For a LCR setup which speaker would you recommend? my budget is around $700, and would also like to know which one is better for a HT. Are there any more really good speakers in this price range(not bookshelfs).

For a LCR setup which speaker would you recommend? my budget is around $700, and would also like to know which one is better for a HT. Are there any more really good speakers in this price range(not bookshelfs).

To be honest, only you can decide which is better. My advice is to order both and return the loser. The nice thing about Internet Direct is they offer a 30 day in-home trail period. If you don't like them you just send them back for a full refund. This is the best way to chose because then you'll know that you picked the superior speaker.

but, i have to pay for shipping right?

but, i have to pay for shipping right?

yeah so?


This is a purchase you'll hopefully enjoy for 5-10 years, I'd think $60 of shipping would be worth it.

are there any other good speaker in this price range?

I think there needs to be a sticky about good speakers by price. I know that in head-fi we have one and [H] also. many people ask the same question but hardly any get a direct answer.

You need to audition them to determine which you would like. But if your not a critical listener it may not mattter to you. here some reviews on the 340se. look and see if there are any for the ED to help.
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/reviews/proreviews.html

If you're that concerned about shipping, why don't you go out and audition speakers your area and buy the ones you like the best for your budget. This way you won't be stuck with shipping charges as you won't return them. ID speakers are always a gamble, but not as big as you may think. Though I think the speakers are exaggerated about, if they were no good, these guys wouldn't be in business (word spreads fast, especially here).

Speakers, like anything in audio, is an investment (if you're really into this hobby).

Lets put it another way. Stocks are also an investment. Now save certain situations and certain stocks (for example, the company I work for I can buy the stock for free i.e. no brokerage fee's) you need to pay a brokerage fee when you buy a stock, and another one when you sell it. Depending on your broker and the number of shares involved in the transaction, it can be much more than $60. But you do it for the ability to make money.

Now audio gear you don't buy to make money on (though some do) usually, but you do buy to 'hold' and 'enjoy' for as mentioned, 5, 10 years or more. If you go ID, think of the shipping charges as a 'brokerage fee' (and up here we got that too :( ) and if you don't like the speakers, all you end up paying is that fee. I'll bet there's 10's of millions of people right now who would give their eye teeth to just be out a 'brokerage fee' on their stock purchases.

thanks for the comments.
Are there any more good speakers in this price range?

thanks for the comments.
Are there any more good speakers in this price range?

Your idea of a sticky for good speakers in a price range is good one, but flawed in logic because what I think is a good speaker isn't necessarily good to someone else. Also I believe the official AVS stance from what I've seen is to be fairly unbiased and not support any particular manufacturer. Lastly there are so many "good" options these days that I think it would only end up confusing people more than helping them due to the number of choices that could end up there.

That being said I think that being on the hook for shipping probably isn't enough for most people. I certainly wouldn't pay $200-300 just to try out speakers and make sure I got the right ones. I would seek out auditions from local owners though. Have you tried the Ascend or eD owners threads to see if any owners are in your area and willing to give an audition? If so take some music that's familiar to you and listen without a sub so that you can hear what you're buying.

I really wish you the best of luck in your search.

For $700 for LCR you might check out AV123's Rocket RS450's and use them as a phantom center (no real center channel, but use the L+R to make a center image). You would also want to audition these. FYI AV123 offers a 30-day in home trial PLUS you are not on the hook for any shipping costs if you decide to return them.