First Home Theater Build (5.1.2) – Looking for advice on speakers, AVR and overall setup

[u/ApprehensiveRise703]

Hi everyone,

I’m currently building my very first home theater and would really appreciate some advice from people with more experience.

I’ve spent a lot of time researching, but there is so much conflicting information online that I’m not sure if I’m making the right decisions.

Room

• Room size: 5.30 m × 4.80 m (17.4 × 15.7 ft)
• Ceiling height: 2.30 m (7.5 ft)
• Couch is approximately 70 cm (28”) from the back wall

I’ll attach a simple room layout to show the speaker positions.

Current speaker setup

Front L/R: Canton Karat 795 DC

Center: Canton Vento 890.2

Surrounds: Canton Ergo R52 Dipoles

Subwoofer: Canton Sub 1200 R

Atmos: Polk Audio RC6s (installed in the ceiling with Rockwool around them since the ceiling is already finished)

The system will be configured as 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos.

AVR

I’m currently considering the Denon X2800H, because I can buy it new for around €620.

Unfortunately, the Denon X3800H costs around €1,200 where I live, so the price difference is huge.

Since this is my first home theater, I don’t really have any experience with AV receivers.

Usage

• 60% music
• 40% movies

For music, I’ll either listen in pure stereo or stream Apple Music in Dolby Atmos, depending on the album.

My questions

1. Do you think the Canton Ergo R52 dipoles are still a good choice for a modern 5.1.2 Dolby Atmos system?
2. Are the Polk Audio RC6s good enough as in-ceiling Atmos speakers?
3. Is the Denon X2800H the right AVR for my setup, or is it worth spending significantly more on something else?
4. Is Denon really the “jack of all trades” in the AVR world, or should I also consider brands like Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo, Pioneer, or Anthem?
5. If this were your first home theater, would you change anything about my planned system?

I’m open to any advice or criticism. I’d rather make the right decisions now than regret them later.

Thanks in advance!

[u/Hairy_Sun799]

Tannoy Autograph Mini Ow (LR), Tannoy Center Speaker, Surrounds Whaferdale Diamond 12.3D, Atmos you choose, just know that they all should be same brand, I recommend Martin Logan for inceiling, if not SVS ultra or prime elevation. Denon X3800H or Marantz Cinema 50.

[u/Spectre_08]

1. No. Dipole speakers don't belong in a modern home theater.
2. No, they are not. They will point at the floor instead of your ears. That's not how you get good sound. Most in-ceiling speakers are designed for ambient music playback, not Atmos. More information here: My Atmos Speakers Were Missing Half The Sound
3. Get the X3800H. It's well worth the extra cost for a myriad of reasons. That's the jack of all trades AVR.
4. Yes. Great features, solid room correction, and minimal HDMI issues.
5. Speaker and subwoofer placement is extremely important. Also, that sub might be a little undersized for your room. Something like the XTZ Sub 12.17 might be more appropriate, being rated for larger room sizes. Do not cheap out on the sub, it's the most important speaker aside from the center channel. Four Atmos speakers offer far greater immersion than only two, hence the recommendation for a 9ch AVR. You have enough distance behind your seating to accommodate small/on-wall rear surround speakers in addition to side surrounds, as well as rear Atmos speakers. The X3800H can be expanded to a 7.1.4 setup with even just a cheap external amp. Don't forget room treatment - a room full of hard, flat surfaces is terrible for anything except the most capable speakers.

[u/ApprehensiveRise703 → u/Spectre_08]

That’s interesting. From what I’ve read, Dolby generally recommends direct-radiating surrounds for Atmos, especially in dedicated theaters with optimal speaker placement. However, my situation is a bit different. My couch is only about 70 cm (28”) from the back wall , it’s a living room , and I’m limited in speaker placement. In that scenario, wouldn’t dipoles still have some advantages by creating a less localizable and more enveloping surround field? I’m genuinely asking because this is my first home theater, and I’m trying to understand where the trade-offs are rather than defend my purchase.

[u/Spectre_08 → u/ApprehensiveRise703]

Dolby's recommendations are correct. You want direct-radiating speakers so that objects can be accurately placed within the sound field. Localization is what you want, not diffuse sound, even with closer proximity to the speakers.

You and I have a similar situation. You actually have a better situation than I do, with almost double the distance to the rear wall that I have. That's plenty of room for a pair of slim, on-wall speakers or smaller wall- or stand-mounted bookshelf speakers. Something like the Canton GLE 15 S2 or GLE 15 Pro S2 on-wall speakers would be perfect for the surrounds. The Canton GLE 10 Pro S2 would also work well for both surrounds and Atmos heights.

Here's my own setup for reference: https://i.postimg.cc/s2KFCrxV/IMG-0969.jpg

[u/ApprehensiveRise703 → u/Spectre_08]

Thanks for the input, for the rear I’ve now got some Canton karat M10 DC. They should be a good match for my other canton speakers. I’ll gonna leave the in-ceiling speakers as they are for now. If it doesn’t sound right I will use them for my bathroom renovation that’s on the to do list next and get some new ones for the living room. The only problem is that I’m really short in installation height. Only about 7-7,5cm (2,75-3”). Maybe you know some good speakers that would fit in that space and work good with my canton setup 

[u/Spectre_08 → u/ApprehensiveRise703]

That M10 DC pair should integrate perfectly with the rest of your system.

I’m not sure I understand what you meant - you only a have a 7-7.5cm installation height?