Home theatre equipment and set-up advice

[Dave5]

Hi All,

I'm putting a home theatre system in a new house. It'll be a dedicated theatre room. Dimensions are are 5.08m wide by 3.57m. There will be a sofa against, or very close to the 5m back wall. I'm trying to get an idea of the best set-up for this room. I'm thinking a 5.1 with floor standing front speakers and the back 2 speakers being in-ceiling. Not sure what wattage I will need for this, so advice on that would be great. The budget isn't huge. Up to $3k for receiver, speakers and blu-ray. I'm not expecting it to be amazing. Just hoping to put together a reasonable sounding system to watch moves with the family.

 

My initial thoughts on equipment are:

Yamaha RX-V683

Yamaha NS-555 speaker package.

 

Advice and experience on all the above would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks in advance,

Edited December 3, 2017 by Dave5

[hopefullguy]

what will you be using a tv? or projector?

 

why does everyone want to sit on the backwall these days?

 

eatwood hifi and excel hifi have some gear to look at.

 

http://www.eastwoodhifi.com.au/specials.htm

http://www.excelhifi.com.au/

[Mikeyday]

6 hours ago, Dave5 said:

There will be a sofa against, or very close to the 5m back wall.

If it is at all possible, consider moving the sofa at least 1 metre (1.5m would be perfect) off the back wall; this will help resolve potential sound issues

[hopefullguy]

it will also mean no ceiling speakers which will be useless if you need to move things around in the room

[powerav]

6 hours ago, hopefullguy said:

why does everyone want to sit on the backwall these days?

Unfortunately this how home theatre or media rooms are in new homes these days, only 3 to 3.5 M from front to back wall. Make the surrounds side surrounds and 2 speakers above your head for Atmos 

[betty boop]

13 hours ago, Dave5 said:

Hi All,

I'm putting a home theatre system in a new house. It'll be a dedicated theatre room. Dimensions are are 5.08m wide by 3.57m. There will be a sofa against, or very close to the 5m back wall. I'm trying to get an idea of the best set-up for this room. I'm thinking a 5.1 with floor standing front speakers and the back 2 speakers being in-ceiling.

 especially with a dedicated room please dont put seating up against back to wall. worst place audio wise with both bass peaks and coherency. and similarly at 5m will force to get a HUGE screen which is just going to push requirements for projection.

 

aim for using the rule of 3rds. so sit at 2/3rd room depth.for your 5m depth room, putting seating at 3-3.5m max and will leave ample space behind for 7.1 wiht surrounds on wall or 7.1.4 if going for that. and you do need room to breathe for surrounds. also with seating at 3m will mean will not have to go for gigantic screen for full immersion to THX spec and also fully resolving detail for 1080p and also giving some gains for uhd if going down that track.

 

for a dedicated room especially size it is and room to work with to only go 5.1 and just 2 inceiling surrounds at that. its location location location with setups. best locate the speakers and main listening position to best take advantage of the room

 

the 2/3rd room length suggestion will mean can plonk some chairs out back if have guests and also leave adequate room up front as open space if need be.

 

ps as to speakers and system packages, visit some stores see what have to offer and what best can do for budget. nothing like listening to some setups to decide this kind of thing

[powerav]

These rooms are only 3.5m deep! You have no choice but to put sofa on back wall, no it’s not good but you have no choice. Not everyone can have perfection.

Edited December 4, 2017 by powerav

[Mikeyday]

10 hours ago, Mikeyday said:

If it is at all possible, consider moving the sofa at least 1 metre (1.5m would be perfect) off the back wall; this will help resolve potential sound issues

Oops, I missed that. You have it on the 5m wall.

[Dave5]

Thanks for the responses everyone. Much appreciated.

 

We've not moved into the house yet. The theatre room already has a projector and screen that come with the house. Not sure yet what condition they're in.

The screen will have to stay on the 5m wall, just to accommodate a 4 seat sofa, that realistically will have to be close to the other wall. The sofa has to take priority. We're a family of 4 so I need to build the HT around that. Not sure how the family would take it if I built new HT room just for me

What's the advantage of using in ceiling speakers instead of wall fixed speakers? Only reason I considered in ceiling was because the rep at the local hifi shop recommended it.

 

 

[powerav]

5 hours ago, Dave5 said:

What's the advantage of using in ceiling speakers instead of wall fixed speakers? Only reason I considered in ceiling was because the rep at the local hifi shop recommended it.

I had in ceiling speakers as surrounds in my 2nd home theatre room of my previous house as it was open plan room and only 1 side wall, it was a different experience than surround speakers on the wall, it had a more direct feel to it as the surround sound was coming straight down at you, it was cool during movies scenes that had rain or a storm, very much like an atmos effect.

Big disadvantage is surround music, instruments or audience sound is weird coming down over your head.

Edited December 5, 2017 by powerav

[betty boop]

6 hours ago, Dave5 said:

We've not moved into the house yet. The theatre room already has a projector and screen that come with the house. Not sure yet what condition they're in.

If left behind there it’s prob pretty average. But never know

 

6 hours ago, Dave5 said:

 

 

The screen will have to stay on the 5m wall, just to accommodate a 4 seat sofa, that realistically will have to be close to the other wall. The sofa has to take priority. We're a family of 4 so I need to build the HT around that. Not sure how the family would take it if I built new HT room just for me

 

What a pity, I would have thought 3.5 still enough to fit 4 seater ? We have a 5.5m room depth and only probably use 3.5m or so of room width we have. Us four cosy in nicely  though depends on your couch I suppose. There are all sorts

 

any av setup is going to be setup and optimised around one person and the “sweet spot”

 

6 hours ago, Dave5 said:

What's the advantage of using in ceiling speakers instead of wall fixed speakers? Only reason I considered in ceiling was because the rep at the local hifi shop recommended it.

Only used where in ceilings demanded for say atmos height speakers, or where physically can’t fit in wall or floor standing surrounds.

 

there is no other benefit unless it’s aesthetic where people like to not see speakers hide them ? In ceilings will cost more overall for install and audio wise won’t be as good for money. Many have no backs etc so leak sound in ceiling spaces to rest of house also open to dust insects etc.

 

if can use wall or floor standing surrounds I’d use instead abd that leaves option of adding atmos abd 3D audio surrounds at some stage if need requires

[Mikeyday]

2 hours ago, powerav said:

Big disadvantage is surround music, instruments or audience sound is weird coming down over your head.

Have to agree with this.

I have a room with similar dimensions to you (5.2 x 3.5) but have the screen on the 3.5 wall. I started with in-ceiling surrounds which I did really like for the extra dimension they gave to action scenes and nature sound effects however, it was just wrong at other times. I have now patched the holes and moved them to atmos positions and added on wall surrounds and rear surrounds.

7 hours ago, Dave5 said:

The screen will have to stay on the 5m wall, just to accommodate a 4 seat sofa

I have 2 twin electric recliners (4 seats) across the 3.5 width and room to walk along side if I need to get behind. This only works if doors and windows are in advantageous locations. I am not trying to convince you to change your layout, just keep your mind open to options, especially if it will be a dedicated HT.