Home Theater... Feeling Overwhelmed!!!
tpip -- Sun, 01/20/2008 - 08:31
I am in the process of building a 7.1 home theater using in-wall speakers and need some advice. The room is only 12'5"(w) x 15'5"(l) and the back of the room is open to the game room. The current plan is designed to include a typical L,R,C in-wall layout around a mounted plasma with 2 Rear in-wall surrounds and 2 Rear in-ceiling surrounds.
After reading about many products I have it narrowed down to either the Boston Acoustics VRi-Series, PSB CW-Series, Klipsch R-Series or the Polk LCi-RTS Series. I can’t find any dealers in my area that offer me the opportunity to hear them and need some selection advice. Also, should I even consider an in-wall subwoofer?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
If you read some of the reviews on AVGuide of these brands you may get an idea of the "house sound" of each. With in-wall mounting location and wall properties will have a huge influence so this is hard.
As for in-wall subs, I personally like this option for its ability to help dial-in the sound.
Big question: do you have a receiver with Audessy or other room-correction processing?
TPIP,
Acting on the better-late-than-never theory, I'm going to respond to your original post.
Of the systems you mention, the two I've heard and could endorse are the PSB and Polk systems.
One other system I think should also be on your short list would be the Definitive Technology UIW series, in part because Definitive offers a really well thought-out, dedicated in-ceiling surround speaker.
Yet another option that could work great in a room your size if you will be using a flat panel display is the Artison Masterpiece system (see my review from TPV issue 79 on AVguide). If you are not familiar with the Artison solution, the basic concept is to use a pair of main speakers (each a 1 and 1/2-channel) design that physically attach to your flat panel display with custom-sized/custom-colored grilles that make the speakers appear to become part of the display itself. In turn, Artison offers fine in-ceiling/on-wall surround speaker. Finally, Artison builds what I consider one of the best in-wall (or, alternatively, in-cabinet) subwoofers around--one that I enthusiastically endorse.
Let me "riff" for a moment on what's so cool about the Artison solution:
1) More than you would ever think possible, the Masterpieces just visually "disappear"--I suppose because they are actually "hidden in plain sight." *
2) High quality drive units in the main speakers.
3) Wider soundstages that you would expect.
4) Actor's voices appear to emanate from the center of the screen--not from above or below it.
5) The sub is, by any standard, a killer, and the slick, vibration-cancelling, "boxer" configuration of the drivers enables the design to produce powerful, deeply extended bass with almost no "cabinet shake"--making this an ideal in-wall design that tends not to cause sheetrock/wall-studs to rattle or vibrate.
6) Artison's subwoofer amp (which can power two subs, BTW), has a really sophisticated auto-EQ function to help dial out room resonance, etc.
* Example: A photographer came to take a photo of the installed Masterpiece system, studied our Masterpiece-equipped plasma TV for a long time, then turned to me and said, "so where are the speakers I'm supposed to photograph?" My reply: "You're looking at them..." You get the picture.
Today's best in-wall subs offer surprisingly good performance, provided you chose one that really is a sub-woofer, and not an overblown mid/bass driver masquerading as as subwoofer.
Chris Martens
Editor, Avguide.com/Playback/The Perfect Vision
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