Centralised AV Receivers?

[Waring192]

Just wondering what everyones suggestion or client request regarding the location of AV receivers for Videos zones with 5.1, 5.2.4, 7.1? 

Do most installs have the receivers rack mounted with speaker cabling routed to the various locations of the speaker location. Or is the video/audio distributed to the zone and HDMI fed into the AV receiver locally and speaker cable laid from there?

 

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[mstafford388]

We almost always put them in the rack. 

[Cyknight]

Lots of local sources (ie game systems)? Local A/V receiver with feed from central sources from rack.

Otherwise central

[Crustyloafer]

We typically put all in the rack.Standard config is

4x4 HDBaseT Matrix with all sources connected to it.

HDBaseT outputs to 4 video zones including including AVR zone.

Mirrored HDMI output from HDBaseT matrix fed into AVR in rack for audio feed from selected sources.

Blustream CAT100AU for audio return from TV to AVR when viewing terrestrial TV channels and built-in apps on TV

Audio output from Triad audio matrix into AVR so is part of C4 multi-room audio system

 

 

[Waring192]

Thanks!

[Control4Savant]

15 minutes ago, diwit said:

I am building a house and the builder is installing 5 CDT-3650 II speakers & R-8SQ for a 5.1 channel surround sound (no choices there). I am looking to buy a receiver to work well with these speakers and provide the appropriate amount of power and read up on the topic, but wanted to confirm my findings. Would these speakers work well with a Denon AVRS530BT?

In this price range to be frank it doesnt matter. Not only is the internal processing generic but the very small power supply for the unit will be pulling multiple duties and even at $1000 this can cause issues more normally in signal clarity which gets substituted as distortion. 

[Crustyloafer]

1. Why is the builder installing in-ceiling speakers for the LCR channels? They should be in the wall pointing towards the listening position and not in the ceiling pointing at the floor away from the seating position, it will sound terrible and being so far off-axis from the speakers will result in a significant loss of high frequency detail.

2. In-ceiling surround channels is acceptable in some circumstances so as long as they are positioned correctly relative to the seating position they will be ok.

3. For a good quality 5.1 channel AVR I would look no further than the Anthem MRX540 or NAD T758 V3i. Both of these have superb quality amplification and a vey effective room correction software too.

[Amr]

3 hours ago, diwit said:

I am building a house and the builder is installing 5 CDT-3650 II speakers & R-8SQ for a 5.1 channel surround sound (no choices there). I am looking to buy a receiver to work well with these speakers and provide the appropriate amount of power and read up on the topic, but wanted to confirm my findings. Would these speakers work well with a Denon AVRS530BT?

It depends about a lot of factors, placement, equipment attached, area, purpose, etc.

Placing the speakers in-ceiling if it’s the only way will work as intended but u need a sub to complement it.

This receiver is not at the high end and does not support Dolby Atmos for example, but do u want Atmos?

I have an open area Theater at my main home 5 Polkaudio speakers and a sub are providing the 5.1 and is driven by a Sony Receiver and it’s just fine for me, so it depends as I said

[Control4Savant]

We’re talking about generic branded speakers at this price point. There is very little proprietary design in most Klipsch lines but speakers at $100 per will not offer any real difference in any brand. While Inceiling isnt ideal for the fronts, a lot have pivoting drivers and tweeters to help direct sound. Theres really nothing about this system that sounds performance driven so their location is really ok along with a budget AVR. 

Both Anthem and NAD make top notch gear but I wouldnt suggest spending $2k just on an AVR. You are paying unnecessarily for features and missing out on a larger amp and separate power supplies. I wouldnt suggest that for a home theater install of mine until you get into a more substantial (5.1.4, 7.1.2, 9.1.6 etc..) design and a more substantial budget were the channels and more expensive internals matter. Then, theres really only one option until you get to high dollar stuff (5k+). A Denon 3700 or 4700 (depending on channel amount needed) and a ch/5ch or 7ch amp, usually Emotiva. This allows any AVR of any budget the power to work on processing and juice the much less power hungry or active surround sounds. Most of the AVR WPC numbers you read are situationally fabricated or specific to a few channels only for marketing.in all circumstances of performance surround sound you will need a separate unit for at least your front 3. The difference is night and day. You can damage speakers and ruin sound by having them underpowered but you wont blow up speakers with too many watts. 

 

7 hours ago, Amr said:

It depends about a lot of factors, placement, equipment attached, area, purpose, etc.

Placing the speakers in-ceiling if it’s the only way will work as intended but u need a sub to complement it.

This receiver is not at the high end and does not support Dolby Atmos for example, but do u want Atmos?

I have an open area Theater at my main home 5 Polkaudio speakers and a sub are providing the 5.1 and is driven by a Sony Receiver and it’s just fine for me, so it depends as I said

A sub is important to a surround sound system in general… even a 2.1. Nothing to do with being inwall, inceiling, or free standing so your comment is puzzling… 

If he has a 5.1 Atmos does not exist and is irrelevant… and even if he had more speaker the point of DATMOS, DTSXPRO or Auro3D  is having 2 sound planes (listening level and overhead) to create an immersive bubble. The most basic way to achieve that is a 5.1.2 ( 7.1 is fake since surround backs are really just an extension of the surrounds just as heights are an extension of the front L/Rs). 

 

[Amr]

Actually the OP posted the same question over Klipsch forums, one of the answers was:

If you're going Denon,  I wouldn't do anything less than the X2300.

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrx2300w/denon-avr-x2300w-7.2-ch-x-95-watts-networking-a/v-receiver/1.html

The S series just isn't worth the money! HYG

[Amr]

5 hours ago, Control4Savant said:

your comment is puzzling… 

He is getting a sub already, anyways, in most US homes I visited all are placing the speakers in-ceiling! May be these are old builds!?

[Control4Savant]

20 hours ago, Amr said:

He is getting a sub already, anyways, in most US homes I visited all are placing the speakers in-ceiling! May be these are old builds!?

Not sure… are these home theaters or just general media spaces you are usually visiting? Aesthetically, if you are not working inside of a dedicated space speaker design is different.  People generally dont prefer the look of wall speakers which may or may not also impact the room decor in a general space like a family room… most ceilings are white and may already have existing circles from lighting etc. so visually its most out of the way. Most distributed/zone audio systems are ceiling designs which would be correct. 

Im still not understanding to correlation between inceiling and a sub channel, there shouldn’t be any.… but maybe I am just miss understanding

[Amr]

8 minutes ago, Control4Savant said:

Not sure… are these home theaters or just general media spaces you are usually visiting? Aesthetically, if you are not working inside of a dedicated space speaker design is different.  People generally dont prefer the look of wall speakers which may or may not also impact the room decor in a general space like a family room… most ceilings are white and may already have existing circles from lighting etc. so visually its most out of the way. Most distributed/zone audio systems are ceiling designs which would be correct. 

Im still not understanding to correlation between inceiling and a sub channel, there shouldn’t be any.… but maybe I am just miss understanding

In a Family Room or an open area where zone speakers are installed, adding a center speaker and a sub enhances the experience along with a good receiver and it’s much better than a Soundbar, this is the idea.  Dedicated theaters is a totally different story.

[Control4Savant]

38 minutes ago, Amr said:

In a Family Room or an open area where zone speakers are installed, adding a center speaker and a sub enhances the experience along with a good receiver and it’s much better than a Soundbar, this is the idea.  Dedicated theaters is a totally different story.

A sub in the design has zero to do with speaker location

A soundbar is a front 3 or 5 all image level and plenty of quality brands make them so no, inceiling speakers would absolutely not be a better sounding solution

If performance is key, there are high end powered sound bars that would destroy these Klipsch speakers with any AVR at this price point… which again in almost all circumstances the AVR will be under powered impacting overall performance.  A Yamaha A6 AVR that is $2600 has a transformer 3x that Denon, has an amp thats 150 W (8 ohms, 0.06% THD) at 2 ch driven and goes dramatically down from there once you start adding channel after channel.  You can get a power 3/5 ch amp that 150wpc @ 8ohm or 200+wpc @ 4ohms (another limiter of most AVRs) for around $500.  

[Cyknight]

9 hours ago, Control4Savant said:

A soundbar is a front 3 or 5 all image level and plenty of quality brands make them so no, inceiling speakers would absolutely not be a better sounding solution

Or two channel.

In Ceilings CAN sound better than a soundbar. Saying that in ceiling will absolutely not be better is the same as saying a soundbar would absolutely not be better: both are wrong as it will depend on both the quality of the product you are comparing, as well as the overall setup.

On 1/28/2023 at 12:53 AM, Crustyloafer said:

1. Why is the builder installing in-ceiling speakers for the LCR channels? They should be in the wall pointing towards the listening position and not in the ceiling pointing at the floor away from the seating position, it will sound terrible and being so far off-axis from the speakers will result in a significant loss of high frequency detail

Design usually. Keep the walls clean and/or free for artwork. In the end most people want nice sound, and no clutter.

Note that I don't disagree that sound wise a proper wall (or, call me nuts, standing speaker) setup is better - but in reality, most people don't care (oh the shudders I get when people tell me 'yeah that sounds the way it's supposed to once it's on 7 ch stereo...)

On 1/28/2023 at 12:53 AM, Crustyloafer said:

3. For a good quality 5.1 channel AVR I would look no further than the Anthem MRX540 or NAD T758 V3i. Both of these have superb quality amplification and a vey effective room correction software too

While great receivers, I feel like the thread resurrection poster likely is not looking to go down that road - as per that thread, there's no influence on changing the wring, so he's looking at a basic 5.1 channel setup with some basic klipsch speakers.

On 1/27/2023 at 10:24 PM, diwit said:

Denon AVRS530BT

So yeah, if this is what you already have, I assume so as it's I think an older model, you'll be fine for the type of setup you're likely looking at.