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Need help with speakers to be inside a cabinet

Hi,
I've been specing out a 3.1 A/V system which will be housed inside an indented area (kind of a cabinet) which is 83" wide x 43" high, 18" deep. There is a door which covers this and I want to put the TV (51" wide) and the 3.1 system speakers inside this space. I have a 10' wide couch sitting about 10-13' away from the TV. There is a sheetrock ceiling about 10-12' high in the whole room, a brick wall 20' accross from the TV and it's a loft apartment which is 1 open room width wise. Finally, driving with a ROTEL RSX-1056.

I met with a few dealers and have so many conflicted information.

Dealer 1) Suggests Aerial acoustics 5B's + CC3B + Rel T1. Claims the aerial's fully sealed enclosure is designed for this application and does not need air space behind or on the sides to sound amazing. Alternately suggests a pair of Vienna HAYDN's + Maestro center + Rel T1 claiming the HAYDN's being front ported will stand up OK in this application.

Dealer 2) Suggests 2x a KEF REF 201/2 and do a phantom Center + prefers vellodyne Subwoffer. He feels that the center will prooject the sound too far back and is not suitable for the application. He prefers I buy better speakers (and claims these are better).

Dealer 3) wants a deposit before he tell me what he suggests. Kind of wierd but I guess I understand.

I want these in white and prefer to buy one in gloss white but I suppose can always paint them so want to focus on the speaker choice first.

I see you guys like to help out, which speaker, if any, works well with it's back and 1 side so close to a wall? If no bookshelf or free standing speaker really works well I suppose I would get a wall mounted option such as Vienna Mozart, Totem Tribe II, or B&W FMP5 unless omeone has a better suggestion?

I'm so puzzled and the more I look the more I'm puzzled! If anyone has the time to help or make me even more confused, feel free!
Thanks!
drako

Showing 1 response by elevick

elevick
2,636 posts
 
Deposit first? NEVER
You need to do a lot of homework. If you buy used locally, you should be able to resell without much loss if you don't like the set up.
Personally, I feel that you must have a center if theater is important to you. The center is the most important speaker in theater. Make sure the center, right and left do match sonically.
Sealed speakers may work much better than ported in that situation. The other option is small speakers that are designed to be wall mounted such as Gallos. If you do a sub, your optimal placement most likely would be outside of that recessed area. Even with big speakers, moving the bass out (behind the sofa/under a coffee table...) will help.
2 channel listening will suffer with imaging but that's a sacrifice you will have to make for theater and space.
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