I have a fairly large room (open on two sides) that I need to put a center right and left channel speaker in. I'm using a 15 inch Definitive Tech sub, so I have plenty of Bass. I need to get some bookshelf speakers and a center channel speaker to go around my TV (50 inch Samsung DLP).

My big concern is that for 500 I'm going to struggle to find speakers that can fill the room with sound. I'm going to sit about 12 feet back from the screen.

What are some recomendations? I was looking at the procinema systems from def tech, but I'd like some other recomendations too.

Thanks

Ask and you shall receive. :)

http://www.**********/products_category_brand.php?section=speakers&brand=55

These will have no problem, as they throw an impressively large soundstage.

Also 4 a little more coin (right around your budget) 3 ascend acoustics cbm-170's will provide better SQ (IMO) if music is a concern, as for HT/TV the roi will be dimished somewhat.

Good luck in your search. :)

JR

If you want to "fill the room", you may want to look into the Magnepan MMG-W's. You could get two pairs for $600 (retail, less if you shop around) of these and take advantage of their di-polar nature which radiates sound off the walls. The matching center is $299, though you could run these using a faux-center channel where your receiver mixes L/C/R for output from two speakers. I think it would work well with the MMG-W's.

http://magnepan.com/_mmgw.php

The problem with a $500 budget is that the center channel is the MOST IMPORTANT speaker in your HT setup, though good ones come at a premium. My center is slightly more expensive then the two L/R towers.

The next suggestion, if you are locked into the $500 budget, are Infinity Betas or Primus series. They are probably the best bang-for-the-buck speakers right now.

If I were you, I would use all the money for the mains. It's not wise to skimp on the front 3 speakers.

I should add this is for 70 percent TV (at least half in HD and DD), 20 Percent Movies and 10 percent music.

I like the AV123 products. I wish their finish was piano black though. I'm not sure th light color will fit in to my wifes design of the room...

I'm trying to get by on less so I can hold out funds for my "real" theater in the basement.

I should add this is for 70 percent TV (at least half in HD and DD), 20 Percent Movies and 10 percent music.

I like the AV123 products. I wish their finish was piano black though. I'm not sure th light color will fit in to my wifes design of the room...

I'm trying to get by on less so I can hold out funds for my "real" theater in the basement.

I believe they do come in satin black

I believe they do come in satin black

You're right. However, I was hoping for a piano black finish to match the TV (I know that sounds lame, but these speakers will be very visible in the living room, and I'm trying to please my wife as well as get good sound. This is why I origionally looked at the definitive tech speakers.

Anyone have the satin black? Do they at least look like finished wood? or do they look like some synthetic covering?

By the way, how bad would it be if I just got two very nice bookshelf speakers and had no center channel? My receiver would just put the same signal in the two stereo speakers for the center. Would that sound horrible, or would it be ok for most stuff? I know it's not ideal, but I'd rather have two good speakers than three mediocre ones.

Then again, for under 500, I can get all three speakers from AVS.

You could do the phantom center channel thing.. some people actually prefer it.

If thats' what you want to do, I'd definitely recommend looking at the Magnepan MMG-W's. One major reviewer did just that and said that it sounded great. The bi-polar nature of these speakers will create a far more enveloping sound stage than a simple pair of bookshelfs. The MMG-W's retail for $299/pair and could probably found online for less.

Due to asthetics and funds I've decided to go with two bookshelf speakers for sure. I'm looking to spend around 3-500 dollars now. I want them to be black and prefereably gloss black to go with the rest of the decor... (since this is for the living room I have to give on this kind of stuff).

I found the axiom speakers website and found that for 330 I can get the M3 V2s. So my list is now:

Axiom M3 V2s - 330
Aperion 532 - 360 - i'm a little worried these are a bit small for my room.
ascend acoustics cbm-170's - again, i'm worried these may be a bit small.
AV123 x-ls Bookshelf - 219 - I can't believe for that price I may be able to get something good enough but it may be worth a try.

The Magnepans wont work for me as they appear to be wall mounted. Also they appear to be very large compared t the other options. I need somethign small (that doesn't sound small).

By the way, right now I'm getting by with some Klipsch Quintets and I couldn't be more dissapointed. These ar fine speakers for .... well.... I'm not sure what they'd be good for. Perhaps surround channels in a small room. They are horrible for what I'm doing now. Half the time I can't undestand dialogue. Even my wife is complaining about their sound quality.

If piano gloss black is a preference, the Aperions might be a good choice.

But considering that you have a very large room and a limited budget, I agree with some of the other posters, you should consider starting with a two speakers for now and then continue saving for a center and eventually surrounds.

You could get the floorstanding Aperion 633-T's withing your budget and they shoudn't struggle at all to fill you room. Especially if you have a sub assisting.

My first "home theater" was just using my two channel system with a pair of B&W 603 S3's and I used to really enjoy it.

But considering that you have a very large room and a limited budget, I agree with some of the other posters, you should consider starting with a two speakers for now and then continue saving for a center and eventually surrounds.
I have the surrounds in ceiling already. I've decided I'm never going to have a center in this room. It just wouldn't look right. This room has a much higher need for appearance than performance.

You could get the floorstanding Aperion 633-T's withing your budget and they shoudn't struggle at all to fill you room. Especially if you have a sub assisting.
I can't do floorstanding for two reasons 1. These speakers will not sit on the floor 2. These speakers need to be realtively small.
I currently have two Klipsch Reference tower speakers that would more than fill the need, but in this situation they are unacceptable due to size.

Small monitors are going to have a tough time in a room that is very large.

But, maybe something like this would work:

Era Design 4 ($600/Pr)

They need an amp with good power and they're a little out of your budget but from what I've read, they offer a sound that is way beyond their size. And they're available in piano black.

Just another option in addition to the ID suggestions.

You can do PSB C40 + B15s for $510. The ash black looks ok, not incredibly sexy. The maple and sienna finishes are pretty nice, imo. Never having heard Ascend, Aperion, Paradigm, or BIC, this is what I would do in your situation. Best of luck.

You can do PSB C40 + B15s for $510.

Don't need the center, what's the normal cost of just the B15s? Also, how much extra to move up to the B25s?

A friend of mine has an Aperion setup with the little 4" driven ones in the rear (432's?) and they're a HUGE, accurate sounding little speaker. He initially set them up as mains with his old JBL sub backing them up and they sounded STRONG all the way through. I would imagine their next 2 levels of bookshelves are similarly good-sounding. And the piano black finish they have is gorgeous.

Edit: And their higher level centers are both supposed to be killer...

A friend of mine has an Aperion setup with the little 4" driven ones in the rear (432's?) and they're a HUGE sounding little speaker. I would imagine their next 2 levels of bookshelves are similarly good-sounding. And the piano black finish they have is gorgeous.

Edit: And their higher level centers are both supposed to be killer...

I'm considering te Aperion because they have a great trial and return program as well.

anyone know anything about the infinity beta 20s or the infinity P162s?

I would also look at the SVS speakers, the SCS-01's were reviewed well in the "tired" thread by craigsub.

http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-scs01.cfm

I have the surrounds in ceiling already. I've decided I'm never going to have a center in this room. It just wouldn't look right. This room has a much higher need for appearance than performance.

Order them in Gloss black, your wife will s**t when she sees them.

http://www.orbaudio.com/

The Ascend 170's would have no problems, I think you said something about them being small? Take a look at the physical dimensions, they are very large for bookshelf speakers, they as posted have a huge soundstage to go with that size, and can play very loudly with little distortion because they are highly efficient.

I think I've narrowed it down to the x-ls speakers and the ascend 170s. The x-ls are cheaper, but from what I'm reading elswhere the ascends have a better tweeter.