Mixing LS50 meta with B&W HTM6 S2 centre

WiseNormsk

Established Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2021
Messages
58
Reaction score
8
Points
14
Age
34
Location
London
Hi all,

Hoping someone can confirm/dissuade me from something!

At our new flat, we currently have a pair of ls50 metas. These were picked because 1. they sound amazing 2. my partner thinks they look great (very important!).

In searching for a centre, I'm constrained by the media unit that has been purchased. While a white R2C was the original plan and could sit on top of the unit (TV is due to be wall mounted soon), the partner wants a centre that will fit inside the shelf of the unit.

Other option was a KEF in-wall ci4100ql for the centre, but we are too concerned about noise travelling to downstairs neighbors to pull trigger on that option.

The only speaker I can find that would fit the bill (just) is the B&W HTM6 Anniversary.

I'm aware that mixing brands across the front is not ideal - can someone give me a view on how bad this might sound?

For ref, the speakers are currently running off a fairly basic denon x2700 receiver. Mid term plans are to upgrade the receiver and then look at an integrated amp for the LS50s (tempted by the Lyndorf TDAI1120).

Surrounds and sub will be the next challenge - the surrounds will need to be super low profile (Kef t101, CA Minx type profile) but I'm not tackling that one just yet!

Thanks!
 
Quite risky move and well that B&W isn´t really on same level with the LS50 Meta. :) I would rather buy Kef Q150 or used R100 and place it horizontally inside the unit while blocking the rear port. The coaxial driver benefit is you can turn it horizontally, that´s why you see LS50 used as centre. Really shame you can´t buy one of that and have it on top of the unit like below.

22bcb057-fb0c-452e-97ac-992798f9797c-jpeg.1405348

If you can have good space for the Ci4100QL then that would be better choice. Just buy the backbox for it if fearing the sound leakage. Mount the tv as high as comfortable still so you get the center channel (one of the most active speaker in your movie system) to optimal height!

T101 should be good call for surrounds if wife is giving you hard time.

Subwoofer(s) from Bk, Svs, Arendal, Xtz and Rel to name few that has something other than ugly black box and of course they have the expertise of building woofers. Then depending of your total room size, listening habits/requirements etc. there is many models to look for..
 
Quite risky move and well that B&W isn´t really on same level with the LS50 Meta. :) I would rather buy Kef Q150 or used R100 and place it horizontally inside the unit while blocking the rear port. The coaxial driver benefit is you can turn it horizontally, that´s why you see LS50 used as centre. Really shame you can´t buy one of that and have it on top of the unit like below.

22bcb057-fb0c-452e-97ac-992798f9797c-jpeg.1405348

If you can have good space for the Ci4100QL then that would be better choice. Just buy the backbox for it if fearing the sound leakage. Mount the tv as high as comfortable still so you get the center channel (one of the most active speaker in your movie system) to optimal height!

T101 should be good call for surrounds if wife is giving you hard time.

Subwoofer(s) from Bk, Svs, Arendal, Xtz and Rel to name few that has something other than ugly black box and of course they have the expertise of building woofers. Then depending of your total room size, listening habits/requirements etc. there is many models to look for..

Appreciate the advice! Was afraid to hear so but not surprised.

I had toyed with the idea of a third meta on top of the unit but (and i might be in the minority here) there is something about the look of them that i think a third actually takes away from the how good the they look as a pair. I quite like a centre that disappears below the screen, and the lovely copper shiny does not do that!

Ignoring looks, is a r2c going to pair well?
 
The R2C, or the old R200C would be a better fit certainly. Both are big units mind you. Here's a photo of my R200C to give you an idea and that's a 65'' OLED on top of it.

169014423.3oX2AMVS._DSC4302.jpg
 
Ah that’s a really useful size comparison.

I’m hoping I can convince that the space is big enough that an r2c won’t look to big if on top of the media unit. It’ll be 40cm high so 57.5cm to top of speaker if we do go that way.

for ref this is the space. That’s not the tv unit we will be using, new arrives next week. tv to be mounted on wall (not too high, bottom problem just before the lip of the built in cabinets either side).
 

Attachments

  • EC8B432A-28B0-49F9-AF22-CC53A8037FC4.jpeg
    EC8B432A-28B0-49F9-AF22-CC53A8037FC4.jpeg
    283.7 KB · Views: 104
Ah that’s a really useful size comparison.

I’m hoping I can convince that the space is big enough that an r2c won’t look to big if on top of the media unit. It’ll be 40cm high so 57.5cm to top of speaker if we do go that way.

for ref this is the space. That’s not the tv unit we will be using, new arrives next week. tv to be mounted on wall (not too high, bottom problem just before the lip of the built in cabinets either side).

Would wife let you buy some isolation soft pads (white) or at least some gel pads under the Metas (decoupling) and bring them forward of the units? Looking back lot of people felt the LS50s sounded best pushed 30-50cm forward from walls. Shame the room doesn´t allow stands, but perhaps you could make those small changes.

Bad_vs_Good_grande.png
 
Would wife let you buy some isolation soft pads (white) or at least some gel pads under the Metas (decoupling) and bring them forward of the units? Looking back lot of people felt the LS50s sounded best pushed 30-50cm forward from walls. Shame the room doesn´t allow stands, but perhaps you could make those small changes.

Bad_vs_Good_grande.png
So the rubber feet that came with them are on there, and yeah isopads should be fine.

Re: bringing forward - I’m still playing around but weirdly they actually sound fuller placed there - further back than I was expecting. Started much more forward and was a bit underwhelmed - thankfully she’s not that strict!! But gonna keep playing around.

stands would’ve been ideal but yeah they’d eat a lot of space and tbh we quite like how clean it looks on the cabinets.

edit: I should add that all the random stuff on the shelves is temporary - we are still mid organising!
 
Appreciate the advice! Was afraid to hear so but not surprised.

I had toyed with the idea of a third meta on top of the unit but (and i might be in the minority here) there is something about the look of them that i think a third actually takes away from the how good the they look as a pair. I quite like a centre that disappears below the screen, and the lovely copper shiny does not do that!

Ignoring looks, is a r2c going to pair well?
5369792E-CB30-4EE6-9730-FCCADE97F85A.jpeg

That pic above is actually from my den and it has evolved now to what you see above, having the 3 drivers aligned is more aesthetically pleasing and also more cohesive as a sound stage. If you can get a single Meta (mine was from Peter Tyson @£500) then I can highly recommend
 
View attachment 1514198
That pic above is actually from my den and it has evolved now to what you see above, having the 3 drivers aligned is more aesthetically pleasing and also more cohesive as a sound stage. If you can get a single Meta (mine was from Peter Tyson @£500) then I can highly recommend
In the same situation as the OP... Did you ask Peter Tyson to split a pack of two or did they just happen to a have a single unit laying around?
 
In the same situation as the OP... Did you ask Peter Tyson to split a pack of two or did they just happen to a have a single unit laying around?
I asked, they used to do it with the original LS50 as an advertised thing. I had bought from them before so not sure if that had an influence or not. They were extremely helpful. No harm in asking, shy kids don’t get sweets
 
You should definitely try and get a pack split so you can buy a single, my brother in law has three LS50s and you really REALLY want to keep the tonal balance across the fronts. Also, there is one MASSIVE thing you absolutely have to do with your set-up, where you are. That's wall mount that TV. The difference is enormous. Not being anchored to a unit by some sort of physical connection (a stand) the screen literally becomes part of the room. It is incredibly impactful how much better it looks. It also means you can do whatever you want below it without anything like as much aesthetic impact. Try try try to get the cables chased into the walls, filled over, sanded and painted. If you install a trunking (rectangular plastic conduit) into the wall you should be able to pull a new cable up if you need to. Basically you need power for the TV and anything you want always on behind the TV, potentially, Ethernet, Aerial, HDMI and anything returning from TV to amp. Don't run the cable in a stick on plastic trunk surface mounted if you can avoid it. They look so terrible. (Unless of course, you're renting in which case this whole pitch is a moot point). But if you can wall mount, do it, you'll never regret it. And defo get a third LS50 Meta. Even if you have to buy a pair and sell on one of them to someone else who wants a third. Peter T did a good deal for my brother in law. They seem reasonable. As you said, if you don't ask you don't get. Good luck!
 
Peter Tyson told me earlier this week that they’d sell me a single LS50.
 
@Spick72 What amp are you using with your LS50s ?
Musical Fidelity M2Si for the front L and R and a Denon X3600h for the rest. I don’t use the Denon’s pre amp when listening to music as to my ears it’s not quite as good sounding as the M2Si on its own. Close though
 

The latest video from AVForums

Is 4K Blu-ray Worth It?
Subscribe to our YouTube channel
Back
Top Bottom