How about a NAD M10, some Revel M106s and a T/7x? With eARC the audio will be automatically downmixed to 2 channel…no loss of information, and the speakers will give a solid central image without a dedicated channel. Dirac Live will tune the system response to your room below 500Hz. If you don’t love the M106s substitute another similar speaker. |
The size of the woofer matters a lot. I've never found little bookshelf speakers satisfying for rock. Little speakers + subs can have the same frequency response as large floorstanders, and can be comparable on some types of music, but nothing large scale. If you listen to Beethoven or any full-bodied rock I think you'll be disappointed with little bookshelf speakers despite plenty of deep bass from a sub. |
A 77" image, movies, only 2 channel? At least consider having HT Bypass feature for future options We just thrashed out how to have an excellent ’FRONT’ 2 channel music system, like what you are planning, and have an AVR for movies. AVR uses that high quality 2 channel system for the front and the AVR drives the ’other’ movie sound channels, i.e. 5.1 .. Center, rear surround L & rear surround R. https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/avr-internal-2-channel-audio-mode-or-ht-bypass-external-equip... Bass: Subs: you will want ALL the BASS to be part of the FRONT 2 channel system, thus ALWAYS there via Large Mains, or a PAIR of subs front firing, no ports, adjacent to the smaller mains. Directivity, Imaging comes from the fundamentals and all of those fundamental's overtones, i.e. 40/80/160/320 .... |
