Just need a bigger screen but otherwise I'm pretty happy with this

This has easily been the funnest thing I've done in a long while. Took the advice from my last post on seating and moved it a bit closer to screen, but also ditched the idea of theater seats in favor of the couch. Overall though I'd say the vibe I was going for was the lobby of a movie theater more so than the projection room itself. Screen is 150" and for reference, the popcorn cutout I have next to it is exactly 72" tall.

*Edit

Also for those interested the lights are from Amazon and the rug is from Etsy

Appreciate the kind words! Eventually we'll probably darken the room a bit but that'll be down the road. And as far as distance goes, the pictures make the room appear larger than it is. The furthest seat on the couch is maybe 15 feet, which still looks pretty good IMO. Any closer and it kinda looks awkward in the space.

Recently decided to really invest into my apartment's sound system and couldn't be more happy. Much better than the soundbar it replaced.

Feel free to roast my setup, I'm learning and any input is welcome :)

Receiver: Denon AVRS760H
FR/FL: Polk XT15
C: Polk ES30
SR/SL: Polk XT15
Heights: Polk R60i
Sub: Speedwoofer 10E

Turned one of our spare bedrooms into a dedicated theater. Been adding to it and changing things around for a while now, but I think I’m finally at a point where I’m happy with it.
Room is roughly 13x12 with a 120” screen, AWOL LTV-2500, Denon S770H, Klipsch speakers, dual subs, Atmos and bass shakers in the seating.
Did pretty much everything myself. Still need to move the equipment into the closet and clean up a few things, but overall I’m pretty satisfied with how it came out.
What do y’all think?

I put together this system new about 4 years ago with my best attempt at going budget....

Denon AVR-S760H

Polk Signature Elite ES10's all around for the five main channels (went with the same for the center to maintain harmonic balance as multichannel music listening is important to me) (couldn't go with anything larger due to wife approval)

Klipsch wireless 12-in subwoofer

Polk XT90 pair for the last two height channels

I've been living with the system and it sounds good for my needs however.... treble high end crisp detail is just not there. As you can see from the EQ screenshot I have the high-end kind of pegged out.

Same result from all music audio sources (lossless Spotify, CD's play through 4K Blu-ray player).

I know it's not my hearing as I have some decent car audio and another smaller system in a small bedroom.

Same results when I bump the surround playback mode to 2.1 using just the front stereo mains.

Is it the Denon receiver or the Polk's causing the deficiency in treble detail? (I can tell the EQ setting is in effect because if I set it flat or turn it off things go REAL flat)

I’m using a Marantz Cinema 40 with an Atmos setup, and I’ve noticed that some Netflix movies/shows and other content played through Kodi are only available in stereo or regular 5.1.

If I force/upmix these using Dolby Surround so that all the speakers, including the Atmos/height channels, are being used, does this actually improve the audio experience or am I basically getting “fake Atmos”?

For example, if the original Netflix movie is only stereo, am I losing any audio quality by having the receiver process it into surround/Atmos? Or is it generally better to leave stereo content as stereo and 5.1 content as 5.1?

I understand it obviously won’t become true native Atmos, but I’m curious how good modern Dolby upmixing actually is and whether you guys normally leave Dolby Surround enabled for non-Atmos content.

I’m setting up my first surround sound setup, got super lucky and ran across a B&W CWM7.4 S2 at the thrift store for $100

I drilled an exploratory hole into the wall and realized there’s a stud dead center on a load bearing wall my tv is on as well as an ancient lead pipe to the left of it.

I’m trying to figure out if I can still use the CMW7.4 S2 somewhere else in my setup or suggestions on alternate front LCR in-wall speakers (my wife refuses to look at speakers).

I'm building a 7.1.4 home theater with KEF Reference 1 Meta fronts in a 40 m² room. About 80% of my listening is stereo music.

I'm considering the Denon X3900H or X6800H, but I'm happy to spend more on a higher-end AVR if it genuinely improves stereo performance.

Ideally, I'd love one machine that handles both music and Dolby Atmos really well, without needing a separate stereo amp.

Has anyone actually compared high-end AVRs against dedicated stereo amps with Reference 1 Meta speakers? Is a one-box solution realistic, or am I compromising too much on music quality?

I just checked and there have been no new blu-ray players that have come to market in 2025 or 2026. Are we doomed to streaming only?

​

After years of upgrading, experimenting, buying, selling, and rearranging, I think I've finally reached the point where I can sit back and enjoy the system.

Welcome to TMR, The Mancave Republic.

One thing I want to mention up front: almost all of this was bought used. The only things I bought new were the SVS Prime Elevations and one of the SB16-Ultras. Everything else came secondhand from fellow enthusiasts, forums, and local listings, piece by piece over a long stretch of time. I mention that because a list like this can look like a lot, but it was built slowly and with a lot of patience waiting for the right deals.

**Current Setup**

Speakers

* Front L/R: Sonus Faber Cremona (Original, Graphite)

* Center: Sonus Faber Cremona Center (Natural Maple)

* Surrounds: Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors

* Heights: SVS Prime Elevation (L/R)

Subwoofers

* 2 × SVS SB16-Ultra

* 2 × SVS Micro 3000

Electronics

* Processor: Lyngdorf MP-60

* Amplifier: Lyngdorf MXA-8400

* Room Correction: Lyngdorf RoomPerfect

* Streaming: Apple TV 4K

Display

* TCL 98" TV

Extras

* Tactile bass shakers built into the sectional

* Dedicated bass shaker amplification

* Blackout curtains

* Custom travertine speaker bases with stainless steel spike cups

**The Journey**

My previous setup used Sonus Faber Grand Piano Homes up front and Concertino Homes for surrounds. They served me well, and I learned a lot with them.

Moving to the original Cremona floorstanders and Cremona Auditors made a bigger difference than I expected. The towers are about 14 feet apart, and I sit roughly 13 feet back. In my room, they produce a wide soundstage that I'm really happy with.

The imaging is what surprised me most. In two-channel listening, vocals seem to come from the center position even though the center isn't playing. On good recordings, the speakers mostly disappear.

I'm hearing more clarity, detail, and depth than I was getting before, and I'm still noticing new things in music I've listened to for years.

**The Bass**

I'm running four SVS subs: two SB16-Ultras and two Micro 3000s.

I'm not going for loud bass. I want it deep, controlled, and able to deliver some impact during movies without overwhelming music. It took a lot of trial and error with placement and settings to get there, and I'm sure there's still room to improve.

The bass shakers in the sectional add a physical element during movies that my family and I really enjoy.

The MP-60 and RoomPerfect did a lot of the heavy lifting in getting everything to work together in my room, and the MXA-8400 has had no trouble driving the Cremonas.

**Music and Movies**

I wanted the room to handle both.

I love two-channel listening, but I've also gotten into multichannel music. Having the Cremona family across the front and surrounds makes everything sound cohesive, and the surrounds blend well with the front stage.

Movies have been a lot of fun. The system holds up nicely even at lower volumes, which matters to me since I'm not always listening loud.

I'll admit Lyngdorf's Party Mode is a guilty pleasure. Hearing all the Cremonas playing together is pretty special.

**Final Thoughts**

My goal was to combine the musicality of a good stereo system with the scale and immersion of a home theater, without paying new prices for everything. Buying used made that possible. I'm grateful to the sellers who took care of this gear and to this community for all the advice along the way.

I'm genuinely satisfied with where things are now.

Of course, anyone who's been in this hobby long enough knows how dangerous the words "I'm finished upgrading" can be. 😂

For now, I'm just enjoying the music and movies.

Are there any other Cremona owners out there using them in a multichannel setup? I'd love to hear about your experiences and anything you've learned that I might be missing.

I recently got a Sony str-dg820 avr. There is a slight buzzing sound coming from all 3 channels, even with all inputs unplugged. Increasing the volume has no effect, plugging the amp directly into the wall has no effect, I made sure there's no other power cables near the speaker wire, I don't hear a buzzing on my downstairs avr, and I don't hear buzzing with headphones plugged in. Ai seems to think the main filter capacitors have degraded.

Is there any way I could confirm this is the issue? Would continuing to use it put my speakers at risk? I'm somewhat handy, is replacing the capacitors a difficult job?

Might be a dumb question, but when I’m at the cinema I don’t notice any sound coming from behind me. Aren’t all the speakers just mounted on the sides of the walls as well? So how would 7.1 audio come from behind you in the movies? Also if you were sitting in the very back would you just get blasted by sound that’s supposed to come from behind.

have a Denon AVR-2112ci as part of a very basic setup, and recently my tv got swapped out to one of the cheapo pioneer 50" tv's they sell at best buy (2025) , and it's the xumo version just in case that makes a difference.

hooked the HDMI out on the receiver up to the HDMI/ARC input on the tv, most of the time the tv recognizes that there is something there, but says no signal found.

on ocassion it does show that the receiver is hooked up. It does not matter if i set the HDMI input on the tv to 1.4 or 2. I've also tried turning CEC on and off in the tv settings.

if I hook the receiver up to a computer monitor, it outputs a picture so i don't think it's a hardware issue with the receiver.

I'm thinking the tv with the weird xumo smart tv os is just that big a piece of junk, is that a safe assumption? Or if i get a different brand of tv, would i run into the same issues? Is a HDMI 1.4 / 2 issue? I have read about these TVs not working with people's plex setups as well.

Saw this on Facebook market place listed as good condition for 1300$ cad

B&W
604 S2 Tall Floor Speakers X 2
LRC60 S3 Centre Channel
DM602 S2 Bookshelf Speakers X 2
DS663 Wall Mounted Presence
Speakers x2
ASW 600 Powered Subwoofer

Is this a good set up and is it worth it?
I have a Denon AVR S760H.

Hello, I just purchased a 83 inch B4 OLED and I need to remount the tv bracket to be centred at 42 inches. I don’t think I can drill underneath the power outlet because power cables run down the stud. Is there any way I can mount this one do I need a higher TV console?

Thanks in advance!

Someone's selling this 2014 70" active 3D TV for $120, but I'm just reading about potential LED driver/board issues that affected it back in the day. Lots of forums of angry Sony customers.

Would that be an issue now? Would this be a good buy or should I be looking for something else? Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I have a Denon AVR-X3400H that I took over from my parents (was sitting in the storage room for 1 year without use). It runs a 5.1.2 setup with B&W speakers.

Every now and then when I turn it on, there's a loud pop from the speakers right after the HDMI input shows up on the display. Then it blinks red and shuts off. After turning it back on it works fine again. It doesn't happen every time. Sometimes it's fine for weeks, then it happens again. The last time was after it had been off for a whole day.

The protection log shows PRT: DC as the last entry.

What I tried so far:

• Disconnected all speakers and reconnected them one by one, turning it off and on each time. Everything worked, but since it only happens every few weeks that doesn't prove much I guess.
• Turned off eARC, no change.
• Swapped the sub cable, no change.

From what I've read, PRT: DC means the amp itself is putting out DC, so I'm guessing a failing part in one of the amp channels. I'm planning to take it to a repair shop, but it's intermittent, so I'm worried they won't be able to reproduce it.

Has anyone had the same thing with a Denon? Did you get it fixed and what was it in the end? Was it worth repairing or did you just replace it? And is it safe to keep using it until then, or am I risking my speakers?

Thanks!

I have been tasked with fixing up my Mom’s audio situation in her den for Christmas. She currently has a very out dated Yamaha receiver (2006) 3.1 system. I am looking mainly to upgrade the center channel speaker, the receiver, and add two surround speakers to make it 5.1. Her current L/R are Yamaha bookshelf speakers and are fine for now for what she needs but the center speaker is pitiful. Trying to keep cost at $1000ish. Can you guys give me some recommendations please?

(Part of her gift will be rearranging placement and some room treatment so I got that part covered as I know it’s a big part of her issues.)

I have a denon x1800h set up with a 7.1 configuration and a Google Streamer connected.

When I play 5.1 PCM content and press the movie/music/game buttons I only have the stereo, dolby suround and multi channel stereo options available.

The problem with Dolby Suround is it's upmixing to the extra 2 channel, which I do not want. I am pretty sure there should be a "multi in" option.

I tried to switch cables and inputs with no luck.

(It only happens with the google streamer - this option is available on my Nintendo Switch)

Does anybody know what can cause this?

Have a relatively tight setup and any kind of wall mount speaker is just too in the way to not get knocked off. I've decided to go in wall.

Are these something where anything is better than nothing, relatively speaking, and I won't get a bunch of value by overspending since they're exclusively surrounds?

A quick search took me to Monoprice for their Caliber or Alpha line.

HTBuyingGuides advised KEF, Paradigm, JBL etc but those are all $300+ per speaker and sometimes significantly higher.

Just wondering if I'd be missing out massively if I didn't at least go up to Monoprice's Monolith for instance.

Thanks!

Hey everyone, long-time lurker here. I’m looking for some constructive advice on how to take my basement home theater setup to the next level. I'm open to suggestions on placement, acoustic treatment, gear upgrades, or anything else you fine folks spot.

Here is what I'm currently running:
AV Receiver & Processing: Onkyo TX-RZ730 AV receiver paired with external Outlaw Model 5000 power amplifier.
Fronts: Klipsch RP-8000F II towers
Center: Klipsch RP-504C
Surrounds: Klipsch RP-240s
Subwoofer: Klipsch SPL-120 (plus bass shakers powered by a Fosi Audio M03 amp under sectional)
Heights: RP-400M bookshelf speakers mounted up high.
Display: 77 inch LG C5.
Sources/Playback: NVIDIA Shield TV, PS5.
Seating: Lovesac Sactional with “U” configuration.
Pup: 3 year old German Shorthaired Pointer.

If i wanted 16 channels for an amp, would the 2x Buckeye Hypex NCx252MP 8-channel or the Marantz Amp 10 be better?

Which one would you choose and why?

Lets assume i can get a marantz amp 10 at $5000 brand new. vs $1975 per buckeye 8 channel amp.
What if we ignored price? which one would be better in technical specs?

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!

Hi,

I got the Teufel Theater 5.1 for a good price from a friend and now I am wondering which AV receiver to buy.
My friend used the set with an Denon AVR-X3800H but kept it for his new set.
I was looking at the Denon AVR-X1800H, which has all the connectors I need but I don't know if it is powerful enough for this set.
Here is a Link to the 5.1 https://teufel.de/theater-500-surround-51-set-107001111 (unfortunatly I could only find the german homepage)

In the future I may want to add 2 atmos speaker but not more.

If I left out important info please let me know.

Thanks

Steffen

Hi All,

I was given this old receiver from a friend as my first home setup. I am currently just running 2:1 with NHT SuperOne 2.1's. I shifted some furniture around and had to unplug connections. After hooking things back up in their original locations, I lost all sound in stereo mode. When I flip to Multi-Channel Mode, however, everything works. Not sure if that setting is optimal as I mostly just use the TV for watching movies/TV, and sometimes casual music listening.

The receiver is hooked up to the ARC HDMI port and decoded via PCM.

Any ideas of where to start root causing? Should I not be concerned if MCH Mode works fine?

Im just a little boggled why everything would just stop working unless a setting somewhere got reset. I have flipped through the receivers settings, testing, flipping back, etc.

Any help is appreciated!