Question Rears/atmos speakers to match Kef Reference + speaker placement

[fulllupo]

Hi all,

I moved home at the start of the year into a barn conversion and unsurprisingly the room shape has caused some challenges.

I currently have some Kef reference 205/2 mains and 202/2 centre, with some temporary monitor audio radius 225 rears that need replacing. The mains are powered by a 2 channel Gato power amp, with the centre and rears powered by an Arcam avr850.

So what I am looking to do is upgrade the rears to better compliment the fronts, and install 2 overhead speakers as they can be run off the Arcam giving a 5.1.2 setup. The options I am considering so far for the rears are:

Kef reference 201/2
Kef ls50
Kef r100
M&k s150t

I will also need to consider the atmos speakers, and I was thinking along the lines of the Kef Ci200qr or mk iw95's depend on how important timbre matching will be.

I have limited funds at present so will likely just look out for something in the classifieds and upgrade as and when.

I will attach some pictures so you can see the rear shape of the room, but the walls have beams and also rear right is in an alcove close to the brick of the fireplace. The sofa is also against the wall.

I know for atmos dolby consider it generally better to get direct firing speakers for the rear, but they will be quite close to the sofa so maybe distracting. My original plan was the mk s150 tripoles, but are the beams and the alcove going to cause problems for the defuse sound of the sideways firing speakers?

How important is timbre matching between front and rears...and also rears and overhead speakers?

Finally placement; I traditionally corner mount my rear speakers, but should I consider mounting them higher on the rear wall or is this again going to be too close to sofa or the atmos heights?

Thoughts and advice appreciated.

Oh and I am currrntly waiting on a new av unit and coffee table so please excuse current poor set up! Tv will also be replaced with a 65" oled but that's next years problem!

Thanks

Paul

 

[fulllupo]

Any thoughts will be appreciated? Thanks

 

[Vila]

For Atmos your rear speakers should be 'just' above ear height not mounted high.


Perhaps you could find a friendly dealer that could loan you some speakers to try in the environment?

It would seem logical that if you could get the Kef reference 201/2 either side of your sofa on stands that would be the best match for the rest of your system. But its difficult to tell if they would fit in the space

Many users are big fans of tripole / dipole speakers when they have to be mounted close to the rear wall so that might be worth investigating the M&K's or even KEF R800DS

 

[fulllupo]

Hi Vila,

Thanks for your advice. I had considered the matching Kef 206/2DS so they all match in, but they are expensive and seemingly hard to come by as they are not made anymore. Maybe the r800ds would be something to consider.

It's difficult to know whether tripole/dipole speakers will work in my environment without trying out, but then equally I will likely buy second hand on the classifieds or similar for budget reasons, and being very British wouldn't want to waste a dealers time if I don't intend to buy from them! The odd set of mks150t 's come up in the classifieds and I'm tempted to take a punt as I've only years good things. Just whether they will match in with the Kef's sonically?

Maybe finding a dealer with some used ones to try might be the answer. Trouble is they are unlikely to have many of my suggested options available at one time second hand.

Anyway, food for thought, thanks for your input.

Regards

Paul