Home theatre audio setup - confused !

psychedelicbeast

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Hi All, new to A/V stuff so please bear with me.

We are planning to buy an LG CX 77" and wondering which speaker set up to opt for. We want a traditional set up (no soundbar) and would ideally like to connect wireless rear speakers to the set up via a Denon AVR (3700H). Our budget is around 2-2.5k GBP and usage is 60% gaming / home theatre and 40% for music. The room dimensions are 5m x 3.7m.

1. AVR: thinking of using a Denon AVR (3700H). can this AVR lead to latency issues during pc gaming. if so, how do you combat that?

2. Centre and front speakers: any recommendations as to what to choose? looking at floorstanding ones and have seen KEF Q550, QAcoustic Concept 40, Dali Oberon, Monitor Silver/Bronze 200. but am completely confused and overwhelmed over here.

3. Rear speakers: we live in a rented flat and do not want wires through walls or running through floors so would prefer wireless rears. Any suggestions on how this can be achieved? have heard of rocketfish but that seems to be US specific. Any suggestions pls?

4. Subwoofer: have heard of SVS subs being great but a bit lost here. Again - any suggestions would be super helpful !! I presume it does not need to be the same brand as point (2)?

5. Atmos modules - thinking of upfiring speakers which will be compatible with the floorstanding speakers. any suggestions pls?

Thanks a lot in advance !!
 
Hi and welcome to the Forums, Thankfully, the Denon AVR-X3700H is one of a new generation of avr's which has selected components built in to assist with gaming. Included are the following Variable Refresh Rate, Quick Frame Transport, and Auto Low Latency Mode, plus you also can enjoy gaming with 4K/120Hz pass-through or with upscaling ability. So, one of these options should help you get the best out of your gaming. (do read this thread about the HDMI 2. bug)

With speaker choice, you really need to hear them yourself to find out which one you are going to get on with. Sadly sound is such a suggestive area than no one can say whats right for you other than you and what one person feels if the best thing they have ever heard, yet another person will loathe them. Neither bodies are wrong either as taste is what comes into force. So do try and hear as many speakers within your price bracket.

Monitor Audio are a firm favourite here with Kef as their usual competition and many people usually prefer one over the other which gives everyone a good idea what kind of sound those people enjoy

For subwoofers, any good woofer will bring your cinema to life and SVS are certainly one of the popular brands which fit this criteria for delivering fast impacting bass which enhances your experience. Don't feel you have to use the same subwoofer brand as the speakers either as you usually find that bespoke manufacturers produce the best woofers (even though SVS do make speakers, only a few seem to do both well)

With Atmos, you again don't have to use the same branded speakers as your surround sound speakers, most half decent in ceiling speakers have enough to bring Atmos to life and the X3700H will certainly be able to bring the best out of most to. Now as you may not be placing speakers in the ceiling, many upward firing atmos speakers are also available, but this is where the decor comes into play and from that point, you may wish to stay with the same manufacturer (but I'd say that really is the only reason to choose all your speakers from one brand, but if you do prefer one from another manufacturer, don't panic and choose that one)

With wiring speakers around the room, it's always best practice to use speaker wire and you can get some very desecrate cabling. QED micro is ideal for rear speakers as its a very capable cable and its also very very small making it easy to hide

So, although I haven't given you any choices on speakers, this is mainly because you need to hear them yourself. Hope this gives you a little more incite :)
 
Hi and welcome to the Forums, Thankfully, the Denon AVR-X3700H is one of a new generation of avr's which has selected components built in to assist with gaming. Included are the following Variable Refresh Rate, Quick Frame Transport, and Auto Low Latency Mode, plus you also can enjoy gaming with 4K/120Hz pass-through or with upscaling ability. So, one of these options should help you get the best out of your gaming. (do read this thread about the HDMI 2. bug)

With speaker choice, you really need to hear them yourself to find out which one you are going to get on with. Sadly sound is such a suggestive area than no one can say whats right for you other than you and what one person feels if the best thing they have ever heard, yet another person will loathe them. Neither bodies are wrong either as taste is what comes into force. So do try and hear as many speakers within your price bracket.

Monitor Audio are a firm favourite here with Kef as their usual competition and many people usually prefer one over the other which gives everyone a good idea what kind of sound those people enjoy

For subwoofers, any good woofer will bring your cinema to life and SVS are certainly one of the popular brands which fit this criteria for delivering fast impacting bass which enhances your experience. Don't feel you have to use the same subwoofer brand as the speakers either as you usually find that bespoke manufacturers produce the best woofers (even though SVS do make speakers, only a few seem to do both well)

With Atmos, you again don't have to use the same branded speakers as your surround sound speakers, most half decent in ceiling speakers have enough to bring Atmos to life and the X3700H will certainly be able to bring the best out of most to. Now as you may not be placing speakers in the ceiling, many upward firing atmos speakers are also available, but this is where the decor comes into play and from that point, you may wish to stay with the same manufacturer (but I'd say that really is the only reason to choose all your speakers from one brand, but if you do prefer one from another manufacturer, don't panic and choose that one)

With wiring speakers around the room, it's always best practice to use speaker wire and you can get some very desecrate cabling. QED micro is ideal for rear speakers as its a very capable cable and its also very very small making it easy to hide

So, although I haven't given you any choices on speakers, this is mainly because you need to hear them yourself. Hope this gives you a little more incite :)
Thanks so much !! Have heard of something called Heos wireless rear speakers which is compatible with the Denon AVR. So we can get wired central / front and then connect to Heos wireless? What do you think?
 
Thanks so much !! Have heard of something called Heos wireless rear speakers which is compatible with the Denon AVR. So we can get wired central / front and then connect to Heos wireless? What do you think?
Yes, you are absolutely right, you can use any of Denon's Home wireless speakers (remember they all need to be powered from the mains, so they're technically not wireless like all wireless speakers which have to connect to the mains, they just receive a wireless signal) for rears as far as I can remember although it is quite an expensive option just to get sound when the cable I have recommended is so discrete (it's thinner than the mains cable you will be using to power each unit) you to spend more wisely in other areas :)
 
I would strongly recommend you consider the Monoprice THX system as they represent excellent value for money and punch well above their weight competing with speakers that are more expensive.


I have the THX 365T/365C and 265S surrounds which have built in up firing atmos modules, I have had them about 5 months now and am very very pleased with how they perform. In fact they are as good if not better than my more expensive XTZ Cinema series speakers in my main home theatre.

They are available now from American Audio and you should get a discount if buying a full set. Just add a subwoofer of your choice to complete the system. Monolith THX 12" should be more than good enough unless you have a very large room and want to blow the doors off.

Read the glowing review below for an idea how good these speakers and subs are,

 
Yes, you are absolutely right, you can use any of Denon's Home wireless speakers (remember they all need to be powered from the mains, so they're technically not wireless like all wireless speakers which have to connect to the mains, they just receive a wireless signal) for rears as far as I can remember although it is quite an expensive option just to get sound when the cable I have recommended is so discrete (it's thinner than the mains cable you will be using to power each unit) you to spend more wisely in other areas :)

I wonder do those really work cause Denon haven´t marketed the wireless speakers with their receivers similar way as Yamaha has done with Music Cast wireless speakers. Also i`m not sure can you do 5.1.2 Atmos system with wireless surround speakers even with the Yamaha? In the pictures the system is always 5.1 .

@psychedelicbeast if those doesn´t work out then i guess you have to figure out how to hide the wires for surround side channels. You can use trunking with the sticker at rear should give you nice clean look!
 
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Yeah, they work, but in all honesty, I would still go for a traditional option with thinner cable, Just call me old fashioned :laugh:

Oddly, I would expect you can as you are just assigning them via the app although I cannot find any information other than how easy it is to connect them (Manufacturers always miss bits don't they and I've never thought to ask as you just expect it to work (if the amp has the option, it should just do it. I wouldn't have thought you could use the Heos (Home) speakers as Atmos speakers though) --> connecting Heos speakers to your avr <--
 
I would strongly recommend you consider the Monoprice THX system as they represent excellent value for money and punch well above their weight competing with speakers that are more expensive.


I have the THX 365T/365C and 265S surrounds which have built in up firing atmos modules, I have had them about 5 months now and am very very pleased with how they perform. In fact they are as good if not better than my more expensive XTZ Cinema series speakers in my main home theatre.

They are available now from American Audio and you should get a discount if buying a full set. Just add a subwoofer of your choice to complete the system. Monolith THX 12" should be more than good enough unless you have a very large room and want to blow the doors off.

Read the glowing review below for an idea how good these speakers and subs are,

The reviews look great! However they mentioned to me on online chat that the 265B will come to Europe in June (this is presumably the satellite). Also, the 365T seems out of stock.

You mentioned that you have the 265S whereas the website seems to have 265B? I presume these are completely different?
 
Yeah, they work, but in all honesty, I would still go for a traditional option with thinner cable, Just call me old fashioned :laugh:

Oddly, I would expect you can as you are just assigning them via the app although I cannot find any information other than how easy it is to connect them (Manufacturers always miss bits don't they and I've never thought to ask as you just expect it to work (if the amp has the option, it should just do it. I wouldn't have thought you could use the Heos (Home) speakers as Atmos speakers though) --> connecting Heos speakers to your avr <--
I would love a traditional way with thinner cable. However the flat is rented, and carpeted, and I can't stick anything on the wall, and don't want trailing wires in the doorways, which I'm sure the family will keep tripping on. Maybe there is a simpler way I haven't grasped, which I would love to know
 
If you have a skirting board, purchase one of these --> Cable Stapler <-- and maybe you can hide by making it look super neat then painting the cable so it looks hidden. It's surprising how good tools can make things disappear :)
 
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The reviews look great! However they mentioned to me on online chat that the 265B will come to Europe in June (this is presumably the satellite). Also, the 365T seems out of stock.

You mentioned that you have the 265S whereas the website seems to have 265B? I presume these are completely different?
I was calling them S to designate they are surrounds where as the correct number is 265B which is for bookshelf, so they are the same speakers.

I thought the 365T were in stock, maybe they are out of stock though right now if that is what they have said. I know the 265's are out of stock for now but was not aware they would be June before back in stock.

Monoprice UK site get stocks shipped in from U.S. or China so not exactly sure when further stocks are coming in, American Audio get there supplies from Monoprice UK/EU and the stocks are held in Germany..
 
Hi All
Apologies for the delay in replying, and thank you for all your responses. I am still juggling between various options for the rear speakers (a wired option could involve taking wires through the middle of the room and putting a rug on top to avoid people tripping - hardly sophisticated, I know). Regarding the LCR speakers, I am thinking of the following options:
1. 2 x Focal 826D + Focal 800 Centre
2. 2 x Monoprice 365T + 1 x 365C (thanks @kbfern for the recommendation!)
3. 3 x KEF LS50 Meta

I am equally interested in music, as well as home theater abilities for gaming/movies. Based on that, does anyone have any comments/ recommendations on what to take? I would love to try them out but obviously covid is making this difficult.

I would definitely partner the above with a sub, and 2 rear speakers, but will finalise that after deciding on the LCR.

Thanks in advance!
 
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