New House, time to reconsider the rig - 7.1 or new speakers...

robdrums2097

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Hi all,
It's been a while, but basically, I am moving in a couple of months and am going to be blessed with a bigger (not huge) lounge. I will still, sadly, have neighbours the other side of the wall, but they are old and hopefully a bit deaf / tolerant. ;-)
So, naturally, whilst my wife is busying herself with all the mundane, essential things, and telling me what we HAVE to buy (dishwashers, fridges, carpet etc.), I am of course far more excited by the potential my new lounge affords me.
The new room is carpeted, and about 4.5m deep x 4.3m wide. It is a nice square, and I should be able to set things up fairly centrally and optimally. Front speakers might end up further apart than I might like owing to the pesky door being right where the left floorstander should go. But we'll work it out. :p
Anyway, my current setup is this. In places a bit mixed, but does the job nicely for me. I use it probably 80% for music, 20% for TV, movies and games.
· Cambridge Audio 650R 7.1 receiver
· CA Dacmagic Plus
· Mordaunt-Short 914 front floorstanders, bi-amped into the 650R’s spare rear channels (I know, probably a waste of time, but I did it as I have been running 5.1 only)
· MS 905C centre
· MS Alumni 2 surround speakers
· Paradigm PDR-10 100w active sub
· Dell PC for music (SPDIF into the DacMagic, running WAV music as much as possible from iTunes)
· 40" Samsung 1080P TV, wall mounted (this is already planned for replacement with a 65" 4k TV, but I am biding my time here for prices to come down, content to appear and the technology to settle)
· A normal Samsung 3D Blu-Ray player that I use as a CD transport and movie player
· Xbox 360 (both this and the PC will become a more serious PC at some point. Balls to the current consoles.)
So, my shopping list is as follows:
1) New TV (definite, but not yet)
2) New PC (not yet)
3) New BD player when 4k comes out. Again, no hurry as all the digital to analogue is done in the DM+ or the receiver
4) Maybe another set of Alumni 2s to create a 7.1 setup – but I don’t think the room is big enough, and I will struggle to get the rears 5 foot behind me as recommended by THX. Worth it? A lot of my films have it, and I have never experienced (home) 7.1 before
5) New front speakers. As music is my main use for the system, I would love to get a richer, deeper, fuller and more powerful sound. Music styles is literally everything from classical to dance to classic rock to pop to extreme death metal (no joke), so I would expect versatility and an exceptional musical sound. It would also be important that they are usable at very low volumes and for TV.
I think the amp is doing good work. I am happy with the sound and power there, but can’t help feeling that although the 914 fronts are great speakers, they sometimes lack the presence and depth that I really crave. I know that more drivers doesn’t equal more power as such, and my room is not huge, but I was brought up on big drivers. My Dad had this legendary set of sealed Wharfedale 3 way speakers with 12” woofers, and I love that depth. They’re still in his loft, but are rated at 25W and are HUGE. The wife would have a fit. Also, my best chance of having this “authorised” is if the speakers are white (see below proposal)!
I do not run the sub for music, I run the amp in Analog Stereo Direct. For front speakers I am considering:
· Cheap option – bigger Mordaunt Short floorstanders, so they still match the centre and (kind of) the rears. Either the 916i (same as my current ones, but twin 6.5” drivers - http://www.best-buy.gr/files/916ispecsheet.pdf) or the 908 (2x 5.25” plus a side-mounted 8” sub). Not sure either of these would represent the significant jump from my current (beloved) Mordaunt-Short 914s. I am tempted by the 908s as my centre has 2x 5.25” drivers, so perhaps would be a better match, and they can be had second hand for about £250. I assume the sub is passive on the side? Space ‘in front’ of the subs would not be an issue if they fire inwards (as I think they are supposed to) http://www.supersonido.es/productos/documentos/Documento149.pdf
· KEF Q700 – guessing the 900s would be far too big. Or would they?
· B&W 683 or 684 S2 floorstanders. I suppose I would really want to upgrade my centre speaker at the same time if I bought either of these?
I would struggle to space them more than a few inches from the wall, and at least one speaker may end up in a corner. They are likely to be spaced about 3-3.5m apart.
a) Would it be a (really) bad idea to mismatch front speakers with the centre and/or surrounds?
b) Are the speakers above just too big for my room?
c) Are the speakers above far too big for my sub?
d) Would such speakers benefit from retaining the bi-amped, 5.1 setup, or would 7.1 change my life enough? Or is it a waste of time unless the rear speakers can go significantly further back behind me? There is likely to be about 0.75m clearance between sofa and back wall. Is it imperative that the side surrounds are above and to the side of the listeners, and definitely not slightly in front?
Thanks for reading, and in advance for any thoughts and opinions.
Cheers
Rob
 
Ok, so maybe all that was a bit long-winded & too many questions!

Simpler one, then, as there's already some change:

1) My surround speakers are now Alumni 8s.
2) I'm thinking perhaps of instead changing the front & centre to an Aviano 8 & 5 combo. My budget can't really stretch to Mezzos as i would really like. Though I do want kicking bass as that's what i feel is most lacking.
3) Now my rears are definitely staying as M-S, but bigger, I think I'll keep that synergy all round. Is the 650R considered a bright amp & therefore M-S Avianos may be too intense & harsh for my predominant music usage, even compared to the 914s?
4) Could I benefit from upgrading my paradigm PDR-10 to an Aviano 9 (12")? Or is, really, a sub a sub?

Thanks

Rob
 

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