How/What to improve in these home setups?

rhylea

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Hi there,

I have these 2 setups and am interested to see what I can do to improve these systems?
I can swap and mix any of the current components as an interim, but am also interested to hear what components I should look at upgrading first and foremost.
Also, should I swap the Paradigms into the bigger room (Kitchen)?

Setup 1 (Open Plan Kitchen area):
  • Pioneer VSX-930K Amp - used in 7.1 mode
  • Magnat Vector 77 floor standing speakers (bi-wired - soon to be bi-amped)
  • Paradigm Monitor Atom V7 bookshelf speakers (used as surround speakers)
  • Yamaha NS-C55 centre speaker
  • Dali 6006 floor standing speakers (used as rear speakers)
  • Wharfedale SW150 subwoofer (currently in lounge temporarily)

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Setup 2 (Lounge):
  • Yamaha RX-V2073 Amp - in 5.1 mode
  • Paradigm Monitor 11 V7 floor standing speakers (bi-amped)
  • Paradigm Monitor Center 3 V7 centre speaker
  • Yamaha NS-45E floor standing speakers (used as rear speakers)
  • Paradigm Ultra 10 subwoofer (out of action waiting for parts)

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Thanks in advance.
Cheers Rhylea.
 
Hi Rhylea

I'll start with setup 1 and right away your 7.1 configuration is a little out of kilter. Please take a look at Dolby's own guild-lines for 7.1 where you'll see the front surrounds are in fact in the wrong place and could in practice be taking away some of the audio experience from the front of the room.

Now back to the setup, having speakers within an enclosure is also not the best option, but as that is how the room is designed, that is something that you will have to live with and at least you have a small amount of space around them. Now what can happen here is that enclosing them like this can create an unwanted booming effect, but as you have glass at either side, moving the main speakers out of there to create space will have its own issues as glass certainly can change the way a speaker sounds as its reflective properties are different to a tradition walls which would be the obvious recommendation

To me it seems like setup 2 (front speakers, centre, subwoofer and av receiver) needs moving into setup 1 as you are never going to iron out the room imperfection, but it will help. Move the front surrounds to the correct orientation around the seating area to the rear of the room. You are never going to sort everything in the room as sadly its a room which isn't friendly to a home cinema configuration, but it should be significantly better

Then I would look at setup 2 where I would look at some new toys to bring this back to life as I feel the smaller av receiver and speakers with a reduced your expectations and certainly make you want. But as you have a good solid wall to allow the speakers to breathe correctly, you can really start auditioning when possible to find an av receiver / speaker combination

I hope that gives you a starting point
 
First of all I agree with what has been said above. If it was me I would place the Dali at the front, not in those alcoves thu. around 10cm from the wall and 2m+ apart. I would get a matching Dali centre, you need the front 3 speakers well matched.

I never heard the Magnat Vector 77, but should they should be more than good enough for correctly located rears and ok I guess with the Atoms at the back

Getting that sorted and setup correctly will make a big improvement to the sound. I would not bother Bi-amping a AV amp, but other improvements would be maybe upgrade the Sub-woofer.
 
Hi there.

Thanks ShanePJ and ashenfie for your responses and input. I have changed things up a bit (with a new purchase - MS908i :) ) and have noticed a transformation for both setups accordingly.
I now have the setups as below. I think this should finalise my setups for the time being ... although you can never be satisfied LOL.

Setup 1 (Open Plan Kitchen area):
  • Yamaha RX-V2073 Amp - in 7.1 mode
  • Paradigm Monitor 11 V7 floor standing speakers (bi-amped)
  • Paradigm Monitor Center 3 V7 centre speaker
  • Dali 6006 floor standing speakers (used as surround speakers)
  • Paradigm Monitor Atom V7 bookshelf speakers (used as rear speakers)
  • Wharfedale SW150 subwoofer
Setup 2 (Lounge):
  • Pioneer VSX-930K Amp - in 5.1 mode
  • Mordaunt Short Avant 908i floor standing speakers
  • Yamaha NS-C55 centre speaker (to be replaced soon)
  • Magnat Vector 77 floor standing speakers (used as rear speakers)
  • Paradigm Ultra 10 subwoofer (out of action waiting for parts)
 
I would when you have the chance, change the woofer in the kitchen, this really is a weak link in the chain for the rest of the components. It'll be like Usain Bolt wearing wellies at the start line, it'll slow him down like its slowing your system down
 
Thanks ShanePJ. The plan is to move the Paradigm sub to the kitchen once I get the replacement parts. I will then move the Wharfedale sub back to the lounge area. For the moment I will just have to utilise these subs until some more funds become available, then upgrading those will become an option :)
 

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