My little entertainment area!

[Amundo]

Finally happy with what I have set up!

2 infinity composition 3
2 martin Logan motion 12
Some crap Klipsch center
2 boston acoustic rs260
Denon s900w
Reaction audio bps-215
Older svs clylindrcial sub still haven’t confirmed model.
PS4 Gold edition
Xbox one X
60 inch Vizio 4K Hdr, don’t know the model.
Starting to sound pretty decent, just need to toss that center for a matching infinity speaker.

‘Two smaller Klipsch bookshelf’s in front of the fender deluxes’ are the r-15ms. Taking those to the bedroom.’

 

[tripplej]

Very nice setup. Congrats!

 

[Amundo]

Very nice setup. Congrats!

Thank you! Been an expensive and fun time getting here lol.

 

[Todd Anderson]

Nice setup! Looks like you're super far along in your HT journey!

 

[Matthew J Poes]

Looks great.

I imagine a matching center will make a big difference. Any time you can get some good tonal matching across the front stage it's a good thing.

In the mean time you might try turning the center channel and doing a 4.1 system with phantom center. Many have found that to sound better. I even prefer that when the matching center isn't up to the level of the L and R speakers. Can't hurt to try.

 

[Amundo]

Nice setup! Looks like you're super far along in your HT journey!

Haha I’m kind of all over the place honesty. Just can’t stop the upgrade bug and keep finding decent deals online locally. It’s been fun playing around.

 

[Amundo]

Looks great.

I imagine a matching center will make a big difference. Any time you can get some good tonal matching across the front stage it's a good thing.

In the mean time you might try turning the center channel and doing a 4.1 system with phantom center. Many have found that to sound better. I even prefer that when the matching center isn't up to the level of the L and R speakers. Can't hurt to try.

I’m probably going to move all three Klipsch to the bedroom and get rid of the center like you said. Hopefully I can come across a used center somewhere. The klispch definitely doesn’t match.

 

[mechman]

Looks good!

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I’m probably going to move all three Klipsch to the bedroom and get rid of the center like you said. Hopefully I can come across a used center somewhere. The klispch definitely doesn’t match.

Yeah I think you have a great start. Finding good speakers used is a great way to build a nice media space for less money. Having all of the speakers (other than subwoofers) tonally match is good, but it is the front three that are most critical. The Klipsch speakers tend to have a sound unique to Klipsch. Some people love them and some do not. I'm not personally a huge fan. That unique sound does tend to make it so they would not blend with different brands all that well. Both of your towers are notably more refined that the Klipsch, with a smoother and more natural sound. They don't tend to cut through loud action and may not play as loud, which is why some folks prefer the Klipsch sound.

Since the Infinity is a little older, you might also look for a match to the Martin Logan's, it's possible the center will be easier to find. The Infinitys are great speakers, but I think they are about 10-15 years old, so it might be harder to find a matching center (then again, if you do find one, it might also be cheaper).

Have you checked out REW yet? That is probably the single biggest upgrade you can make. Smoothing out the bass tends to have a dramatic effect even at other frequencies not addressed, as well as help you discover previously unknown problems. While REW won't actually change your system, it can arm you with information you can use to dramatically improve the response and thus sound. My article on SBIR covers how just moving a subwoofer around can improve the response quite dramatically.

 

[Asere]

Nice setup

 

[ddude003]

It looks like you are off to a good start... I agree with Matthew... In short, in a Home Theatre the Center Channel is the most important. Using REW to tune your speakers to your room can make a very big difference... It looks like you may be a little short on space but try pulling those floor standers out from the rear wall a foot or so and see if you can hear a positive difference...

 

[Travis Ballstadt]

What are you using the Fenders for?

 

[Todd Anderson]

What are you using the Fenders for?

I was wondering the same thing!

 

[Amundo]

Yeah I think you have a great start. Finding good speakers used is a great way to build a nice media space for less money. Having all of the speakers (other than subwoofers) tonally match is good, but it is the front three that are most critical. The Klipsch speakers tend to have a sound unique to Klipsch. Some people love them and some do not. I'm not personally a huge fan. That unique sound does tend to make it so they would not blend with different brands all that well. Both of your towers are notably more refined that the Klipsch, with a smoother and more natural sound. They don't tend to cut through loud action and may not play as loud, which is why some folks prefer the Klipsch sound.

Since the Infinity is a little older, you might also look for a match to the Martin Logan's, it's possible the center will be easier to find. The Infinitys are great speakers, but I think they are about 10-15 years old, so it might be harder to find a matching center (then again, if you do find one, it might also be cheaper).

Have you checked out REW yet? That is probably the single biggest upgrade you can make. Smoothing out the bass tends to have a dramatic effect even at other frequencies not addressed, as well as help you discover previously unknown problems. While REW won't actually change your system, it can arm you with information you can use to dramatically improve the response and thus sound. My article on SBIR covers how just moving a subwoofer around can improve the response quite dramatically.

I have a umik-1 which I will definitely be utilizing when I save back up for a new computer. Recently traded mine away for a steal.

I like the idea of finding a ML center.. would be so much easier to find one. Possible one new? Idk. But the infinity’s up front sound so good for being as old as they are, with music in 2 channel they are wonderful, no sub needed.. The motion 12s are definitely more crisp and the tweeter they utilize is insanely clear and easy to listen to.. but overall the infinity’s just continue to surprise me. So I don’t know what I’ll do haha, that’s the fun part.

 

[Amundo]

It looks like you are off to a good start... I agree with Matthew... In short, in a Home Theatre the Center Channel is the most important. Using REW to tune your speakers to your room can make a very big difference... It looks like you may be a little short on space but try pulling those floor standers out from the rear wall a foot or so and see if you can hear a positive difference...

I did what you said and pulled them about 6” further out. They are now about 14 inches from the back wall. I pointed them in slightly more also, with music the imaging and bass has noticeably changed!

 

[Amundo]

What are you using the Fenders for?

My roommate is a extremely talented musician. He builds, tinkers, plays, does it all with guitars, bass guitars, and amps. He’s been fun! He has his thing and I have my speakers. He appreciates them and uses them daily. I listen to him play daily, good trade off.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I have a umik-1 which I will definitely be utilizing when I save back up for a new computer. Recently traded mine away for a steal.

I like the idea of finding a ML center.. would be so much easier to find one. Possible one new? Idk. But the infinity’s up front sound so good for being as old as they are, with music in 2 channel they are wonderful, no sub needed.. The motion 12s are definitely more crisp and the tweeter they utilize is insanely clear and easy to listen to.. but overall the infinity’s just continue to surprise me. So I don’t know what I’ll do haha, that’s the fun part.

All sounds good. The plan you mention makes sense. Don't let me take away the fun of those Infinity's by any means, I am sure they are great and could be every bit as good as the ML's or even better. I only suggested the other option because it can be hard to find old out of production speakers and having a consistent match IS very important across the front.

I'll also mention that you are better off with no center than a bad quality or poorly matched center. Your speakers are good enough to likely have a very good and solid center image with no center channel. To me that is a much better compromise to make than a poorly matched and inferior quality center channel.

One more cautionary tail. Don't prioritize new audio equipment over other necessities. This hobby is fun, but if you aren't careful it will take you down an upgrade path that is very expensive and never ends. I have a good friend whose system is and would be the envy of nearly any enthusiast. He has four 21" ported subs up front and six 15" subs nearfield to the listening position. He has DIYSG Titan XL matched LCR's, Marantz receiver, ATMOS, etc. in a 7.2.4 system in a beautiful custom built dedicated theater. I saw and heard his system and was shocked at what he had achieved. When I then built my theater (which was inspired by his for sure) it lead me toward a path of unhappiness where nothing I had was good enough. I began looking at what I would upgrade, how I would make my theater better than it was, you name it. I finally had a good friend (also very into this stuff) stop me and give me a good pep talk on being happy with what I have. Putting this into life perspective, and remembering that all of this is luxury entertainment. It's too easy to see someone else who has better and want that, or to think you absolutely must have a certain level of gear or you are missing out. I promise you aren't missing out on anything. You already have a great setup. Sure upgrades will make it better, but try to keep all those upgrades in check. It's just too easy to go too far. Sometimes we need to step back, take a deep breath, and practice a little zen.

 

[Todd Anderson]

One more cautionary tail. Don't prioritize new audio equipment over other necessities. This hobby is fun, but if you aren't careful it will take you down an upgrade path that is very expensive and never ends. I have a good friend whose system is and would be the envy of nearly any enthusiast. He has four 21" ported subs up front and six 15" subs nearfield to the listening position. He has DIYSG Titan XL matched LCR's, Marantz receiver, ATMOS, etc. in a 7.2.4 system in a beautiful custom built dedicated theater. I saw and heard his system and was shocked at what he had achieved. When I then built my theater (which was inspired by his for sure) it lead me toward a path of unhappiness where nothing I had was good enough. I began looking at what I would upgrade, how I would make my theater better than it was, you name it. I finally had a good friend (also very into this stuff) stop me and give me a good pep talk on being happy with what I have. Putting this into life perspective, and remembering that all of this is luxury entertainment. It's too easy to see someone else who has better and want that, or to think you absolutely must have a certain level of gear or you are missing out. I promise you aren't missing out on anything. You already have a great setup. Sure upgrades will make it better, but try to keep all those upgrades in check. It's just too easy to go too far. Sometimes we need to step back, take a deep breath, and practice a little zen.

I think there's a ton of value in this paragraph. The fact is, any equipment with some thoughtful set up can introduce home theater magic. My very first "system" was literally an inexpensive satellite/sub home theater in a box system. I loved it. We had a ton of fun movie nights... my kids and their friends were wowed by it.

So, IMHO, you can do a lot within a set budget and have a ton of fun in the process.

 

[Amundo]

I feel for me to get any better I’d have to spend a significant amount more for marginal gains. I’ve just been lucky to find some decent stuff for good prices. I enjoyed piecing this system together and I’m defintiely happy! But I do feel you on the feeling that it could always be slightly better and the feeling what you have just isn’t good enough. I think I’ve finally gotten to a stopping point once I get a center channel for movies.

 

[Matthew J Poes]

I feel for me to get any better I’d have to spend a significant amount more for marginal gains. I’ve just been lucky to find some decent stuff for good prices. I enjoyed piecing this system together and I’m defintiely happy! But I do feel you on the feeling that it could always be slightly better and the feeling what you have just isn’t good enough. I think I’ve finally gotten to a stopping point once I get a center channel for movies.

Seems very reasonably. I love these forums and have been an avid user of them since the early 2000's (and in fact used BBS forums prior). What I don't like is that I think they can encourage a kind of competitiveness and feeling of inadequacy. This is all about fun! Sit back and watch a movie or listen to some great music.

You hit a point where you've achieve a good 90% of what is possible and after that, chasing that last 10% gets unreasonably expensive. While I love my dedicated theater, I do look back at the money I spent to build it and question if that really made sense. I wanted a noise floor of around 20db's and I achieved it. It cost 10's of thousands of dollars to achieve that. Think of the gear I could have bought with that same money. Even the movies, that buys a lot of blu-rays. Or as my wife likes to remind me, that would have been one hell of a trip to Hawaii.

 

[Amundo]

I try not to think about the money I’ve spent, I enjoy my system everyday and like to think of it as a general investment to my happiness lol. Being single defintiely helps, but mentioning that I just asked a long time crush of mine to stop messing around and be mine lol. So hopefully she’s understanding, at least i found her at a stopping point haha, I don’t think any girl could handle my constant researching and shopping.

 

[NBPK402]

Looking good, I bet you are enjoying your system with your family, and friends too!