blueblenny

I use the 140s, and my conclusion is ceiling speaker will be better.

That said, 2 channel listening, and recording is still a passion of mine. If it is classical, I am sometimes turning off the sub some of the time, and just running the towers. it is funny, My studio monitors I think show me more of what is happening in the mix, my Klipsch make it sound better and more natural, if that makes sense. Some of the violin tones I have recorded on Neuman KM184s *reallly* shine on the Klipsch.

Like I said, I am trying it both ways. I am usually only cranking it biamped in stereo mode + the sub for music listening... well aware of the under powered AVRs. I don't notice a huge difference now, but I have not tested it against my most dynamic recordings yet. So my "can't hurt" really I should have said, " I am not under powering my speakers to damage them, and an experimenting just to see, but will probably use the extra channels for ATMOS and side surrounds in the future." Down the road I may get a separate power amp for my mains, especially once I add in a few extra rooms to the setup.. The main question i had was the 140SA and if that is a ok choice as a height speaker.

Ok, So I wanted to give an update to my project, and ask some where to turn advice.. First, I was able to add a second sub (An RW-12D to match the RW10D I already have), and am very happy. With the room, they are both on the Left, not ideal, but it is a limitation of the space. the 10" is close to the listener, and the 12" drives most of the the power. Secondly, I got a Marantz 7009 that promptly died 2 days after turning it on. Marantz replaced it with a 7010 since I apparently got the last of the 7009s in stock. I love how much nicer this receiver sounds than my old Yamaha did driving the towers. I do have the mains bi-amped now, and am going to try it both ways back and forth as I dial it in. As long as I have enough channels, I figure it doesn't hurt. Now I am just not getting the ceiling bounce Atmos depth that I really want, and it is far to subtle, maybe my ears don't hear the HRTF the same way other people might, maybe I just don't like the bouncy compromise like I hoped I would. This has led me to think that for at least my room, I want to put a speaker set up there. Problem #569 that I have encountered in this setup it is an old plaster house, and I am not being successful at convincing the wife that holes in the wall and ceiling is ok... I want her to enjoy the system too, and not just grudgingly see the destruction. So I guess my last option to add on Atmos they way I want to is to put down firing height speakers right under the crown molding... almost in the Auro 3D top layer configuration. I can re-purpose the pair of the 140SAs that I can mount up high, and they would cover the main listening position from a vertical standpoint, but it would be difficult to aim them Left and Right with the keyhole hanger. Also, they have a very narrow angle of sound coming off of them, as well as non flat EQ- the Patented Dolby HRTF/ Head Related Transfer Function - "a rise at 7 kHz of 5 dB followed by a drop of 7 dB at 12 kHz". Would the 140SA be an ok option for the height channel, mounted as a down firing speaker, or would something in the RP240S/ RS-41 II with Wide Dispersion Technology be a better choice? If I don't use the 140a I would need something with the threaded insert, so I can angle it down the way I want to. I have a pair of the 140s, so not having to sell them is a nice option, but I am not married to keeping them it if is a far inferior option. I will add a back height channel at some point in the future. so one option is the 140s up front (up high) and something else in the back. I am really only trying to get a 2-3 seat listening area covered. Thanks! and many thanks to MetropolisLakOutfitters for helping me get this far on the project. Great guy!

Scrappy has great advice. I would also add, make sure you have good sub placement, and have the bass issues taken care of. As you give everything low to your sub, it can have the tendency to create phasing/ standing wave issues and make hot spots and dead spots in the bass range. If you do get some weird standing waves, giving a little of the bass back to your mains could reduce standing waves, at the expense of cleaner highs can help. just be on the watch for that.

Or maybe I should ask, will what I loose by putting the center in the wall make this option no good regardless of what speaker sits in there?

you can tell I have lots of tiny theater questions as I tweak this theater closer to where I want it! I hope to eventually post some pictures... this is just a long term project. I am working with the wife to find furniture that fits my speakers and receiver with airflow and her design preferences, and we are now at the custom building route, which we hoped to avoid. But, this is not about custom building furniture... it is about the center channel If I change my center channel from the RC-52 external speaker to the Pro 6602 is there anyway of running that speaker mismatched from my mains successfully? (I have the reference RF3 IIs) I do have a Marantz 7010 which has quite good eq control, and I know how to run audio analysis on a room to bring it in manually if I need to. My center already has a slightly different color, but i know it runs different material sonically than the mains. The cost saving of what I can get on sale for Pro line center in wall is about $300 less than the Reference line in wall right now... and the entire in ceiling upgrade might hinge on if I can get rid of the center speaker... I need the hole in the wall as an access point to fish cables. Thanks!

Very Helpful!

I may be looking at upgrading from my 140s Atmos speakers to true ceiling installed speakers. I (will) have an all reference system w/ cerametallic woofers, etc. I have have heard some good talk about the pro line of ceiling speakers such as the 6650C, and the prices I am finding are much better than the 5650Cs that I am eying.. What are people's thoughts on how they would mix in for ATMOS use with the rest of my system? I would put 4 of them up there. Should I assume the higher model# means better components?

Are the RF -3iis Roughly similiar to the newer RF-82iis? Wattages, woofer, etc are close specs. trying to research if a-one has a notable performance advantage... If so, by how much? They seemed to occupy similar price points when they were new.... and b- how "close". they are, if i use one set as my rears or sides.

Thanks Scrappy, That is why I was asking. I thought it would be, i figure double checking with those with more wisdom than I can same me from making dumb mistakes.

DTR20. "The Reference Series RB-25 bookshelf loudspeaker was first introduced in 2003 and manufactured by Klipsch until 2006. " so far so good. they are less wattage, that is my main concern... or are there others I am not aware of?

An update, some more questions. Klipsch RP-140 SA are coming in the mail. My height channel is taken care of. What are people's thoughts of swapping out my rear synergy B3s for a pair of RB-25s? that would bring all the speakers into the reference line. The B3s are 85 w (340 w peak) While the Rb-25s are a little less powerful at 75 watts (300 watts peak) but likely a better tonal match. Ideally, I would get a true rear speaker, but my room is pretty small, only 3 seats in the listening zone, and the price on these guys is a fraction of what a new pair of references would be.

What has been the best sale price you guys have seen on the Klipsch RP-140 SA upwards firing speakers? I am willing to wait for a good sale, just trying to gauge what a good price is on them.

An update: I purchased the Marantz 7009. 125 watts per channel - 9.2 amplifer, and will run a few external zones off of it in other rooms. I will likely put in the upwards pointing klipsch atmos speakers..... but might drill some holes in the ceiling if I can get a good cable run. I am going to do Atmos, but not Bi-Amp.. though i won't promise not to test drive the bi-amping just to see what it sounds like. i will likely have some more questions as I get this system set up and tuned.