In Wall and Ceiling install - B&W or Monitor Audio?

wardyworld

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Hi,

I'm having my living room setup as a mini theatre. I've decided due to pets / kids that TV on wall with in wall and in ceiling speakers is the way to go. L/C/R will be arranged around my 65" Sony A1 OLED, directly in front on my sofa and therefore the MLP. Side Surrounds will go in side walls as the space between MLP is almost perfectly equidistant. The rear walls are too shallow to allow speakers and my room has a non-movable 25cm block on the back wall where the soil pipes run, so probably best to put the rear surround in the ceiling(?) and this is how i've spec'd.

I have auditioned Monitor Audio traditional speakers (Bronze / Silver / Gold) and some B&W CWM Cinema 7 in a custom install.

I am thinking of doing a 7.1.2 setup using either all B&W or all Monitor Audio in wall / ceiling like this:

Bowers & Wilkins:
B&W CWM Cinema 7 [L/C/R]
B&W CCM Cinema 7 (In Ceiling - Rear)
B&W CCM 664 (In Ceiling - Atmos)
B&W CWM 362 (Left/Right)
B&W PV1D

Monitor Audio:
MA CP-IW260X or CP-IW460X [L/C/R]
MA CP-WT380-IDC (In Wall - Left/Right)
MA CP-CT380-IDC (In Ceiling - Rear)
MA C380FX (In Ceiling - Atmos)
BK XL400 or equivalent sub

Anyone have experience of either setup? ideally I'd like to audition both and dont mind travelling before I part with my hard earned.

Regards,

Adam
 
Hi Adam,

Where are you based, we can offer a demo of this exact kind of system if you can visit us here. We have a complete Atmos MA system in our demo room youre more than welcome to come and have a demo of, and we can do a package deal for this kind of system that will help your budget go further. Given you want to run Atmos I would restrict your install to 5 speakers on the ground layer, as mixing surround channels and Atmos channels in the ceiling together ruins the Atmos effect. This would mean a 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 system would be the best way to go, unless you can accommodate on wall speakers for the rear surrounds, but these channels arent always required.

We can give you a lot more information than is practical to try include on a forum post, so if you would like to know more, and possibly arrange a demo, drop me a PM and I'll can help get you sorted.

Kind Regards

Dan
 
Hi Adam,

Where are you based, we can offer a demo of this exact kind of system if you can visit us here. We have a complete Atmos MA system in our demo room youre more than welcome to come and have a demo of, and we can do a package deal for this kind of system that will help your budget go further. Given you want to run Atmos I would restrict your install to 5 speakers on the ground layer, as mixing surround channels and Atmos channels in the ceiling together ruins the Atmos effect. This would mean a 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 system would be the best way to go, unless you can accommodate on wall speakers for the rear surrounds, but these channels arent always required.

We can give you a lot more information than is practical to try include on a forum post, so if you would like to know more, and possibly arrange a demo, drop me a PM and I'll can help get you sorted.

Kind Regards

Dan

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the reply - I'm South of Birmingham so its quite a drive, but if you have exactly this setup then I would be willing to drive up!

I understand the concerns about the rear speakers, I think we can discuss in person. Would a diagram of the room help? I have one in a previous thread i'll dig out and attach.

Cheers,

Adam
 
Dan,

Room Layout as promised. Should state this shows the chimney breast and seperate floor mount speakers, but I am now having a false wall built to centre the TV on the wall and incorporate the in wall speakers.

Also I have purchased a Yamaha Aventage RXA3060 AV Receiver.

Cheers,

Adam
 

Attachments

  • Room Layout.JPG
    Room Layout.JPG
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Hi Dan,

Thanks for the reply - I'm South of Birmingham so its quite a drive, but if you have exactly this setup then I would be willing to drive up!

I understand the concerns about the rear speakers, I think we can discuss in person. Would a diagram of the room help? I have one in a previous thread i'll dig out and attach.

Cheers,

Adam
Hi,

If youre looking to invest in a good system its well worth a half day our to give piece of mind :smashin: The in-wall system we have here uses 5.x.4 speakers, but we can also configure upto a 7.x.4 system if required. We do also have pretty much everything in stock as well which is great for when youre ready to pull the trigger.

In that diagram it looks as though the main listening sofa is right against a back wall. Is the TV on the chimney breast? I suspect what youre looking at here is a 5.1.2 system as trying to get more speakers in wont really yield any added benefits. This also releases some of your budget to improve other speakers in the system, and better speakers are preferable over more speakers.
 
Hi,

If youre looking to invest in a good system its well worth a half day our to give piece of mind :smashin: The in-wall system we have here uses 5.x.4 speakers, but we can also configure upto a 7.x.4 system if required. We do also have pretty much everything in stock as well which is great for when youre ready to pull the trigger.

In that diagram it looks as though the main listening sofa is right against a back wall. Is the TV on the chimney breast? I suspect what youre looking at here is a 5.1.2 system as trying to get more speakers in wont really yield any added benefits. This also releases some of your budget to improve other speakers in the system, and better speakers are preferable over more speakers.

Hi,

Yes you're correct, the sofa is about 30 to 45cm away from the rear wall, that's the biggest issue I have really - do you think 5.1.2 is best with this room layout then?

I'd really like to hear the exact setup I want to buy, using the av receiver I have or as near as possible so I'm really listening to what I'm getting. I liked the b&w cinema 7 in wall speakers, but I remember listening to the monitor audio bronze range and I really enjoyed them more, but obviously in wall are going to sound different again.

I'm super busy at work until December but have some leave then, could we discuss via pm and sort a date out and exact speakers and layout for the audition?

Cheers,

Adam
 
Hi,

Yes you're correct, the sofa is about 30 to 45cm away from the rear wall, that's the biggest issue I have really - do you think 5.1.2 is best with this room layout then?

I'd really like to hear the exact setup I want to buy, using the av receiver I have or as near as possible so I'm really listening to what I'm getting. I liked the b&w cinema 7 in wall speakers, but I remember listening to the monitor audio bronze range and I really enjoyed them more, but obviously in wall are going to sound different again.

I'm super busy at work until December but have some leave then, could we discuss via pm and sort a date out and exact speakers and layout for the audition?

Cheers,

Adam
Hi,

Yes just drop us a PM and we can work out a suitable time for you to visit :smashin:
 
When you demo, listen to 5.x.2 and 5.x.4, as four atmos speakers would also work in that sized room.
 
When you demo, listen to 5.x.2 and 5.x.4, as four atmos speakers would also work in that sized room.

Thanks, will do. I am having the ceiling replaced and double skinned, so do you think i'd be OK with the Monitor Audio CP-CT380 IDC for the atmos speakers?

I'm just compiling my "ideal" setup now and I'm thinking:

Monitor Audio CP-IW460X - (L/C/R)
Monitor Audio W380-IDC - (Surrounds, mounted in side walls)
Monitor Audio CP-CT380 IDC - (In Ceiling - Atmos - 2 or 4)

Sub TBC (MA Gold or SVS I think). This would give me a discrete, high end 5.1.2 or 5.1.4 setup.

I need to get out of my head that I "need" 7.1.2 or 7.1.4 - I can't help the feeling that i'll be missing something without having the extra 2 rear surround speakers, but I know in reality they will be doing very little and with my sofa only 30cm from the wall, they are not practical.

Cheers,

Adam
 
Hi Adam. They will be totally fine for atmos.....if anything more substantial than required.

I personally think 7 on the base would be a waste as im in a similar situation with sofa placement. I have my surrounds on my back wall as not possible to place left and right.

You will gain more by adding 2 to atmos than you will by adding them to the base layer.

As for subs i would say MA are overpriced for what they do. Although that's only my opinion.

Other subs to look at are the Arendal Sound range, The XTZ range, MK sound range and the PSA range. All of the above provide different levels to suit the application.
 
Slight problem, I've just cut a hole in the plasterboard on the side walls and there is only 25mm of space, not enough to for any install speakers...

I am wondering if I could go for the monitor audio gold FX would work on the side walls instead?
 
Slight problem, I've just cut a hole in the plasterboard on the side walls and there is only 25mm of space, not enough to for any install speakers...

I am wondering if I could go for the monitor audio gold FX would work on the side walls instead?
They would, and so would the silver fx
 

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