Advice on reflection from a video screen behind the speakers shining through the panel

[Sedgewick]

Hi guys, new member from the UK here. I am about to have a demonstration of the 15a’s to possibly replace my current box speakers. These are a tall design, around 66” tall, ATC 300 actives. I love the idea of “seeing through” the panel, but the 15a’s will also be used in a 6.1 (phantom centre) av set-up. Dark velvet curtains can be drawn behind the speakers during av use, the speakers will sit just either side of an 11ft wide screen so obviously the image won’t be seen through the speakers. I sit about 18ft from the speakers. My worry is, will there be reflection from the screen through the back of the panel, visible from the front of the panel? The last thing I want is to watch the screen with two “images” firing through each panel. I know some you guys use ML’s in 5.1 set-ups, don’t know whether these are 5.1 music, or av, or both (like me). Any advice would be appreciated regarding any issue of an image from the screen causing reflections through the panels? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

 

[Robert D]

Well, my panels don't really have an issue. I do at night get some reflection of light from the window behind me, but if I draw the blinds there's none. The light from the tv reflects off the window and then shows in a very minor way in the speaker panels.
The speakers sit forward and about 2 feet from the side of my 77 inch OLED. I also use a philips hue light setup on the wall and it doesn't reflect.

 

[Fidji99]

Panel is not an issue, but I would avoid loss black woofer section. You can see reflection below the screen, this is center, that os gloss black.

 

[perryz]

Hi guys, new member from the UK here. I am about to have a demonstration of the 15a’s to possibly replace my current box speakers. These are a tall design, around 66” tall, ATC 300 actives. I love the idea of “seeing through” the panel, but the 15a’s will also be used in a 6.1 (phantom centre) av set-up. Dark velvet curtains can be drawn behind the speakers during av use, the speakers will sit just either side of an 11ft wide screen so obviously the image won’t be seen through the speakers. I sit about 18ft from the speakers. My worry is, will there be reflection from the screen through the back of the panel, visible from the front of the panel? The last thing I want is to watch the screen with two “images” firing through each panel. I know some you guys use ML’s in 5.1 set-ups, don’t know whether these are 5.1 music, or av, or both (like me). Any advice would be appreciated regarding any issue of an image from the screen causing reflections through the panels? Thanks in advance for any thoughts.

I have a similar set up but have an Illusion centre channel I have no issue with reflections and the 15as are brilliant for music and movies

 

[Sedgewick]

Thankyou all for your replies. It puts my mind at rest on the reflection issue. I currently toe my ATCs in a fraction, luckily they sound best like this. Thus I can’t see their inner edges which are light oak, from the central listening chair (my position 99.9% of the time!!!). Hopefully I can do the same with the 15As so that the bass cabinet inner edge is also not in line of site.
Perryz, can I ask you what sort of maximum spls you can safely get from your 15As? My ATCs are safe to 120db. I know the 15As can’t do that, and I never get near that level, but I do occasionally reach 110db peaks. If the 15As are overdriven, I take it the bass protection cuts in, but is it easy to damage the panels? I know they won’t arc, but do they just self limit. Obviously not talking about clipping the panel amplifier, just damage with excessive levels.

 

[perryz]

Thankyou all for your replies. It puts my mind at rest on the reflection issue. I currently toe my ATCs in a fraction, luckily they sound best like this. Thus I can’t see their inner edges which are light oak, from the central listening chair (my position 99.9% of the time!!!). Hopefully I can do the same with the 15As so that the bass cabinet inner edge is also not in line of site.
Perryz, can I ask you what sort of maximum spls you can safely get from your 15As? My ATCs are safe to 120db. I know the 15As can’t do that, and I never get near that level, but I do occasionally reach 110db peaks. If the 15As are overdriven, I take it the bass protection cuts in, but is it easy to damage the panels? I know they won’t arc, but do they just self limit. Obviously not talking about clipping the panel amplifier, just damage with excessive levels.

The 15as can play loud. I generally listen between 90and 105 Dbs but they can go louder so I don’t think you will have an issue. Remember being dipoles they see more filling if that makes sense.
I am driving them with a Mac ma12000 which is 350 watts per channel plenty for the panel

 

[Reverb]

Welcome to the forum.

 

[Russr]

Welcome, prospective owner!
Regarding SPLs.. what amplification are you/will you be using?

Also, with a screen that wide and obviously a sizeable room, my gut (no, nothing more scientific that that!) tells me you might want to consider a physical center channel... like I say, just my gut!

Enjoy -

 

[Sedgewick]

Haven’t decided on amps yet, current speakers are active so new amps will be part of the purchase. Thinking a good 200/400 8/4ohms ss amp should be fine, will be demoing the 15As with a 200w Audia Flight amp for starters. Not interested in valves, I listen to music on and off throughout the day and evening so need an amp that can basically be left on all day long then turned off at night!

Regarding a centre channel, I used to have a custom ATC 300 hanging from the ceiling, can’t have one on the floor because the bottom of the screen is 15” from the floor. Then I tried my Bryston av processor in phantom centre one day and it sounded far superior. My current ATCs give a superb central image as a stereo pair and this is also the case with av use. Yes, if you sit off axis you lose the central voices that a dedicated centre channel speaker gives, but I sit centre seat both for stereo music and av 99.99% of the time (the missus doesn’t mind {notice??!!} a bit of left channel pull sitting next to me for av!

But phantom centre only works if your stereo pair can give a solid central image obviously. I’m sure the 15As can do this, and I will be ensuring that is the case. If I like them at the demo, I’m hoping to get a home demo to confirm all this in my own room. By the way, my room is 30’l x 20’w x 9’h with the speakers firing down the long length, with sofa couch around 25’ from the screen and 18’ from the speakers. I don’t like either sound nor video image in near field, I much prefer a distant experience. Otherwise I would have a smaller screen/speakers and sit closer!!!

Please excuse the wood carving in front of the screen!

 

[Russr]

FWIW, if you're already in the Bryston "fold", you might consider the 4B-ST and subsequent equivalent models for amplification. In fact, you might even consider the PowerPac range and effectively have an Active situation with PowerPacs by each ML...

There are tons of options for Solid State amps... but I'm a bit of a Bryston fanboy!