Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Advice from Axiom Owners Best way to kickstart a good surround system

Can anyone advise: We have a 250sqft family room, slant ceiling that goes to 18ft, hardwood flooring, that opens fully into an equally large kitchen. We have no sound system at all. 20yr old Sony TV, DVD player and an AM/FM radio. The audio sound and dispersion gives us a headache. We want to move into a good sound system, not over the top, for classic, pop, jazz music, AND good audio for standard TV news channels. Warm, rich, calming, with depth. We also want the audio to be in the kitchen in soft tones. (We will invest in a flat TV HDMI 1080p and blue ray later, and need to do things sequentially.)

How would we start: (1) Speakers, (2) AVR receiver... How do we get audio generated in family room dispersed in the kitchen? Unfortunately, Money dictates one step at a time. Anyone any suggestions for us as to what size, make, models for the speakers and also the AVR etc and system layout.... Thanks

Redvizigoth
Victoria BC

Well, you'll need 1 and 2 together. If you get the right kind of receiver (with Zone2/3 outs), then adding it to the kitchen is vaguely easy, kind of.

I'd say start with stereo speakers and a full featured AVR, then add surrounds, sub, center, and extension speakers, in roughly that order.

Tks for the reply. Axiom is recommending M50 speakers. Can you comment on the M50's? (I like their 30 test period offering).

I own M50s and M80s. I prefer the M60s and M80s to my M50s, but mine are also about 8 years old. There have been revisions in the middle. I'd still go with the 60s or the 80s.

Red, sounds like the room may have reflective properties with hardwood floors, etc... If you do get speakers, I recommend you put a nice throw rug between you and the speakers. That will help out a ton with echos in the room.

If he is Canadian it will be a polar bear rug you know sirquack.

As others have said decide on a good AVR that will suit your needs it looks as if HT is not your main goal here but something you would like to add on. If so make sure your AVR will accomodate all of your future needs..HDMI inputs/outputs, decoders, power, #of speakers 7.1, 7.2, 9.1 as well as your second zone and maybe even a third zone.

I would then build on my speakers, I personally would start with my mains and a sub and some nice in celing speakers for the kitchen. Then I would add a couple of surrounds and a center in the TV room giving you your 5.1 first and then two more surrounds for 7.1 if you decide to go that extensive.

Then a screen and a PJ and a second sub, a multi remote, light and blind automation, dedicated HT seating, tactile trancducers......Oh my I see a wonderful build starting LOL...there really is no end.

The former King of Spain covered it nicely.

AVR with zone 2 and decent fronts to start with. If you are listening to music as well and value good recordings and sound quality, I would go with the M60. If its just movies, you would probably be just fine with Axiom's recommendation of the M50.

Either will be a HUGE step up from the speakers on your TV. The increase in clarity of sound will eliminate those headaches.

I bought my system mostly for music, but I'm still amazed at how much a good set of speakers improves the movie experience. I used to have problems understanding some dialog (and finding other stuff way to loud). Not any more!

+1 to SirQuack's post - IF you are looking to eliminate the poor sound / headaches that you are having, you are going to have to tone down the room. We actually started with a large area rug which helped a ton with the sound issues our hardwoods were causing. We also hung some quilts on the wall - but could actually stand to do some more...