweeters is worth the extra cost for ideal atmos)

 

Alternative remainder of the system (AND BONUS QUESTION if someone knowledgable can chime in: is their THX line "worth it" for the fronts vs something like the RF7 III?

 

L+R: THX-6000-LCR

Center: RC-64 (not enough room above or below the TV for another THX square box)

Sub: RP1600W x2 (or perhaps the THX 12" sub but why?)

Surrounds/atmos as above (but could go with THX variety of these if seems dramatically better option - convince me).

 

Sorry this got long - summary:

 

1. Advice on rear surrounds

2. Does their THX line significantly outperform the RC7 for L+R? It's so hard to find any reviews on their THX stuff.

 

FWIW, I'm not asking for cost savings reasons - BUT, I don't want to do it "just because I can" - I want it to make sense from a sound stage perspective regardless of cost (and keeping it all Klipsch). For example: Sure, all THX line might be "best" sound but for an untreated room that is missing a straight back wall and half a side wall, am I going to appreciate the difference?)

 

thanks in advance!

 

 

Edited July 22, 2024 by tbobpage

[wuzzzer]

Either go with proper rear surrounds as far as placement or just do without.  It makes no sense to have surrounds and Atmos above you.  There needs to be height separation between them.

[tbobpage]

So you would argue that no surround at all is better than a directionally focused rear speaker that is designed to work as a ceiling speaker? (with the understand that it isn't ideal)?

 

What would your thoughts be on just a 5.1.4 setup then with the surrounds being on the walls on either side of the couch?

[wuzzzer]

5 hours ago, tbobpage said:

So you would argue that no surround at all is better than a directionally focused rear speaker that is designed to work as a ceiling speaker? (with the understand that it isn't ideal)?

 

What would your thoughts be on just a 5.1.4 setup then with the surrounds being on the walls on either side of the couch?

I would highly suggest a 5.1.4 setup.  5.2.4 would be even better.  🙂

[Mauzz]

 

39 minutes ago, wuzzzer said:

I would highly suggest a 5.1.4 setup.  5.2.4 would be even better.  🙂

 

Seconded, we just redid our room, and 7 channels just didn't fit that well, so we have been running a 5.1.4 for a few months now.  I only ever miss the extra channels when I am on here thinking about it instead of downstairs listening.  Based on some of the reviews I've watched on the tube there are some receivers that do a better job with locating the Atmos objects in your space (I think the Sony got high praise from Andrew Robinson) so that might help as well. Good Luck!