How to choose speakers for neighbor friendly listening and good cinematic experience?

[swamytk]

I would like to go for 5.1.2 incrementally.

I give utmost importance to ethics of not to disturb neighbor flats with a loud sound. At the same time would like to have cinematic experience with decent enough volume level. How to choose speakers for this requirement? I mean which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too?

In case you need this info:
Option 1: Room size is 10'x13' - dedicated to home theater. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. Planning to leave some space behind listening position.
Option 2: Living Room size is 11'x23'. The screen faces 11' distance. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. There won't be any space behind listening position.

 

[swamytk]

Bumping up this thread. Am I posting in right forum? Any suggestion?

 

[Ashenden]

Bumping up this thread. Am I posting in right forum? Any suggestion?

If your budget permits, vibration from sub can be isolated using isoacoustic stands for sub. This’ll improve your low end punch at the same time won’t rattle the room. If you’re playing at around 75-80dB average volume at listening position, it should be ok and won’t make the neighbors call the cops

ISO-200SUB | IsoAcoustics

The IsoAcoustics ISO-200SUB Acoustic Isolation Stands are available for front and side firing subwoofers used in professional studios, project studios, HiFi

www.isoacoustics.com

 

[Love4sound]

Go with option one. Dedicated room with acoustic treatment will do the job

 

[swamytk]

If your budget permits, vibration from sub can be isolated using isoacoustic stands for sub. This’ll improve your low end punch at the same time won’t rattle the room. If you’re playing at around 75-80dB average volume at listening position, it should be ok and won’t make the neighbors call the cops

ISO-200SUB | IsoAcoustics

The IsoAcoustics ISO-200SUB Acoustic Isolation Stands are available for front and side firing subwoofers used in professional studios, project studios, HiFi

www.isoacoustics.com

Thanks, it is helpful. In this context which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too? I mean any specific brand, type or technology speaker?

 

[MaSh]

Thanks, it is helpful. In this context which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too? I mean any specific brand, type or technology speaker?

Hey hi,

Look at super efficient speakers like those from Klipsch. Those at very low volumes also give out sufficient detail to enjoy.

MaSh

 

[Ashenden]

Thanks, it is helpful. In this context which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too? I mean any specific brand, type or technology speaker?

High sensitivity speakers (>92dB/W) gives better dynamics at low volumes. But you should like how they sound, which is more important. I think most modern receivers come with dynamic range control which when switched ON should give a good experience at low listening levels

 

[swamytk]

Thanks @sandeepss @MaSh for valuable inputs.

 

[raghupb]

Desired SPL for a cinematic experience and low volume details are two different things.
While the likes of Klipsch gives you detail low volume or low power, it is more of easing the load on the amps.

Say you need to have 85dB average at MLP and 105dB (THX reference) for peaks to define cinematic experience.
Then any speaker (and background electronics) is gonna sound that loud.
Details, yes I concede can be a very subjective thing.

Subs in an apartment are annoying for the neighbors, period.
Music and film sound (background tracks and effects that are a bulk of movies) may be not.

Cheers,
Raghu

 

[prateekatasniya]

I would like to go for 5.1.2 incrementally.

I give utmost importance to ethics of not to disturb neighbor flats with a loud sound. At the same time would like to have cinematic experience with decent enough volume level. How to choose speakers for this requirement? I mean which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too?

In case you need this info:
Option 1: Room size is 10'x13' - dedicated to home theater. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. Planning to leave some space behind listening position.
Option 2: Living Room size is 11'x23'. The screen faces 11' distance. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. There won't be any space behind listening position.

What's your budget for the complete home theater including the furnishing, acoustic treatment etc. ?

 

[Ashenden]

FM @Vivek Batra had listed Klipsch towers and Denon receiver for sale. They can be used in your living room option. You can check with him, if interested.

SOLD - Klipsch RP-8000 F

SOLD Klipsch RP-8000F floor standing speakers for sale. Model RP- 8000F Purchased Feb 2019 Used Till March 2019 Condition Mint Available in Chandigarh I can ship anywhere in India at buyer's cost in original box and packing

www.hifivision.com

 

[buxx]

Audyssey XT 32 offers SubEQ Ht for exactly this purpose. + With Sub isolation feet, you should be good to go.
Also, could do absorbers /diffusers to ensure minimal leak/reflections.

 

[edjamesx]

I would like to go for 5.1.2 incrementally.

I give utmost importance to ethics of not to disturb neighbor flats with a loud sound. At the same time would like to have cinematic experience with decent enough volume level. How to choose speakers for this requirement? I mean which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too?

In case you need this info:
Option 1: Room size is 10'x13' - dedicated to home theater. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. Planning to leave some space behind listening position.
Option 2: Living Room size is 11'x23'. The screen faces 11' distance. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. There won't be any space behind listening position.

I think better to sound proof your dedicated HT room ,so minimal sound will go out. Also use mats for sub to prevent vibrations going down to lower ground in apartment.

I would recommend satellites+ sub , if you think sound will disturb others. I was using bose satellite speakers earlier , tripically when you shut the door i wont hear any sound from outside. Bookshelves will be ok , but FS will be too loud.

In AV receiver we have night mode option -for DD source , it plays good as per i tried , produces soft sound ,so it will not disturb others . (but works only with DD)
All HT speakers work good in mid volume , but its our ears wont accept...wanting more sound effects

My HT room is located in the corner in my apartment , that's a 6 feet gap from another house in my apartment. I used to play movies with 45+ db , so far no body complain. When you hear from room , sound is fair enough to break the glass

 

[ajuvignesh]

May be for sub you can prefer the tactile transducer like butt kicker. I have no experience with it but I think it can help you.

Basic Soundproofing can be done on doors and windows for inhibiting sound leakage.

 

[ONEMANARMY]

I would like to go for 5.1.2 incrementally.

I give utmost importance to ethics of not to disturb neighbor flats with a loud sound. At the same time would like to have cinematic experience with decent enough volume level. How to choose speakers for this requirement? I mean which speakers perform best in low to medium volume too?

In case you need this info:
Option 1: Room size is 10'x13' - dedicated to home theater. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. Planning to leave some space behind listening position.
Option 2: Living Room size is 11'x23'. The screen faces 11' distance. The listening distance from screen is ~10'. There won't be any space behind listening position.

I like the way you think. Unfortunately these days you do not get a lot of that.
OK.
Soundproofing is the way to go. Especially for movies where there will be dynamic passages where the volume will increase and you will have to keep jumping for the remote...
If budget does not permit doing the entire room, you can get a lot of the noise contained by just doing the doors and windows, which are the biggest culprits in sound leakage.

All the best and nice to hear from people who are genuinely compassionate and considerate.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

While the likes of Klipsch gives you detail low volume or low power, it is more of easing the load on the amps.

IMO, how much detail you can hear at low volumes is more dependent on the noise floor of your room more than it does on your speakers.

Then any speaker (and background electronics) is gonna sound that loud.

There can be, and there in fact is, a significant difference between loudness levels as measured with an SPL meter and how we perceive it. The room and the speakers both factor in this regard.

 

[Ashenden]

There can be, and there in fact is, a significant difference between loudness levels as measured with an SPL meter and how we perceive it. The room and the speakers both factor in this regard.

That’s interesting. Could you please elaborate on that? So are we hearing more dB compared to SPL meter measurements?

 

[raghupb]

That’s interesting. Could you please elaborate on that? So are we hearing more dB compared to SPL meter measurements?

I guess what @liverpool_for_life means is that objective measurement may be the same, but each one's ear perceives it differently.
You may be comfortable with 85-90dB, I may be comfortable with 80-85dB and so on.
Having said that, the SPL at MLP is the sum total of all the sound emanating from however number of speakers are placed in the room.
Cheers,
Raghu

 

[Ashenden]

I guess what @liverpool_for_life means is that objective measurement may be the same, but each one's ear perceives it differently.
You may be comfortable with 85-90dB, I may be comfortable with 80-85dB and so on.
Having said that, the SPL at MLP is the sum total of all the sound emanating from however number of speakers are placed in the room.
Cheers,
Raghu

If that’s the case, then it’s fine. Medicos keep safe exposure limits for SPL as 85dB for 8 hrs. Some say 75dB is a safe limit. As with us audiophiles they too never agree on anything . If SPL reading is right, then at least it removes 1 variable from the ambiguity.

 

[liverpool_for_life]

That’s interesting. Could you please elaborate on that? So are we hearing more dB compared to SPL meter measurements?

No, you aren't. When you calibrate your speakers for reference, you are (for e.g.) sending a -30 dbFS signal to your mains (say) and checking your SPL meter to see if it reads 75 dB. What I'm saying is the same calibration can produce perceptibly different levels of loudness (for the same volume levels) in 2 different rooms, especially if the response is close to flat in one and a fair bit up and down in the other.

Hope that made sense.