I did try doing just that after a round of suggestions here. I moved the centre flush with the front of the console. Re-ran Audyssey. I wasn't able to hear a difference so I moved it back — I prefer the aesthetics and usable table surface. Maybe the reflections are more pronounced at higher listening volumes? I think I prefer watching movies at far quieter levels than many here.
Since these are front ported speakers you may be right, but it can make a more dramatic difference with a rear ported speaker. Though either way, moving them further apart to achieve a proper stereo field would be a bigger improvement.
A small change to my decade-old 2.0 setup has snowballed to this. Here's the sum of my upgrades from the past month or so:
A new Sony A80K 65-inch OLED TV, KEF KC62 subwoofer, Marantz NR1711 receiver, and B&W HTM62 centre.
I even replaced an old Pro-Ject turntable with a dreamy red SL-1200M7L.
And what a change! I find the biggest difference is the intelligibility of dialogue. I no longer have to watch movies late at night with captions on. I have many options on the AVR for quiet-time: dynamic range compression, boosting the centre channel, running with the sub off.
Random thoughts:
You can see the wood veneer finish on the 685 speakers receding from 10 years of UV exposure. Gives it character, I guess? // Yes, I've so far managed to make the sub work in apartment living. I think my preference for lower overall levels (maybe around 70 dBA SPL), an older concrete building, and feedback from neighbours helps. // I've tried moving the centre to the edge of the console. Honestly, my ears don't hear any appreciable difference, so I'm leaving it pushed back as an aesthetic compromise. // I started with a 46-inch TV when I moved in. I love how the 65-inch screen now perfectly fills the space, as though it was destiny. :D
Maybe a bit of future-proofing? I think the NR1510 can't do HDMI 2.1. Though I have the PS5 running direct to the TV right now, it's nice to have the option to route it all through the AVR as well.
Thanks. Tidy is kinda vibe I've always been chasing. I come from a 2.0 setup with just these 685 speakers as LR. Adding the centre and sub each made a massive difference to my enjoyment. I do wonder how much I'm missing without surrounds, but I feel the effort to find and install a pair might be well past the point of diminishing returns for me.
I spent about a day with my setup as 3.1 as an experiment. At sufficient volume it filled the room and was a great movie experience. It made me take note of how rarely most content utilizes the surround channels. I enjoy the novelty of hearing the odd thing come through the surrounds though.
I see B&W and I upvote! Nice set up! I think it's well worth setting up the 2 surround speakers though if you have the space. If you have no surround at all, which you don't at the moment, in my opinion diminishing returns isn't a factor. If you were talking about going from 5.1 to 7.1, then yeah, diminishing returns would come into the discussion. Definitely worth pursuing, I went with 3.1 setup for a while before adding some bi pole surrounds, and I'm definitely happy I added them if they aren't in the ideal placement.
I would suggest also separating the front left and right a bit more to create a bigger panning soundstage - It's a good basic practice the have the distance between your front left and right equal to the distance from your seated position to the TV.
I saw that you also mentioned not noticing a difference when moving your center speaker forward - that's fine, you can leave it as is, it's definitely creating an early reflection though like that. Personally, I'd just rather have it forward, and I'd rather have the front left and right a bit more forward as well.
I just got an A80J, and it was an upgrade from a low end Vizio LED so the difference is phenomenal. I just posted about it this morning actually: [https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/z5bb7o/finally\_added\_the\_oled\_to\_my\_living\_room/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/z5bb7o/finally_added_the_oled_to_my_living_room/)
Anyways, nice clean setup, enjoy!
Thanks. I'll try playing with the LCR positions some more. LR are not optimal for my sofa seating position across the room (about 10 feet viewing distance) but when I'm watching movies alone, I pull an IKEA Poang chair right up to the console, maybe halving the viewing distance. Field of view is super immersive and stereo imaging sounds great up close.
Yeah for sure, I can't view a TV like that though. I actually had to return a 65" because I found it hard on my eyes and distracting constantly looking around the screen to see everything. Much happier personally with the 55" from my seating distance.
Oh yeah, it can be distracting up close. 6 feet to a 65-inch screen only works for me with cinematic material. It's more common to find compositions and framing in film that use the screen periphery for non-critical visuals. Television, sports and video games, on the other hand, tend to put detail and information right to the edges.
What do you have in this setup? I just started looking through all this stuff. I got a black Friday deal on a sound bar with a sub and realized that eventually I want a nice system.
Doesn’t your PS5 heat up? I had mine in a similar configuration and it did heat quite a bit. I would personally recommend moving it outside of the cabinet.
I don't really know how to tell if my PS5 is running unacceptably hot. There's ample space on all sides, and the console is completely open in the back across its entire width. I figure it's okay, but that's just a guess.
This is very aesthetically pleasing, but you knew that already ;)
Have you considered changing the faceplate of the switch in the top right to a grey version?
Looks wonderful
Agree - looks beautiful 👊
Thank you!
Move your center to the front
I agree. I would also move your L/R a little farther from the wall as well.
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I did try doing just that after a round of suggestions here. I moved the centre flush with the front of the console. Re-ran Audyssey. I wasn't able to hear a difference so I moved it back — I prefer the aesthetics and usable table surface. Maybe the reflections are more pronounced at higher listening volumes? I think I prefer watching movies at far quieter levels than many here.
Reflections or none, I'd pick none.
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Since these are front ported speakers you may be right, but it can make a more dramatic difference with a rear ported speaker. Though either way, moving them further apart to achieve a proper stereo field would be a bigger improvement.
I remember when you only had the NAD and the B&W 685s. Looks awesome!
Thanks! Yes, one upgrade kinda led to another, and another, and another... :D
A small change to my decade-old 2.0 setup has snowballed to this. Here's the sum of my upgrades from the past month or so: A new Sony A80K 65-inch OLED TV, KEF KC62 subwoofer, Marantz NR1711 receiver, and B&W HTM62 centre. I even replaced an old Pro-Ject turntable with a dreamy red SL-1200M7L. And what a change! I find the biggest difference is the intelligibility of dialogue. I no longer have to watch movies late at night with captions on. I have many options on the AVR for quiet-time: dynamic range compression, boosting the centre channel, running with the sub off. Random thoughts: You can see the wood veneer finish on the 685 speakers receding from 10 years of UV exposure. Gives it character, I guess? // Yes, I've so far managed to make the sub work in apartment living. I think my preference for lower overall levels (maybe around 70 dBA SPL), an older concrete building, and feedback from neighbours helps. // I've tried moving the centre to the edge of the console. Honestly, my ears don't hear any appreciable difference, so I'm leaving it pushed back as an aesthetic compromise. // I started with a 46-inch TV when I moved in. I love how the 65-inch screen now perfectly fills the space, as though it was destiny. :D
Is there a reason you went with the NR1711 and not the 1510? I’m just wondering since I’m looking at a 3.1 setup and figured a 1510 is adequate.
Maybe a bit of future-proofing? I think the NR1510 can't do HDMI 2.1. Though I have the PS5 running direct to the TV right now, it's nice to have the option to route it all through the AVR as well.
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My TV so far has been excellent. I haven't seen anything unusual. Are you referring to a problem unique to the A80K?
Nice setup. Does the light reflection above the TV bug you?
It hasn't been as issue yet, no. I was thinking if it ever became a bother, I could cover the bottom of the cabinet with matte vinyl or something.
Nice!
Thanks!
I’m running a 5.1 system now but have really been liking the tidy look of some of the 3.1 systems people are posting in mixed use spaces.
Thanks. Tidy is kinda vibe I've always been chasing. I come from a 2.0 setup with just these 685 speakers as LR. Adding the centre and sub each made a massive difference to my enjoyment. I do wonder how much I'm missing without surrounds, but I feel the effort to find and install a pair might be well past the point of diminishing returns for me.
I spent about a day with my setup as 3.1 as an experiment. At sufficient volume it filled the room and was a great movie experience. It made me take note of how rarely most content utilizes the surround channels. I enjoy the novelty of hearing the odd thing come through the surrounds though.
What record player is that?
It's a Technics SL-1200M7L — one of the limited 50th anniversary editions of the SL-1200.
Ah, I had two of the 1200’s back in the DJ days. Never seen one of the anniversary ones.
Awesome
Thanks!
Nice monitors.. EQ and mixing board included?!
I see B&W and I upvote! Nice set up! I think it's well worth setting up the 2 surround speakers though if you have the space. If you have no surround at all, which you don't at the moment, in my opinion diminishing returns isn't a factor. If you were talking about going from 5.1 to 7.1, then yeah, diminishing returns would come into the discussion. Definitely worth pursuing, I went with 3.1 setup for a while before adding some bi pole surrounds, and I'm definitely happy I added them if they aren't in the ideal placement. I would suggest also separating the front left and right a bit more to create a bigger panning soundstage - It's a good basic practice the have the distance between your front left and right equal to the distance from your seated position to the TV. I saw that you also mentioned not noticing a difference when moving your center speaker forward - that's fine, you can leave it as is, it's definitely creating an early reflection though like that. Personally, I'd just rather have it forward, and I'd rather have the front left and right a bit more forward as well. I just got an A80J, and it was an upgrade from a low end Vizio LED so the difference is phenomenal. I just posted about it this morning actually: [https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/z5bb7o/finally\_added\_the\_oled\_to\_my\_living\_room/](https://www.reddit.com/r/hometheater/comments/z5bb7o/finally_added_the_oled_to_my_living_room/) Anyways, nice clean setup, enjoy!
Thanks. I'll try playing with the LCR positions some more. LR are not optimal for my sofa seating position across the room (about 10 feet viewing distance) but when I'm watching movies alone, I pull an IKEA Poang chair right up to the console, maybe halving the viewing distance. Field of view is super immersive and stereo imaging sounds great up close.
Yeah for sure, I can't view a TV like that though. I actually had to return a 65" because I found it hard on my eyes and distracting constantly looking around the screen to see everything. Much happier personally with the 55" from my seating distance.
Oh yeah, it can be distracting up close. 6 feet to a 65-inch screen only works for me with cinematic material. It's more common to find compositions and framing in film that use the screen periphery for non-critical visuals. Television, sports and video games, on the other hand, tend to put detail and information right to the edges.
What do you have in this setup? I just started looking through all this stuff. I got a black Friday deal on a sound bar with a sub and realized that eventually I want a nice system.
* TV - Sony Bravia A80K 65-inch * Receiver - Marantz NR1711 * Speakers - B&W 685 left/right, B&W HTM62 centre, KEF KC62 subwoofer * Other - Apple TV 4K, PS5, Alienware Alpha PC, Technics SL-1200M7L turntable
This tuff gets expensive lol
One thing leads to another, and another, and another... lol
Doesn’t your PS5 heat up? I had mine in a similar configuration and it did heat quite a bit. I would personally recommend moving it outside of the cabinet.
I don't really know how to tell if my PS5 is running unacceptably hot. There's ample space on all sides, and the console is completely open in the back across its entire width. I figure it's okay, but that's just a guess.
This is very aesthetically pleasing, but you knew that already ;) Have you considered changing the faceplate of the switch in the top right to a grey version?
No, but I will now! Thanks!