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Beam Gen 1 & Mini Sub - Adding SL1's as a L/R Front stereo to complement the Beam?

  • 16 April 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 168 views
S

This is for an RV application. Which is certainly not ideal for sound reproduction.

We’ve a 45’ Coach, and the front listening area is about 28’ x 12’ (Four slide in the coach, and when opened, the two front slides provide up to 12’ width for sitting and galley area.). The 50” TV and Beam are in the front of the cab, above the dash area. And due to side cabinets and no slides in that area, has about a 7’ wide area. Thus my comment about non ideal sound reproduction spacing to work with:)! 

Our primary purpose for the Beam, was to improve the Voice Audio, as the TV’s speakers are enclosed in the mounting cabinet. To say the lease, the TV speakers are severely muffled. And the Beam + Sub Mini, after Trueplay, really does a nice job for TV audio, and casual music reproduction. 

We’re not too concerned with Surround Sound, and the Beam/Sub Mini is more then sufficient for our TV and Movie watching.

I’d like to improve the HiFi sound reproduction, primarily simple Stereo… 

That’s the background of what we have, and what we have to work with space wise.

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I have space in the front areas to the L/R of the TV, to mount two SL’s.

For streaming audio from our phones, I’m looking for opinions on if Grouping would work well with the Beam/Sub Mini and the L/R One’s? Or would I be better of for HiFi Two Channel Listening, just playing the One’s and Sub Mini? 

IF the One’s and Sub Mini is the way to go. Does SONOS (I’m still learning what SONOS Software can, and can not, do:)!), allow a singe Sub Mini to be Paired with two Rooms? (I would call the Beam/Sub Mini for TV watching, TV. And then set up a different Room, say Living Room, for the L/R SL’s and Sub Mini.) Or would I have to go thru ‘re-pairing’ the Sub Mini back and forth between the Beam and the SL’s Rooms? (Sorry. I think I know what I’m trying to ask! Not positive I asked it, and pretty sure I have some of the SONOS buzzwords off too...). 

I have the One’s on their way now, and can play with it. But was hoping for some input and advice on the best way to set these up. 

TIA, 

Smitty 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Best answer by Smitty77 17 April 2023, 00:56

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106rallye
Userlevel 7
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The Beam is a capable speaker in itself. The only thing you would get extra from a stereo set of One SL’s is more stereo separation. Especially since you cannot have the Sub Mini in two “rooms”, to answer that question.

Having said this, you could try the One SL’s and see if you like them. Maybe even put another Sub Mini with them……

S

106rallye - Thanks! Especially for confirming a single Sub Mini, can not be used in two rooms. 

The Beam & Sub Mini do produce a good sound. In one of our locations, with the Beam Gen2 + Sub Mini (Another one...), and then a single SL towards the kitchen area, or sometimes moved outside a sliding door, into a patio area - the music sound quality is fine enough to let things simmer. (It’s a Yuma Single Wind Manufacturing home, that we Snowbird too.)

I do feel the ARC and Sub Mini combo in a Family Room in another place, is better then the combo of Beam + Mini - as it should be. I told a family member if the ARC and Sub were a 9 out of a scale of 10 on sound quality. I’d rate the Beam Gen2 and Sub Mini a solid 7. And for the price point, that is a pretty good bargain:)! 

We’re in this RV Coach, 7-8 months at a time, so worth it to me to try and improve the HiFi Stereo a bit more. And it was the separation of L/R via the SL’s, that I thought would complement the Beam + Sub Mini. 

Before a commit to drilling holes into wood to mount the SL’s brackets, I’ll MacGyver the SL’s into position. And see how the Grouping of L/R with the Beam in the center about 2’ above them, and the Beam’s Sub Mini sounds. I’m hoping for a fuller, and bit more imaging, sound by this combo. Suspect the Sub Mini connected to the Beam will continue to handle base for this sardine can on wheels… 

Appreciate any other suggestions anyone has:)!

 

Note: The Coach has a Yamaha AVR and X’s 7 6 1/2” Ceiling Speakers, and a Sub. So another option, would be to add a Port/Connect, and upgrade the three L/C/R speakers in the front of the coach. I’d retain the Beam & Sub Mini, as we really do like the Voice Audio (Especially the codex unraveling of the British series:)!) - which was the main reason for the Beam. But two SL’s is a lot less $$ approach…. 

Again, thanks!

Smitty 

 

 

 

 

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