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Upgrade Advice Please? Adding Beam to ONEs and Symfonisk Bookshelf Speakers

  • 26 October 2023
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Hi, I'm hoping for some advice on upgrading my system. I know some of these questions have been asked before, so I apologise if they seem basic. I've had a search through and read many posts but couldn't find exactly what I am looking for.

I currently have two ONEs in the lounge (stereo pair, on Sanus stands) and two Symfonisk Bookshelf speakers in the kitchen (stereo pair).

I am looking to buy a Beam Gen 2 for the lounge. I am thinking of bringing the Symfonisk speakers into the lounge and placing them on stands behind the sofa on either side with TV straight ahead and keeping the ONEs where they are at either side of the TV in the far corners. 

For TV, I would like to use the Beam as main speaker(s) and Symfonisks for Rear Surrounds. I don't think I can add the ONEs as extra speakers for TV in this set up and that's ok if that's the case (but would be nice).
For Music, I would like to use the Beam, together with the ONEs (as a stereo pair) and IF POSSIBLE, also the Symfonisks. Would the latter best be achieved by changing the setting to Full Audio (not ambient)?

Also, assuming I can do all of that, am I going to notice a big improvement when playing music to all these speakers, compared to what I'm used to, ie, playing on just the ONEs as a stereo pair?

My next idea would be to add a Sub Mini, maybe to the TV set up, but that will be in a few months.

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Best answer by 106rallye 26 October 2023, 22:22

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As far as I can see you can do anything you describe above. You can group the surround “room” and the Ones when playing music. When playing TV sound the One’s will lag 75ms behind.

You state:

”For Music, I would like to use the Beam, together with the ONEs (as a stereo pair) and IF POSSIBLE, also the Symfonisks. Would the latter best be achieved by changing the setting to Full Audio (not ambient)?”

When set to full you always get stereo from the Beam and the Symfonisk.

As to the question if this will be a big improvement, I’d say just stuffing your room full with speakers will not automatically lead to better sound. A pair of Five’s used as a stereo pair will probably result in better sound.

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Thanks very much, this is really helpful. I think what this set up will bring is obviously way better HT sound (I am currently using a very old and basic Sony soundbar, no surrounds) whilst giving some improvement in music and also giving spatial audio capability. It will ‘just’ cost me the price of a Beam, so I’m thinking that’s a pretty cost-effective upgrade (major HT upgrade, good music upgrade).

Re stuffing room full of speakers, that was my fear (not automatically better sound), so that’s useful to know. But I do think/ hope there will be some improvement.

Ultimately, I will probably kit out another room for music with superior speakers but that will be a while off, so I think/ hope this set up will be really enjoyable in the meantime.