Our HT is in a 20x20 room with a 25 ft. ceiling. It, too, is open on one side. I have older Klipsch speakers all around (four 3.2s, a KV-2, a KV-3, and a SW-10). The 1050 is more than adequate--with the volume set at "60," I can't hear my spouse sitting 18 inches away (umm...added advantage?). As others have indicated, I think speaker quality, not the 1050, is the key.