Wilson Audio & Home Theatre

[alp_304]

Hi folks,

To cut to the chase, I have a pair Maxx Series 3 which will be soon relegated to home entertainment. I will be building a custom listening room underground with new Wilson System. Equipment of my current system is Parasound A21+, Parasound P6. I'm looking to use these much loved speakers as part of a new home theatre setup I'm building, but not sure where to start. Home theatre is a field I have very little knowledge in and there is scarce information on folks using Maxx Series 3 (or Wilson Audio speakers) in a home theatre/entertainment setup. Surround sound isn't important, it will be used mostly to watch TV (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+ etc). All home entertainment needs are served by an Apple TV and the Xbox.

My current Wilson dealer allows me to trade in the Maxx3 for some credit towards other Wilson speakers, but I'd like to keep the Maxx3 if I can. I don't have any subwoofers as the Maxx3 produce plentiful bass for my two channel listening. My preliminary idea is to install a Sony projection system with a suspended electric controlled screen (that can come up and down with a push of a button).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[microstrip]

Nice speakers, but I would think that surround is really important in an home entertainment room.
At some time I had Wilson Audio speakers as front speakers and I was not wanting to spend in an Wilson Audio center channel I used the excellent and large Proac CC2 top center channel. A good match for a reasonable price, IMHO.

 

[alp_304]

Nice speakers, but I would think that surround is really important in an home entertainment room.
At some time I had Wilson Audio speakers as front speakers and I was not wanting to spend in an Wilson Audio center channel I used the excellent and large Proac CC2 top center channel. A good match for a reasonable price, IMHO.

Interesting. For the past 15 years or so the home entertainment needs have been served by 500 dollar soundbars , 'surround sound' isn't part of the vocabulary over here haha! I didn't think surround sound would be needed for documentaries or tv sitcoms/dramas, perhaps I should rethink this. Thanks for the center channel tip, I will look into it.

 

[sbnx]

Wilson makes great speakers for 2 channel audio. I would not use Wilson speakers in a home theater unless:

You are the only person watching the movie from the center seat. The reason for this is Wilson speakers do not have uniform off axis frequency response. This would mean the the people sitting to the sides won't hear what the person in the middle hears.

You are planning on using a very strong, high current amplifier. Wilson's have low impedance and like the juice.

 

[LL21]

Congrats! That is super exciting...and the room looks spectacular as does the furniture. Would love to know what your new main system is going to be if Maxx 3s are being 'relegated' to home theater duty! Do tell when you wish!

Meanwhile, as to home theater I think (for us) we had 2 schools of thought and settled on one.

Option 1. Go all out. Make a proper studio screening room theater. Its bloody time consuming and invasive because
- you want contractors coming in to soundproof the room, put in the correct amount of damping, etc
- put in all the side speakers and the rear channels...not to mention multi-sub to even out bass
- and set up calibrate the sound coming from your source to go thru 7.1 channels
- create all the right lighting, the raised seating

But you'll own something where its like when you get better coffee at home, have a better wine collection than the best restaurants, get better steaks done at home than in the best of steakhouses. And its like walking into wonderland when you step in, there is a hush in the room, and the lights go down. But you really gotta be a film lover to go thru this...or where you have the exceptional means where its a rounding error of time and money to do it...so what the heck.

Option 2. Go for WOW and enjoy the heck out of your already amazing equipment which will crush most home theater systems just because of the sheer fidelity of sound, power and control that many lesser speakers simply lack when you want VISCERAL. Keep the effort light and the enjoyment factor high.

- Get a great big, high quality screen. Stewart Film or Screen Innovations, etc.
- Go for it on your front view projector We love our JVC DILA 700...the world is your oyster.
- Get some good equipment that qualify as quality and some toys...we love our Kaleidescape system for example. But nothing crazy if you dont want to
- Get a sub...or two...just do it. On film tracks, if you watch Star Wars, Jurassic Park, any Marvel Comics flick, but ALSO certain dramas or television series...you'll laugh all the way to the credits when you get that 'this is better than going out to the movies' feel. It envelopes you...and that is the purpose (in my book as an audiophile) of true, deep subterranean bass...not to shake your plates, but to create enveloping sense of venue, sub-sonic spacial cues...done right, and the jazz club feels like it is all around you...keep the track playing but turn off the sub and *snap* the spacial sense of the jazz club is gone and all you have is 2 channel stereo. Try it.

Sit back. Relax. Forget 5.1 channel let alone 7.1. Just get great sound and serious subterranean movement and a sense of space with a jet black picture projection as big as you can...and [for us who are admittedly not videophiles], you're there.

As you can see, our choice was to use our main system for home theater...the screen is in the ceiling, and it drops down...the projector flips on...our family gets to watch any of 550 films on Kaleidescape at the touch of a button, and I personally get to enjoy world class sound, sound effects and subterranean bass with the family. For me/us, what could be better?

 

[alp_304]

Congrats! That is super exciting...and the room looks spectacular as does the furniture. Would love to know what your new main system is going to be if Maxx 3s are being 'relegated' to home theater duty! Do tell when you wish!

Meanwhile, as to home theater I think (for us) we had 2 schools of thought and settled on one.

Option 1. Go all out. Make a proper studio screening room theater. Its bloody time consuming and invasive because
- you want contractors coming in to soundproof the room, put in the correct amount of damping, etc
- put in all the side speakers and the rear channels...not to mention multi-sub to even out bass
- and set up calibrate the sound coming from your source to go thru 7.1 channels
- create all the right lighting, the raised seating

But you'll own something where its like when you get better coffee at home, have a better wine collection than the best restaurants, get better steaks done at home than in the best of steakhouses. And its like walking into wonderland when you step in, there is a hush in the room, and the lights go down. But you really gotta be a film lover to go thru this...or where you have the exceptional means where its a rounding error of time and money to do it...so what the heck.

Option 2. Go for WOW and enjoy the heck out of your already amazing equipment which will crush most home theater systems just because of the sheer fidelity of sound, power and control that many lesser speakers simply lack when you want VISCERAL. Keep the effort light and the enjoyment factor high.

- Get a great big, high quality screen. Stewart Film or Screen Innovations, etc.
- Go for it on your front view projector We love our JVC DILA 700...the world is your oyster.
- Get some good equipment that qualify as quality and some toys...we love our Kaleidescape system for example. But nothing crazy if you dont want to
- Get a sub...or two...just do it. On film tracks, if you watch Star Wars, Jurassic Park, any Marvel Comics flick, but ALSO certain dramas or television series...you'll laugh all the way to the credits when you get that 'this is better than going out to the movies' feel. It envelopes you...and that is the purpose (in my book as an audiophile) of true, deep subterranean bass...not to shake your plates, but to create enveloping sense of venue, sub-sonic spacial cues...done right, and the jazz club feels like it is all around you...keep the track playing but turn off the sub and *snap* the spacial sense of the jazz club is gone and all you have is 2 channel stereo. Try it.

Sit back. Relax. Forget 5.1 channel let alone 7.1. Just get great sound and serious subterranean movement and a sense of space with a jet black picture projection as big as you can...and [for us who are admittedly not videophiles], you're there.

As you can see, our choice was to use our main system for home theater...the screen is in the ceiling, and it drops down...the projector flips on...our family gets to watch any of 550 films on Kaleidescape at the touch of a button, and I personally get to enjoy world class sound, sound effects and subterranean bass with the family. For me/us, what could be better?

Wow!!

Thank you for such an extensive reply and sharing your experiences, it's providing much needed clarity. The sub idea is intriguing...I can see it as a need for media and I'm curious how it will alter two channel listening. Thanks for the equipment recommendation as well, I greatly appreciate it.

Kaleidescape sounds interesting, will check it out. Thanks again!

 

[LL21]

Enjoy...you are going to have a world-class home theater system with not a lot of effort given the base materials of what you appear to have: big space, great sound...all you need is video to match (obviously). I personally feel (and I think many agree) that really controlled, powerful and LOW bass is critical to getting that 'theater experience' in film and television (and television audio has come a LONG way).

As for Kaleidescape, the US has great movies, international not so much, so many international use the 'boat license' which is used for international travelers who have Kaleidescape on their own boats (which move between jurisdictions) where they can therefore get access to more of the movies which Kaleidescape has licensed for (primarily) the US market.

That said, we went a different way which was to use their earlier generation of systems which still had disc drives to load up our movies...so we still have the original blu-ray/dvds...but now have them all on a superb harddrive/hardware system with the coolest selection system ever on screen. Plus, it allows us to go out to Amazon, buy a movie, load it up (and keep the disc as backup) from any source. And with the Kaleidescape connected, it automatically pulls all the metadata.

 

[dbeau]

@alp-304,
Do access/read the REL website for their advice on home theater speaker setup. Although REL only does subs, they go into all related to sound, not video.

 

[zbub]

Home theatres do need subs. Even with Maxx 3's I am sure you'll find adding a pair of quality subs beneficial.

 

[chuck]

Wilsons are great for HT, I had a Wilson 5.1 system with Alexandria X2S2s. I tried it with just the X2S2s for a while then added the Mezzo center. No contest, the Mezzo made a huge improvement. I also had the Watch surrounds, now called Alida. You will appreciate a couple of subwoofers, too.

 

[bonzo75]

Hi folks,

To cut to the chase, I have a pair Maxx Series 3 which will be soon relegated to home entertainment. I will be building a custom listening room underground with new Wilson System. Equipment of my current system is Parasound A21+, Parasound P6. I'm looking to use these much loved speakers as part of a new home theatre setup I'm building, but not sure where to start. Home theatre is a field I have very little knowledge in and there is scarce information on folks using Maxx Series 3 (or Wilson Audio speakers) in a home theatre/entertainment setup. Surround sound isn't important, it will be used mostly to watch TV (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+ etc). All home entertainment needs are served by an Apple TV and the Xbox.

My current Wilson dealer allows me to trade in the Maxx3 for some credit towards other Wilson speakers, but I'd like to keep the Maxx3 if I can. I don't have any subwoofers as the Maxx3 produce plentiful bass for my two channel listening. My preliminary idea is to install a Sony projection system with a suspended electric controlled screen (that can come up and down with a push of a button).

Any advice would be appreciated. I have attached a picture to help.

Thanks!

For home theater look at immersive sound such as Auro 3d or Atmos. I heard a 14.4 b&w home theater which was extremely impressive and also heard with a couple of other brands including Aerial. You can do similar. You need multiple subs and big cones on the floor. You will have a corresponding multichannel on the ceiling with smaller speakers, plus an overhead speaker that is key because the sound from that is what creates the perspective of distance.

The processor will be datasat or trinnov.

 

[tima]

I suggest to do the video part and see how well you like things with just the MAXX 3's. You could be surprised. Then assess about going forward.

 

[Addicted to hifi]

Hi folks,

To cut to the chase, I have a pair Maxx Series 3 which will be soon relegated to home entertainment. I will be building a custom listening room underground with new Wilson System. Equipment of my current system is Parasound A21+, Parasound P6. I'm looking to use these much loved speakers as part of a new home theatre setup I'm building, but not sure where to start. Home theatre is a field I have very little knowledge in and there is scarce information on folks using Maxx Series 3 (or Wilson Audio speakers) in a home theatre/entertainment setup. Surround sound isn't important, it will be used mostly to watch TV (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+ etc). All home entertainment needs are served by an Apple TV and the Xbox.

My current Wilson dealer allows me to trade in the Maxx3 for some credit towards other Wilson speakers, but I'd like to keep the Maxx3 if I can. I don't have any subwoofers as the Maxx3 produce plentiful bass for my two channel listening. My preliminary idea is to install a Sony projection system with a suspended electric controlled screen (that can come up and down with a push of a button).

Any advice would be appreciated. I have attached a picture to help.

Thanks!

Welcome to wbf and congratulations on a stunning system.

 

[alp_304]

Thank you guys for all these ideas! I have numerous chrome tabs open and my computer is slowing little haha.

 

[lem321]

Hi folks,

To cut to the chase, I have a pair Maxx Series 3 which will be soon relegated to home entertainment. I will be building a custom listening room underground with new Wilson System. Equipment of my current system is Parasound A21+, Parasound P6. I'm looking to use these much loved speakers as part of a new home theatre setup I'm building, but not sure where to start. Home theatre is a field I have very little knowledge in and there is scarce information on folks using Maxx Series 3 (or Wilson Audio speakers) in a home theatre/entertainment setup. Surround sound isn't important, it will be used mostly to watch TV (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+ etc). All home entertainment needs are served by an Apple TV and the Xbox.

My current Wilson dealer allows me to trade in the Maxx3 for some credit towards other Wilson speakers, but I'd like to keep the Maxx3 if I can. I don't have any subwoofers as the Maxx3 produce plentiful bass for my two channel listening. My preliminary idea is to install a Sony projection system with a suspended electric controlled screen (that can come up and down with a push of a button).

Any advice would be appreciated. I have attached a picture to help.

Thanks!

What a beautiful room and a stunning pair of blue Maxx Series 3 speakers! That’s a pretty good starting point. I originally began with Wilson Sashas and Audio Research electronics in a two channel system in my living room but also wanted to add a home theater setup. As I didn’t have the option for a separate dedicated home theater, I integrated a home theater with the existing two channel system. I added a drop-down Stewart screen (123"), a ceiling-mounted JVC projector along with an AV processor, 4K blu-ray player and amplifiers. Additional Wilson speakers included the Watchdog center channel and Wilson Surrounds and finally a JL subwoofer with (4) in-ceiling speakers to complete an Atmos 5.1.4 system.

As others have stated, I think you'll find the visual and auditory experience of home theater greatly enhanced by surround sound and a separate subwoofer(s) especially with a quality center channel such as those by Wilson Audio. Ceiling speakers as part of an ATMOS system also create a more immersive theater experience. A basic 5.1 system would be the minimum in a home theater system IMO, otherwise you're just watching TV. Imagine going to a movie theater with a 60 to 90 foot screen only to listen to stereo speakers (as good as the Maxxs are). On the other hand, you can just use your existing Parasound electronics, add a big screen and projector and call it a day.

 

[Big B]

Congrats! That is super exciting...and the room looks spectacular as does the furniture. Would love to know what your new main system is going to be if Maxx 3s are being 'relegated' to home theater duty! Do tell when you wish!

Meanwhile, as to home theater I think (for us) we had 2 schools of thought and settled on one.

Option 1. Go all out. Make a proper studio screening room theater. Its bloody time consuming and invasive because
- you want contractors coming in to soundproof the room, put in the correct amount of damping, etc
- put in all the side speakers and the rear channels...not to mention multi-sub to even out bass
- and set up calibrate the sound coming from your source to go thru 7.1 channels
- create all the right lighting, the raised seating

But you'll own something where its like when you get better coffee at home, have a better wine collection than the best restaurants, get better steaks done at home than in the best of steakhouses. And its like walking into wonderland when you step in, there is a hush in the room, and the lights go down. But you really gotta be a film lover to go thru this...or where you have the exceptional means where its a rounding error of time and money to do it...so what the heck.

Option 2. Go for WOW and enjoy the heck out of your already amazing equipment which will crush most home theater systems just because of the sheer fidelity of sound, power and control that many lesser speakers simply lack when you want VISCERAL. Keep the effort light and the enjoyment factor high.

- Get a great big, high quality screen. Stewart Film or Screen Innovations, etc.
- Go for it on your front view projector We love our JVC DILA 700...the world is your oyster.
- Get some good equipment that qualify as quality and some toys...we love our Kaleidescape system for example. But nothing crazy if you dont want to
- Get a sub...or two...just do it. On film tracks, if you watch Star Wars, Jurassic Park, any Marvel Comics flick, but ALSO certain dramas or television series...you'll laugh all the way to the credits when you get that 'this is better than going out to the movies' feel. It envelopes you...and that is the purpose (in my book as an audiophile) of true, deep subterranean bass...not to shake your plates, but to create enveloping sense of venue, sub-sonic spacial cues...done right, and the jazz club feels like it is all around you...keep the track playing but turn off the sub and *snap* the spacial sense of the jazz club is gone and all you have is 2 channel stereo. Try it.

Sit back. Relax. Forget 5.1 channel let alone 7.1. Just get great sound and serious subterranean movement and a sense of space with a jet black picture projection as big as you can...and [for us who are admittedly not videophiles], you're there.

As you can see, our choice was to use our main system for home theater...the screen is in the ceiling, and it drops down...the projector flips on...our family gets to watch any of 550 films on Kaleidescape at the touch of a button, and I personally get to enjoy world class sound, sound effects and subterranean bass with the family. For me/us, what could be better?

Hi folks,

To cut to the chase, I have a pair Maxx Series 3 which will be soon relegated to home entertainment. I will be building a custom listening room underground with new Wilson System. Equipment of my current system is Parasound A21+, Parasound P6. I'm looking to use these much loved speakers as part of a new home theatre setup I'm building, but not sure where to start. Home theatre is a field I have very little knowledge in and there is scarce information on folks using Maxx Series 3 (or Wilson Audio speakers) in a home theatre/entertainment setup. Surround sound isn't important, it will be used mostly to watch TV (Netflix, YouTube, Apple TV+ etc). All home entertainment needs are served by an Apple TV and the Xbox.

My current Wilson dealer allows me to trade in the Maxx3 for some credit towards other Wilson speakers, but I'd like to keep the Maxx3 if I can. I don't have any subwoofers as the Maxx3 produce plentiful bass for my two channel listening. My preliminary idea is to install a Sony projection system with a suspended electric controlled screen (that can come up and down with a push of a button).

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks!

How did you make out? I also have a Wilson Theatre.

 

[Zeotrope]

Wilson makes great speakers for 2 channel audio. I would not use Wilson speakers in a home theater unless:

You are the only person watching the movie from the center seat. The reason for this is Wilson speakers do not have uniform off axis frequency response. This would mean the the people sitting to the sides won't hear what the person in the middle hears.

You are planning on using a very strong, high current amplifier. Wilson's have low impedance and like the juice.

No, disagree. Wilson‘s have excellent off axis frequency response.
Impedance is not low, at least not with the Tune Tots and Alida (a wall/ceiling mount version of the Tune Tot, I think). Never drops below 6ohm, it’s an easy speaker to drive.

 

[Zeotrope]

Home theatres do need subs. Even with Maxx 3's I am sure you'll find adding a pair of quality subs beneficial.

Yes, even with full range speakers you do need a separate sub(s) for LFE, ideally. Even if your main speakers are true full range speakers, by sending the ~<80Hz + LFE to them you are reducing their dynamic range. That’s because for normal L/R content, you will have to reduce the dynamic range to have sufficient headroom for the LFE and low end content.

 

[Big B]

I would agree a pair of subs would make big difference.