HT in a small 10x12 room at around Rs 3.5L

While auditioning for speakers are you set on towers or are you also hearing out the stand mounts in the same family?
Keep an open mind, while you are at a dealer hear out the little ones too.
For your room, with a sub in the mix, bookshelf or stand mount speakers may just click.

Cheers,
Raghu
Haven't been doing that, Raghu bhai.
But it is a great suggestion. Will do this going forward.
You are right, something might just click (hopefully) :D
 
Haven't been doing that, Raghu bhai.
But it is a great suggestion. Will do this going forward.
You are right, something might just click (hopefully) :D
Please do. If not anything it will give you a different perspective to the presentation of sound.
I am not well versed with HT, but have done a bit of listening on the 2-ch side of various brands.
If in a family from a brand, say there are 5 models (say 2 BS and 3 FS).
Many a time the BS models fare better in acting like a point source of sound.
Towers definitely dig deeper, but with a sub planned, their native capability may not be fully utilized.

Cheers,
Raghu
 
Please do. If not anything it will give you a different perspective to the presentation of sound.
I am not well versed with HT, but have done a bit of listening on the 2-ch side of various brands.
If in a family from a brand, say there are 5 models (say 2 BS and 3 FS).
Many a time the BS models fare better in acting like a point source of sound.
Towers definitely dig deeper, but with a sub planned, their native capability may not be fully utilized.

Cheers,
Raghu
Yeah.. the point is right.
Bookshelfs act as point source at a closer distance when compared to FS with multiple drivers.
And with subwoofer in a HT a floor Stander doesn't make much of sense in a small room.
 
Thank you, @raghupb, @prateekatasniya.
Will check them out, too.
Will satellites also work along the same lines?
Regards
Hi K-pad,

I have had 5.1 satellites before and later went for small 5.1 bookshelves as the room size is small at 14ft L X11 ft. W. The bookshelves sounded far better than the satellites in 5.1 mode.

Regards,
Nitin
 
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The smaller the distance between the HF driver and mid/woof the more likely it will be more coherent. It is more advisable to use a speaker with some form of coax driver, either a regular coax driver or a CD.
 
Hi K-pad,

I have had 5.1 satellites before and later went for small 5.1 bookshelves as the room size is small at 14ft L X11 ft. W. The bookshelves sounded far better than the satellites in 5.1 mode.

Regards,
Nitin
Thanks, Nitin.
Will keep that in mind.
What satellites did you run, if I may ask?
Regards
 
The smaller the distance between the HF driver and mid/woof the more likely it will be more coherent. It is more advisable to use a speaker with some form of coax driver, either a regular coax driver or a CD.
What are some speakers with coax drivers available in India?
Tks
 
Thank you, @raghupb, @prateekatasniya.
Will check them out, too.
Will satellites also work along the same lines?
Regards
Satellites have an inherent disadvantage.
Their operating range will be from 100Hz (or something) and up.
So a sub is a must and it needs to seamlessly integrate with the main speakers.
I have this in my 3.1

A pair of Monitor Audio Radius 45 with a BW center and REL sub.
The sub is tuned to my stereo rig; meaning it cuts off at about 60-70 Hz.
So there is a gaping hole in the LF.
Is it bad; NO for HT; Kinda for music if you pay attention

Cheers,
Raghu
 
What are some speakers with coax drivers available in India?
Tks

I'm not actually very familiar with whats available here. Some pro brands should have some. IIRC Tannoy and KEF have some though I'm not familiar with the home audio models. A typical driver based coax will often have a 100 degree conical radiation pattern, just FYI.
 
Thanks, Nitin.
Will keep that in mind.
What satellites did you run, if I may ask?
Regards
Most welcome K-pad. Initially I had the modest Bose AM5 satellites for stereo. Then went in for Definitive Technology Procinema 1000 series with the prosub1000.
I still felt it lacked for stereo and went for bookshelves. As Raghu has rightly mentioned above, the satellites are limited especially in the lower frequencies which you may not notice for movies, But for stereo you may notice especially if you are blending with a sub.
 
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Satellites have an inherent disadvantage.
Their operating range will be from 100Hz (or something) and up.
Ya, Was just reading up on a brand's satellite, whose range was from 95 Hz -
Does setting the sub at say 120 Hz bring any sort of problems of its own? Or would it be fine.
So a sub is a must and it needs to seamlessly integrate with the main speakers.
I have this in my 3.1

A pair of Monitor Audio Radius 45 with a BW center and REL sub.
The sub is tuned to my stereo rig; meaning it cuts off at about 60-70 Hz.
So there is a gaping hole in the LF.
Is it bad; NO for HT; Kinda for music if you pay attention

Cheers,
Raghu
Will keep this in mind.
Thanks, Raghu
 
Most welcome K-pad. Initially I had the modest Bose AM5 satellites for stereo. Then went in for Definitive Technology Procinema 1000 series with the prosub1000.
I still felt it lacked for stereo and went for bookshelves. As Raghu has rightly mentioned above, the satellites are limited especially in the lower frequencies which you may not notice for movies, But for stereo you may notice especially if you are blending with a sub.
Thanks again, Nitin.
Guess could do satellites at a pinch, but will look out for good bookshelves, too.
Regards
 
I'm not actually very familiar with whats available here. Some pro brands should have some. IIRC Tannoy and KEF have some though I'm not familiar with the home audio models. A typical driver based coax will often have a 100 degree conical radiation pattern, just FYI.
Thanks, man.
Will look them up.
 
Thanks again, Nitin.
Guess could do satellites at a pinch, but will look out for good bookshelves, too.
Regards
Most welcome, the better the sub blends, the less localised it will sound. With satellites for me, this was an issue.
 
Ya, Was just reading up on a brand's satellite, whose range was from 95 Hz -
Does setting the sub at say 120 Hz bring any sort of problems of its own? Or would it be fine.

Will keep this in mind.
Thanks, Raghu
Setting subwoofer at 120hz would make the source of the sound identifiable.
Thus it's fine if you are placing the subwoofer close to the LCR.
 
Ya, Was just reading up on a brand's satellite, whose range was from 95 Hz -
Does setting the sub at say 120 Hz bring any sort of problems of its own? Or would it be fine.

Will keep this in mind.
Thanks, Raghu

Satellites are small in size, thus they have lower sensitivity. Particularly in the lower frequencies. If you use them with a decent sub then the sub may be higher in relative level, and so would overshadow them and become localizable. This also depend on the LPF used on the sub, the type and the slope. The subs extended response also plays a part. If you are using an active sub then they would probably process the response on the upper end to roll offf as smoothly as they can. Subs which have a folded horn can also help as their folds act as an acoustic LPF of sorts to filter out higher frequency and unwanted noises. If you can can the right type of filter and slope along with a good roll off into the upper region as well as smoothness, a folded horn sub and DSP then you can across at 120Hz (200Hz even with dual subs though 120-150Hz would be max IMO) without issues. One final note, 2 subs will help as well.

Now for the important part, using satellites will severely compromise the 100-300Hz region which is will affect the audio considerably. In case of HT it will reduce impact severely. Unless you must I would avoid satellites.

Lastly, in most cases do not trust manufacturer specs.
 
An unrelated update:
After all the reading done in this quest, I played around with the current tiny sub I now have with my desktop setup. Moved it from under my solid wood work desk (kept there when the speakers arrived to save space in the first place), and placed it in a few places to see how the LFs play.
0. Earlier (under desk) the bass was kinda big, yes, but when it went very low with some hip-hop tracks, it did agitate my desk a bit, resulting in a bit of desk-floor rattle.
1. Got much better response when I moved it out from under the desk today. The first position I tried also happened to be closer to the room's window. Now, while the bass was tighter, the real lows (as much as this fellow could play) continued to rattle the windows (and the desk less than before).
2. Finally managed to find a place more to the middle of the room away from the windows, from the desk (thank god for the decent cable length) and boy, it has made a world of difference!
After several movie clips, I feel the LF now tighter, and for some reason I have even been able to turn down the volume a bit! Most of all, am able to set a volume level so not to be too loud, and the dialogues are much, much clearer, while providing an encompassing ambience when the bass kicks in! It all feels one of a piece and so immersive!

I dunno if there are broader lessons here besides 1. play around with your set-up, 2. play around with your set-up, and 3. play around with your set-up. :D
And if I have to venture, maybe I will add this: if you have a sub in a small room, find some breathing room for both the port and the driver.

PS: Am a proper noob and by penning this, i really do not mean to come across like am preaching to the high priests. Just wanted to leave a personal experience here, maybe for fellow newbies with a small room, who i have seen are the most worried lot in this forum. :D
Cheers!
Sorry for turning this thread into a diary, but finally bought a display and got it up and running.
Hooked up the desktop speakers and sub (Which were till now along the long wall) to the TV (which I plonked on the short wall)
Woah! What a world of difference it makes!
1. The bass is way better at the new seating position,
2. Way tighter! (Also, I am now realising what people mean when they say they feel it in their chest)
3. The bass seems to escape the room less (could be fully my warped mind; will know better when the better half wakes up and I play some music in the day time, but am convinced it leaks less)
4. The sound has become more encompassing.

So, quick observation is that the placement has helped smoothening out some room node issues at least.

Will keep this updated.
 
Thank you, @raghupb, @prateekatasniya.
Will check them out, too.
Will satellites also work along the same lines?
Regards
Ghee, shakkar and what not, brothers, @raghupb @prateekatasniya!
Finally got a display and tried doing a mock up of the future set-up in current room. (Blessedly my current room and planned room are same dimensions)

Hooked up my desktop L-R (3.5" woofers) and the sub (8" ported) to the TV and boy, they already are filling the room so nicely! Especially at the MLP (7.5').

Am typing this sitting another two feet further, slightly off-axis, faced away from the TV, and I can still clearly hear all the dialogue, and *feel* the LFs rumbling (in a good way)
Towers in this space are probably going to be blowing hot air some three feet behind me, and then hit me on their way back!

Unfortunately, I also realised I am not going to be having any space for anything on the floor. No towers, no stand-mounts :(
Journey goes on, headed towards on-walls.
From what I had earlier shortlisted, this leaves me with:
1. Klipsch RP series on-walls
2. Revel M series on-walls (very kind of Prateek to suggest; have so far loved everything I have read about them)
3. ML-SLMs (found them tinny)
4. Dali Phantoms (Expensive)
5. GoldenEar Supersats (Read some good stuff about them too, but wanna listen to them defo)

Have heard the Klipsch and MLs and have a fair idea of how they sound. Now, need to audition the rest.
Raghu-bhai, will definitely give some compact bookshelves a listen! :p
But, having got a realistic idea of the room and where the couch is gonna be, and the space between screen and feet, I really need something that can be nailed to the wall and leave the floor clean.

Thanks to you both and every single person who keeps nudging people in the right direction here. Thaler Zindabad :)
(I think @amrutmhatre90 is the other among I have interacted who has been telling people to check out satellites/Bookshelves for small rooms)

Now, I don't even know if I want surrounds and atmos, cos, this only has been so overwhelming in terms of experience.
Kidding, of course I want. :D
Whether I need them in such a space is different question. For another day.
 
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