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Cinema set-up, small room, corner TV speaker placement & do I *need* a sub woofer?

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    Cinema set-up, small room, corner TV speaker placement & do I *need* a sub woofer?

    I currently have a 40" Samsung Smart TV hooked up to an old Sony HT-FS3 2.1 sound system with a Youview box, PS3, 360, Mac Mini, and Wii U all connected via HDMI either through the amp (which only has three inputs and won't do 3D) or directly to the TV. I would like a new amp that will take all these devices so I can have just a single HDMI into the TV, I'd like some network features, and in a household with five iPhones, two Macs, and an iPad I quite fancy getting an amp with AirPlay too. With all this in mind I have more or less decided on a Denon 2113 with the Tannoy SFX5.1 speaker package. I have a small room though with a corner TV and I cannot arrange things to form the perfect square sound field, will I still get a decentish surround effect with offset speakers, and I'd also like to free up some space, can I run the system adequately enough without the sub woofer? Although I'd use AirPlay, the primary use will be for games and TV/movies rather than music.
    Last edited by SteJay; 25-01-2013, 14:50.

    #2
    Without a sub the Tannoys will really struggle - my girlfriends Dad has them and they are good but he has them up full blast with the sub on. I used to have a set of Boston XS speakers but got rid as living in a flat I couldn't really use the sub and without it they were pretty poor - I now run floorstanders and bookshelf speakers without a sub which works well.

    If you don't want a sub I'd suggest getting at least two full range speakers for the fronts just to add a bit of depth.

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      #3
      Denon looks fine. I went for the Pioneer VSX-527 (same price) a few weeks ago for no particular reason. Supports all the network stuff. The android app is decent too. Supports airplay, 6 x hdmi inputs. I can personally recommend that one. Only thing it doesn't support (that I want) is gapless flac but I think you have to spend megabucks on an amp to get that.

      I also have the Tannoy speaker package and that's excellent too IMO. You do need the sub though, as koopa says. I've replaced the centre speaker on mine as it was a bit weak and I use a pair of TDLs as the main speakers so only have the 2 x small tannoys as rears + the sub but it's all good.

      Best of luck.

      EDIT: I had the earlier tannoy package. Yours seems to have a larger centre speaker so it's probably fine (mine had 5 x little satellites, all the same).

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        #4
        I'm actually on the look out for a bargain Denon myself as the Audyssey MultEQ tech is supposed to be really good. Nothing wrong with my STRDH820 though so I keep talking myself out of it...

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          #5
          Thanks for all the input so far. Ok, how important is the placement of the sub? I know the common option is to place it front facing more or next to the TV, but I've read some forums where is says you can more or less stick them anywhere, if I could stick one a fair bit over to the side I could probably pull it off. Any truth in this? Or could I just set the system up with the three front speakers and still have a decent output vs my HT-FS3?

          Apologies if I'm asking stupidly obvious questions.
          Last edited by SteJay; 25-01-2013, 19:05.

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            #6
            Imo you can put the sub almost anywhere. Mine is currently a few feet from the tv but I have had it behind the sofa in the past. Still got good bass and rumble from movies.

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              #7
              As hidden away as possible is good. I'm torn now between 5.1, which would be slightly compromised because of my room layout, and 2.0 or 3.0. While not as good as a proper 5.1, would either of those be an improvement on my current HT-FS3?

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                #8
                Imo, to get 90% of the benefit of 5.1 you need the centre speaker under the tv, good gap between the 2 fronts, the sub.... somewhere and the rears behind you somewhere; don't fuss too much about getting perfect positioning on the rears.Modern amps give you a little microphone that you use and the amp calculates all the levels automatically.

                Perfect positioning of the rears and sub only amount to the last 10% in my experience.

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                  #9
                  Thanks again.

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                    #10
                    I ended up managing to fit in a full 5.1 system. I've been rocking a Pioneer VSX-922 and Tannoy TFX 5.1s for a couple of months now and it's fantastic.

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                      #11
                      Cool. I can't have rears in my new gaf so I'm rocking a 3.1 setup. Works ok and sounds great.

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