My setup... have a few questions and looking for some advice

CzechM8

The setup in question is my living room... 15' x 19' room. I've been building my system over the last year and here's what I have:

TVs
Sony KDFE55A20 Main TV
Toshiba 46G310U Second TV

Multimedia
Dish Network VIP-622DVR HD DVR for Main TV, via sound system
Dish Network VIP-222 HD Box for Second TV
Sony BDP-S470 Blu-ray Player for Main TV, via sound system
Microsoft Xbox 360 Gaming System for Main TV, via sound system
Nintendo Wii Gaming System for Main TV, via sound system
Yamaha RX-V665 A/V Receiver for Main TV

Speakers
Polk Audio DSW PRO 500 Subwoofer
Polk Audio CS10 Center Channel Speaker
Polk Audio Monitor 60 Series II Front L/R Floorstanding Speakers
Polk Audio Tsi100 Front Presence L/R Speakers
Polk Audio RM8 Rear Surround L/R Satellite Speakers

Miscellaneous
Harmony ONE Universal Touchscreen Remote


Here's a pic of the system (minus the surrounds, obviously)

Well, the newest additions were the Monitor 60's... My question regarding those would be if I should run them bi-amp... My receiver has an option to switch the unused Surround Back channels as bi-amp for the fronts, and of course the Monitor 60's have the option for bi-amp. Is it worth it, or am I not going to see an appreciable difference?

Secondly, the Tsi100's WERE my fronts until I got the Monitor 60's, when I just bumped them up to the Presence spots... At times I think they are overkill for the presence spots and think I could get some OWM3's, T15's or something similar to run at the presence and utilize the Tsi100's much better on a different system in the house.

I am eager to hear any and all of your opinions...

TIA

falconcry72

Welcome to CP, CzechM8!:biggrin:


Don't bother biamping the 60's.

Try running your system with no presence speakers at all and see what you think. I tend to like systems with no fake processing whatsoever. Then try widening the 60's out from your TV... I know there's a space restraint, but just see what you can do.

michael1947

Welcome to the forum,,,and I agree with previous post. I would like to be a "neat nick" and clean up the wires leading to the upper flat screen. They sell cable channels for On Wall wiring at the big home improvement stores ( Home Depot, Menards, Lowes) that are painted white and can be painted your wall color. They have adhesive backing so it would leave a real nice finished look. Try to leave a little extra room in the channel for future use such as some RCA cables for audio out of your upper tv down to your AVR. Best of luck.

CzechM8

falconcry72 wrote: »

Welcome to CP, CzechM8!:biggrin:


Don't bother biamping the 60's.

Try running your system with no presence speakers at all and see what you think. I tend to like systems with no fake processing whatsoever. Then try widening the 60's out from your TV... I know there's a space restraint, but just see what you can do.

So you say not to bother bi-amping the 60s... is it just that there really won't be an appreciable difference? And I may just skip the presence. I have the in-wall wiring for those speakers since I built the house so I decided to utilize them with the presence speakers, but I'm leaning towards skipping them now.

And as for moving out the 60s... I wouldn't mind doing that, BUT the space really is an issue. lol.

michael1947 wrote: »

Welcome to the forum,,,and I agree with previous post. I would like to be a "neat nick" and clean up the wires leading to the upper flat screen. They sell cable channels for On Wall wiring at the big home improvement stores ( Home Depot, Menards, Lowes) that are painted white and can be painted your wall color. They have adhesive backing so it would leave a real nice finished look. Try to leave a little extra room in the channel for future use such as some RCA cables for audio out of your upper tv down to your AVR. Best of luck.

Oh, I'm DEFINITELY taking care of the wires soon.... the 2nd TV was on the mantle but I just got it mounted last weekend and the wires are NEXT. lol. I'm using this kit:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042513&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=2&style=



Thanks for the advice guys.

jaycam

I'm using this kit:

http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042513&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=2&style=

I bought that kit but from Amazon and it worked perfectly. For a few bucks more you can get the kit from Amazon and it comes with the UL listed power wire needed for the in-wall installation.

Another piece of advise...install the top plate first, run your cables down and out of the wall and through the bottom plate and then install the plate to the wall. It's very hard to get the cables through the bottom plate after it's in the wall. I had to remove the bottom plate so I could get all my cables through it.

Good luck!

Oh...amazon link here
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PB7UVA/ref=oh_o01_s00_i01_details

CzechM8

jaycam wrote: »

I bought that kit but from Amazon and it worked perfectly. For a few bucks more you can get the kit from Amazon and it comes with the UL listed power wire needed for the in-wall installation.

Another piece of advise...install the top plate first, run your cables down and out of the wall and through the bottom plate and then install the plate to the wall. It's very hard to get the cables through the bottom plate after it's in the wall. I had to remove the bottom plate so I could get all my cables through it.

Good luck!

Oh...amazon link here
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001PB7UVA/ref=oh_o01_s00_i01_details

Thanks for the link! I was DEFINITELY going to run the cables before I put the plates in the wall. lol. I couldn't imagine having to try to fish any wires in those hoods after the fact.

And, thankfully I only have the power cable and one HDMI cable going to that television. That will make things easier.

jaycam

Yeah, what made it hard is that both the hoods for the a/v cables both point downward. The hood for the a/v cables on the bottom plate should be flipped upside down so the cable go up instead of down then up. You could flip the whole plate over but then your power wire and a/v cables will be crossed...

CzechM8

jaycam wrote: »

Yeah, what made it hard is that both the hoods for the a/v cables both point downward. The hood for the a/v cables on the bottom plate should be flipped upside down so the cable go up instead of down then up. You could flip the whole plate over but then your power wire and a/v cables will be crossed...

Yeah, you'd think the hoods would be "scooped" down on the top and up on the bottom... strange...

BTW, I can tell you I already appreciate this place... it's the first time I haven't heard "WHY do you have 2 TV's in your living room?"

lol... my usual response is, "because I don't really have room for 3."

jaycam

I just assumed it was to watch two games at once...less channel changing :-)

rebuy

I am one who bi-amps with a AVR but I'm running very small speakers. While I really do hear a difference and it is good if I had big speakers like M60's I would not do it due to the 60's requiring more power. Bookies-OK, big Polk's-not so much, might run out of juice.

falconcry72

CzechM8 wrote: »

So you say not to bother bi-amping the 60s... is it just that there really won't be an appreciable difference?

Yep.

And I may just skip the presence.

That's an easy one to try; just turn'em off with the AVR. You should know pretty quickly whether you want to keep them or not, and if you do, that's great that the wiring's already done!

And as for moving out the 60s... I wouldn't mind doing that, BUT the space really is an issue. lol.

Yea man, I feel you... but you may be surprised what another 8" to a foot on both sides can do.

CzechM8

jaycam wrote: »

I just assumed it was to watch two games at once...less channel changing :-)

That's most definitely what it's for.... especially during college football season. lol. But you would be AMAZED at how great it is for other times... you know, like when the girlfriend wants to watch Grey's Anatomy on the DVR... I can have the Thunder game on the upper screen and it keeps everyone happy.

But, it does have me spoiled... Now, when I'm in a living room with only one TV I'm just bored to tears. lol. Definitely a "first world" problem.

rebuy wrote: »

I am one who bi-amps with a AVR but I'm running very small speakers. While I really do hear a difference and it is good if I had big speakers like M60's I would not do it due to the 60's requiring more power. Bookies-OK, big Polk's-not so much, might run out of juice.

Okay, I guess that makes sense... The bi-amping on my Yamaha is really only mentioned for the front speakers so my assumption was that it was more about isolating different frequencies rather than just power... but that was just an assumption.

tonyb

also move those 60's forward so they are even with the front of the rack, too far back as they are.

CzechM8

UPDATE:

So, I took some advice and moved the Tsi100's to my office and had decided to go without the presence speakers at all.

UNTIL, today I looked at Newegg and they had the OWM3's on sale for $79.99.... So, of course I couldn't resist. For that price I am going to reinstate the presence speakers. Plus, I've been stewing about what to do for covering up the holes in the wall so I figured I might as well just have speakers there. lol.

So, just as I THOUGHT I finally had my speaker situation finalized.... I prove to myself that this isn't about the end, but rather the always continuing journey... And I'm perfectly okay with that.