Newby HT build plan

[Primare Knob]

Hi, I hope to find some directions and or answers of Martin Logan HT setups. I am sure that other people have run into the same fight between screen size and ML recommended setup instructions.

I own a pair of Montis and a Stage-X which I intend to use for my next HT build. Due to the size of the room and the Martin Logan recommended setup instruction I am having some trouble getting screen and speakers to cooperate.
My latest idea is to put the speakers behind an acoustical transparent screen. Is this going to be any problem and have other people tried this before?

To do this I intend to build a sofit wall with roughly 95cm of space behind it, to let the Montis breath, and have the room to move them around a bit to find the sweet spot.
My other question would be how to treat this space. Should I make the whole sofit wall acoustically transparent to get the most out of the Montis?

What can be done, if I need to place the speakers closer to the wall than is ideal. Would acoustic panels being able to help out?

I really hope to create a big and deep sound stage that will swallow up the whole screen.

 

[timm]

Hey there. There is a very long interesting thread on home theater build on audioaficianado you may want to read that and determine how crazy you want to get. One of the guys did not like his acoustically transparent screen. It is under 'home theater'.

 

[Primare Knob]

Thanks. I will look into that.

 

[Primare Knob]

Due to the room, now being smaller I have to step away from placing them behind an AT screen. I also did a test with them this week and the speakers like to be placed even further from the back wall than the planned 3 ft space in my first idea. I just have to give up on the idea of a bigger screen, unless I can find a larger room, which won't be in my current house.

I haven't made my mind up yet about whether or not to place the center speaker behind an AT screen. The center is performing better at a large distance from the back wall, meaning I will have to place it underneath the screen, which means having the voices coming from underneath the screen instead of the screen.

 

[C.A.P]

ML and HT are no go IMHO , They do not place well for HT

 

[RCHeliGuy]

ML and HT are no go IMHO , They do not place well for HT

Agreed.

Electrostatic panels just don't radiate well for HT. They are a HUGE compromise for a small sweet spot. Sometimes I regret not getting a conventional speakers for my stereo, but I think I'll keep them.

However I have conventional speakers for my HT system in a different room.

 

[Primare Knob]

Agreed.

Electrostatic panels just don't radiate well for HT. They are a HUGE compromise for a small sweet spot. Sometimes I regret not getting a conventional speakers for my stereo, but I think I'll keep them.

However I have conventional speakers for my HT system in a different room.

Doesn't that depends a bit on seating arrangement and number of viewers?

Sent from my HTC_0PKV1 using Tapatalk

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Doesn't that depends a bit on seating arrangement and number of viewers?

Sent from my HTC_0PKV1 using Tapatalk

Absolutely! There are no absolutes.

In my theater room I have numerous seating and reclining positions and the off axis response of ES panels is just not conducive to an environment like that. Cones and ribbon tweeters make more sense at least to me for my needs and they take up a lot less room and are not as finicky about placement which are all advantages that are important to me.

I also share my media room with 800lbs of weight equipment and a spin bike and rowing machine and elliptical trainer. So I have other priorities and constraints.

 

[wink]

My old theater room (pictured on my signature) was a great sounding setup for HT, not so much for 2 channel. I'm in the middle of a remodeling project in the living area of our new house. It is going to be very difficult to combine a decent room for HT and an awesome 2 channel setup 40/60. We have an open floor plan with 10ft ceilings, three large picture windows on the left and open on the right, all of which makes it extremely difficult to wrangle the reflections.
My point being; I feel for you.. haha!

Dan

 

[C.A.P]

With most Logan's you need at least 40 inches from the front wall.. and they have a small sweet spot.. Point sorce cones are much better especially if you use multiple surround speakers

 

[Primare Knob]

The HT room will be mostly a two-seater. I don't mind having a small sweet spot (transparent red section) since most other people cannot care less about it. But what am I missing regarding the use of multiple surrounds? Are we talking about ESL panels used as surrounds, or mix cone speakers with panels?

 

[RCHeliGuy]

Personally I have a matched set of Definitive speakers that all have the same sound, same cross overs, same frequency response. It makes it easier for the subwoofer to be matched to the same frequency response of all of the speakers. It sounds more coherent. I've had mismatched speakers and you could tell the speakers didn't match.

The needs of a HT system are very different than a stereo. You are going for impact and dynamic range. You DON'T care about imaging as much because the surround sound system creates your sound stage by brute force with multiple speakers in different locations.

When I watch a movie I want articulate voices an overall coherent sound and impact when called for.

I've already proven that I only go so far to get what I want and I'm running very efficient speakers 92db 1m 1Watt and I'm using an UHD receiver with all inputs HDMI and a 600W subwoofer. I'm completely satisfied with the sound quality and I probably use my HT system about 2 hours every day.

 

[Primare Knob]

Personally I have a matched set of Definitive speakers that all have the same sound, same cross overs, same frequency response. It makes it easier for the subwoofer to be matched to the same frequency response of all of the speakers. It sounds more coherent. I've had mismatched speakers and you could tell the speakers didn't match.

The needs of a HT system are very different than a stereo. You are going for impact and dynamic range. You DON'T care about imaging as much because the surround sound system creates your sound stage by brute force with multiple speakers in different locations.

When I watch a movie I want articulate voices an overall coherent sound and impact when called for.

I've already proven that I only go so far to get what I want and I'm running very efficient speakers 92db 1m 1Watt and I'm using an UHD receiver with all inputs HDMI and a 600W subwoofer. I'm completely satisfied with the sound quality and I probably use my HT system about 2 hours every day.

There are more ways to achieve the same thing, that is, if we are after the same thing.

 

[topofroc]

I know this is an older thread, but hopefully someone sees this & responds...

To those who've tried to use electrostats in an HT environment and achieved less than satisfactory results - did any of you tried using diffusor panels behind your front channel speakers?

I thinking about trying it with my ML Vantage/Stage set-up, as I've heard others claim diffusors can add to the "spacious" of the sound of dipole speakers. I'm hoping that it will help improve the continuity across the front three speakers. At the moment, the three speakers don't merge together very well (panning effects fall flat).

Anyone tried it?

 

[JLasher22443]

So I've only used my ML's for HT and I think they sound great. Yes I agree that if you are sitting in a far left or right location from the very center its not as great but for my wife and I we love them. Then when we use them fors 2 channel we are blown away. So IMHO I believe ML's work just fine in HT Applications.

As for my Center Channel its an Old Cinema i and I have it pointed directly at ear level to where I am sitting. Used a laser level when setting it up. I've done that in both of my rooms and you can tell if the center is aiming over or under your head with ML's. Best way to test is stand up slowly during a movie and see the difference in heights and adjust.

I've now had my system in two rooms and I used an Acoustic Panel behind my center channel in the first room because of distance off of wall. Now in my current room I assumed my center channel was far enough from the front wall and didn't need any type of panel. However it didn't sound great even being 5 feet off of the wall. So I took the advice from JonFo and put a panel behind it and it made a huge difference.

Also just a side note; if ML's weren't good for HT Application why would they continue to design better Center Speakers; I'm just saying. And I can't wait to demo or maybe even purchase the new Illusion ESL C34A.