NX-Series for home theater?

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pokerbarlo

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NX-Series for home theater?
« on: 23 Mar 2021, 09:55 am »
Can the NX-Otica be integrated in a home theater system for LCR as or NX-treme. Which speakers would match this for surround and atmos. I will be making DIY home theater subs will it be hard to integrate these to them? As well as planning on getting 2 subwoofer kits from GR for when listening to music only. Was thinking to just integrate this to save space and money of not having 2 dedicated areas one for music and one for home theater. I have Polk RTis as of the moment and was thinking of using those for surrounds.

Danny Richie

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #1 on: 23 Mar 2021, 02:00 pm »
I have not designed any real matching center channel for these yet, but I have an idea. I might have to try something like the X-Voce style configuration.

It will all have to wait until I get more of the NQ drivers in stock.

cjsailer

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #2 on: 23 Mar 2021, 04:26 pm »
I imagine the oticas image quite well.  So you could get away without a center channel if you disabled that channel in your a/v receiver.  But I agree it would be a nice addition to the NX line.

Digi-G

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #3 on: 24 Mar 2021, 11:55 am »
I imagine the oticas image quite well.  So you could get away without a center channel if you disabled that channel in your a/v receiver.  But I agree it would be a nice addition to the NX line.
In a home theater system, at least in 5.1 or 7.1,  the center channel isn't just a blend of the L & R fronts.  It usually has dedicated information - most notably the dialog.

What you're suggesting does work really well for music, though.  In my experience, when playing stereo music, the center channel (if playing) has a tendency to narrow the soundstage and rob some of the depth; not good things.

ctviggen

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #4 on: 24 Mar 2021, 01:10 pm »
In a home theater system, at least in 5.1 or 7.1,  the center channel isn't just a blend of the L & R fronts.  It usually has dedicated information - most notably the dialog.


Wouldn't the processor of your receiver route the center channel info to the R/L speakers?  I used just R/L speakers for years without a center.  Went to a center only because those speakers died and I had three channels in the basement.

I still like having a center, as it's one more speaker.  I tried listening to a scene from Lord of the Rings with my VMPS RM40s and both with and without my RM30 center channel, and I thought it sounded less strained and clearer with a center. 

Had an issue where I had done something wrong with the receiver and it was playing stereo for 5 channel.  Took me a while to fix.  But even in the crappy way I have my system set up (all three fronts relatively close together), it sounded better to me using the center.  But that might be because the rears also help too.  The rest of my family didn't even know it wasn't playing 5 channel...

pokerbarlo

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #5 on: 24 Mar 2021, 01:12 pm »
I was thinking of just getting a 3rd tower of maybe the studio or nx-otica for the center speaker because I will be using an acoustic screen for the projector. Can I order 3 pieces? When will you have these in stock? Like 2 NX-tremes and 1 NX otica behind the acoustic screen which I will design to be 3 feet away from the wall. Do you think it would be ok to just use my polks for surround duty and atmos? I would think it would be hard to place open baffles all around.... Specially for atmos.

I have not designed any real matching center channel for these yet, but I have an idea. I might have to try something like the X-Voce style configuration.

It will all have to wait until I get more of the NQ drivers in stock.

Captainhemo

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #6 on: 24 Mar 2021, 10:55 pm »
I have not designed any real matching center channel for these yet, but I have an idea. I might have to try something like the X-Voce style configuration.

It will all have to wait until I get more of the NQ drivers in stock.

I already have this modeled  as  I've had a few customers asking for it.  If  we go ahead with it,  you'll need one to   dealwith c/o   alterations

jay

morganc

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #7 on: 25 Mar 2021, 05:21 pm »
I have not designed any real matching center channel for these yet, but I have an idea. I might have to try something like the X-Voce style configuration.

It will all have to wait until I get more of the NQ drivers in stock.

Any idea on when the drivers for the NX-Otica will be back in stock Danny?

Danny Richie

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #8 on: 29 Mar 2021, 01:45 pm »
They are built, boxed, and about to be on a boat.

Desertpilot

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #9 on: 30 Mar 2021, 03:30 am »
It has not been my experience that a center channel narrows the soundstage for music.  I have a multi channel surround system and play SACD multichannel (typically 5.0) classical music.  Sounds fabulous to me.  Some reviewers are now suggesting that folks use the same speaker for the center channel that they use for left/right.  Personally, I have a center channel speaker.  As I understand it, tweeter matching is critical.  Maybe the NX-Studio as a center channel?

Marcus

hawkeyejw

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #10 on: 30 Mar 2021, 09:20 pm »
I have not designed any real matching center channel for these yet, but I have an idea. I might have to try something like the X-Voce style configuration.

It will all have to wait until I get more of the NQ drivers in stock.

This might give me just enough time to convince my wife I need to upgrade the X-statik/ Voce combo

pokerbarlo

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #11 on: 28 Apr 2021, 09:19 am »
Yeah I was planning on getting 3 nx-oticas or nx-tremes but still thinking between this and the LX-521.4s although the later will cost more because of the needed amplification.

It has not been my experience that a center channel narrows the soundstage for music.  I have a multi channel surround system and play SACD multichannel (typically 5.0) classical music.  Sounds fabulous to me.  Some reviewers are now suggesting that folks use the same speaker for the center channel that they use for left/right.  Personally, I have a center channel speaker.  As I understand it, tweeter matching is critical.  Maybe the NX-Studio as a center channel?

Marcus

pokerbarlo

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #12 on: 28 Apr 2021, 09:20 am »
Do you have 5.1 or 7.1 surround or more. Whats the best way to pick matching surrounds and atmos for movies? or it doesnt matter?

This might give me just enough time to convince my wife I need to upgrade the X-statik/ Voce combo

pokerbarlo

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #13 on: 28 Apr 2021, 09:22 am »
If I get 3 nx-oticas for LCRs? Which speakers would best match it for surrounds and atmos. Wasn't really planning on getting a center channel since this will be behind an acoustically transparent 200inch projector screen.

They are built, boxed, and about to be on a boat.

Tyson

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #14 on: 28 Apr 2021, 03:08 pm »
3 NX-Otica's for the LCR's is a perfect solution. 

For surrounds I'd rec the NX-Studio.

tom739

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #15 on: 28 Apr 2021, 07:10 pm »
200 inch transparent screen. Sounds like your room is large and your are spending some money. I would recommend for LCR some large JBL pro cinema speakers. I don't have a specific model in mind, but some like dual 12in or 15 in with very large format horn. That will make your movies come alive.
On the other hand, if you are putting together a 2 channel music system, with the highest level of resolution, high defined 3 dimensional sound stage and stereo imaging, then a pair of NX Oticas with matching subs would be very good.

lincolnmat

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #16 on: 29 Apr 2021, 03:35 am »
I am currently using NX-Oticas jointly for my two channel and surround system. My preamp received the R/L outputs from my AVR when in surround. I am using an Apogee Acoustics Centaurus LCR speaker for my center channel. Its small ribbon tweeter mates well with the Neo3 in the Oticas.

Vince in TX

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #17 on: 29 Apr 2021, 12:00 pm »
I'm doing something similar right now, except with the X-series, although I have my eyes on the NX just in case (future upgrades, perhaps).   I have a pair of Servo Sub Kit 4s on order.   I'll be using the A/V 1RS kits for the surrounds.   It's a 7.2.4 configuration, with four in-ceiling speakers.    Too bad Danny doesn't have a ceiling speaker kit since those will be the only speakers not from GR-Research (B&W CCM684) in the theater.   They're for ATMOS only, though, so they didn't really need to be of superior sonic quality anyway.

For the amp, I went with a 3-channel Odyssey with Kismet R/L upgrade and the center being optimized for clarity.

Your setup sounds amazing, btw.  My room can only accommodate a 126" 2.35:1.   :thumb:

hawkeyejw

Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #18 on: 29 Apr 2021, 05:29 pm »
Do you have 5.1 or 7.1 surround or more. Whats the best way to pick matching surrounds and atmos for movies? or it doesnt matter?

Sorry, just saw your post. I have a bit of a mish mash system right now TBH. We have a 5 year old and a newborn and not enough space in the house for a dedicated theater, so we use the main family room which means I rarely get to enjoy the surround sound at anything resembling reference level sound. Currently I'm using X-Statik and X-Voce as the front 3, with some existing in-ceiling speakers that were in the home when we bought it to fill out a 7.2.2 system. The side and rear surrounds and atmos height speakers that are in ceiling are clearly not in the same league as the X's, but even with this setup and not being able to listen at more than a moderate to low volume, there is still a shocking improvement to my system since replacing my old Paradigm Monitor 11 + CC-360 setup that I had in front. Could the system be better and more cohesive? Sure. However, it legitimately sounds very good and I can enjoy it as is until the kids are a bit older and I'm able to justify the cost to really upgrade it all. IME matching the front 3 is key but you can get away with non-matching speakers for surround and height channels.


atrken

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Re: NX-Series for home theater?
« Reply #19 on: 1 Jun 2021, 02:52 pm »
Hey Guys, thought I'd chime in as I've been having this very discussion with Danny and Jay over the last week or two. I'm building a house and it will have a multi use system, both 2ch and 7.2.2 for movies with a projector. I'm planning on using a pair of NX-Treme's as L/R with a modified NX-Otica as a center. It would use the existing GR Neo 3 tweeter and the 2 M165NQ mid drivers in a horizontal configuration with two more M165 woofers at either end. Jay is working on this as a production possibility, so if anyone else thinks they might like to have a modified NX-Otica as a center please let Danny and Jay know. As for the surrounds I'll use a pair of NX Studio's. Or possibly a pair of NX-Oticas. I will have one pair of Atmos speakers, Danny suggested using his LGK 1.0 as a full range driver, as my ceiling is 18' high... I'll be suspending them in a small sealed box. Oh and a pair of quad Servo Subs.