The ask Tin about audio thread

Goal:

Looking for some in wall or wall mount speakers (floor standing isnt an option with 2 small kids) for my living room. Its a large room with 20ft ceilings and ideally the speakers would go on each side of the wall mounted plasma.

Looking to spend $800-$1200 for a pair and I want them to kick ass. Then a good amp to power them; would be cool to have a mcintosh on one of the shelves to display; only plan on keeping it 2 channel as I have a theater room for overkill. This would be for music/entertaining. 2K or less for everything?

Here is pic for reference. That is a 60" Plasma.

Installation/wiring isnt an issue.

speakers.jpg
 
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2L8IWIN said:
Goal:

Looking for some in wall or wall mount speakers (floor standing isnt an option with 2 small kids) for my living room. Its a large room with 20ft ceilings and ideally the speakers would go on each side of the wall mounted plasma.

Looking to spend $800-$1200 for a pair and I want them to kick ass. Then a good amp to power them; would be cool to have a mcintosh on one of the shelves to display; only plan on keeping it 2 channel as I have a theater room for overkill. This would be for music/entertaining. 2K or less for everything?

Here is pic for reference. That is a 60" Plasma.

Installation/wiring isnt an issue.

speakers.jpg
Click to expand...


Disclaimer.... what I know compared to tin you could hold in the eye of a needle... with that being said.

I think these guys make sweet stuff, a few differe price ranges

http://www.definitivetech.com/products/on-wall-shelf-stand-speakers/.
 
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Definitive Tech makes some good ones...as do Klipsch and B&W. Im pretty sure YLWFVR has some B&W in-wall speakers, you might want to ask his impressions of them. The only problem I can see with in-wall speakers would be bass response. Typically, in-wall speakers will have much smaller cabinets, and the only way to get bass out of a small cabinet is with inefficient drivers. Not that inefficient drivers arent good, they just need much more power to get rocking. If you want to find out how loud any given speaker will be, theres a simple formula you can calculate: x + 10log(y) = maximum SPL, where x equals speaker sensitivity in dB 1W/m and y equals maximum amplifier power. For instance, we will take my Electro Voice coaxials, which are 100dB 1W/m (1W will make 100dB of sound from 1m away, as loud as a jackhammer), with my amplifier, which is 4W max output. 100 + 10log(4) = 106dB total SPL. Efficiency plays a big part in how much power you need. Your typical soft dome tweeter/carbon woofer speaker will usually measure about 87dB 1W/m, which isnt very efficient. Calculating the forumla above, youll see that 100W are needed to provide the output the higher efficiency speaker attains with 4W of input power.
 
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Definitely need a powered sub, they only go to 65hz on the low end, so youll need something to fill in the bottom octave. See if B&W make an in-wall sub to compliment those.
 
2L8IWIN said:
was looking at these...

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers/Theatre_Solutions/FPM_VM_Series/FPM6.html

but i'll need a powered sub to go with them eh?
Click to expand...

FYI - I had the exact same need in 2010. My top 2 contenders were the B&W FPM and the Monitor Audio Radius HDs. After auditioning both sets of speakers several times at several different stores, I went with the MA's. Two years later, I have no regrets. Everyone's ears are unique, and what sounds good to you may sound terrible to others - very subjective. Both are certainly good speakers, but also different sounding at the same time. (MAs were less expensive too, but price wasn't a decision factor.)

I have 3 of the 250HDs around a Samsung 55" LED TV that is wall mounted, with the speakers placed much tighter to the TV than as shown below... but same idea.

MONITOR_AUDIO_Radius_225_HD.jpg

You'll definitely want a sub. You could go with the "matched" sub. I went with one of these (overkill). :)

ui2ikd0d82281a4viewattth12e17272688.jpg
 
2L8IWIN said:
Then a good amp to power them; would be cool to have a mcintosh on one of the shelves to display; only plan on keeping it 2 channel as I have a theater room for overkill. This would be for music/entertaining. 2K or less for everything?
Click to expand...

If youre looking at 2 channel only, Id stay away from the big box stores, they dont carry any good 2 channel gear. In your price range, Id be looking at something from NAD, Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Emotiva, or Rega. You might also be able to find a reasonably priced tube amplifier to power the B&Ws as well. Jolida makes awesome tube amplifiers that dont break the bank. If you can solder, there are nice kits available as well. Dont be scared to shop used, thats where the best deals are had, your money will go much further. Since those B&Ws are rated at 88dB 1W/m, look for something in the 100W+ category.
 
Tin said:
If youre looking at 2 channel only, Id stay away from the big box stores, they dont carry any good 2 channel gear. In your price range, Id be looking at something from NAD, Cambridge Audio, Marantz, Emotiva, or Rega. You might also be able to find a reasonably priced tube amplifier to power the B&Ws as well. Jolida makes awesome tube amplifiers that dont break the bank. If you can solder, there are nice kits available as well. Dont be scared to shop used, thats where the best deals are had, your money will go much further. Since those B&Ws are rated at 88dB 1W/m, look for something in the 100W+ category.
Click to expand...


X2 on used... people that buy that kinda thing usually dont mistreat it.
 
I listen to music when I go to bed at night. Instead of headphones or a clock radio I was wondering if I could make some sort of custom deal with one of these

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MUSE-AT-HA2..._Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item5d3989aa48

and maybe 2 of these mounted to the headboard? Even if I have to build a small box for them..

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=295-378

What would I have to get to be able to drive what speaker? Do you see where Im going with this question? lol I was thinking it would be slick to be able to have 2 speakers on my headboard I could just listen to music on my phone at night with.
 
Are you planning on putting them speakers in a box? You can always cut a couple of holes in your headboard, but youd need a driver suitable for open baffle. These Mark Audio CHR-70s sound great in about a 7L sealed cabinet. You wont get tons of bass, but the mids and highs are great. http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...audio-chr-70-brushed-metal-cone-4-full-range/ There are plenty of cabinet plans for the MA drivers. The golden ratio ported cabs are very nice too, and produce usable bass into the 40Hz region. They match up well with T-amps too.
 
Tin said:
Are you planning on putting them speakers in a box? You can always cut a couple of holes in your headboard, but youd need a driver suitable for open baffle. These Mark Audio CHR-70s sound great in about a 7L sealed cabinet. You wont get tons of bass, but the mids and highs are great. http://www.madisoundspeakerstore.co...audio-chr-70-brushed-metal-cone-4-full-range/ There are plenty of cabinet plans for the MA drivers. The golden ratio ported cabs are very nice too, and produce usable bass into the 40Hz region. They match up well with T-amps too.
Click to expand...

Yes in a cab, My headboard is like 3 inches thick, lol. I just wanted to keep stuff small and simple.
 
Id stick em at the foot of the bed, then youll get the proper on-axis response, and a great stereo image. Just a thought :)
 
Picked up a set of these in walls. Should be here Friday.

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers/Custom_Installation/CI_Series/CWM7.3.html

They are 4 ohm. I need a good amp to power them. The Pioneer Elite i was looking at was 8 ohm and although its THX2 Select and is suppose to be able to power the 2 front channels @ 4ohm It isnt "supported by pioneer"

I'll only ever use this in a 3.1 setup (the two front CWM 7.3 and a powered amp). But I would like all my devices to pass through it [3-4 HDMI input]).

Perhaps just an inexpensive 7.1 AVR coupled with this

http://shop.emotiva.com/collections/amplifiers/products/xpa200

and then a matching powered sub for the speakers.
 
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