Axiom Home Page Forums Thread Like Summary - Bookshelf or FloorStanding 5.1 System vs. Room Siz

I want to build a 5.1 surround sound system. The main speakers would be a 3-way rather than two-way design for the performance reasons cited in the video here. https://www.axiomaudio.com/m5-bookshelf-speakers

The 5-channel Class AB power amp https://www.crutchfield.com/S-4qWPQyxK7XD/p_313A52PB/Parasound-Halo-A-52.html https://www.stereophile.com/content/music-round-91-parasound-halo-52-page-2 driving those five speakers will feed the unbalanced inputs of a multichannel DAC like this one. https://www.exasound.com/Products/e688-channelDAC.aspx

And the DAC’s balanced inputs would be fed by two pairs of these powered subs https://jamesromeyn.com/speakers/subwoofers/ak-tall-subs/ or two pairs of these powered subs. https://www.rythmikaudio.com/F12SE.html

A standalone or software assisted DSP solution for bass management and room correction will be added later.

Presumably, the problem of classifying the “acoustically relevant” size of my listening room is that its basic dimensions spill over and extend into other rooms. And because it does so-and because there’s probably little that I can do to acoustically correct for this-how much will negatively impact sound quality?

My Listening Room

Width: 11 feet. But it then extends across a ~3.5 ft wide hallway, and which is ~ 14 feet long where the three doors can be closed there.

Then one foot past that hallway my listening room then empties into the kitchen that extends the total width by another 8 ft. And the kitchen length is ~ 10 ft. Then immediately past the kitchen wall the room’s width crosses past a 4 ft. wide L-shaped downstairs staircase, which extends my room’s 11-foot room width by another 11 feet, before turning to go further downstairs.

Windows. My room has three bay windows all on one wall which I usually keep closed and draped.

Length: Just under 20 ft.

Height: Triangular ceiling. Apex 11 ft that declines to 8 ft.

Therefore, given my room’s “effective size” and acoustical environment should I choose five 3-way bookshelf speakers, each placed on a ~20” high platform on the floor?

Or some combination of 3-way bookshelf and 3-way floor standing speakers?

One setup I’ve always fantasized about and might be an option in this case….

M5Hp with dual ep500 or ep600 as the stands for the m5s. Select 500 for lower tweeter height or 600 for higher tweeter height.m relative to your MLP ear height. Apply some manufactured or homegrown decoupling to the bottom of m5 and against floor at base of the subs too, as mojo described above and voila. Crossover the m5 to the subs and relieve the m5 of low frequency duty reducing distortion and improving godly holographics.

Why have wooden boxes that could resonate when you could have stereo subs the bring true offerings to the sanctuary. Baptize those hosannas!

This would of course be in addition to your Rythmik subs. Apply proper dynamic high wattage overhead amplification and you’re set.

This setup alone could open a singularity. Use the volume knob to adjust the aperture size. If you’re not careful it may swallow your whole house. Like pulling your lip up over your head and swallowing an event horizon.

All kidding aside, it would kind of like be like having a 4 way speaker that is tuneable. I’m sure this idea is fraught with problems or acoustic malcontents perhaps.

Another thought in line with Hambrabi, I agree with thinking of open space as one volume of cubic space. I think that is good advice. Play with room acoustics and basic treatments. As I’ve been learning in my large open space, adding mass to the space helps and soft cushy things helps too such as thick carpets and underlay, cushions couches furniture etc. The room can always be improved.

Cool theatre plan and thoughts you have. Looking forward to seeing what you do end up going with.

The monkeys don't frighten me (embalmed, flying, or otherwise); but touching those chairs ... <shivers>

I have the poem copied off, I've been waiting for the right time to frame and hang it next to my speakers. That time generally comes when she's already good and annoyed at me, because I like to double down. I even bought fake antiqued paper. (BTW, my version attributes 'Mojo'.)

M2s with a 350 would have been fine in my space but dammit...I wanted active LFRs with 7 sealed subs!