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55” or 65” TV Screen Size and Your Speakers: Please Join Survey

 

With my two-way speaker build on hold as the clock ticks towards December 31st when my $1200.00 in Sony card points expire, I am struggling to decide between the 55” or 65” Sony A95L OLED TV. Sitting on chairs at Best Buy, I tape measured 11 ft from the 55”, which looked small, while the 65” looked too big at the same distance.

 

My largely empty living room is 20 ft x 11, with the west side open, crossing a 4 ft wide x 27 ft hallway and into a ~ 10 ft x 9 kitchen and then 3 ft wide staircase. A triangular ceiling that peaks at 11 ft is above it all.   

 

I plan to listen 10 ft from my speakers, with the TV between them and a foot or so behind the horns.

 

I built the 65” (56.9” w x 33” h) cardboard mock and to my eyes at 12 ft the 65” “screen” looks immersive.  

 

I will build the 55” (48.25” x 27.5”) mock as soon as I can get more cardboard from the local supermarket.

 

Meanwhile, it might be very helpful to learn of the experiences of other 55” and 65” TV users.

 

How far are you from one of those screen sizes?  

 

Do you sit on a chair or recliner?

 

Please describe the speakers that you use in place of the TV’s internal speakers, and how far you sit from them.

 

 

ajant
danager's avatar
danager
946 posts
 

When you go to the movies (do people still do that?) where do you sit?  How immersive  do you want the experience?  I usually try to sit where the screen fills my whole field of vision so usually try for the seats behind to the crossing isle.

My current TV is 85 inch and doesn't seem to big at all.

bassbuyer
45 posts
 

My TV in my main listening room is 65 inches.  I sit in a recliner right in the middle about 3 meters/9 feet away.  I have it hooked up to my 2.2 music system.  Thinking about getting a used soundbar just for watching TV when needed.  

bigtwin's avatar
bigtwin
1,194 posts
 

As an aside, what brand of current TVs has the best picture?  Maybe more important than size?  I have always preferred the look of a Plasma screen.  Thanks to our movers, we had to replace the last one a couple f months ago.  Bought  an OLED screen from LG.  I've learned not to hate it but still I long for the Plasma.  The dreaded "soap opera" effect is near impossible to completey get rid of.  I wish the manufacturers would simply put a "plasma" setting in the myriad of options.  Volumes have been written on how to fine tune the picture.  It's clear the majority don't like the factory settings.  So who has some pearls of wisdom on the best screen to actually look at?  Cheers. 

frankmc195's avatar
frankmc195
169 posts
 

The heck with that.... go down and buy an 82 inch tv.

taoist
6 posts
 

I agree with you and have a Sony 55” as my main visual media. It’s in a room along with an amp/receiver, a center speaker, and a pair of studio speakers. I sit about 10’ from the tv and 8-9 feet from the speakers. It is not a completely immersive experience but I didn’t I intend it to be. It is however, a very pleasant place to watch  tv as the world go by.

The tv is a 4k with a 4k dvd player with is also a Sony. The player up scales to 4k anything it plays and it does help a bit.

My music room is smaller and includes an old 40” Samsung  and lots of old audio equipment along with book shelves cabinets, and a cd cabinet. That also happens to be my workout room as it is partially underground and sonically has less reflections. 
I don’t know if anything I have said will help except the tv size debate your going through but after you make your choice, you will get used to whatever size it is and regrets will fade. Even if you get an 80” inevitably there will be compromises about size and placement so do your best guess and live with it.

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