Surround speaker upgrades / options

Schizophonic · 23 Aug 2022 at 14:27

This is my current setup in the living room, running a 5.1.2 setup.

From the picture below as you can see I have some ceiling wall mounter speakers but the left channel has now become distorted and needs to be replaced.

Within a reasonable budget (£150ish) I'm looking to have some speakers lower down but on stands or even wall mounted but head height. I have so many concerns like is that speaker placement even suitable if I plan to have it or should I find something with taller placement? I need to know what options I have really? Also I dont mind going for the 2nd hand option around the same budget.

2nd picture is just for reference with the front of the setup.

hornetstinger · 23 Aug 2022 at 15:01

You need to raise the center it's way too low

Your left and rights are way too close.

Since you're close to back wall I'd use bipole speakers instead of regular speakers.

Schizophonic · 23 Aug 2022 at 16:39

hornetstinger said:
You need to raise the center it's way too low

Your left and rights are way too close.

Since you're close to back wall I'd use bipole speakers instead of regular speakers.

Thanks for the suggestions in with bipole speakers. Any recommendations which ones? What does the bipole have over regular speakers?

hornetstinger · 23 Aug 2022 at 16:46

Bipoles spread the sound out, typically at 30-45' degree angles, both sides are in phase- they are ideal where you need a wider spread of sound, usually because you are very close to the speakers. Search for the usual sites typing in bipole to get a few models. Monitor Audio make a few. Mission have a few budget models that are a few years old. Definitive Technology as well.

B&W also produced a couple of bipoles

There's also Tripoles and dipoles these function differently also. M&K are the most well known on tripoles. Kef, Boston Acoustics, NHT have made dipoles.

hornetstinger · 23 Aug 2022 at 17:08

There's a pair of BP-1X speakers on the auction site now. I'd put in a lower offer

Schizophonic · 23 Aug 2022 at 20:42

hornetstinger said:
There's a pair of BP-1X speakers on the auction site now. I'd put in a lower offer

The mrs is gonna kill me if i put them up on the wall lol. I was hoping for something a bit more low profile.

hornetstinger · 23 Aug 2022 at 20:45

Low profile = poor frequency response. For example kef t series very limited frequency response.

They're pretty small tbh I've got the bigger brothers of the bp1x

aardvark · 26 Aug 2022 at 13:59

that room looks way too small for speakers that big

The IT Crowd - Im not sitting in the sink again

Funny scene from the IT Crowd.I do not own this video or anything in it.

www.youtube.com

hornetstinger · 26 Aug 2022 at 18:41

aardvark said:
that room looks way too small for speakers that big

The IT Crowd - Im not sitting in the sink again

Funny scene from the IT Crowd.I do not own this video or anything in it.

www.youtube.com

It's not too bad, but definitely the center is in a bad location, and they're too close to the wall (even though they are front ported?)

Using bass management and room correction will help with some issues.