Help with speaker choice

 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-10
Hi I have a large open kitchen/family room.
I would like to watch movies in the F. room and listen to music in the Kitchen. I have a Yamaha RXV 863 receiver. Should I focus on surround or music listening. Does it matter? What do u recommend? Budget is about 700. Thanks for the help
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1056
Registered: Feb-08
If you would provide a bit more information about your room layout such as where the TV is in relation to the Kitchen, if you watch tv and listen to music at the same time, and if you already have any speakers I think it would be a lot easier to help you.
 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-10
Thanks TV is about 25 ft away from kitchen. I will not listen to music and watch at the same time. My issue is I dont know if I should focus on surround or music listening. If my speakers are focused on my couch etc. will the music quality suffer if I want to listen in the kitchen. I do have a Bose Lifestyle V10 system which is not compatible with my Yamaha RXv 863 (I bought the bose real cheap) Dont really need to use it since it cant control a second zone.(outside) What would u do?
 

Platinum Member
Username: Jan_b_vigne

Dallas, TX

Post Number: 14536
Registered: May-04
.

What to do depends on how you prefer to use the system. Placing rear speakers toward the kitchen area will not benefit the surround experience during those times when you do sit down to watch a video. Of course the music quality will suffer if you use the surround system for your kitchen area listening. First of all, not much in the way of music actually sounds good with the matrixed surround formats such as Dolby Pro Logic or five speaker stereo and it sounds even worse when you are not centered between the speakers playing the matrix.

I would certainly have a preference for a properly set up HT surround system since you've invested in a surround based receiver. The next choice then would be wiring in a secondary set of kitchen speakers to be used alone (without the surround system) for remote area listening. Your other choice would be to play the main system at a higher volume which is generally not high on the preferred list for the reasons stated above.

How you go about the wiring of the kitchen area speakers is up to the receiver's flexibility and your preferences. Many 7.2 channel receivers allow for the extra surround channels to be re-assigned as remote speakers. If this suits your needs, then there's no reason not to save some money and make this your go to speaker assignment. Otherwise, you'll need an additional "A/B" speaker selector at bare minimum. You might prefer a volume control located in the kitchen area if your remote has problems operating the system from the kitchen or you could go add a repeater system for the remote along with a kitchen area volume control. A repeater allows operation of the main system from a remote location where a transmitter is positioned for easy access. If you entertain, then this sort of set up allows for easy adjustment of volume levels over the course of an evening as groups of guests tend to wander from space to space. Buy an impedance matching volume control for the kitchen and operate it independently from the main system speakers. The key here is to not get too complicated and have multiple locations which allow for volume adjustment. Keep the system as simple yet operational as possible. Virtually any decent shop selling home theater systems - beyond the big box Best Buy type - should be able to provide the system tools for this set up.


As far as speakers are concerned I wouldn't stress too much over selecting remote area speakers. Sound quality is ultimately not as important in remote areas and any in-wall or bookshelf speaker that suits your decor and taste should perform well enough for those times when you are typically doing other functions and music is more background than main focus. A few hundred dollars at maximum would be my allocation of budget for remote speakers and you can certainly find decent sound for less than that for this application.


.
 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 3
Registered: Feb-10
Thanks for the help
I think I'll sell the Lifestyle and buy new speakers. Any suggestions?
 

Gold Member
Username: Jrbay

Livonia [Detroit area], Michigan USA

Post Number: 1066
Registered: Feb-08
Does the TV face the kitchen? I am thinking that, if so, some nice towers as the fronts 25 feet away would do nicely for both the HT and sound in the kitchen.

As far as the brand of speakers it would be best to go out shopping to determine what you really enjoy listening to.
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14605
Registered: Dec-04
Make sure the remote works from the kitchen area!!
Choose a rf remote version if possible!
 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 4
Registered: Feb-10
Wife does not like "intrusive towers" have older infiniti towers. need something small. TV does face kitchen. Please excuse the mess we are remodeling. Anyway I want to be able to have HT and also listen to music in the kitchen. (not at the same time) I think the Yamaha RX v863 is a start (it has 2 zones etc) I do have the Bose Lifestyle V10 but I know that most discerning connoisseurs dislike this brand it was a deal I could not pass up. Upload
Thanks
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 14609
Registered: Dec-04
Angelo, if your speaker placement is limited to that space, then may as well use the Bose.
2nd zone to the kitchen with overheads.
And watch the remote.
 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 5
Registered: Feb-10
Bose does not have 2 zones. The 2nd zone (yamaha) is for outside speakers.
This is the dilemma. I d hate to waste yamaha on outdoor speakers only.
 

Silver Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 870
Registered: Oct-07
Am I the only one who gets neck strain just LOOKING at a TV mounted over a fireplace?
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 3660
Registered: Feb-07
Same here Leo. That would drive me nuts having my TV mounted that high (although I understand sometimes we don't have a lot of options, such as Angelo's case).
 

Platinum Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 12198
Registered: Feb-05
Ditto the last 2 posts.
 

Silver Member
Username: Magfan

USA

Post Number: 871
Registered: Oct-07
I see what you mean about 'don't have a lot of options'.

Anyway, it is a personal beef of mine, especially here in SoCal where every house is, apparently by law, supposed to have a semi-useless fireplace. I'd personally rather have the wall space to open up seating / arrangement options, at least a little. My #2 beef is the 'wall unit', which I've never figured out. must be me. 'nuff said.
 

Gold Member
Username: Dmitchell

Ottawa, Ontario Canada

Post Number: 3661
Registered: Feb-07
That's kinda weird that it would be law. Why on earth would a fireplace be required in SoCal?
 

New member
Username: Angelprude

Post Number: 6
Registered: Feb-10
Hey sometimes we get 40 degree temps here in San Diego fireplace is a must. So are the Ugg boots with shorts.
I use my fireplace during Xmas for the ambiance. That's what my furnace is for.
« Previous Thread Next Thread »



Main Forums

Today's Posts

Forum Help

Follow Us