Advice and assistance on new setup configuration

Diktat

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Good morning everyone!

I'm currently in the process of setting up a completely new configuration for a home cinema installation, which will actually be my first "real" setup. I've made a lot of research on my end, and looked up all the different possibilities and configurations, but I am now reaching the point where I'm about to pull the trigger, and I have a few decisions remaining to make that can only be based on experience and expertise... Both of which I currently lack ;) This is why I'm coming here, to ask for your advice and assistance on finalizing and refining the selection for my future home cinema setup. I apologize in advance for any mistakes, English not being my first language!

Background:

Currently working abroad, I change countries every 2-3 years, and therefore I was looking into the possibilities of setting up a mobile system, something that can be packed into a shipping container and moved along with me everywhere I go. For the same reasons, I opted for a compromise and not setting up dedicated home cinema rooms, but rather something that could fit in any living room. The dedicated room home cinema will come later, when I return to my home country. The entire system will have to be shipped to the country where I'm currently living, so unfortunately availability is key in order to be able to receive everything at once. It will be very difficult to make supplementary orders or to have additional items if I forget something.

The current room where the system will be set up is a bit odd, and forcing me to make some tough choices. Fairly large, we are looking at 8 metres by 6.5 metres (or 26'3 by 21'4), thus making 52 m2 or 560 square feet. However, this is the main living room, and open on two sides, one towards the dining room and the other towards the hallway entrance. The ceiling is quite high, and cathedral-style, slanting noticeably towards the porch. When facing the future screen, it is roughly 8 metres high (26 feet) on the right, and 4 metres high (13 feet) on the left. This making it a bit awkward for atmos solution.

The entire setup will be used for most of our entertainment use, and the ration would be the following:
  • 70% movie watching
  • 25% gaming
  • 5% music

Initial decisions:

Given the situation explained in the previous paragraph, I have opted for the following decisions:
  1. To go with a videoprojector and screen rather than a TV for the full home cinema experience
  2. To go with an UST laser projector and motorized tensionned UST screen for the mobility aspects, and the fact that it is in a living room
  3. To go with a 7.2.4 setup to enjoy something to the fullest extent
  4. No in-wall speakers as everywhere I go I will be in rental houses

Initial selections and hesitations:

Regarding my initial choices, I went with a few selections, especially in regards to the speaker and projector selection. The ones in red are the ones that I'm still a bit unsure about, but I'd welcome any comments and advice about any of the choices:

Video:
  • Projector: Samsung LSP9T
  • Screen: Vividstorm S PRO 120" tab-tensioned floor-rising screen (UST ALR screen)
  • Blu-Ray: Here I have an odd choice. My initial selection was to be the Panasonic DP-UB9000, but it seems that it is out of stock everywhere... I was advised to get the Panasonic DP-UB820 instead, but would I lose a lot of the functionalities and quality?
  • Streaming/gaming: A PS5 to replace my PS4 Pro, and a Nvidia Shield for streaming purposes.
Speakers:
  • Front center: Klipsch RC-64
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF7-MKIII
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502S or Klipsch RP-402S (the 502S are unavailable from my supplier until at least April, so the decision will come down to whether the 402S are already good enough for this system, or whether the 502S will show a noticeable difference.)
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-8000F
  • Subwoofer: Two Klipsch SPL-150 or a duo of SVS subwoofers if the difference is really noticeable. The configuration will be less harmonious, but possibly better quality.
  • Atmos: The style of the ceiling makes it impossible for me to use reverb or in-ceiling, so I've opted for Four Klipsch RP-500SA in Atmos mode. Still a bit unsure about this one
Support:

Here is where I have the most hesitations... On how to power the entire setup, and to make sure adequate support is given to drive the entire system. Here is where a lot of people sink in a lot of money, and without being a complete hi-fi audiophile, I would rather not compromise too much on quality for movies/gaming. So far I have two options, but these are by no means closed off, and I would welcome any proposal to set up the proper support of this system. Would these even be overkill for my system?


Option 1:
  • Marantz 8805 for video
  • Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3 to power the RF7 MKIII front surrounds
  • Marantz MM7025 to power the RP8000F rear surrounds
  • Marantz MM8077 to power the remaining 7 channels (front center RC-64, two surrounds RP-502S or RP-402S, and four atmos RP-500SA)

Option 2:
  • Marantz 8015 home cinema amp for video, as well as to power 7 channels (front center RC-64, two surrounds RP-502S or RP-402S, and four atmos RP-500SA)
  • Emotiva XPA-2 Gen3 to power the RF7 MKIII front surrounds
  • Marantz MM7025 to power the RP8000F rear surrounds

Power supply:

Given the fact that I generally live in areas where power supply is an issue, I alternate regularly between low quality city power and our home's generator, I have a voltage regulator for the house, but in addition I was thinking about something to clean up the power supply. What would be available would be along the lines of the :

  • Inakustic AC-3500P

Cabling:

Here is where I am at a complete loss, since I haven't finalized the selections of all the configuration, I haven't been able to go with the cabling. I would be happy to hear any and all recommendations on this, I'd like to have proper, quality cables, without pouring thousands of dollars into them if possible.


Thank you all for reading me so far, I really appreciate all of your time, experience and assistance to help me finalize the selection, so I can make the order as soon as possible.

Best regards,
 
That sounds beast of system, but few changes are in order. Also no pictures of room making it hard to see whole "picture" and give exact recommendations what would work best.

The upfiring modules (500SA) often work best around 2-3meter distance and also one should meet below requirements:

For optimal performance, the ceiling should be flat (not angled or vaulted), with a height between 7.5 and 14 feet (2.3 to 4.3 meters), and made of an acoustically reflective material (drywall, plaster, hardwood, or another rigid, non---sound-absorbing material).

So they (RP-500SA) would work better as height channels mounted high up on the side walls (pointed down to listeners) rather than upfiring bouncing from not so optimal ceiling, not sure which you thought in first place.

I would also consider is the RP-402/502S best option for surround sides wall mounted at seated ear height. Bit strange to pick such compact surround sides, but then much larger surround backs. People don´t usually use floorstanding speakers as surround side or surround backs, you aren´t driving them full range. If you can have standmount speakers then two pairs of RP-600M could work too with 600mm (~23,6") speaker stands (x4)! Or just one pair as surround backs with 502S beind at sides, price difference is so small but yeah the wait is not nice. Another expensive option if floorstanders are prefered all around would be to use two pairs of RP-6000F. If we forget the Atmos heights for now, here is how you should place the speakers roughly (surround channels hopefully not too close to listeners):



The RC-64 and RF-7 uses real compression drivers so i wouldn´t buy poweramp just yet if you decide to buy av-receiver. They have very high sensitivity and even if it`s shown as non-anechoic it`s still higher than any typical hifi speaker has so you don´t need massive amount of power to run them loud! Marantz SR8015 / Denon X8500H / Anthem MRX 1140 would be worth to consider. Yamaha is also coming with new 11.2 model called RX-A8A before summer! It`s easy to add poweramps later if there is need, if not then you save huge amount which could be used elsewhere.

Very tricky if you are moving too and the room size/shape changes so there is no knowing good the system works in next house. We can only consider what we know now so looking your room 52sqm which opens up to dinar room and to hallway. So the total space is much larger. That means the subwoofers will have to work hard to fill that space. For me the choice of your woofers sounds underwhelming compared to rest of your system. While the SPL-150 is decent sub from speaker manufacturer, there is better options from SVS and the likes as there isn`t need to match the speakers and woofers from same brand! Looking at the past R-115SW it was comparable to SVS PB2000. For that kind of room i would buy the best you can afford. Two PB16Ultras would be my pick, but anything from PB3000 upwards (x2) from SVS really. I don`t know are you located East Africa now and would some other (US) brands be available. It comes tricky if you start to think the size and weight for it to be easily moved to another place, then you aren´t never going to be fully happy as you pick something smaller/lighter weight..

You don´t need anything crazy expensive regarding cables. The HDMI cable for projector might need to be higher quality if it´s long one, then you need to look certain specific cables.

For speaker wires i could give you example of Van Damme Blue 2,5mm2 which is quite often used here by members with expensive systems. It costs 2,27£/meter so that should give you idea that spending lot more for some fancy name with space technology and silly promises is not needed. Depending of lengths used 2,5-4mm2 thickness (AWG12 / 14). There is often some good quality OFC wires available in big rolls for installations, check if you have locally something cheap.
 
Thank you very much for that thoughtful answer. Already seeing a bit clearer and a few more changes in the works. I'll get some pictures of the room shortly, but I'm still at the stage of component selection rather than speaker placement, I thought it less important for a system that will eventually have to move from house to house.

Regarding the 500SA, I was definitely planning on using them as wall-mounted down firing speakers for Atmos function. Are these a good choice for this? I was a bit hesitant when compared to speakers placed directly overhead... Do you get the same benefits?

For the surround speakers, to be honest, it will all come down to quality and cost/benefit. Would going with four RP-6000f as surrouds and rears be that big of an upgrade as compared to bookshelf speakers? I read a lot of different points of view on this, with some saying that the difference is quite noticeable in games and music-heavy movies. If the benefit is not that big, then I'd switch to four of the same bookshelf speakers... In this case what would be the best choice from Klipsch?

I'm quite surprised to read that the Marantz SR8015 would be able to power the entire system! I had always thought that separating the av receiver from the amps gave a much better sound quality overall... Am I misunderstanding, and can I get away with a top shelf av receiver, and possibly just one power amp to come in and assist? As you said, that would definitely be an area where huge savings could be had, and probably reallocated to better subwoofers..

The room is roughly rectangular, no real odd shapes, except for the fact that it is lower than surrounding rooms (small 3-step stairs leading up to the dining room, and bigger stairs to the hallway), and that the ceiling is very high and vaulted. I will definitely add a diagram tomorrow, and some pictures.

Regarding the subs, thanks! I was really hesitant, reading that the Klipsch subs were definitely a bit subpar. The PB16 Ultras might be a tad overpriced from my supplier (looking at 8500$ for both...), but I could definitely do PB-3000's or SB-4000's. What would be your recommendation? Would it really be worth it doubling the money for the PB16 Ultras? I'm currently in east Africa, but buying all from a French supplier and having it shipped over here.

Thanks for the advice on cables. I'll take the references and look through what they have available. The HDMI cable shouldn't be that long, since I'm going with a UST model... Any opinions on the Samsung LSP9T?

Again, thanks for all your help, definitely making me refine my choices in a sensible way.... Really appreciated!
 
I just meant that you have to think are the speakers ideal for the room where you can place them etc. Those front three are massive in size and do need some space around them, center channel is going to be tricky to place with UST projector. Probably on stand in front of it and angled upwards as the screen comes quite low. I`m not that familiar with the UST projectors really, but looking pictures it`s not really optimal as the center channel (most active speaker in your system) location is bit compromised.

No they won´t give you same effect as overhead ceiling speakers, but i think most people that have them wouldn´t ever go back to just 5.1/7.1 so they certainly add new height atmosphere to it. I often link this one, read it through the idea is same with the Klipsches.

If you are open with bookshelf speakers on stands then RP-600M from Klipsch. It`s more than likely that these effect channels are located closer to listeners than front three? Something around meter or so would be good, not too close! That also means no couch against rear wall if you want to have surround backs.

You didn´t tell how loud you typically listen, cinema like levels always or something bit less to consider your hearing for long term. The Klipsches play so darn loud with low amount of power due to high sensitivity. If you want to go processor route then perhaps the new AV7706 (if you want HDMI 2.1 for PS5 as the AV8805 is older model and new isn´t out yet)and then you could get Emotiva XPA-11 Gen3 to power the speakers. It has the extra power for the front three (300-490watts) and stereo modules for the rest channels which should be fine.

No SB4000 rather ported design due to large space so PB3000, PB4000, PB16U. If you watch lot of action/scifi/horror movies LOUD and crave that impact & tactile sensation then yeah it´s definitely worth it. We have members with dual PB16U`s in 5x4 room and also larger subs in smaller rooms. It comes down your budget and what kind of experience you want. I wonder would there be other options from US, but likely comes too expensive to ship. You have SVS dealer in East Africa (worth to ask can he give you better price, if you buy two you should get discount):

Harbits Limited
D1 Ashray Industrial Park
Kampala Road
Industrial Area,
Nairobi, Kenya
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +254733760000


Here is the dual PB16U to give you idea of the size! You have so large room that they would "blend" easier there, although you got to keep in mind that placement is key point so you have to find best spots for them wheter that be both at front or one at front left and second at rear right (opposite diagonally) etc.

20200829_011708-jpg.1356956
 
That's a good point. The room is currently quite big, but after a couple of moves it could change.. Regarding the positioning of the UST projector, it's not that big of an issue. Living in Africa means it's more difficult for me to get my hands on the speakers, but on the other side there are a plethora of good carpenters that can make quality furniture at low cost. I'm going to make a bespoke front cabinet, where the screen and the projector have their own 'indents' into it. That means I can literally put the RC-64 center channel 'above' the LSP9T projector, as long as it doesn't block the laser. That should do the trick as far as positioning goes.

Understood for the 'height atmosphere'. Not true atmos, but in my current configuration that would just not be possible with hugely tall cathedral ceiling... That part will have to suffice for now.

Regarding the surrounds, they would indeed be closer to the listener than the front soundstage, but I would say an easy 2 metres away from the center positioning on all sides. Keeping in mind that the room is quite big, airy, and has open access to adjacent rooms on two sides, and very large glass windows/doors onto the outdoor porch on a third side... Basically only one of the walls is solid and full, and that's the wall I will be projecting onto. I have a bit of a fear that bookshelf speakers, be it the 600M or the 502/402's would get a bit 'lost' in such a massive area, especially with such a powerful front soundstage and subs... Am I overthinking, and would they be sufficient?

The volume is actually somewhat variable. I live in a house, on own compound, so neighbours are definitely not an issue, the volume really depends on what we are watching. Movies are generally played at cinema levels, although I'm currently camping with a TV and soundbar, so that's quite limiting. Television/news are played at normal watching levels, nothing too crazy, and music really depends on our mood, with the occasional party weekend going all out. Gaming depends on the style, so that's quite variable. Atmosphere/ambiance games are played quite loud, whereas action games tend to have their volume reduced to preserve our sanity and hearing =)

Regarding the AV receiver, I would definitely try going for HDMI 2.1, to try and future-proof my setup a bit. When will the new version of 8805 come out? Is it worth the wait?

Regarding the XPA-11, I had assumed it would be more relevant that if I went the receiver/power amp separation route, it might be better for me to get two power amps, in order to effectively power the front soundstage separately, and have another one for the rear. Do you think the XPA-11 would already power everything adequately?

I think reading you and doing a bit more research has convinced me to try to go with the PB16 Ultras and hope to negotiate my way out of that huge price increase =) They seem to be one of the best subs currently available for home theater, so that's definitely a plus... And I do think that having that 'tactile' sensation as you put it is mandatory for home cinema... Big screen, big sound, and physical feeling of your spine tingling when watching movies is key! The only thing would be that I would certainly have to separate the PB16 and buy them separately in South Africa rather than importing from europe, because at 80kg each, it's going to be hard to justify air freight =D

So to sum up the current situation:

Front center: Klipsch RC-64
Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 MKiii
Surround: to decide between floorstanding and bookshelf. What will give the best quality in large room?
Rear surround: same question as for the surround.
Elevation/Atmos: Klipsch 500SA
Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultras x2

Receiver/amps: To decide on whether having separate preamp / power amp is worth it according to previous setup, or whether I can handle all of it with an AV receiver, possibly backing it up with a small extra power amp for 2 or 3 channels. No matter the case, I have to select a receiver with HDMI 2.1 for the PS5 and future-proofing.

Media player: To decide between the Panasonic DP-UB9000 and the DP-UB820 unless something better exist elsewhere?

Thanks again for all your precious advice!
 
The room is rectangular, no odd shapes, but some glass/windows and openings. It`s hard to get full idea without pictures and what kind of sound is possible to get there. Would you be better with lesser system perhaps. Ideally plenty of soft furnishing and some rug/carpet in front of speakers with hard floors, curtains over windows when possible etc. It´s a bit shame you don´t have just some spare room which you could turn in to work/hobby/cinema room. Then you could consider example Klipsch THX Ultra 2 KL-650 system which is even cheaper than the RF7/RC based system, while also being more compact to move another country and you wouldn`t need necessarily as big subwoofers to fill the room and power amplification. But look wise it´s not as nice so not ideal for living room/lounge.

If you want processor then wait little bit as the AV8805A should have hdmi 2.1 (most like one input & two outputs same as other D&M models), it should be out Spring 2021. Of course there is other brands too with processors with even better room correction on board, but hdmi 2.1 still so new.
The Emotiva XPA-11 should be able to power the system fine. Again keep in mind the Klipsch speakers don`t require tons of power to go silly loud and you aren´t sitting too far away from them.

RP-600M has large cabinet and 6,5" drivers, keep in mind you aren´t driving them full range either so the subwoofer(s) with it´s own amp is taking some load off both from your speakers and amplification. Also they are likely placed quite close to walls (?) and 2meters away from listener is not issue. I remember US members using these speakers as main channels in larger US rooms so they should be fine for effect channels using ~80-100hz crossover settings while being fairly close to listeners. Floorstanders as "all around" are often used when one is building multichannel music system.

Haven`t kept up with bluray players. Though UB9000 should be awesome with great build quality.
 
Though UB9000 should be awesome with great build quality.
Probably the best player that is readily available at the moment. The main competitor for top dog would be the Pioneer LX500, or LX800 if wanting the very best audio reproduction. Unfortunately Pioneer have been hit by covid and issues over finances because of troubles with parent company Onkyo. Hopefully they will be returning to the market in late March according to the Pioneer Australia site.
 
Hi all!

Apologies for the delay in replying, I was away from home for a few days.

See attached the images of the room where it will be installed. Don't mind the furniture, it's all temporary camping furniture until my own arrives, and does not give a good indication as to the layout of the room.

After some additional thought and review, here is what I'm currently thinking, still needs a little refining and commentary:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III (although I've heard from a couple sources that the RP-8000F were better on tests? Is this true? Seems hard to believe)
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502SA
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-502S
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805, or the 7706. Ideally I'd want the 8805A (with HDMI 2.1), but the uncertainty of availability is a problem... Not sure whether the 7706 would be a downgrade from the 8805 or not?
  • Amps: Here I'm wondering whether I should simplify it all with an Emotiva XPA-11 Gen 3 (front soundstage on the 300w monos, and surround + atmos on the 65w stereos), or go for something a little more complex, separating the amps, with a specific one for the front sound stage (surrounds + center), and something else for all the surrounds and atmos. From everything I read, it seems like it might be a very noticeable difference.

What do you guys think overall? Good bang for the buck, or are there better way to build this system?

Thanks a lot!
 

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Hi all!

Apologies for the delay in replying, I was away from home for a few days.

See attached the images of the room where it will be installed. Don't mind the furniture, it's all temporary camping furniture until my own arrives, and does not give a good indication as to the layout of the room.

After some additional thought and review, here is what I'm currently thinking, still needs a little refining and commentary:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III (although I've heard from a couple sources that the RP-8000F were better on tests? Is this true? Seems hard to believe)
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502SA
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-502S
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805, or the 7706. Ideally I'd want the 8805A (with HDMI 2.1), but the uncertainty of availability is a problem... Not sure whether the 7706 would be a downgrade from the 8805 or not?
  • Amps: Here I'm wondering whether I should simplify it all with an Emotiva XPA-11 Gen 3 (front soundstage on the 300w monos, and surround + atmos on the 65w stereos), or go for something a little more complex, separating the amps, with a specific one for the front sound stage (surrounds + center), and something else for all the surrounds and atmos. From everything I read, it seems like it might be a very noticeable difference.

What do you guys think overall? Good bang for the buck, or are there better way to build this system?

Thanks a lot!

RF-7mk III is Klipsch flagship tower with wood veneer cabinet and larger 1,75" compression tweeter. If you read AVSForum (US) there is people who has compared these and mk II to RP-8000F/RP-280F. There shouldn´t be any contest, RF-7 much better as it should be for extra cost. But at the same time if you want to save money the 8000F with RP-504C centre should do fine also for movies. Most people who buys the RF-7s uses them for listening music big part. Do keep in mind that the Klipsch sound signature especially with the compression drivers (RF) they are on the brighter side. Some love this type of sound especially for movies, others prefer something different. So just a heads up if you haven´t heard them. Some large rug on floor in front of speakers (LCR) would be good idea. That is large room indeed!

So you want the surround sides (and backs) to be wall mounted, correct? As otherwise the RP-600M with stands would do fine (x4), the same applies for surround backs where you have selected the on-wall bipole model. So you have the SA model for surround sides, is the model correct cause there is no 502SA, there is 500SA. As they are angled you would mount them sideways i would assume as you can´t mount them much higher than seated ear height due to having the height channels higher. You need the height separation. Or is there typo, did you mean to have similar RP-502S bipole speakers at the sides and back of room?


Yes the AV7706 is "downgrade" from AV8805, but would it make much difference in real life i doubt. Shame you need the 2.1 as not even the new Anthem comes with it. The HDMI board can be upgraded to 2.1 8K for extra cost later though. Marantz has only one input, two outputs (8K) so not really the most future proofed either but enough for now.
 
Hi Gasp!

Yes, that's exactly where I got the comparisons from (AVSForum), and some guys were showing test results indicating that the 8000F was better than the RF-7, which seems very odd to me... For example, the below image and quote is one of the answers:

Klipsch-RF-7-III-graphs-hifinews.png


That is much inferior to the RP-8000F speakers. That is like heritage level response. I would stay away from Klipsch unless you know for a fact that the speaker isn't bad. The only speakers that measure well that I have seen from Klipsch are the RP-8000F and the R-820F. The center speaker design is not great either.

I'm not yet sure if I would wall-mount them or put them on stands. I'm quite open to both ideas. Obviously something modular would be best, however... Would you recommend going with the bipole in surround sides and surround rears, or only on the surround sides? Originally I was going for floorstandings on the surrounds, and I'm slowly changing my mind given the fact that it won't bring much advantage, so my research is just starting on what I should put in those 4 positions...

Regarding the processor... Well I'd be getting a PS5, so I wanted to take advantage of the HDMI 2.1, but in reality, is it going to be that necessary, given that there is no 2.1 port on the projector (Samsung LSP9T)... If I don't really need it, then it would be kind of pointless to downgrade specifically for that.

For the amps, would you recommend exploring with Emotiva, or sticking to Marantz? Is the separation between Front Left/Front Right/Center and the rest of the speakers correct?

Thanks,
 
Hi Gasp!

Yes, that's exactly where I got the comparisons from (AVSForum), and some guys were showing test results indicating that the 8000F was better than the RF-7, which seems very odd to me... For example, the below image and quote is one of the answers:

View attachment 1448789



I'm not yet sure if I would wall-mount them or put them on stands. I'm quite open to both ideas. Obviously something modular would be best, however... Would you recommend going with the bipole in surround sides and surround rears, or only on the surround sides? Originally I was going for floorstandings on the surrounds, and I'm slowly changing my mind given the fact that it won't bring much advantage, so my research is just starting on what I should put in those 4 positions...

Regarding the processor... Well I'd be getting a PS5, so I wanted to take advantage of the HDMI 2.1, but in reality, is it going to be that necessary, given that there is no 2.1 port on the projector (Samsung LSP9T)... If I don't really need it, then it would be kind of pointless to downgrade specifically for that.

For the amps, would you recommend exploring with Emotiva, or sticking to Marantz? Is the separation between Front Left/Front Right/Center and the rest of the speakers correct?

Thanks,

One can argue all day about the differences in measurements, but the RF/RC uses the compression drivers and they should sound quite different. In real world who has heard both there is big difference. You can always go ask in Klipsch forum as they have the best knowledge/feedback. There is always those that doesn´t like Klipsch and perhaps haven´t heard those mentioned so take it with grain of salt and listen the real owners about the differences.

Well if you would go with how Dolby recommends then monopole route so bookshelf speakers (direct radiating) for Atmos system! You also have the opening at the back and if there is speakers that shoot both direction so it`s bit question mark. I would go with RP-600M with 600mm tall speaker stands as they are easy to place and will work in most rooms future also, something you can´t say for sure with the on-walls. Looking your room it would be tough to get them ideally now at the sides and for the back wall you can get them but that opening.. Massive space indeed. Little suprised your dealer didn´t recommend some pro cinema speakers for you straight, but i assume you also want the looks to be decent for "living room". Also you could easily go with even larger subwoofers, but i assume the availability is going to be issue so you won´t get products from US direct example.

The RP-500SA (height channels) would go front and rear walls high up as you can´t opt for side walls.

I don´t know much of the HDMI 2.1, not really that intrested as i don´t play or run to get latest features. Of course it would be nice to have even one 8K input/couple outputs cause the processor is so damn expensive and you would be keeping it long time. It`s almost february soon so the 8805A should be announced briefly. Contact Marantz via email directly! If you come to conclusion that you don´t need it then you can consider other brands too! The most noticeable difference will be then the room correction software, so example the Anthem i linked should be better with ARC Genesis. But you need laptop and little learning to get the best out of it. With Marantz it´s more of plug&play, that is fine if you are ok with that.

You should contact Emotiva straight when you know which speakers you are buying and tell them your typical listening volume, information about speakers & subs, room info (put pictures) via email! This way you will get the best information direct from manufacturer and recommendation. I have talked with Emotiva earlier and they give you detailed answers not pushing for top model if no need. sales@emotiva.com
 
Yeah I completely agree. I do get the impression that a lot of people do give input and test results without having actually heard them. While tests do have their use, I simply cannot understand how the RF-7's could be worse than the RP-8000's. For that one it will remain unchanged.

All your other points are well taken, and I generally agree with you. Here's the current finalized selection for the speakers:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502S wall mounted (could these go on stands also?)
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-600M on stands
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4) (either back and front walls, or side walls)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805. I've finalized the selection, because the South African dealer will be able to upgrade to 8805A, and because he has contacted Marantz, and apparently the 8805A will only be available end of 2021... I don't want to wait almost a year still! Too bad for HDMI 2.1, I'll do without for now...
  • Amps: Here I have some news... The SA dealer actually advised me to go full Marantz, with two 8077 amps, and actually use that to bi-amp the front soundstage (front left, front right, and center)... Is this actually useful, or overkill? Does definitely sound like it could be an interesting route... I'd go down from 300W to 150W on the front three speakers, but then they would be bi amped...

Thoughts?
 
Yeah I completely agree. I do get the impression that a lot of people do give input and test results without having actually heard them. While tests do have their use, I simply cannot understand how the RF-7's could be worse than the RP-8000's. For that one it will remain unchanged.

All your other points are well taken, and I generally agree with you. Here's the current finalized selection for the speakers:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502S wall mounted (could these go on stands also?)
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-600M on stands
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4) (either back and front walls, or side walls)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805. I've finalized the selection, because the South African dealer will be able to upgrade to 8805A, and because he has contacted Marantz, and apparently the 8805A will only be available end of 2021... I don't want to wait almost a year still! Too bad for HDMI 2.1, I'll do without for now...
  • Amps: Here I have some news... The SA dealer actually advised me to go full Marantz, with two 8077 amps, and actually use that to bi-amp the front soundstage (front left, front right, and center)... Is this actually useful, or overkill? Does definitely sound like it could be an interesting route... I'd go down from 300W to 150W on the front three speakers, but then they would be bi amped...

Thoughts?

You could still run the final speaker choices at the Klipsch forum cause they have heard them, it´s amazing how easily they can get speakers for home trial there. So easy to compare any models at home. Also they share common factor the rooms are larger in US by default so they have first hand experience about the models played in larger spaces. Just copy paste your models and room pictures. I would be intrested to read that too! We can always learn more.

You should be able to have the bipole speakers on stands too yes. At least i don´t see reason why not as other brands have been kept like that aswell. They would indeed create bit more dispersed soundfield spreading the effects front/rear, but how effectively they work is another thing due your room, i don`t know. This is not your typical cinema room definitely, haha.

The Elevation should definitely go to front/rear walls and not side walls cause you don´t have wide wall at other side due to opening with stairs.

From memory you need to have 2.1 input in either tv or receiver for 4K 120hz? for the PS5. And projector likely doesn´t have one so check that out from your dealer or some other site before you make the final decision. The AV7706 is still fine option if you need the newer one. Even if you can upgrade the AV8805 hdmi board it´s going to be year wait then without gaming assuming you need the newer connections.

No man forget the Marantz amps! Sure the dealers would love to sell you those as they are not cheap, but they won´t have the power of Emotivas either! Don´t go that route.
 
Awesome, thanks for the tips. I'll create a post now, probably just a summary to start off the conversation, to see where we are at.

Quite true on the side with stairs... In that case the elevations will have to be front and rear. I really hope I don't lose too much atmos quality as compared to direct overhead speakers.

The Marantz amps are that bad? I keep seeing good reviews on them, and the 150w all around seems pretty good for the surrounds... Is bi-amping the front soundstage completely useless?

Thanks again
 
Awesome, thanks for the tips. I'll create a post now, probably just a summary to start off the conversation, to see where we are at.

Quite true on the side with stairs... In that case the elevations will have to be front and rear. I really hope I don't lose too much atmos quality as compared to direct overhead speakers.

The Marantz amps are that bad? I keep seeing good reviews on them, and the 150w all around seems pretty good for the surrounds... Is bi-amping the front soundstage completely useless?

Thanks again

I think Emotiva has longer warranty and lot more power which the RF7s reportedly love, even if they have 100db sensitivity (!).

Marantz is likely more expensive too and if you look AVSF or Audioholics, people aren´t going with these cause Emotiva, Monoprice Monolith, ATI etc. offer better value/performance ratio. Below is measurements for the Marantz poweramp:


Marantz MM8077 Amplifier

Two channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 128.4 watts
1% distortion at 150.3 watts

Five channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 113.9 watts
1% distortion at 125.4 watts

Seven channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 108.9 watts
1% distortion at 116.8 watts

Into 4 ohms, the amplifier reaches 0.1 percent distortion at 220.2 watts and 1 percent distortion at 241.8 watts.
 
Understood, yet another idea that goes down in flames =)

What about the idea of bi-amping the front sound stage?

Also, I know you mentioned a couple times to go full cinema, with the THX speakers... Would that be a better option, albeit looking less nice? Would the result end up being better?
 
You don´t need bi-amping with the Emotiva as they push 300w/490w for each of the front three! You can choose the 7ch version which still puts out 200w/ch x 7, then get 2nd cheaper poweramp for the rest. But it will cost.. As i said talk with Emotiva after you know exactly which speakers you buy and it all comes down to how loud you are looking to play the system. Those big subwoofers are going to be taking some heavy load off too!

As this is living room you have to consider the look part too or there could be buyers remorse knocking later. It´s never going to sound as good as smaller dedicated room cause the room is massive without any room treatments. So how much you want to spend then.. There is some real cinema speakers that will fill that room without doubt and won´t need massive amplification, but they are butt ugly. So you need to compromise perhaps and go with something that also looks nice. But if you later get dedicated room who knows what you want there..
 
Hi Gasp!

So I've put some further thought and research into this, and I'm reaching a point where I'm already pushing the budget :D

Here's what I have for now:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502S
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-600M
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805. I've refined the choice down to this, and to lose the HDMI 2.1 for now. Really sad for a processor of this size, but I'm not losing hope to upgrade it later on.
  • Amps: I'll go short and sweet, and start with a simple Emotiva XPA-11 Gen3. It should suffice to power the entire system all the way around, and I'll see if I need anything else down the road.
  • 4K player: Panasonic DP UB9000 (if I manage to find it in stock somewhere)
  • PS5
  • Nvidia Shield Pro
  • Furman Elite 16 power conditionner

I think by now the choice is pretty settled, and the budget already quite a bit higher than I initially thought (mainly due to the crazy upgrade on the double subs, and the flagship processor/amp).

The only thing I need to finish, is the cabling, and the selection of the stands for the surrounds.
 
Hi Gasp!

So I've put some further thought and research into this, and I'm reaching a point where I'm already pushing the budget :D

Here's what I have for now:

Speakers:

  • Center: Klipsch RC-64 Mk III
  • Front surround: Klipsch RF-7 Mk III
  • Surround: Klipsch RP-502S
  • Rear surround: Klipsch RP-600M
  • Elevation: Klipsch RP-500SA (x4)
  • Subwoofers: SVS PB16 Ultra (x2)

Equipment:

  • Processor: Marantz 8805. I've refined the choice down to this, and to lose the HDMI 2.1 for now. Really sad for a processor of this size, but I'm not losing hope to upgrade it later on.
  • Amps: I'll go short and sweet, and start with a simple Emotiva XPA-11 Gen3. It should suffice to power the entire system all the way around, and I'll see if I need anything else down the road.
  • 4K player: Panasonic DP UB9000 (if I manage to find it in stock somewhere)
  • PS5
  • Nvidia Shield Pro
  • Furman Elite 16 power conditionner

I think by now the choice is pretty settled, and the budget already quite a bit higher than I initially thought (mainly due to the crazy upgrade on the double subs, and the flagship processor/amp).

The only thing I need to finish, is the cabling, and the selection of the stands for the surrounds.

You still have the Marantz SR8015 as one box solution which has hdmi 2.1 on board! Then you can in future add poweramps if needed. But if money isn´t issue then your plan sounds solid.
 

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