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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
james633
1,023 posts
 

We’ll never compromise audio for a bigger screen as you will regret it. Not wanting to move my left hand speaker closer to the wall is what stopped me from going with a 130” screen. Going from a 110” to a 120” screen was 7” wider and even having the speaker 7” closer to the wall affected the sound negatively. It is all a balancing act. 
 

I just use phantom center and see no reason not too (I have owned centers before). If you sit in the middle the sound is 100% correct in the center and I like to watch movies by myself. People talk about comb filtering on movies with phantom center as the speakers are in mono for most speech but as a very picky audiophile (aren’t we all) I have no issues with phantom center. The center is really a benefit for people off axis more than anything.   
 

On a side note I bought my house in Ohio for $95 a square foot… 

 

revel’s 226be is a nice sounding slender speaker if you ever wanted more room but I think they lack dynamics/snap next to a good horn. I would keep the horn and rock the phantom center. 

ibmjunkman's avatar
ibmjunkman
244 posts
 

Current setup is a Sony 75” wall mounted TV. My head is 12’ away while sitting in my La-Z-Boy recliner, not reclined.

 

bigwave1's avatar
Ag insider logo xs@2x
bigwave1
237 posts
 

Easy, James 633. 

fatdaddy2
381 posts
 

53" Sony approx 10 ft from viewing position (leather sofa); L/R are JBL horn-loaded 2-way stage monitors; C are two 12" from same series (daisy-chained); rear is summed signal to JBL tower w/2 of the 15" woofers; sub is 18" JBL stage.  Been considering a more "audiofool" setup until I watch a film with good soundtrack after which I always say "why?". (Today: Ghost in the Shell)

bigtwin's avatar
bigtwin
1,194 posts
 

Everyone who says go big is correct.  IMHO.  Forget your initial reaction to the size of the screen.  Your brain will quickly adjust to what it is seeing.  In no time at all you will be wondering how you ever lived with a smaller TV.  Also, the price of TVs is falling monthly.  You no longer have to be rich to have a high quality monster screen hanging on your wall.  Cheers.

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