I do have to confess though that it seems that something's missing, though I realize without the center and surrounds yet that I can't really get amazing sound right now. I'm having trouble not understanding but properly hearing dialog in movies without turning the volume up really high (then turning it down quickly when an explosion or any loud bass occurs hehe.) I'll be ordering the QS8s and VP150 center within the next couple weeks and am looking forward to finally having a good 5.0 system-- can't get a sub in this apartment
I just moved out of an apartment after 5 years so I feel your pain. Here’s a couple thoughts that might help out.
Not sure what receiver you have but it’s likely to have a “Night” mode or some other dynamic range control. While this is not ideal for sound reproduction it may help while you live in an apartment. With this engaged it compresses the dynamic range so that the lowest low and highest high are closer together in volume. It’s essentially doing what you are doing manually right now. As Randy said once you add a center you will have even more control over dialogue volume vs music/background volume. But you may still find in an apartment that dynamic range control is still necessary if you want to avoid bumping the volume up and down.
Not sure but it looks like you have some room to play around with placement. You will get a better soundstage by moving the M60s further out from the front wall. Even a little bit can help a lot. Also by getting them out in front of the screen it will also help the dialogue sound clearer especially while using a phantom center. The reason is you are getting boundary effects from both the wall and the screen which colour (proper spelling
) the sound you are hearing. Also getting the speakers further away from the wall should reduce some of the “boomyness” in the bass so that explosions sound clearer to you and wont carry through the walls as much.
Additionally if you can move them farther apart w/o something blocking them from your listening position it will likely improve your front soundstage and may even help you get a better “simulated” surround effect by getting more sound going around your and reflecting off the side and back walls.
Experimenting around with your speaker placement could pay huge dividends in sound quality. You may even decide it’s worth rearranging your room to accommodate it.
If you plan on being in the apartment for some time you might consider getting a tactile transducer. I got a Buttkicker and could never have lived in an apartment for that long w/o it. It’s will make up for not having a subwoofer and if you mount it directly to your seating will not project sound into adjacent apartments.
Cheers,
Dean
