polk speaker model and location(s)

gregarious

Almighty speaker gods,

Need help in speaker models, locations, settings, etc. Humbly, I ask of you -

I've read plenty here on this forum but couldn't get this answered in what I read. BTW, in selecting a sub I took the many recommendations here and decided on the the SVS 20-39PC. Thanks!

Firstly, a lttle bit of the physical layout of the room. 21' long x 14' wide x 12' ceiling dedicated theater room. It has nice wood built-ins cabinets on the one end where the Sony 65 is inserted. I will be putting the SVS sub in that front corner.

1) The cabinets have two shelves about three feet off the ground on either side where I'll be placing a pair of the fronts. These shelves have doors on them in which I'll leave on and simply open when the system is on (via the queen (wife)). This shelf area is 55" tall. Is that OK to mount floor standing models in there? Now I was looking at the RTI12's or RTI10's but I'm concerned about two things. 1st, am I gonna have trouble getting the bass outa there from them and 2nd, is that bass gonna vibrate the other shelves or sides of the unit that would make this idea ridiculous. Go to a different speaker? Maybe the LSI9's. My thought was to get as much out of the fronts as possible. Floor standing (on the floor) is not an option.

2) The surrounds I'm gonna hang on the walls (floor standing, and in-walls again are not an option) are the LSIfx's or the Fxi5's. I wanna do a 6.1, so two on the sides and two in the rear. Is this a good idea and if so should I set the two on the sides as dipoles and the two in the rear as bipoles? There's also some discussion on reversing the rear speakers???


If I go to the RTI's should I match with fxi5's surrounds and center
If Lxi system then Lsic center.

SVS 20-39PCi sub
Denon AVR-3805
Monster cable
Monster power center 5100

Thank you very much in advance for your much needed reply.

Greg

jefft1314

Bad idea to put speakers actually in book shelves, especially so high of the ground, you won't get very good imaging of the front sound stage, but if it has to be done it has to be done. I wouldn't bother with floor standing speakers if you can't put them on the floor, a pair of bookshelves would probably suit you better. Good choice on the svs btw. Also if you want two side surrounds and two rear surrounds you are getting a 7.1 system (three in front, two on side, two in rear). How about four lsi 7's two front, two rear, two lsifx for the side surrounds and an lsi-c for the center channel. I don't think anybody will argue with that setup.

gregarious

jefft1314,

Thanks for the reply!

Regarding the built-ins, even if the speakers were pulled out as far as possible (without falling out) would there still be this imaging problem. Would the mid range vibrate the cabinet shelves? Should I try to opt to hang 'em on the walls in the front of the room, say the same height as the side and rear surrounds instead of placing them in the cabinet? The room is 14' wide, in this configuration they would be 14' apart.

What if I put floor standing in there? Would I have the same issues with imaging? Could I aim them down slightly to accomodate the rise? Between the two, the 9's (or the 7's) and the floor standing, I'd like to to purchase the model that will provide the most output. This is my thinking. Is this wrong?

I've read here (and elsewhere) the comparison of the lsi7's to the lsi9's. Why do you like the 7's? I've read the 9's are a little richer. I've heard pro's and cons to both. Your thoughts please.

What's wrong with hanging lsifx's on the rears. You recommend placing 7's back there. I realize the rears would be a single channel. Is it I just simply don't need lsifx's back there? Overkill? Aesthetically, I need to please the boss, so by having the rears match the sides instead of placing bookshelves back there would be more ideal. But if the difference in the perfformance of the models is great then I might consider it.

Also, if I do end up going with the lsifx, how should they be configured, bipoles? reversed? makes no difference?

Thank you again. Your thoughts are again needed

Greg

PolkWannabie

Regarding your 14' wide wall that the screen and front speakers will be on in some fashion ...

- How wide are the cabinets you refer to that the screen is in the middle of ?

- Are there hallways or doors or windows or what have you that you need access to on that wall ?

scottvamp

Hey Greg, just wanted to say great job on the HT so far - you are way ahead of alot of the crowd here. Lets go to the check list.

Greg's HT checklist:

**Wife doesn't always carry your nuts in her purse (SEE SVS):CHECK!

**Dedicated HT room - CHECK!

**65" tv - CHECK!

**SVS sub: CHECK!

**Monster Power 5100 - CHECK!

**6/7 channel setup - CHECK!

Everything will fall into place - have fun with it.
Your system is going to kick A$$ Greg - enjoy!!!!

gregarious

Here's some photos reduced for your viewing pleasure.

The target cabinets for the speakers are 55' tall and 21' wide. Access doors to the room are closed in the photos.

Thanks
Greg

gregarious

2nd

gregarious

3rd

PolkWannabie

Hmmm ...

I'm tempted to suggest ...

Either use the cabinets above for electronics or put a rack in the corner to the right and then lose the left and right cabinets and put a pair of LSi15's in there that can come out 6+" from the center cabinet.

I suspect that's a little too drastic of a solution and requires losing the wife as well ...

How 'bout a mount for the bottom shelf of the top section that's capable of sliding out 10" or so that you can put a pair of LSi7's/9's on ?

One last thought regarding your initial post ...

I could be mistaken but the upper shelves don't appear to be all that deep i.e. certainly not deep enough to deal with RTi12's ( 21" deep ) 10's ( 17" deep ) 8's ( 15" deep ) LSi9's ( 15+" deep )and possibly not even deep enough to deal with LSi7's ( 10+" deep) unless the doors are always left open and as far as trying to get towers up there, I don't think I'd give that much consideration even if the depth can some how be handled as the tweets will be way out of positioin.

gregarious

polkwannabie,

How 'bout a mount for the bottom shelf of the top section that's capable of sliding out 10" or so that you can put a pair of LSi7's/9's on ?

That is a great idea... I will install drawer slides on there. They will be madeto slide out. Thanks!

The cabinets are 28" deep

I don't think I'd give that much consideration (placing towers in there) even if the depth can some how be handled as the tweets will be way out of position.

But what would happen if I angle them down a bit, the towers?

Thanks yet again, polkwannabie.

Anyone else wanna chime in as to a solution.

Thanks,
Greg

PolkWannabie

You can do the geometry but I think you'd have to angle the towers more than a bit and if you do then you might wind up in a situation where the towers are unstable due to the angle ... plus speaks like the 12's or 15's will be mighty heavy to have on a rollout shelf.

More importantly though ... With an SVS you'll have everything below some crossover point of 60 or 80 hz covered by the sub ... the 7's or 9's will handle everything above there w/no problems ...

amulford

Why the interest in putting them in the Cabinets? WAF. The LSi's have a very nice cherry finished cabinet, Let her look at them.

That being said, you could mount them with some positionable mounts and get the imaging right...

ditto on what PW said, you would do well with bookshelves, w/ the SVS.

Just my .02.