Need ideas for the Condo

stevep

The junk I dragged with me to Colorado was sub-standard from day one. The first thing the wife said when she got here was where's the bass and bingo an SVS sub showed up but now the short comings of the L, R, and Center are reaching critical annoyance.

Problem is space.

The room is pretty much 10' x 12' with the 60' Plasma stuffed in the alcove. There is only 9.25" x 37" on the shelf under the TV which limits the options.



I think i can fit the SVS Prime Satellites in there, either three or two plus a center.

Any other suggestions that I should be looking at?

cfrizz

JHC, I HATE this built in crap that they put in and people use for their entertainment space. Use another wall/room, and put a bookcase or something in that useless space!

TEAforONE

Install the TV over the fireplace.

cfrizz

^Agreed. Mount the tv & center over the fireplace, If it's gas operated. Move the fire stuff into the alcove as well as the mirror. Put floorstanders on either side of the tv. Or better yet, find another room.

stevep

Thanks I'll just buy another condo... LOL

There isn't another room, over the fire place puts it 5' off center from the sofa, and I left my sawsall back in Illinois at the main house.

nooshinjohn

stevep wrote: »

Thanks I'll just buy another condo... LOL

I don't believe they are trying to do anything but help... Unfortunately, the way your system is so dependent on being loaded into that corner, it will be exceptionally difficult to set it up in any other way than you already have. Video is one thing, but getting the best from your sound depends greatly on placement. That appears to be something you won't have any way around unless you can move some things around.

Can you provide us a plan of the room, or pictures and description of the space and what your goals are for the setup?

mrloren

I had kind of the same problem with my house.



TV was in the media niche to the right of the fire place, Bigger TV's came out so it became idea time. I moved everything to the only open side there is. Way too much glass on the other wall

nooshinjohn

Where did your post with the pictures go?

Man... you have a no-win scenario there. Best thing I could suggest would be to do as others suggest and wall mount the TV above the fireplace and mount the speakers to the wall next to it for L/R and below for center. Given the space limitations, I would go with Sunfire Cinema Ribbons...

https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=sunfire+cinema+ribbon&_sacat=0

stevep

Dang, where did my post go?

codycatalist

I say get a passive sound bar and a receiver with some surrounds. Put sub behind you.

Best you'll be able to do without mounting the TV elsewhere.

stevep

I don't know where the earlier post went. I'll try to remember what I said.

Bottom line I can't start hacking away at the walls and there aren't any other rooms. It's a small condo with a 11 x 10 "living room".



The new sofa will go here. The center of it is across from the right side of the fireplace.



The sunroom is on the other side of the glass doors. While we are here it's my wife's office. That's a SVS SB12-NSD



From the door to the master bedroom. It's the limit to the rear wall and across from the left side of the fireplace.



The kitchen/dining room and the second bedroom beyond, my workspace.


The old sofa, thankfully gone.



There is about 5' max separation in the alcove. It's perhaps 8' from it to the seating on the sofa. Almost nearfield.

The goal is simple, improve the sound quality as much as possible given the limitations of the space. Better Dialog, Better Imaging.

The only option I really have is better speakers that will fit under the TV to replace the HTIB junk I dragged here knowing the space was limited. None of my other speakers would have fit. The receiver is a Denon AVR-X2300W. It and the networking gear live in the alcove space.

I don't have these issues at the other home. There I need an 82" (vs the 65) or a projector and more space behind the sofa for rear surrounds.

stevep

codycatalist wrote: »

I say get a passive sound bar and a receiver with some surrounds. Put sub behind you.

Best you'll be able to do without mounting the TV elsewhere.

Any suggestions for a good passive? That's one idea I had but there aren't any local to audition. Sub will have to stay where it is, no room behind me.

nooshinjohn

Sunfire CRM2’s would fit and solve the problem.

stevep

nooshinjohn wrote: »

Given the space limitations, I would go with Sunfire Cinema Ribbons..

The SunFire CRS-3C and CRS-3 Cinema Ribbon set look sweet but might be a little more than I was thinking considering I just bought a new car.

Mounting the TV over the fireplace puts the TV way off center. (Besides all the bad things about mounting a TV over a fireplace). I considered cutting the fireplace back above the box to just what's needed for the flue but that's not going to happen this winter.

codycatalist

stevep wrote: »

codycatalist wrote: »

I say get a passive sound bar and a receiver with some surrounds. Put sub behind you.

Best you'll be able to do without mounting the TV elsewhere.

Any suggestions for a good passive? That's one idea I had but there aren't any local to audition. Sub will have to stay where it is, no room behind me.

You know it's not my wheel house per say but the Def Tech Mythos sound bars come up a lot as best of. Passive as well. On sale from a grand to $500.

Thats still some coin but I'd just buy through Amazon and return if you don't like it.

stevep

Stopped by one of the few audio stores left in Denver and listened briefly to the GoldenEar SuperCinema 3D array X and it didn't Wow me but much had to be due to presentation material (nothing special that showed off the product)

The rep during our discussion did suggest mounting the speakers above the display which somehow I've overlooked as a viable option. It wouldn't be difficult, could have acceptable WAF and would remove the height and width limitations imposed by the shelf below the screen.

BlueFox

Remove the fireplace, or buy a better designed home.

Viking64

Or just fill the alcove with Sheetrock mud. Problem solved.

mrloren

Viking64 wrote: »

Or just fill the alcove with Sheetrock mud. Problem solved.

That is actually what one of my neighbors did, well almost. He framed out the top 1/2 and covered it, built a cabinet on the lower. He was able to mount the TV right in the middle of the wall.

Conradicles

Soundbar with no sub is what I would do. At least you have a great TV!!!

stevep

Conradicles wrote: »

At least you have a great TV!!!

It's only the Panasonic ST60, not a VT or ZT but it still one of the best 1080p displays ever made based on the reviews. It's going to be tough to replace it when the time comes.

GospelTruth

We have a similar “built in” location in the wall. It’s not in the corner, but it limited us to where to put the television.

First we waited a long time to find the right cabinet that would fit the space. We finally found one and I built a custom top for it to go the entire 24” deep. Worked well. Rather than put speakers in the cabinet, we mounted the television to the wall and put the speakers on the top of the cabinet. Might be an option for you to gain more space and push the speakers a little further apart.

What you can’t see in the pics is I also installed ceding speakers further apart. I use them now as effect speakers for our Yamaha receiver but if you have access to the space above you could try cringing speakers for left right and center. Not ideal but an option.

Here is our setup. Not ideal, but it works for the family room until I finish our theater room in the basement.

adb3da

You might want to consider a Sonos Playbar + Sub. Not dirt cheap but given your situation it might be a decent option.