Which rear B&W's to complete my system for EX/ES?

[Jim Robson]

I'm hoping to invest in a Denon AVC-A1SE a/v amp before the end of the year. With this in mind I'll need to add a pair of REAR speakers for ES/EX sound. At present I have B&W speakers and obviously I'd augment these with speakers from the same stable. The present set-up is a little unusual in that I have B&W 605 S2's as front speakers (built-in subs), B&W LCR6 S2 centre speaker and B&W 603 S2's as surround speakers. I have the 603's to the SIDE of the listening position and slightly behind and above. What I'd like to know is what should I buy for the rears? Another pair of 603's? A pair of LCR 6 S2's or a pair of 602's?

All advice gratefully received.

Regards

Jim

Jimmy.Robson@btinternet.com


[This message has been edited by Jim Robson (edited 26-10-2000).]

[simonsez]

I might consider (2) DS6 dipoles for the side surrounds and move the 603's for surround back channels.
If you don't like that option just match all 4 surround channels....all 603's...all 602's...you get the picture.

[Jim Robson]

Thanks for your input Simon! It looks like I should buy another pair of 603's then. Is this overkill for the rear section of the sound action or will I really benefit when listening to EX/ES? Perhaps it's a bit like running on the motorway (freeway) at 70mph in a Mini. It's screaming its head off! If you travel at the same speed in a Porsche 911 Turbo, it's almost running at tickover in 6th gear! The rear 4 speakers should never be that stretched?

Has 'fall' reached North Carolina yet?

Regards and thanx

Jim

PS Amazed that the only reply (so far) has come from thousands of miles away!

[ReTrO]

Personally I would sell the 603's and get two pairs fo LCR6's for the rear channels, which would cost you £1400 minus your 603 money, which is a lot. Otherwise I would just buy a second pair of 603's to save any hassle, it's just that LCR6's are easier to wall mount.

Rick

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'I am just a figment of your imagination.'
MiB 1997

Work Site: The Sound Gallery
Home Site: WD A.V.

[Jim Robson]

Ah, but I'm going to stand-mount rather than wall mount. The stands will need to be quite tall to match the suggestions on http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...er-7-2000.html

It hadn't even crossed my mind to wall-mount the 603's but would this might just be another way forward. Surely they'd be too close to the walls etc?

Regards

Jim



[This message has been edited by Jim Robson (edited 27-10-2000).]

[simonsez]

Hey Jim, yes Fall has just begun here, although you wouldn't know it the "highs" have been around 78-79 degrees F.
You are actually supposed to use 5/7 identical full range speakers for home cinema, but real world practicality usually dictates smaller surrounds. I think you will be pleased with four DM603's in the rear. It should sound amazing...don't forget to calibrate w/ an SPL meter. I would go with your first instinct and stand mount the 603's they usually sound thier best 2' away from the wall. I would be afraid the celing reflections would muddle up percieved fequency response if you wall mount them.
Good luck w/ whatever you decide

Yeah, I'll go with Dave (Simonsez). I'd love to be able to stand mount my rears 2 foot from the wall, but as he says, most of us just don't have the room. By the way Jim, did you ever get your centre stand sorted out?

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www.baldyplex.com

[Jim Robson]

Thanks for the responses guys! I'll definitely go with the two rear surround/two rear back 603 route as, even now, I get excellent bass from my 603 surrounds on DTS and DD.

Arthur, no I haven't actually sort out my centre stand (slow or what!) and Sevenoaks in Hove are rather unhelpful with anything out of the ordinary). I'm still using a Quad stand, the design of which I don't like. It does the job however, albeit temporarily, in keeping the speaker 2ft off the floor. [I WILL get around to replacing it sometime so maybe I'll get a deal if I have to buy TWO pairs of rear stands for these 603's!!] Another slight problem is, I've read that the centre should NOT be any nearer the listening position than the main front speakers. At present I have the three front speakers lined up perfectly BUT the centre is only 5 inches from the front of the TV. Is this far too close? Should I move all three front speakers a foot nearer the listening position to give more clearance between TV and B&W LCR 6 S2 centre speaker? Whadya think? Would this put the centre speaker too far away from the screen action? I've tried it on top but, as the top of the Tosh is five and a half feet in the air, it sounded odd to me.

Of course, as usual, I haven't given enough information; for example the ceilings here are 11 feet high (no I don't live in a s****y mansion, just a flat on the ground floor of a 19th century house). The shape of the room is almost ideal except that I have a large bay window (17ft x 15ft not inc bay window area). I used to have the 56" Toshiba sitting in the bay window but what's the point of having a bay window and placing a thing the size of a wardrobe in it?? I turned everything through 180 degrees so the TV now sits against the back wall. I have the 605's ideally place except that you have to do a very special manoeuvre to get in and out the door!!! I open the door (which just squeezes past the left front speaker, slip in, stand against the rear wall and then close the door!! Just as well I don't have anyone else here to complain; could you imagine what a wife would have to say about this state of affairs??

BTW I don't suppose any of you will forget my long running thread regarding my Sony 725 DVD player's lip-sync problem and troubles with Techtronics (sorted very much to my satisfaction) and Sandai Electronics (getting there)? Well I will have an exciting announcement to make regarding this in the (I hope!) very near future!!

What's the opinion on using STONE PLINTHS (as in garden statue furniture) as speaker stands?? I saw this on a website and thought it rather a good idea. Was it a wind-up?

I don't half ramble on!! What I really need is for someone to pop round and have a look! Why do you all live so far away???

Regards

Jim

Oh! I see S-W-A-N-K-Y has been edited out by the powers that be!! It's a Scottish term meaning Posh!! Quite harmless actually! Check it out; it's in the dictionary (I just looked up my Collins version) if you don't believe me.

PS On second thoughts it seems to be an automatically banned word for some reason. Anyone know why? When I edited this post and reposted it was ***** out immediately. How odd!






[This message has been edited by Jim Robson (edited 28-10-2000).]

[simonsez]

Stone Plinths/Pillars would be great speaker stands. They are heavy (won't easily topple)and sonically inert, and if they match your decor....go for it. Just be sure to use a product like Blu-Tac to couple the speakers to the pillars, nothing will kill soundstage like a speaker cabinent vibrating on a hard surface

[Jim Robson]

Thanks for the info on the stone plinths, Dave (Simonsez). I actually visited a large garden centre recently with this very idea in mind, but, although the idea seemed sound to me, I thought that maybe someone was taking the Mickey!! They'd be ideal for the 603's because most taller speaker stands seem to have rather small top plates. I just have to find the right designs (Roman/Greek Pillars?) at the right price. perhaps I'll find a matching one for the centre speaker too!

Regards

Jim

[ReTrO]

If you are going to use stone pedastals to put your speakers on make suer you fill them with some sound absorbant material, like the stuff you get in the speakers.

On your centre stand issue; B&W actually make stands for their upper-range centre speakers, like the Nautilus range, dunno if they do a small enough one though.

Rick

------------------
'I am just a figment of your imagination.'
MiB 1997

Work Site: The Sound Gallery
Home Site: WD A.V.

[Jim Robson]

I was actually hoping that the stone plinths would be solid thus negating the need for any filling.

The centre speaker stand has to be about 27" tall (to bring the speaker just under the bottom of the TV screen) but I'll check out the B&W website in any case. No doubt the cost will be huge if they are designed for the Nautilus range.

Thanks for the input.

Regards

Jim

[This message has been edited by Jim Robson (edited 29-10-2000).]

s-w-a-n-k-y is one of those old words that only us old geezer's still use. Don't know for sure where it originated, but it's been in common use on both sides of the Atlantic for years now. It's definitely nowt to do with the middle bit!

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www.baldyplex.com

[simonsez]

Jim,I would look here: http://www.audioadvisor.com/browseca...?CategoryID=SS for speaker stand designs. I'm not sure if they ship to the UK.
Parts Express has a much smaller selection but they do ship to the UK: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showp...ctGroup_ID=515
These folks make nice stands: http://www.studiotech.com/stands/hifi.html
And so do these folks: www.wood-tech.com

The point being, you can buy a pre-made speaker stand or you could "borrow" a design and make your own.
I think what Retro was getting at is that some pillars are made of plaster and not stone/concrete. If you get hollow plaster pillars be sure to fill them with sand or acousta-stuff.

Hi Jim
If you can find some stone plinths at your local garden centre then i would go for them.
I have a pair that look like the pillars on greek buildings,everyone who sees them thinks they are brill.Ihave my b&w 602's on them and they look better than my old atacama stands.
P.S they cost me £70 for the pair and they are solid stone,good luck however you go with the set,up you jammy sod