What's better for movies? bookshelf vs floors?

Dannieboiz

What would be the best option for movies? Having floor standing speakers (RTI8) sitting right next to the TV or having some bookshelf RTi6 hung @ the corner of the room?

I'm gonna go snap some pix of how my RTi6 are mounted in a few.

Dannieboiz

Ok here are the RTi6... If I position the RTi8 I can possibly squeeze them to the side of the stand. Not sure if it'll improve my HT experience though.

F1nut

I think some inwalls, mounted in the doors would work nicely. That's a tough room you have there.

Dannieboiz

I don't think any inwalls can sound as good as the RTi6... but then again that would be too extreme as this point. I'm done with cutting wholes in my walls.

F1nut

Obviously, I was joking. However, the LCxxx's are a helluva speaker, very impressive sound. I think you'd be amazed.

danger boy

what's with the dead bunny or cat?

Wow.. a door on each side of your TV is killer to your speaker placement. Do you have a longer wall instead to place your speakers on stands instead?

what are those two things under your center speaker?

Sansui

Do you have to remove the front speakers to open the doors? Does the sign on the door say "Closet Door"? Wish I could afford a TV like that...

McLoki

I would say towers and move them out a bit when you are watching a movie. What do the doors lead to? Is it a traffic area or just closets?

Michael

Kelley_Moore

Yep, get towers and unless you are standing up to watch TV, you may want to point that center down a bit.

Hell, just go out and and buy 2 SVS subs and forget about using those rooms.

Good luck!

tonyb

Consider an alternate spot for your gear,very little to work with as you have it.

Willow

How about a surroundbar ?

cheddar

If those are closets, remove the doors, hang some sound permeable curtains and put towers behind them. If they are rooms, remove the doors, put any kind of curtain on them and put your towers in front of the curtains.

Edit: Well, the closets might do some funny things to the sound characteristics of the speakers. I'd shift the whole set-up to the long wall. What's preventing you from doing that?

Ricardo

Towers would sound great, but if you have a good sub, the RTi6's will do good also; I replaced my RTi8's with the karma RTi6's just for testing, and with my SVS filling the lows they sounded very close.

Agree on the center channel...you should direct the tweeter to ear level.

Are those RTi6 pointing outwards or is it a picture effect? Have you tried to toe them in a little?

Rivrrat

Since they're up high like that, I'd try turning them horizontal with the mid/woofs on the inside, tweets on the outside, and angled in and down towards the seating are a bit. I'm not sure I'd put towers in that situation, even if my wife would let me.

That's one of the toughest room's I've seen, I feel a lot better about mine now.

Dannieboiz

left door is our bathroom, right door is to our laundry room and then to the garage both doors swing away from the speakers so no obstruction there. The reason for the center positioning the way it is @ the moment is because we have our dining table sitting there. @ that position it sounds better. When I move the couch in then the center will be position differently to match the seating position.


BTW: I had RTi100 sitting there b4 I change them out for the RTi6 looks much cleaner. I'm sure with proper tuning I can come close to having a real sounding HT.

Oh and thanks for rubbing it in!:eek:

edbert

But you still haven't answered the all important questions of "What's with the dead bunny?" and "What are those things under the center channel?"

I'm with you on less than ideal surround setup. I think my mains are going to have to stay right next to my TV for now because I just can't figure out a way to mount them(stands or otherwise) without it causing a major traffic flow issue into our bedroom. Good luck, and inquiring minds still want answers.

Dannieboiz

edbert wrote:

But you still haven't answered the all important questions of "What's with the dead bunny?" and "What are those things under the center channel?"

I'm with you on less than ideal surround setup. I think my mains are going to have to stay right next to my TV for now because I just can't figure out a way to mount them(stands or otherwise) without it causing a major traffic flow issue into our bedroom. Good luck, and inquiring minds still want answers.

haha the bunny got knocked out due to the sonicwave of my speakers. :cool: Those things below the center are MORE speakers, they're Vocopro speakers which are meant for vocal reproduction. YES WE KARAOKE AT OUR HOUSE if those eyes are rolling! LOL

Carl333

I know nothing about set-ups so can't comment or suggest anything. Sorry. Just curious about what that white fluffy thing on the floor is.

josh_parsons626

Hey man I'd definately go with the tower speakers. I feel like (depending on how much money you wanna spend on your HT) the RTi12's (if you're gonna stick with the RTi) will just blow you away in a good way. But if you just want it for HT only, then the RTi8's will work nicely complimented with a good sub for LFE. What surrounds do you have right now? If nothing else I'd get the RTi8's for mains, bi-amp them and the use the RTi6 for surrounds. What center do you have? The CSi5 is best for the RTi series. You look like you got some pretty nice electronics there. What size amp do you have and how many channels? Me, I like 7.1 vs 5.1 but you can create a 5.1 system that makes a 7.1 sound like crap. It's all about how it's hooked up and toed in and calibrated properly on your receiver/prepro. OH and another thing my wife said you need to spread everything out. So your best bet would probably be put everything along your long wall and I bet ya everything will sound a whole hell of a lot better, dude. Also, make sure you get some good cables and a good power conditioner. I know people say cables dont really do a whole lot but in my opinion and from personal experiences, they're definately worth it. And the power conditioner will definately make your HT become more alive! It cleans up your signal, thus making it "louder" and more full and detailed.

I know I sound like a nerd, LOL but I read a lot of magazines and "study" up on this. Plus listen to what all the other audiophiles say and it all sinks in. I LIVE FOR HT! LOL

Dannieboiz

here's my setup now

RTi6
CSi5
FX500i
NHT SubOne

don't think I can fit the Rti12 in that little location... an RTi8 maybe.

actually I take that back they're the same width. But the RTI12 won't fit my budget.

josh_parsons626

Good setup man, really. Not too familiar with NHT at all but see them in magazines all the time. Would probably get rid of it for an SVS or Velodyne. Replace the F/X500i with the FXi5 as side surrounds and put the RTi6 as your back surrounds and I'm telling you what man, you have an awesome HT system.

R1tt83

Try some stands to mount your RTis. Tough Room.

Dannieboiz

I've been posting a WTB thread for the FXi5 for the longest time but it seems like everyone is holding on to these puppies. They actually hold value more than the LSI from what I'm seeing. This get me thinking Perhaps if I shop hard enough I can trade these up for a complete LSi series for very little more. LSi7, LSiC and some LSiFX would be sweet.

Fry's is having a sale for the Velodyne VRP-1000 for $250 and I see the DPS-10 for just $60 more online. I'm debating on which to go for.

R1tt83 wrote:

Try some stands to mount your RTis. Tough Room.

If I were to put the RTi6 on stand, I might as well grab the RTi8. They're the same width.



BTW: the RTi6 and RTi8 shares the same drivers and tweeters right?

Holydoc

Dannieboiz wrote:

What would be the best option for movies? Having floor standing speakers (RTI8) sitting right next to the TV or having some bookshelf RTi6 hung @ the corner of the room?

I'm gonna go snap some pix of how my RTi6 are mounted in a few.

In my opinion, and I am a big HT nut...

Your question actually addresses two issues, speaker size and placement.

Let me address speaker size. As long as you have a nice subwoofer to handle the lows and a superb center to support dialogue, it really makes no difference for a personal HT rather you select floor standers or bookshelves for your L/R speakers. Though these speakers are very active in HT, the sound that is presented through these speakers are generally support (i.e., background) action or soundtrack for the center channel. As long as the speakers you select are pleasing in sound to you and timbre matched to the center, I would pick whichever fits into the room for your purposes or wife's purposes.

Now placement. It is very important that you have enough space between the Right and Left speaker that you can easily perceive action moving from right to left. The further you sit from your system the more space you need between the two speakers to get this effect. Unlike the speaker size, this is VERY important for correct soundstage reproduction and should be your main concern.

So with the pictures of your room, unless this is a very small square room, I would recommend the speakers that you can spread out a bit to expand the soundstage, like the hanging ones.

NOTE: Yes, I am a HT buff and own the largest floorstanding RTi speakers currently made by Polk. However my HT system doubles as my music system too. When I play CD's, my system plays in "PURE" mode where only the RTi12's are engaged. Therefore, I need to be able to reproduce the lows and highs of the music. I would never recommend bookshelf speakers over floorstanders for this purpose.

Dannieboiz

WTH I just made an offer on a pair of RTi8 from a local guy. LOL Doesn't hurt I can always do a 7.1 setup in my TINY SQUARE room. LOL

scottvamp

Dannieboiz wrote:

WTH I just made an offer on a pair of RTi8 from a local guy. LOL Doesn't hurt I can always do a 7.1 setup in my TINY SQUARE room. LOL

Your room is SWEET!!!!;) Something dead and furry - i like it.
Questions:
How small is that room?
How many doors in that one room?
Is it an apartment or seperate house?
Do you own? Perhaps a remodel then?

Sorry man, but a i have seen just about everything on this forum in bad HT rooms, but WOW!:eek:

Holydoc

No worries Dannie. I was just giving my opinion for getting optimum benefit. You may not have any problems with spacial presentation. It is according how wide a presentation the RTi8 gives you, how large your room is, and how far you sit away.

If you have a spacial problem with the front soundstage, you can actually position how your L&R speakers are pointing to get a better presentation. You could even take it (if you are braver than me) as far as ever so slightly toe'ng your speakers outwards (stop cringing you two-channel nuts. I am talking HT here!). Do this with caution since you do not want to toe out so far that you ruin the continuity of the front soundstage.

Bah... I will stop babbling. Enjoy your system!

Dannieboiz

If I'd have to guess, the room is roughly 13-15 ft square.... there are two doors in that room and everything to the left of the picture is wide open one to the kitchen the other is the hallway to the livingroom. I own this house and it has just been remodeled inside out in the past few months. I defintely would not do anything to structurally change the house at this point.

I was thinking about expanding the house outward in the back. I can add a room that's 12x30 as an extension but I need to find other reasons beside for the HT to make it worth while for me to drop in that much money.

scottvamp

Willow wrote:

How about a surroundbar ?

I agree, and call it a day, but you do have some nice speakers.

Holydoc

Willow wrote:

How about a surroundbar ?

Because his room is completely open to the left of the picture, he would lose the surround around effect of a soundbar on that side.

tonyb

So if I am reading this right,that room is actually part of a dineing room or kitchen? And if so,why so much gear in there? Go with something alittle more pleaseing to the eye.I would still pick a different spot,but hey,what evers your cup of tea.