Surround Sound For Family Room

[dgnr8]

For Christmas this year I want to surprise my husband with a surround sound system for the family room. He is a heavy gamer so I want something to enhance the experience. The tv room isn't very big (10 feet by 15 feet), so I want the round in wall speakers. I have been looking online for ballpark figures about how much this will cost, but haven't found much. I figure it will cost quite a bit because they have to fish wires in my walls. I don't want to call anyone for an estimate until November so I am not wasting their time.

Has anyone had this done? Is $2000 a realistic budget?

[Maymybonneliveforever]

Depending on your set up, yes $2000.00 is a reasonable budget depending on the sound quality you're looking for. With some tv's you can hook speakers up direct, or through an amplifier or other variations. If you're looking for a recessed look, keep in mind it maybe a bit more involved if one or more of the walls are an exterior wall since you will run into insulation and vapour barrier concerns. Still obtainable, but requires a abit more installation time and technique. One thing you may want to research is how many speakers you decide to go with, mind you budget will help you determine the end result.

Let us know when your ready and I'm sure you'll get your share of advice, there are a couple members that excell in this area. I'm sure hubby will be happy with your suprise.

[mjl_toronto]

Wow, $2,000 for a Christmas present to a grown adult? That's generous!
I agree with Maymybonneliveforever about the budget depending on the sound quality, but you should get a good setup with that.
Not sure if it matters to you, but are you certain about spending that much on a Christmas present that you likely can't take with you if you ever choose to move?

[BuildingHomes]

Round speakers are usually in the ceiling, rectangle speakers are for in-walls.
Not aware of any TVs that have amplifiers in them for outboard speakers anymore. That died off several years ago.

$2000 would probably be fine to get something basic installed into your situation providing the room underneath (or attic above) is unfinished.
You can buy an all-in-one Onkyo or Yamaha system from a big-box store to handle it. These systems tend to lack features, but they are decent enough to handle a gaming experience.. Anything would be better than the speakers built into the TV :)

We just installed a system like that for a family today who received it as a gift last Christmas. They were very happy with the results as well as freeing up the floor space where the boxes were sitting :)

[dgnr8]

Thanks for all of the advice, the rooms below and above are finished, is that going to cause a big problem? More specifically, my basement is finished, but the furnace room is unfinished and it is in the middle of my basement. It lines up with a corner of my family room.

We aren't moving for at least 10 years so I am not too worried about losing the equipment when we move.

[BuildingHomes]

It would be difficult to hide any wiring around the room for the speakers.

[tjayl]

With finished rooms surrounding it, you will not really be able to fish wires. Especially to the rear speakers. You may be able to hide them behind baseboards, if you use thin gauge wiring.

Are you completely opposed to towers or monitors either side of the TV?

The other problem with in wall speakers is where do you put the centre channel. Is your TV on a stand? If you put it above the TV it's not ideal, as you want it at ear height. With a free standing centre, you can at least aim it towards you. Not so much with in wall.

Some manufacturer's make on wall, which you could at least take with you.

What equipment are you planning on buying with your $2000? I'd assume. Speakers, subwoofer, amp/receiver?

[jkoiou]

Try Bay Bloor Radio (BBR) if you're in the GTA. They are experts in this area, and seem to be knowledgeable on what to get for what purposes. Im sure you'll get a fair quote. (if you are not in the gta, call them im sure they would be more than happy to help)

But as for me, from my knowledge, the Receiver makes as much of a difference as the speakers do.
Since he is a gamer, as am I, it might be good to get something with a few HDMI inputs, at least 2 optical inputs, and that way you have less going into the tv (one HDMI?), and more going direct to the receiver (including the cable/tv box).

I do not have this set up this way b/c my receivers do not have HDMI input, but I have 3 surround units (2 in my house, one at my parents).

Also, verify the wire guage to be used for best sound for your purpose... sorta like the better the guage in car sterios the better the sound quality and bass levels.

[Toukolou]

Don't wait till November to book someone for an install or you may be disappointed they can't fit you into their schedule.

[Zamboni]

Thanks for all of the advice, the rooms below and above are finished, is that going to cause a big problem? More specifically, my basement is finished, but the furnace room is unfinished and it is in the middle of my basement. It lines up with a corner of my family room.

Drop ceiling (tiles) or a drywall basement ceiling?....possibly an easy install if a drop ceiling.

[ekashyap]

2000 for audio is a very nice amount to work with. To start off, I hope you are not scared of buying used because audio equipment is just sooo much cheaper when bought on kijiji or canuckaudiomart. I would stay away from in wall or in ceiling speakers as they are all surround speakers and will not deliver the impact that you are looking for. 95% of the sound will come from the front two speakers regardless of whether you are playing games or watching cable tv. Buy a pair of used tower speakers for max 800 and that should give you fabulous sound. Look for some Energy RC-70 speakers on kijiji or canuckaudiomart. They just recently were discontinued so Energy could roll out the new models but these speakers are just fabulous....crisp highs, punchy bass, excellent soundstage and in the right house should last an easy 25 years without problems. Buy an amp new if you wish, I would buy that used as well. The amp and the 2 front speakers are ALL you'll need to get that theatre like sound. The surround speakers are mostly for show and come into play VERY LITTLE. No point wasting precious money from your already small budget on a handyman to come install it and since it's a custom job, it won't be cheap at all. Spend the money on a well reviewed, beefy 120-140wpc amp with tower speakers like I mentioned and you'll see what real audio is like.

With audio, good tower speakers will give you a soundstage smaller speakers could only dream of.

[adanac7152]

I would go to Bay Bloor Radio or look at their web site. They offer free basic installation with a system. They have 6 systems on line that they advertise on the radio that are in you price range $1500 to $3000. Then the sky's the limit for surround sounds. I purchased one there Saturday. Went for the $2500 to $3000 system and walked out with the $6500 system, still not even close to the top end.

[peelhic]

I would checkout www.htd.com as they have great speakers for a great price. I agree with the the rest of the posters that if your room is already finished your gonna have a hard time running wires for inwall speakers.

[ssbtech]

If you want in-wall speakers you'll be sacrificing quality to keep everything within your budget (you're looking at a few hundred for an installation, if not more)

Have a look at these if you're worried about space: http://www.kef.com/html/ca_en/showroom/home_theatre_speakers/KHT3000SE/fact_sheets/systems/kht3005se/index.html

Pair them up with a nice receiver and you'll have a good system within your budget.

[vdubber]

you have to decide what is more important. sound quality or space.
if you go with a professional installation of in-wall speakers, you will pay a hefty amount if you have finished walls.

save the money from the install and get some decent speakers that you can wall mount

[MrFrugal1]

The amp and the 2 front speakers are ALL you'll need to get that theatre like sound. The surround speakers are mostly for show and come into play VERY LITTLE. No point wasting precious money from your already small budget on a handyman to come install it and since it's a custom job, it won't be cheap at all. Spend the money on a well reviewed, beefy 120-140wpc amp with tower speakers like I mentioned and you'll see what real audio is like.

With audio, good tower speakers will give you a soundstage smaller speakers could only dream of.
I agree that rear speakers are a waste IMHO. They really don't add much to the sound. Left and right, centre, and a good sub woofer are what I'm using. (All Energy from Bay Bloor Radio.)

[adblink182]

whats your opinions on in wall speakers? I just bought a 60" plasma and a denon receiver. I bought Sonance inwall speakers, they were $230 a pair. I was going to install these as the fronts and later buy a second set of inwall speakers for the rear. So you think the rears are not important?

Problem is I don't have the room for tower speakers for the fronts. The TV is taking up almost the entire wall which is in the center of the living room (kitchen behind the wall). So I'm not sure what my other option would be.

[Catherine111]

I think your budget are in line. But it is more depending on distance covered and the type and quality of components chosen.

[dirtmover]

It would be difficult to hide any wiring around the room for the speakers.

Well that depends. I just ran the cables around the corner of the wall and ceiling and put a crown molding over them.

[Eldorado]

Wait.. rear speakers are a 'waste' and just 'for show'???

Good lord, you guys need to get your equipment setup properly or stop listening to stereo sources

[peelhic]

Wait.. rear speakers are a 'waste' and just 'for show'???

Good lord, you guys need to get your equipment setup properly or stop listening to stereo sources

I agree with you 100%... not sure what setup these guys have but for movies rears speakers are very important. If your watching tv and listening to music then not so much since most tv encoded to 5.1 isn't that great for surrond.

[BuildingHomes]

I agree that rear speakers are a waste IMHO. They really don't add much to the sound. Left and right, centre, and a good sub woofer are what I'm using. (All Energy from Bay Bloor Radio.)

Good lord, this is a silly statement. All it does it suggest that your system has not been properly set up, or you are watching ripped movies with a stereo sound track you downloaded from a tracker site.

A properly calibrated system with proper media sounds amazing.

Surround speakers (what they are called in a 5.x setup) add ambience to a viewing experience. They do not just play the same thing as the fronts do.

I hate it when we set up systems for clients and they say something like, "I don't hear anything from the rear speakers"
Well no, you wouldn't. But if we take them away, you will notice something is lacking.

[vdubber]

95% of the sound will come from the front two speakers regardless of whether you are playing games or watching cable tv.The amp and the 2 front speakers are ALL you'll need to get that theatre like sound. The surround speakers are mostly for show and come into play VERY LITTLE. No point wasting precious money from your already small budget on a handyman to come install it and since it's a custom job, it won't be cheap at all. Spend the money on a well reviewed, beefy 120-140wpc amp with tower speakers like I mentioned and you'll see what real audio is like.


reallly? as this is only your opinion, its wrong.
you cannot compare the sound quality of a 5.1 surround system. a mickey mouse set up with only 2 or 3 front channels might suffice for the average joe. but if your spending a decent amount of money on a set up, you might as well do it right.

[r1lee]

There's a ht thread in the electronic forum, guys there are pretty good on helping out.

[Angela V]

Get rear speakers. I've wracked Tron Legacy with and without. So much better with! This is also a good movie to try out your sound system. My husband did the set up himself because and can't stand it when something is wrong. He hears things that I don't notice because his work is in stage theatre and he has designed sound. We have a 52 inch HDTV (our living isn't very big so this will proberly be our biggest tv for the living room.) and it really does seem like we have a mini movie theatre in our honor.

He also has the main computer set up to this sound system and we can use the tv for computer games. I can't believe how awesome the sound has improved with our games. Even the Lego games have sounds that I never knew existed.

[iwells]

Take a look at Energy Take or RC series. Small enough but they need a nice woofer. Kiplish is current on sale in the us as well.

[MrFrugal1]

Wait.. rear speakers are a 'waste' and just 'for show'???

Good lord, you guys need to get your equipment setup properly or stop listening to stereo sources

OK let me qualify my statement. Rear speakers are an important aspect of sound quality on specific film soundtracks that take advantage of 5.1. Not all films do. Now, if I had a dedicated, acoustically balanced room, that was of the proper aspect ratio for both screen size and audio, then yes 5.1 is great. Unfortunately, I have not, and therefore, for me 5.1 is a waste of resources.
The OP seems to be having problems managing 'fitting in' L & R front speakers into the home theatre equation, (thus the query about in wall speakers), due to space constraints, so I extrapolated that the cost versus practicality of rears would, for her, be a waste.

On top of all this, the OP said her husband was a "heavy gamer" and made no mention of watching movies. Does anyone even bother to ask her what system he's running? XBox? PS2? PS3? Wii? Laptop running Steam? No. Everyone just assumed it was for watching movies. Does he have capability to do 5.1 on his laptop wired into the TV? Who knows? I have an XBox, and, IMHO, a pair of $85 Turtle Beach headphones keeps the peace in my house, and sounds great.


BTW, BuildingHomes, yes I do download films via Bittorrent, and, FYI, I like the 5.1 DTS Blu Ray rips the best. They're purdy...

[BuildingHomes]

BTW, BuildingHomes, yes I do download films via Bittorrent, and, FYI, I like the 5.1 DTS Blu Ray rips the best. They're purdy...

Why would you bother downloading such purdy sound tracks and not be able to realize them I have no idea.

With all that money you are saving by not renting your hotwater tank and stealing movies, you should be able to afford yourself a pair of decent surround speakers and get a proper set up.

[jrees]

Wait.. rear speakers are a 'waste' and just 'for show'???

Good lord, you guys need to get your equipment setup properly or stop listening to stereo sources

Yeah, 'just for show'? Thanks for the laugh!

Whomever feels that way has a botched setup, or some weak HTIB setup.

Being that the intended audience is a 'heavy gamer', it's fairly safe to assume it's on a system that outputs 5.1 and would take advantage of a good sound setup. I doubt a 'heavy gamer' is going to be using a Wii that much. The OP is also looking for a 5.1 setup, not a pair of headphones. I'm sorry, but I have yet to experience any headphones that do the same job that a proper 5.1 setup does. It's just not happening.

[MrFrugal1]

Why would you bother downloading such purdy sound tracks and not be able to realize them I have no idea.

With all that money you are saving by not renting your hotwater tank and stealing movies, you should be able to afford yourself a pair of decent surround speakers and get a proper set up.

Ah, but there's the rub. I need that savings to buy beer.:razz:
The 5.1 DTS is simply a by-product of the Blu Ray. I like the purdy pictures. I was simply pointing out that 5.1 is possible via torrents.

As far as "stealing movies", I would gladly rent if there was somewhere to do so that was less than 10km away. The movie industry would rather have you buy the BR disc outright though, because they are making a killing that way.
I do purchase titles that are worthy, and have several hundred DVD and BR discs in my collection. There's so many mediocre films that aren't even worthy of theatrical release, let alone purchasing. (And yes, I attend movie theatres regularly)
I "share with my friends" not steal, and I'm certainly not going to replace VHS copies of older films with BR, just for the sake of it. I went through that nonsense with vinyl/CD's. I'm not falling for that again, thank you.

[MrFrugal1]

Yeah, 'just for show'? Thanks for the laugh!

I doubt a 'heavy gamer' is going to be using a Wii that much. The OP is also looking for a 5.1 setup, not a pair of headphones. I'm sorry, but I have yet to experience any headphones that do the same job that a proper 5.1 setup does. It's just not happening.

Why are you discounting a Wii? My 9 year old is a "heavy gamer" on his Wii (well at least if I let him be..) We have no idea what the "heavy gamer" tag means. If the husband is running a PC with a basic sound card, then it won't matter if it's 5.1 now, does it? Is he playing online, in multiplayer, requiring a mic? You need headphones for that in most team objective based games, at least in my experience.
What I was pointing out was, everyone jumps on the "movie viewing" bandwagon, and ignores what the OP was saying and asking.

[jrees]

Why are you discounting a Wii? My 9 year old is a "heavy gamer" on his Wii (well at least if I let him be..) We have no idea what the "heavy gamer" tag means. If the husband is running a PC with a basic sound card, then it won't matter if it's 5.1 now, does it? Is he playing online, in multiplayer, requiring a mic? You need headphones for that in most team objective based games, at least in my experience.
What I was pointing out was, everyone jumps on the "movie viewing" bandwagon, and ignores what the OP was saying and asking.

Well, if you want to make assumptions the husband is running a PC with a soundcard, I think it's also fair to assume the heavy gamer husband is into a different breed of games that interests a 9-year old.

You mentioned headphones earlier, and now you are talking about a microphone. You're now assuming he's doing multiplayer (team objective based at that). OP was asking about getting a surround setup, not headphones.

[wilsonlam97]

Very happy husband I assume. Lucky man.

[coolspot]

For Christmas this year I want to surprise my husband with a surround sound system for the family room. He is a heavy gamer so I want something to enhance the experience. The tv room isn't very big (10 feet by 15 feet), so I want the round in wall speakers.

Have you considered a Digital Sound Projector (high end soundbar)? Much smaller than a set of spakers and has the ability to project surround sound. No need to fish wires and work great for smaller rooms.

The top of the line sound projectors run in the 2000.00 range. However, even a 300 - 400.00 soundbars are an improvement over TV speakers. (sound bars typically do not do surround sound whereas sound projectors do).

Yamaha makes one of the best sound bars on the market.

http://www.istanbulhifi.net/FileUpload/bs149203/UrunResim/4106204.jpg

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hometheater-systems/digital-sound-projector/


Here is a picture explaining how the higher end sound bars work (with multi-beam sound):

http://usa.yamaha.com/products/audio-visual/hometheater-systems/digital-sound-projector/ysp-5100_black__u/?mode=model

[WL1980]

I would go with 5 matching towers or 4 + center with a good sub and receiver. Save money on inwall installation and put it toward the speakers. Good speakers will last you a very long time.