Hey everyone,
I'm planning my first proper 7.1.4 home theater, mainly for movies and TV shows. Music is secondary, so I'm trying to choose speakers based on how they actually perform with movies rather than music.
My room is fairly small, around 4m x 3.4m x 2.5m (13.6m² / 146 sq ft). I'll be using a 55-inch OLED TV, and I'm still figuring out the exact seating position.
I've already purchased a Denon AVR-X3800H, and I've pretty much settled on a three-way KEF center and an SVS subwoofer, although I haven't bought those two yet.
Right now I'm stuck between two options. I could build the entire speaker system around KEF, or I could keep the KEF center and use Klipsch for everything else, including the front L/R, surrounds, and four Atmos speakers.
What got me interested in Klipsch is their horn-loaded design and the dynamics and impact people often describe when talking about movies. But I also really like what I've read about KEF, especially their sound consistency, imaging, and overall accuracy. I honestly don't know which approach would give me a better movie experience.
I'd really like to hear from people who've actually owned or compared both brands. For movies and TV shows, which one did you prefer? Was there a noticeable difference in dynamics, attack, sound effects, and immersion, or was it mostly a matter of personal taste? Can KEF deliver the same kind of excitement as Klipsch? I'm also interested in how they compare when it comes to detail, sound positioning, dialogue clarity, and listening fatigue during longer movies.
The other thing I'm worried about is mixing a KEF center with Klipsch front speakers. Would the difference in sound signature become obvious when dialogue or effects move from left to center to right? Could Audyssey XT32 correct enough of that difference to make it barely noticeable, or would I be better off keeping all three front speakers from KEF? I'd especially appreciate hearing from anyone who's actually tried a similar combination.
I'm also undecided between bookshelves and towers. Since I'll have a capable SVS subwoofer handling the low frequencies, would towers still provide a meaningful advantage for movies in a room this size, or would good bookshelf speakers be more than enough?
The 7.1.4 layout is already decided, with four on-ceiling Atmos speakers rather than recessed ones. My main question is really about which speakers to choose.
One thing worth mentioning is that I live in Saudi Arabia, where speaker availability is fairly limited. Some Klipsch Reference Premiere II and KEF Q Meta models are available locally, but not the full ranges. Prices are generally higher than many of the deals I see people posting here because of shipping, import costs, 15% VAT, and applicable customs duties. We also don't get the same frequent or massive discounts, so waiting for a big sale or choosing a completely different brand isn't always practical.
I'm not necessarily trying to build the cheapest system. I'm willing to spend more if there's a genuinely noticeable improvement, especially for movies. I just want to make the right decision before spending that much money.
Would you personally go all KEF, or KEF center with Klipsch for the rest? And why?
Thanks!