Soundbar / Floorstander Help

rhysduck · 30 Jun 2017 at 10:39

Soundbar / Floorstander Help

Hey guys,
I haven't done anything with the cinema setup in the living room since I moved in so now's the time however I'm unsure what route to go.

Currently have Sky Q HD, PS4, Blurays/Music via NAS and a Yamaha RX-V673. Current setup is two speakers and a sub (forget the make)

The plan is for the tv (50" GT60 Panasonic) to go on the wall.

I'm in two minds of what audio setup to go with, I see these as my options:

Keep the Amp and buy Soundbar
Sell the amp and buy a soundbar
Keep the amp and pair with some speakers

I've been looking at the Monitor Audio MR6 Floorstanders to pair up with the amp and my current sub (albeit a bit limited).

My questions are:

Is there much point in using a soundbar with the yamaha receiver/amp? If i do go for the floorstanders would I benefit from a centre speaker or not?

I'll put up a plan of the living room later this evening to see what I have to play with.

signs · 30 Jun 2017 at 12:39

I've never had a soundbar so don't know much about them i'm afraid , i do however have a 5.1 set up using Monitor Bronze , i love it ! 5.1 and stereo sound brilliant . your going to get a much better field of sound by using the floor standing speakers

Psycho Sonny · 30 Jun 2017 at 14:42

all your scenarios don't make much sense.

you cannot use a soundbar with an amp therefore if your going down the soundbar route you need to get rid of the amp and speakers as well as the sub too most likely not just the amp. you could use the sub with the soundbar but your better off getting a soundbar that comes with a matching sub.

if your keeping the amp then it's pretty old and 1080p only. so it will make 4k essentially non viable unless you use arc. you already have a 2.1 setup. you should therefore either sell the speakers and upgrade or use them as surround and buy a 3.0 set to make a 5.1 set up.

any 5.1 setup even a budget one for £300 will blow away a £500 soundbar. soundbars are for people who don't want wires, amps or have the space for them. it looks like you have the space so i suggest going 5.1, but in your shoes i'd be buying a new modern avr and MA Bronze 5.1 is a good set of speakers. however it's the most expensive option too.

it's amazing that you also haven't stated any budget what so ever so everything we say could be pointless.

to answer your question on a centre speaker. it's the most important speaker in a surround sound setup. it's where most of the vocals come out from.

hornetstinger · 30 Jun 2017 at 14:48

Keep your amp, and just buy some speakers.
Yamaha amps aren't that powerful so find some easy to drive efficient speakers. Go and have a listen to a few brands.

A center speaker is very important, for movies it's highly recommended. Subwoofer is important too. At your budget I'd be looking at standmounts, as you'll get a better quality pair of standmounts than lower end floorstanders.

You could also buy second hand, you should be able to get a very nice pair of standmounts, or a good pair of floorstanders for £350.

Armageus · 30 Jun 2017 at 15:34

rhysduck said:
Currently have Sky Q HD, PS4, Blurays/Music via NAS and a Yamaha RX-V673. Current setup is two speakers and a sub (forget the make)

Depending on what make your existing speakers are, you could just add a matching centre, but if you can't get one from the same manufacturer, I would look to buy 2 fronts and a centre all from the same manufacturer, your existing 2 speakers could then be moved to surrounds for 5.1.

Ideally your fronts and centre should all be from the same manufacturer, so that you don't get odd differences e.g. when sound pans across from side to side.

rhysduck · 30 Jun 2017 at 15:51

Cheers for the replies guys, I'll expand a litte:

If I went to a soundbar then I'd want rid of the sub. The MA MR6 floorstanders are around £370 so my budget is really aroudn this price, not a lot more unfortunately. Being perfectly honest my current speakers look a bit hideous and room really isn't a luxury to put them as rear speakers. I have a pair of Monitor Audio Radius 45 speakers that I have not being utilised of which were bought for rear, however the associated brackets I had with them take them out from the wall more than I'd like.

4K isn't really on my list for the next few years anyway, I only have the PS4 coupled with the 1080p GT60 tv and have no intention of buying 4k Blurays as of yet. Maybe when the prices drop a little but it's not for the foreseeable.

Seeing then as I'd need a centre speaker with the MR6 Floorstanders, woulkd the MA MR Centre (~£80) be sufficient?

Edit: I'd like to get the best sound possible for the money, even though I have a baby due any day I'd rather go with quality than the soundbar...

hornetstinger · 30 Jun 2017 at 19:07

Don't just settle on Monitor Audio there are plenty of other brands out there.

danza · 1 Jul 2017 at 11:51

I picked up a used pair of Monitor Audio GR20 for £350 earlier in the year. I'm pretty sure they'd wipe the floor with some of the cheaper current Monitor Audio floorstanders. They were £1700 when new, and whilst your amp wouldn't have enough welly to keep them in check, it more shows that a bit of luck and careful hunting through the various classifieds is never a bad thing and you can get some absolute bargains. There are some brilliant used speakers out there for that money.

nicknack35 · 1 Jul 2017 at 18:08

There is some nice soundbars out there i got the Dali and a Dali e9f Sub. It won't beat a proper setup with Amp exc. But we don't have the room for a biggish setup so i wanted a decent soundbar that sounded quite nice and the Dali was perfect for us besides the walls in our house are really thin and got to think of the neighbours. £1200 for the bar and sub but im very happy with it. If we had the room id deffo go full setup with Amp and love the look of the Monitor Audio stuff

Psycho Sonny · 2 Jul 2017 at 23:35

rhysduck said:
Cheers for the replies guys, I'll expand a litte:

If I went to a soundbar then I'd want rid of the sub. The MA MR6 floorstanders are around £370 so my budget is really aroudn this price, not a lot more unfortunately. Being perfectly honest my current speakers look a bit hideous and room really isn't a luxury to put them as rear speakers. I have a pair of Monitor Audio Radius 45 speakers that I have not being utilised of which were bought for rear, however the associated brackets I had with them take them out from the wall more than I'd like.

4K isn't really on my list for the next few years anyway, I only have the PS4 coupled with the 1080p GT60 tv and have no intention of buying 4k Blurays as of yet. Maybe when the prices drop a little but it's not for the foreseeable.

Seeing then as I'd need a centre speaker with the MR6 Floorstanders, woulkd the MA MR Centre (~£80) be sufficient?

Edit: I'd like to get the best sound possible for the money, even though I have a baby due any day I'd rather go with quality than the soundbar...

if you don't even know the name of your sub i'm guessing it must be cheap crap tbh. otherwise you would remember.

sell all the speakers and sub you have. then get yourself a decent 3.0 setup. monitor audio pair well with a yamaha amp so stick with them IMO. but the best you can afford 3.0 (front left, front right and centre). then set it up accordingly with the centre as a small speaker. the front left and right as full range. if you then decide you want more bass get a BK sub, either the 300 or 400, or if you want to go mad the monolith. if you do that though you need to set all speakers to small.