Need advice on a speaker/subwoofer system for no more than $500 to match up with my soon to purchase Samsung LCD 52", Onkyo 804 and either Oppo 981HD or Toshiba HDDVD.
Looking for small speakers that will be placed on stands and my TV furniture. I looked at the Polk Audio RM6800 but they seem out of stock everywhere.
All the help is appreciated.

Check out Velodyne Front Row speakers for $200 & Mission Cinema m70 surround system for $240, then you could put the rest for a nice sub.

Velodyne
http://www.velodyne.com/velodyne/products/ob_product_detail.aspx?ID=CHTFRSWV&sid=385h949u

Mission
http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/tsto.storefront

Need advice on a speaker/subwoofer system for no more than $500 to match up with my soon to purchase Samsung LCD 52", Onkyo 804 and either Oppo 981HD or Toshiba HDDVD.
Looking for small speakers that will be placed on stands and my TV furniture. I looked at the Polk Audio RM6800 but they seem out of stock everywhere.
All the help is appreciated.


52" LCD.... +/- $3000
Onkyo 804 +/- $ 750
Oppo DVD +/- $ 250
4 stands +/- $250

Total......... +/- $4250

And you want $500 speakers to "match" that rig? I don't think so. Typically, your speaker budget should be at LEAST half of your over all budget. I mean why go all out and have nice video, only to skimp big time on the speakers and have the system SOUND like craopla?

I would slow down and either start with the front L/R channels, then add a sub, a center and finally surrounds as the budget allows rather than rushing to buy six boxes that will make noise and not much more.... You will be a LOT happier in the long run.

And, you won't be buying speakers all over again a year from now because you quickly out grew something that gives you nothing more than HTIB sound.

Take your time and do it right....

Maybe its time to compromise. I can see what Quadriver is saying and its easy to 'want' to spend more. If you have some front speakers now, consider tossing them to your rear channel and get a good match across the front perhaps.

Maybe swap a few $$ by stepping off the 804 AVR to something else...yeah you need the 804 in Onkyo to get line out for potential upgrade path...its a shame that's not on the 674 to grow into some separate amps. But if the 804 is mainly being purchased for HDMI, there might be better bang for the buck. But if you've settled in on the receiver, that's fine, it would perform nicely I'm sure.

As for speakers, if you're mainly home theater now and wanna get a 5.1 (or more) up and going, I can't fault you for that. What is your planned usage? All HT or some 2 channel music from your whopping CD or Ipod collection? SACD, etc? Knowing that would help get you some additional inputs from the forums.

I understand about it looking like I may be skimping out on speakers but I do have a budget and I tested out the Polk's and it sounded great in Circuit City. I'll only be using the speakers for movies and listening to my CD and Ipod. The Onkyo will be used to output the HDMI to the TV and my DVD player and HD cable box will be input to the Onyko as well.
My TV stand is 55" X 18" so I was hoping to place the Front R, Center and Front L on my TV stand in front of my TV. Is that bad? I'm really want small speakers. Thanks for the input.

I'm really want small speakers

Typically.... "small" speakers, the kind I believe you are referring to anyway.... use like 3" mid bass drivers and maybe 1/2" tweeters. At the price range you are talking about, you aren't going to get quality sound out of something like that.

Now maybe it REALLY doesn't matter that you have razer sharp cool looking video with sound that sounds like it's coming from a deep well or out of a tin cup. Somehow, I think that you will be disappointed in the long run.

It's human nature to want to "get it all NOW," and not wait. I also understand that you had X amount budgeted for the entire system and you only have $500 left. All I'm asking you to do is SLOW DOWN and at least consider doing this part of your system a little differently.

Take your $500 and start with a pair of nice book shelves and stands (no, sitting them on top of your TV stand isn't the best option). Something like these: http://www.**********/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=82.1
with the matching center: http://www.**********/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=91.1 add a pair of speaker stands and you have a VERY nice start to a fine SOUNDING system to go along with your nice video.

Then, as funds allow.... pick up another pair of the bookshelf's for surrounds and a sub. Or, if you can stretch the budget at all.... here is a complete 5.1 system with the X-LS speakers: http://www.**********/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=92.1

Either way, if you build a little slower or stretch your budget just a bit now, you will be rewarded with a sound system equal to your fine video gear that will give you YEARS of enjoyment. And, you won't find yourself wanting to upgrade your speakers a few months down the line.

Just something to think about.....

if you really want the polk speakers, check online with electronic (or electronics) express outta tennessee. as of the other day they were selling the rm6800's for 500 plus shipping, and they also carry the rm6900's for 600 plus shipping. have done business with them before and they were great from my experience.

oh yeah, and if you do go with the polks...i'd highly recommend the 6900's over the 6800's at only $100 more, especially if you will use more for movies than music. not only do you get a larger sub and fronts (which are still small), but the included sub has greater control and hookup flexibility than the 6800 sub does...has lfe-in and adjustable crossover, which 6800 does not. checked today at electronic express and both models are still in stock, but won't be for too long as polk quit producing both models in february.

if you don't have stands already, and do get either model, the sanus flat panel foundations (i paid 120 amazon) look perfect with these speakers. will have my 6800's (yes, i made the mistake of not going a little over budget) running off an onkyo 604 with the oppo 981 and samsung 40-inch lcd within next couple days, and will let you know how they sound. good luck putting your system together, and not breaking the bank in the process!

Fry's Electronics and Circuit City often have pretty good deals from time to time on the Polk Audio HTIB systems. There's nothing wrong with a budget, so go with what sound best to you. Good luck and let us know what you choose.

Mark