Man, I thought I was a-okay with headphones/tv speakers, but getting a 5.1 system feels like the biggest gaming upgrade I've had in years.

[Lionheart]

Hell ya dude.

My journey with Home audio began when I went to a friends house during the gamecube days. His dad was an audiophile and had a great surround setup. My buddy put on Metroid Prime and the menu music sounded so good with the 5.1 system, I never experienced something like that before. I remember the localized sound sweeping around my head and his 12" sub was felt in my chest.

i started out with 5.1 HT in a box and was instantly disappointed. But I was poor. I went through like 4 different systems but eventually found a deal on Paradigm studios and have been rocking them since 2013.

I basically peacemealed it though. Started with bookshelves and an expensive sub. Found mediocre surrounds to fill it on. When I finally got the matching centre (was hard to find) it was like 6 years later. Now I finally got some dipole surrounds from Paradigm to bring it home just last week. It transforms movies and games. although I spent over 5k on my system I consider it my best investment.

I do have hearing loss though (not sure if its related :P) but I got corrective surgery in one ear in 2019 and I'm so happy with the results. Hoping for the other ear soon. Best upgrade ever :D

Anyway highly recommend. If you can't afford the whole set, start with bookshelves and buy the other parts when you can, even years later. Don't settle for HTiB crap.

 

[Qudi]

I always prefered using headphones because im living in an apartment not to bother anyone around me. But a friend recommended me to geat an adequate soundbar. Its not much, but i upgraded to a Sonos Beam Gen 2 since my gaming room is fairly small and that thing packs quite the punch for its size with its 3 channels, 5 speakers and 3 radiators. Im still continue to use my headphones at night tho. Maybe i will add more speakers to the Sonos Beam in future if i move to a bigger flat.

 

[Version 3.0]

Complete opposite for me. I first got a 5.1 system over 20 years ago. In more recent times, I ditched that useless shit and just use a nice-sounding sound bar. I don't need sound coming from all directions when the visuals are in just one. It's a distracting gimmick. Give me back all the hours I spent mounting and wiring that crap.

 

[Perzeval]

I've always wondered why headphones are such a common recommendation. 5.1 or 7.1 systems are the way.

 

[SJPN]

And how's the audio latency? My experience with all these audio systems is it always introduces a noticeable audio latency and that there's no way to fix it.

Click to shrink...

There shouldn't be any. Dunno about soundbar, but AVRs don't cause latency.

It was a more common problem back in the day when things were hooked up with optical and all-in-one Home Theatre in a Box set ups.

The only latency that's common is using Atmos on Xbox. The Xbox itself adds latency while encoding the output to Atmos. It exasperated by certain hardware like LG TVs.

 

[Darknight]

Complete opposite for me. I first got a 5.1 system over 20 years ago. In more recent times, I ditched that useless shit and just use a nice-sounding sound bar. I don't need sound coming from all directions when the visuals are in just one. It's a distracting gimmick. Give me back all the hours I spent mounting and wiring that crap.

Click to shrink...

It's not a gimmick though when done right. I mean you're arguing that the sound shouldn't even be in stereo and just mono with that logic. Games and movies can be put into 3D space and using discrete audio can enhance that depth. Take the scene from X-Men when Wolverine barges into Professor X's office after escaping from their medical bay below and then Professor X demonstrates how he can make his voice come from all over the place. Having a discrete audio setup where those voices are coming from different directions all around you enhances that scene rather than just in front of you. Scenes where things come from behind to in front of you or in front of you to behind you and those things are off screen and still making sound can have their audio positioned correctly which also enhances those scenes. Having an object making sound where it's position is behind you but the sound comes from in front of you doesn't make sense. Discrete audio surround sound is anything but a gimmick.

 

[Version 3.0]

It's not a gimmick though when done right. I mean you're arguing that the sound shouldn't even be in stereo and just mono with that logic. Games and movies can be put into 3D space and using discrete audio can enhance that depth. Take the scene from X-Men when Wolverine barges into Professor X's office after escaping from their medical bay below and then Professor X demonstrates how he can make his voice come from all over the place. Having a discrete audio setup where those voices are coming from different directions all around you enhances that scene rather than just in front of you. Scenes where things come from behind to in front of you or in front of you to behind you and those things are off screen and still making sound can have their audio positioned correctly which also enhances those scenes. Having an object making sound where it's position is behind you but the sound comes from in front of you doesn't make sense. Discrete audio surround sound is anything but a gimmick.

Click to shrink...

All that does is take me out of the movie and remind me that I have surround sound speakers. It doesn't enhance the scene, it ruins it.

 

[milkyway]

I don't know what others experience is but I find that a nice stereo system does the job perfectly fine. In my setup, not a huge room, got a nice receiver and floorstanding speakers and they sound big, dynamic, and clear. I spent under $1500. I think for the same price 5.1 would not have sounded as good.

 

[Darknight]

All that does is take me out of the movie and remind me that I have surround sound speakers. It doesn't enhance the scene, it ruins it.

Click to shrink...

So do you think stereo is worse than mono then?

 

[Skyshark]

So how expensive would a good 5.1 system for PS5 be?

Click to shrink...

One of the good things about a surround system is you can build as you go. A decent receiver will run probably close to 300. You can then get two bookshelf speakers and just use those while you budget more. In my opinion the most important part, and probably the most expensive, is the sub. You're looking at 500 plus dollars for something pretty good. But the bookshelves will sound better than a sound bar. The sub will blow you away. And then as you get more funds, add a center and two towers. A decent system with all those components will eventually cost close to 1500, but again, they don't need to be bought all at once. And you can always add another sub and two satellites in the future. It may seem like a lot, but as has been stated, the system should last 10 plus years easily.

 

[martinstraka8282]

In hindsight yeah that makes perfect sense. Silly question.

As for the circuit, it will be a committed circuit for the TV, consoles, amp and sub. I think that should be enough? I could probably get a circuit for the sub or amp specifically, but it'd cost a bit more and I don't think it's necessary. I'll text the electrician tomorrow and get his thoughts. Technically he's 'done' on the project, but I'm still asking him questions.


\

So I've found the PB1000 for $832+tax on you-buy.ca ..... but shipping is $300. Can't find it for even $1000. Too steep for me!

Tempted to just go with the Polk HTS 10 given that it's $500 CAD. I understand that I'm forfeiting some quality, but it's a much more reasonable price.

For what it's worth, here's the size and layout of the space.

[EDIT] Looks like it's $900 CAD at Amazon.com including shipping and import fees.

Order Summary

Items:	USD 499.00
Shipping & handling:	USD 117.28
Total before tax:	USD 616.28
Estimated tax to be collected:	USD 0.00
Import Fees Deposit:	USD 70.98
Order total:	USD 687.26
Payment Total:	CAD 899.50

....no tax???

Click to shrink...

Always a good idea to stay within budget. I bought mine from electronicsforless. There were some savings for me because I bought 2 at a time and I was also offered quite a bit cheaper when I inquired in an email about the product rather than just buying it normally. That Amazon deal looks decent.

 

[ɣGammaɣ]

In hindsight yeah that makes perfect sense. Silly question.

As for the circuit, it will be a committed circuit for the TV, consoles, amp and sub. I think that should be enough? I could probably get a circuit for the sub or amp specifically, but it'd cost a bit more and I don't think it's necessary. I'll text the electrician tomorrow and get his thoughts. Technically he's 'done' on the project, but I'm still asking him questions.


\

So I've found the PB1000 for $832+tax on you-buy.ca ..... but shipping is $300. Can't find it for even $1000. Too steep for me!

Tempted to just go with the Polk HTS 10 given that it's $500 CAD. I understand that I'm forfeiting some quality, but it's a much more reasonable price.

For what it's worth, here's the size and layout of the space.

[EDIT] Looks like it's $900 CAD at Amazon.com including shipping and import fees.

Order Summary

Items:	USD 499.00
Shipping & handling:	USD 117.28
Total before tax:	USD 616.28
Estimated tax to be collected:	USD 0.00
Import Fees Deposit:	USD 70.98
Order total:	USD 687.26
Payment Total:	CAD 899.50

....no tax???

Click to shrink...

If you are in Canada, maybe check out Totem Acoustic - found this company when i searched for my speakers.

 

[Vitamin_B_Complex]

Been using 5.1 surround sound for over 20 years and I can never go back. It still impresses me every day.

Upgraded to 5.1.2 in late October, and the extra atmosphere it adds makes it even better.

Click to shrink...

I agree. Even going to 7.1 was incredible.

Do you use upmixing for your Atmos channels when using content that is not mastered for hight channels?

 

[Something Creative]

Always a good idea to stay within budget. I bought mine from electronicsforless. There were some savings for me because I bought 2 at a time and I was also offered quite a bit cheaper when I inquired in an email about the product rather than just buying it normally. That Amazon deal looks decent.

Click to shrink...

I just found out I could pay $700CAD ($200 less!) and pick it up from a shell company on the other side of the border. Gonna call them to ask if I should factor in paying duties at the border (maybe $80 if so).

If you are in Canada, maybe check out Totem Acoustic - found this company when i searched for my speakers.

Click to shrink...

These look slick. What's the price range? Say for their 10" 300W sub. No prices on their site that I can see.

I agree. Even going to 7.1 was incredible.

Do you use upmixing for your Atmos channels when using content that is not mastered for hight channels?

Click to shrink...

Upmixing....what is that? 🤔 Definitely going to be a thing for my 5.1.2 setup as so little will actually exploit the height channels.

 

[Vitamin_B_Complex]

I just found out I could pay $700CAD ($200 less!) and pick it up from a shell company on the other side of the border. Gonna call them to ask if I should factor in paying duties at the border (maybe $80 if so).


These look slick. What's the price range? Say for their 10" 300W sub. No prices on their site that I can see.


Upmixing....what is that? 🤔 Definitely going to be a thing for my 5.1.2 setup as so little will actually exploit the height channels.

Click to shrink...

Not an expert but a lot of sources are not even 7.1 so my cheap Yamaha does some magic and "fills the gaps". I assume this is necessary for hight channels.

 

[ɣGammaɣ]

I just found out I could pay $700CAD ($200 less!) and pick it up from a shell company on the other side of the border. Gonna call them to ask if I should factor in paying duties at the border (maybe $80 if so).


These look slick. What's the price range? Say for their 10" 300W sub. No prices on their site that I can see.


Upmixing....what is that? 🤔 Definitely going to be a thing for my 5.1.2 setup as so little will actually exploit the height channels.

Click to shrink...

Its right on their site - buy now, but 500, 700, 1k for the 300W.

Edit: i don't see your planned Sub placement on your drawing. Just to give you something to think about - if you plan to put it freely you will need a bigger sub, one wall for the sub is good - can take a smaller one, edge placement will be critical to not get a booming sound - smaller is sufficient and ports to regulate would be good.

For me, how much money i would throw at a sub would be dependent on the fronts - small fronts high crossover (frequency at which the sub is taking over) - sub is more important - quick sub is preferred to how deep it goes.
Just my 2cents

 

[Alek]

Honestly if you play around with something like a pair of Senheiser HD800s you'd be very hard to get similar performance out of a speaker in a similar ball park price range, and even then the audio reproduction itself is going to lose out to the HD800s. Obviously you can a better spatial experience from your speakers but the experience is very dependent on your room acoustics and the vast majority do not have the ideal setup for getting a good experience out of an expensive set of speakers.

Good headphones have huge technical advantages over speakers in that the engineers are only designing two drivers which sit either side of your head. This is why they are so often recommended and appreciated, but they present sound in a different way which has different strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously there are also logistical factors. If your gaming involves playing or watching with people locally, then the speaker setup is the winner. If you're playing games online and speaking to other players, then you want to invest in some headphones.

I agree that getting a great audio setup is a huge gaming upgrade, but not that speakers are necessarily the way to go for most people. I don't agree that the audio is more important than the display, I think they're both very important and it's difficult to compare the two. The difference you get with modern OLEDs is astounding.

Ideally I think if you're really invested into home entertainment and video gaming then you should consider investing in all directions.

• A surround sound speaker setup
• A pair of premium open back headphones
• A pair of closed back headphones
• A monitor
• A OLED TV

And then you can interchange setups depending on which best suits the experience you want to have. But for a lot of people it's just more economical to invest in the area that they're going to get more bang for their buck from. Of these options I think most people that play games would be best setup with a nice OLED TV and a great pair of headpones. Something like the LG C1 and Senheiser HD600s.

 

[Muji]

I bought a 200 dollar or something soundbar for my LG CX and I already thought that was a huge upgrade from the TV sound system.

 

[Unaha-Closp]

I used 5.1 for the PS3 and PS4 gens and then PS5, and XSX, did away with the digital optical output, or whatever seemingly old-fashioned tech my home theatre system has, and then meh, back to TV and/or Headphones. Don't really like Sony's PS5 3D TV Audio thingy, sounds empty or something to me, so yeah I would rather 5.1 but my still very much working and sounding good, to me, is not compatible with these new machines so meh. My LG CX sounds pretty good to me though so I've never felt the need to buy a new 5.1 system.

 

[SnatcherHunter]

I been using Surround Sound since Sega Saturn days. I remember blowing my friends away with my beautiful Prologic sound back then lol

I know some can't install a proper home theater due to space etc, but it's a shame to see some of my friends play with headsets or soundbar and think they are getting the same experience as my home theater setup.

 

[Polyh3dron]

Any recommendations for a good sub under $500 USD? Ideally around $300 or less?

Click to shrink...

SVS. Always go for SVS subwoofers, they're the best for all price ranges. I've got one of their sealed subs (SB-3000) and it is glorious.

I been using Surround Sound since Sega Saturn days. I remember blowing my friends away with my beautiful Prologic sound back then lol

I know some can't install a proper home theater due to space etc, but it's a shame to see some of my friends play with headsets or soundbar and think they are getting the same experience as my home theater setup.

Click to shrink...

Honestly the biggest game changer is getting dialog from a center speaker.

 

[Glassboy]

Honestly if you play around with something like a pair of Senheiser HD800s you'd be very hard to get similar performance out of a speaker in a similar ball park price range, and even then the audio reproduction itself is going to lose out to the HD800s. Obviously you can a better spatial experience from your speakers but the experience is very dependent on your room acoustics and the vast majority do not have the ideal setup for getting a good experience out of an expensive set of speakers.

Good headphones have huge technical advantages over speakers in that the engineers are only designing two drivers which sit either side of your head. This is why they are so often recommended and appreciated, but they present sound in a different way which has different strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously there are also logistical factors. If your gaming involves playing or watching with people locally, then the speaker setup is the winner. If you're playing games online and speaking to other players, then you want to invest in some headphones.

I agree that getting a great audio setup is a huge gaming upgrade, but not that speakers are necessarily the way to go for most people. I don't agree that the audio is more important than the display, I think they're both very important and it's difficult to compare the two. The difference you get with modern OLEDs is astounding.

Ideally I think if you're really invested into home entertainment and video gaming then you should consider investing in all directions.

• A surround sound speaker setup
• A pair of premium open back headphones
• A pair of closed back headphones
• A monitor
• A OLED TV

And then you can interchange setups depending on which best suits the experience you want to have. But for a lot of people it's just more economical to invest in the area that they're going to get more bang for their buck from. Of these options I think most people that play games would be best setup with a nice OLED TV and a great pair of headpones. Something like the LG C1 and Senheiser HD600s.

Click to shrink...

I got a pair of Senheiser 8xxs when they went on sale for $700 and have been blown away with the soundstage and imaging when playing games. I played UC4 remastered on ps5 and couldn't believe the difference in audio quality even though I was coming from a pair of 6xxs.

 

[ScoobsJoestar]

Honestly if you play around with something like a pair of Senheiser HD800s you'd be very hard to get similar performance out of a speaker in a similar ball park price range, and even then the audio reproduction itself is going to lose out to the HD800s. Obviously you can a better spatial experience from your speakers but the experience is very dependent on your room acoustics and the vast majority do not have the ideal setup for getting a good experience out of an expensive set of speakers.

Good headphones have huge technical advantages over speakers in that the engineers are only designing two drivers which sit either side of your head. This is why they are so often recommended and appreciated, but they present sound in a different way which has different strengths and weaknesses.

Obviously there are also logistical factors. If your gaming involves playing or watching with people locally, then the speaker setup is the winner. If you're playing games online and speaking to other players, then you want to invest in some headphones.

I agree that getting a great audio setup is a huge gaming upgrade, but not that speakers are necessarily the way to go for most people. I don't agree that the audio is more important than the display, I think they're both very important and it's difficult to compare the two. The difference you get with modern OLEDs is astounding.

Ideally I think if you're really invested into home entertainment and video gaming then you should consider investing in all directions.

• A surround sound speaker setup
• A pair of premium open back headphones
• A pair of closed back headphones
• A monitor
• A OLED TV

And then you can interchange setups depending on which best suits the experience you want to have. But for a lot of people it's just more economical to invest in the area that they're going to get more bang for their buck from. Of these options I think most people that play games would be best setup with a nice OLED TV and a great pair of headpones. Something like the LG C1 and Senheiser HD600s.

Click to shrink...

Headphones are by far more cost-efficient. For me they aren't my preferred audio output because I can't use them when I'm with my friends and family (watching movies/playing games with people over is one of my favorite things) and I do adore the spatial side of things so speakers make more sense for me. Hearing the audio channels so separately gives me life.

But yeah of course getting a speaker setup depends far more on your setup and it's not ideal for a lot of people's living situations. In my case, I definitely prefer it and it suits my house though.

I haven't really experienced really high-tech Headphones to be honest though, so maybe I'm misinformed and there are pairs that feel as good in terms of hearing sound from all directions and things of the sort. My current pair is the Sennheiser HD 599 which is good but pretty entry level. That said, my speaker setup was half of the cost of the HD 800 S - whole thing set me back about 700 CAD.

I'd probably still go all-in on the speaker setup but I'll be the first to acknowledge it's not for everyone.

 

[martinstraka8282]

I agree on the cost effectiveness of headphones, but no matter how comfortable, the main issue is having to wear them imo. I'm usually happy to peel off my 650's after a couple hours.

 

[Miker]

I just set up a 5.0 setup today with a Sonos Beam and two Sonos Ones, and I'm finding games to be very hit and miss.

Halo sounds great with its ambient audio but I don't think it's using the center channel for anything besides dialogue, and so gun sounds are coming out of front L/R speakers, and it sounds kind of distant. It's weird, and I'm not sure that it's an issue on my end, as there are a handful of Reddit posts that claim the same issue.

DOOM Eternal, while it seems to be using the center channel, seems to sorely lacking in the punchy gun audio department. I think this may actually be the game itself, as even in stereo with headphones the guns sound disappointingly weak.

Titanfall 2 seems to have a good mix across all channels and it sounds fantastic.

I think Hitman 3 may be the best sounding game that I tested because the big locations and large NPC numbers hugely benefit from the increased soundstage.

 

[Septimus]

Nothing can really beat Headphones in term of simple audio clarity, it's basically a closed sound studio for your head.
But in terms of full immersion and feeling the experience and being immersed, you cannot beat a GOOD speaker settup. So many films and shows I've watched seem so less impactful if you are listening on anything but decent speakers/subwoofer. You get so many more layers that rock your body and jolt you on impacts, can never go back now unfortunately.

Click to shrink...

This put into words my experiences. Most recently Last of Us II. I beat it twice, 5.1 surround speakers and receiver and then the other time with headphones. Headphones were super clear, punchy, technically great all around but the playthrough with the 5.1 speaker system was a whole other level of immersion, especially with that game. And I'd pick that every time.

 

[Darknight]

This put into words my experiences. Most recently Last of Us II. I beat it twice, 5.1 surround speakers and receiver and then the other time with headphones. Headphones were super clear, punchy, technically great all around but the playthrough with the 5.1 speaker system was a whole other level of immersion, especially with that game. And I'd pick that every time.

Click to shrink...

Just to add to this, I tried headphones because people raved about how good the headphone implementation was in that game, but the one thing I just can't get used to with headphones is the direction that the vocal dialog comes from. With a proper 5.1 speaker setup, it comes from in front of you, but with headphones, it's always coming to both ears in a way that just sounds wrong to me. It's always jarring watching story cut scenes and having that audio difference.

 

[Nothing Loud]

I don't even go to friends watch parties/nights because they don't have surround sound or OLEDs and I just can't imagine going backwards in my experience like that anymore

 

[Alek]

Just to add to this, I tried headphones because people raved about how good the headphone implementation was in that game, but the one thing I just can't get used to with headphones is the direction that the vocal dialog comes from. With a proper 5.1 speaker setup, it comes from in front of you, but with headphones, it's always coming to both ears in a way that just sounds wrong to me. It's always jarring watching story cut scenes and having that audio difference.

Click to shrink...

You can definitely make it sound like the people speaking are in fact, in front of you, if you use a virtual surround sound option.

Not to say that it's likely to feel as immersive as a home theater setup, but you can get headphones that are pretty convincing. There was a post recently in the headphones OT about exactly that, where an ERA member was talking about the soundstage on the Aryas (I think it was the Arya) being so convincing that they felt the voice of a youtuber directly above them when they were talking down into their mic.

I get the impression people often buy $1000 home speakers, but haven't necessarily tried many headphones in that price bracket. I think if you had $1000 to spend on audio, you could get a pair of headphones that are extremely detailed and resolving. You'd have to spend several thousand more to get an equivalency from speakers. That's not to knock speakers, you inherently get a really good sound stage, just detail and clarity that tend to suffer when compared to similarily priced headphones. That and you have all of the potential issues with room acoustics which can distort the sound and disrupt the sense of space.

I don't even go to friends watch parties/nights because they don't have surround sound or OLEDs and I just can't imagine going backwards in my experience like that anymore

Click to shrink...

Is it not worth it for your friends? I have a nice setup that I like at home, but I watched Summer Games Fest live on a small monitor in a hotel lobby with virtually no sound. It was great because there were 8 of us discussing all the games and their trailers.

 

[Radarscope1]

Ah, I just renovated my family room and got a C1 delivered today. 5.1 sound coming soon. I'm 42 years old and never had surround sound in my life. I feel like the sound might be a bigger upgrade than the OLED (coming from plasma), LOL

 

[Duxxy3]

I've always wondered why headphones are such a common recommendation. 5.1 or 7.1 systems are the way.

Click to shrink...

As someone with an old 5.1 sitting around doing nothing, I can say it's because it's not always a viable option. Don't always have space. Can't always use it because of the noise.

But headphones? I can use them in basically any situation.

 

[Darknight]

You can definitely make it sound like the people speaking are in fact, in front of you, if you use a virtual surround sound option.

Not to say that it's likely to feel as immersive as a home theater setup, but you can get headphones that are pretty convincing. There was a post recently in the headphones OT about exactly that, where an ERA member was talking about the soundstage on the Aryas (I think it was the Arya) being so convincing that they felt the voice of a youtuber directly above them when they were talking down into their mic.

Click to shrink...

You can do it, but often the audio production for the game isn't designed around doing it. Virtualization always messes with the audio mix and is often inaccurate. Not to mention, if it's a game that specifically has a headphone mode and mixes the audio with that in mind, virtualization ruins that mix. So while technically it is possible to simulate that, almost all the time, the audio is not mixed in a way to represent it.

 

[Polyh3dron]

I'll have to check again later, but I remember not being able to select anything other than stereo at all. I can do atmos or 5.1 if I plug my PC direct to the receiver, but than I lose 4k 120hz VRR.

Someone created a thread about this a while ago (it is also where I got the 3rd party app trick) and it is still the problem I have today.

PC Era: it’s 2020, why cant a £1500 Nvidia GPU output Dolby Digital 5.1 over hdmi like every other device in existence?

So having invested in a brand new Nvidia 3090 card recently (although tbh it was the same for the 2xxx and 1xxx series cards before that) we still cannot output one of the most common encoded audio formats in existence via HDMI: Dolby Digital 5.1 As far as I can tell the only options for comfy...

www.resetera.com

Click to shrink...

I'm sorry, I thought you were going directly to your receiver. If you're going to the TV and then using ARC for your receiver, the Dolby Access bitstream method will work. There may be some latency though.

 

[Jonatron]

I just set up a 5.0 setup today with a Sonos Beam and two Sonos Ones, and I'm finding games to be very hit and miss.

Halo sounds great with its ambient audio but I don't think it's using the center channel for anything besides dialogue, and so gun sounds are coming out of front L/R speakers, and it sounds kind of distant. It's weird, and I'm not sure that it's an issue on my end, as there are a handful of Reddit posts that claim the same issue.

DOOM Eternal, while it seems to be using the center channel, seems to sorely lacking in the punchy gun audio department. I think this may actually be the game itself, as even in stereo with headphones the guns sound disappointingly weak.

Titanfall 2 seems to have a good mix across all channels and it sounds fantastic.

I think Hitman 3 may be the best sounding game that I tested because the big locations and large NPC numbers hugely benefit from the increased soundstage.

Click to shrink...

I already have a stereo pair of Sonos Ones in the bedroom for music and use headphones when gaming on an LG C1.

Thinking about adding a Beam but apparent issues with audio latency is a turn off. What's your experience with this? Is it only an issue with Atmos on the XSX? Is Atmos ok with tv streaming apps?

 

[Jonatron]

The HD800's are amazing headphones but they need a top end amp and dac to really sing. Most gamers aren't going to invest in that and a dedicated wireless gaming headphone at a fraction of the price is a much better option than an HD800 plugged into your controller.

 

[Katana_Strikes]

Ah, I just renovated my family room and got a C1 delivered today. 5.1 sound coming soon. I'm 42 years old and never had surround sound in my life. I feel like the sound might be a bigger upgrade than the OLED (coming from plasma), LOL

Click to shrink...

What have you got coming?

I've looked at several options but I just keep seeing odd issues that stop any from being "the one".

 

[Miker]

I already have a stereo pair of Sonos Ones in the bedroom for music and use headphones when gaming on an LG C1.

Thinking about adding a Beam but apparent issues with audio latency is a turn off. What's your experience with this? Is it only an issue with Atmos on the XSX? Is Atmos ok with tv streaming apps?

Click to shrink...

I haven't noticed any issues with latency personally, it's just hooked up with eARC HDMI. But on XSX I've only tried one game which is uh Forza Horizon 1, which admittedly isn't the best test. The games I've tried in the post you quoted were played on PC.

The only Atmos media I've tried was Spider Man Far From Home on the Apple TV app and that sounded great.

 

[Spork4000]

It wouldn't be 5.0 because the 5 refers to the number of speakers, like I said yours would be a 3.0 system. Bearing in mind that I've never owned a soundbar and am not totally familiar with its usual capabilities, if you've wired your two speakers into the rear channel ports of your soundbar, if there are any on your soundbar, then it shouldn't be too much of a problem and would be a somewhat of an approximation of the 5.0 sound, just without the full 5 speaker set up.

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The sonos beam is a 3.0.2 sound bar and it becomes a 5.0.2 system with rears. It has physical left, right and center channels physically displaced from each other in the bar and "digital" height channels. Most sound bars are at least a 3.0 channel out of the box these days and I think a minimum is 2.0. I don't know of a sound bar that's a mono center channel, I don't think that's ever been a thing.

Yeah, it's a Sonos Beam with two One speakers. I get surround sound and even the app will class it as 5.1. I was going to buy the Sonos subwoofer but I saw the price and ran away.

It's been fun learning this stuff.

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See above post, but depends on the generation of the beam, the digital height channels were added in the latest gen.

 

[The Boat]

People who use headphones for console gaming: do you connect them to the TV or to the controller when that's an option? Do you use a DAC?

 

[KDash]

Lovely.

I upgraded to a 7.1.4 a couple of years ago

Amazing

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I'd love to have a setup like that someday. Would be amazing.

But I'm very happy with my 5.1.2!

I agree. Even going to 7.1 was incredible.

Do you use upmixing for your Atmos channels when using content that is not mastered for hight channels?

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Yeah, I usually do. It does a surprisingly great job with it. Sounds that should be above do actually end up there, somehow. Mostly it's just bits of music, though.

 

[Something Creative]

SVS PB-1000 300 Watt DSP Controlled 10" Ported Subwoofer (Black Ash) https://a.co/d/gjskRKH

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I highly recommend the SVS sub mentioned. I bought two of the PB1000 ported pro's and it is insane the difference compared to a standard sub from brands like Yamaha or Klipsch. It's honestly hard to describe just how significant it is. From a muddy boom to nuanced rumble.

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So, what's a ported pro? Is there much difference compared to the one Darknight mentioned?

You two actually mentioned distinct units. The PB1000 has three and looking at the descriptions it's hard to tell if there's much or any difference between them. Is the "Pro Sealed" (b) just fine? It's the most affordable in Canada, I think, although I could get (a) from the US for a similar price.

a) SVS PB-1000 300 Watt DSP Controlled 10" Ported Subwoofer (Black Ash)

b) SVS SB-1000 Pro Sealed Subwoofer

c) SVS PB-1000 Pro Ported

 

[Darknight]

So, what's a ported pro? Is there much difference compared to the one Darknight mentioned?

You two actually mentioned distinct units. The PB1000 has three and looking at the descriptions it's hard to tell if there's much or any difference between them. Is the "Pro Sealed" (b) just fine? It's the most affordable in Canada, I think, although I could get (a) from the US for a similar price.

a) SVS PB-1000 300 Watt DSP Controlled 10" Ported Subwoofer (Black Ash)

b) SVS SB-1000 Pro Sealed Subwoofer

c) SVS PB-1000 Pro Ported

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Without getting into the nuance of things, generally speaking ported subs are better used for home theater/gaming style sound usage while sealed subs are better for music. So depending on your usage will determine which one you'll want. I assumed you'd be using it more for movies, TV, and gaming, so I mentioned the ported sub to you.

Also, that third one you posted is a 12" sub where as the other ones are 10" subs. That's part of the reason why the third one is more expensive.

 

[Polyh3dron]

IMO sealed subs are so much better. Had ported subs for years and their output always seemed to be way too wild. Now I have a sealed SVS SB-3000 and it sounds flatout amazing in my setup. Never overpowering but always strong. That is my home setup and meanwhile in my professional mixing studio I currently have a monstrous KRK 12S ported sub and I honestly hate it. Probably don't have it dialed in quite right too but I've never been able to get it in a decent place with my pro setup and end up not using it for crossover from my main speakers. It's LFE only.

I'm actually toying with the idea of ditching the KRK and putting a SVS sealed sub in with my 5.1 post-production mixing setup because it is just that good.

 

[Darknight]

IMO sealed subs are so much better. Had ported subs for years and their output always seemed to be way too wild. Now I have a sealed SVS SB-3000 and it sounds flatout amazing in my setup. Never overpowering but always strong. That is my home setup and meanwhile in my professional mixing studio I currently have a monstrous KRK 12S ported sub and I honestly hate it. Probably don't have it dialed in quite right too but I've never been able to get it in a decent place with my pro setup and end up not using it for crossover from my main speakers. It's LFE only.

I'm actually toying with the idea of ditching the KRK and putting a SVS sealed sub in with my 5.1 post-production mixing setup because it is just that good.

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That's interesting, I would think in a professional setup, you'd want a sealed sub for their accuracy so it's surprising you'd have a ported sub in that work environment.

 

[Something Creative]

Without getting into the nuance of things, generally speaking ported subs are better used for home theater/gaming style sound usage while sealed subs are better for music. So depending on your usage will determine which one you'll want. I assumed you'd be using it more for movies, TV, and gaming, so I mentioned the ported sub to you.

Also, that third one you posted is a 12" sub where as the other ones are 10" subs. That's part of the reason why the third one is more expensive.

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Ok interesting. I'll strike the 12". No need. Somehow missed that.

One reason I like the sealed is that it's smaller. However, the intention is to use it for games and movies for sure.

IMO sealed subs are so much better. Had ported subs for years and their output always seemed to be way too wild. Now I have a sealed SVS SB-3000 and it sounds flatout amazing in my setup. Never overpowering but always strong. That is my home setup and meanwhile in my professional mixing studio I currently have a monstrous KRK 12S ported sub and I honestly hate it. Probably don't have it dialed in quite right too but I've never been able to get it in a decent place with my pro setup and end up not using it for crossover from my main speakers. It's LFE only.

I'm actually toying with the idea of ditching the KRK and putting a SVS sealed sub in with my 5.1 post-production mixing setup because it is just that good.

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You'd recommend sealed even for predominantly gaming/movie use?

 

[Darknight]

Ok interesting. I'll strike the 12". No need. Somehow missed that.

One reason I like the sealed is that it's smaller. However, the intention is to use it for games and movies for sure.

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Here's SVS's take on it:

Sealed vs. Ported Subwoofers

Our most common question answered in a few simple steps – learn what’s right for your system and listening needs.

www.svsound.com

In general, you'd want the bigger punch without needing as much power to drive it that will fit movies and games better when using a ported sub, where as music is all about the finer detail and so in that situation you'd want a sealed sub to offer you that clarity.

As for space, if I recall, the physical floor footprint is roughly the same so you're only saving space in height which isn't as big of a deal when thinking of size.

You'd recommend sealed even for predominantly gaming/movie use?

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I can't speak for that poster but my guess is since they professionally mix audio, they prefer the more detailed sound approach to things which a sealed sub offers, but that's also why it's better tailored towards music where you would want that detail and nuance.

Edit:

If it helps, here's how mine looks to give you an idea of size and then think about how the sealed one would just be a bit shorter:

 

[bobmonkey]

I have a Sonos Arc in my living room and love it. I guess my next purchase should be a subwoofer and some rear speakers? Anyone else use a Sonos home theater setup?

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I have the full setup, Arc, Sub and two One SL's for rears. The Sub made the biggest difference, completely changes the sound profile of the Arc, it's honestly night and day.

If you're looking to expand your setup I always recommend the Sub first. If you live in an apartment and worry about the bass interfering with neighbors a Sub mini releases later this year.

If you get the rears, make sure you go into the Sonos App and change Surround Audio —> Music Playback to Full.

Oh, and whenever you move a speaker, or add a speaker/sub to your setup, make sure you run Trueplay Tuning.

 

[Polyh3dron]

That's interesting, I would think in a professional setup, you'd want a sealed sub for their accuracy so it's surprising you'd have a ported sub in that work environment.

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Right.. I mean it is a studio monitor grade sub that cost me 800 when I bought it like 6 years ago but like you said, not the most accurate thing which is why I'm looking to replace it. My speakers are JBL LSR 708P speakers which are top of the line for post production nearfields. That said, the JBL LSR6312SP subwoofer a lot of people are pairing with these speakers is also ported, as are most of JBL's pro subs... so 🤷‍♀️

 

[shotgunbob04]

I grew up playing games on 5.1 systems, and I still prefer a nice pair of headphones.

Surround sound implementation isn't consistent across games—some are way better than others. Stereo just ends up being way more consistent, and I never miss a detail that way. As a sidenote, Monster Hunter Rise has an extremely immersive sound even with headphones.

Surround sound for movies is an entirely different story though! If your setup is good, it's honestly more immersive than the cinema.

 

[Samaritan]

I personally own a pair of very, very expensive headphones (~$1,300) that I use for both music and games, but I've recently been helping my dad with a home theater room and we finally got everything setup this weekend and holy shit, it's actually not even a contest. There's just no replacement for a dedicated surround sound system. Maybe one day I'll own a home and can outfit it with an Atmos setup and dual subwoofers, but for now visits to my folks' place will have to suffice LOL