Home Theater Speakers exclusively

Klipsch Heresy's

@cajunbaseball

Now that you stress front speakers for Home Theater exclusively: forget about “hifi” speakers and buy some genuin pro cinema speakers from the likes of JBL, QSC, Electro-Voice or KCS. New or used doesn’t matter, through I’d recommend the latter option being they’re build like tanks and will last decades. And, they can be found relatively cheap 2nd hand. 

Run them actively, preferably, and you’ll be confronted with a sound that not only caters wonderfully, indeed inherently to cinema sound, but that also sits beautifully with music as well. That’s what I do, and I feel no need to look back..

Just received my custom in wall DI's from Eric.  They are 57"h x 12"D x 12"W.  The subwoofers are crazy big.  Two double 15" subs.  Then two atmos speakers for the ceiling.  If you give Eric the dimensions that you want to work with he can create it.  I am going to have a 135 inch screen and the speakers will not be behind the screen.  

Triad

Used Definitive Technology tower speakers circa 1990's when Sandy Gross was still around are my best kept secret for HT speakers. I own over a dozen HT floor-standing speakers and these things crush.  Bipole design, massive soundstage, clarity, and dynamics, built in powered subs.  Killer.

I would keep an eye out for used BP2000tl or BP3000tl towers with matching CLR3000 center channel.  Can be had for around $1,000 a pair or less.  Set an ebay reminder to be notified when they pop up.  Extraordinary value, and it bests a lot of speakers recommended in this thread which shall not be named. 
-Alex

@cajunbaseball if you have a screen, you should really look into JTR. since they're not the prettiest, hide them haha. in fact, they're prob meant for that. if you want, pm me and i can give you more info and probably help you pricing wise...i'm NOT a dealer, just a huge fan and jeff (the owner) takes care of returning customers and referrals. 

Thank you for the responses. My room is 24'6" long by only 12 feet wide. The screen is 6 feet away from the back wall and I can move it further into the room. Point being, the speakers have plenty of room behind them. 

I am a disciple of Jim Smith and "Get Better Sound" so I understand a good bit about placement. And having Vandys for the last 15 years, I know how critical good placement is.

Be that as it may, the speakers will stay behind the screen. 

Yesterday, I plugged the B&W's into my Ayre VX5- Twenty amp and the sound improved immensely, but I doubt I keep the B&Ws. 

@cajunbaseball I have a 5 channel setup, w 2/ more coming for the sides. I'm using 212RTs as LR, 210RM as center, and 11HTs as surround (and sides soon). They aren't cheap, and they aren't the prettiest...but I guarantee you they'll give you everything you need and more. This review just came out yesterday:

https://www.avnirvana.com/threads/jtr-noesis-212rt-review-and-measurements.6779/

Since the speakers will be behind a screen, would they be up against or in the wall behind it?

Conventional box speakers are voiced to be out in a room, not voiced to be in or up against the wall. That may be what you’re experiencing with your B&W’s?
If you have a friend stand up against the wall and/or behind your screen and have them talk, then move out in the room and/or from behind the screen, you’ll hear how dramatically different and better their voice will be. Speakers work no different, unless they are specifically designed for the application. However, a better speaker will always be better, but placement can be a major compromise.

I also recommend finding speakers that play music well, particularly vocals.  The human voice is the one instrument everyone is an expert on.  It’s the musical score in the films that draw you into the scenes and set the mood, besides, sound effects are easier to replicate than harmonics, but also keep in mind - your system and speakers don’t know what they’re playing. Rock, classical, jazz, movies, the speakers don’t know, they play what you give them and the better your electronics are, the better your speakers are, the more they will show you the differences in recording quality than anything else and voices reveal the most.

Please ket me know what your budget is and I will happily help you with some recommendations.

Cheers,
Chris

Which JTR speakers? 

JTR. I had huge Martin Logan’s and sold them - realized they’re superb 2 channel speakers, but don’t excel in HT/gaming. I bought 5 channel JTR and will never look back. I’m actually add another 2 next month 

I am building my third theater room in 10 years.  My first set of speakers were in wall RBH.  They were very good.  My next theater room I had Dali Epicon In wall speakers.  For my latest theater room I am going to try Tekton Double Impact in a 5-2-2 sytstem.  They are being built as I write this.   Again the speakers will be in wall and they are still going to be very large.  I am sure the sound will be dramatic.  I am not a fan of B&W.  

I love Vandys too, but not sure how they’d play in off-axis seating for HT.  I’d consider the KEF Q750 or Q950 as they have the coaxial Uni-Q drivers that I think are supposed to have good dispersion characteristics that would be beneficial in a HT system.  The Swarm must be killer for movies!  Best of luck. 

Let me add that I sold Treo CT's with the idea of getting something much less expensive for pure HT use, so no to the Moabs. Thinking DI or lower. 

I also have the Swarm four subwoofer system with two amps powering, so the low end is covered. 

Klipsch Heresy IV

You can skip the center channel, but it is not ideal.

Best,

E

HT. Sigh. Oh well....

Tekton Moabs. Or whatever Tekton fits your budget.

FWIW you can skip the center channel. But if not I'm sure Eric will make or offer you a good option to go with whatever you get for L and R.

https://systems.audiogon.com/systems/8367