Surround speakers with high wife approval factor ?

[RimBlock]

Hi,

I have just gone about selling my Yamaha NS-125F speakers which were performing rear duty in a 5.1 setup.

Having just bought a 7.1 amp I got a pair of Mordaunt Short Carnival 1s for cheap and small(ish) side rears but they didn't quite meet the wife approval factor (WAF) having these square boxes hanging off the ceiling light box.

Can anyone suggest some reasonably good rear channel speakers with high wife approval factor around the 200 quid (+-) mark. Obviously they will be only used for movie sound effects.

I have a pair of Wharfedale Emerald 93s for the fronts and a wharfedale WH2 for the centre. I will shortly have no subwoofer for the time being.

The B&W M1, Wharfedale 10 DFS or Kef HTS2001.3 may be examples with high WAF although the Wharfedales would be 'touch and go'.

The speakers would be mounted below a lightbox (plasterboard) on a concrete beam with open space beneath (think through lounge with movie area going across). The available space on the beam is around 4" and minimal overhang would be preferred although accepted that some may be required.

Thanks
RB

 

[lucid]

If you could get the Wharfdales in white....

Dipole rear surrounds really are the most effective type of speaker for movie surround sound. They create a diffuse field of sound. Direct radiators such as the KEFs are far less subtle. That's a bad thing for movie rear surround sound.

If you have to have something very discrete then there's the Q-AV 1050 speakers. More of a style over substance solution though.

 

[RimBlock]

Thanks Lucid,

I saw the Q-AVs but came to the same conclusion after seeing the price.

Ok so short list would be the Wharfedale 10.dfs.

How about the Wharfedale WH2s if I can find a pair or the Linn Classik Unik which looks like it may blend in quite well.

Thanks
RB

 

[lucid]

The Linns are the easy choice. They're available for a start. They are also the most discrete.

The Wharfdales were probably half the price new and have been out of production for several years. By chance there's a pair on Ebay at the moment. Don't know what they'll fetch though. A 5.0 kit with WH 2 rears went for £63 a couple of days ago, but that could be due to location and being collection only.

 

[RimBlock]

Thanks again.

Collection is a bit of a pain as I am in Singapore.

I could get them delivered to my folks but the shipping would probably be a killer for low end kit (delivery costing more than the speakers).

One last one I came across is the Mordaunt Short Carnival 3. Worth a look ?

Current order of preference;
1. Linn Classik Unik
2. Wharfedale 10.dsf
3. Wharfedale WH2 (they made some in white as well ).

Thanks again
RB

 

[lucid]

Collection is a bit of a pain as I am in Singapore.

Lol... that does change things somewhat.

Whatever you have in bipoles from the major hi-fi manufacturers, and that is easily available to you in your local market, is worth a look. At the end of the day though you may just have to settle on what you can get locally.

 

[RimBlock]

Lol... that does change things somewhat.

Whatever you have in bipoles from the major hi-fi manufacturers, and that is easily available to you in your local market, is worth a look. At the end of the day though you may just have to settle on what you can get locally.

.

Sure but it helps to know what to ask after and roughly what price they should be.

I have seen the Linn Unik for 103 quid each in the UK which would make them around S$450 here, give or take.

I shall stick with those then for now. Would love the Linns but really depends on what price they are going for here (including wall brackets).

Thanks for the advice Lucid.

RB