How would you characterize the differences, and/or make the tradeoff, between the new open baffles and the new line arrays?
In either case I'd be running three speakers across the front ... if did line arrays I'd put one on its side for the center, which would work fine for the two center chairs as they'd be within the length of the array.
I listen to music 70% of the time and watch movies 30% of the time. Former is mostly "vocals" and "light rock" (Wille, Bonnie Rait, Blue Rodeo, Amie Mann, etc) at loud but not obscene levels .... occasionally though I like to blast old war horses (Big Big Love by Fleetwood Mac, or, the beach scene in Saving Private Ryan) ... almost never obscenely loud (ear hurting) hard rock or big orchestras.
I use (or have available) dual 15" subs at very low end and have terrific PEQ via Meridian processor. Room's fairly heavily treated, with bass traps, diffusion, etc., and is moderatelly large at 18'L by 14'W by 12'H
Speakers I've loved in the past had two great qualities: "wham bam" ability to really convey the "pluck" of instruments and dynamics of real sounds (old Krell Lat1s and big old Dunlavy's), and, great 3D soundstaging (my old Genesis 350SE ribbons). If I could get both of those qualities in one place, that'd be magic.
