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Center channel or home theater package?

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  cel4145 
#1 ·
I recently moved out of an apartment into a home with a 16x14 ft TV room. My Samsung 46" HDTV and Sony blu-ray player are visually fantastic. Yet my 12 year old Sony STR-BD930 receiver (almost vintage) and my just as old Infinity Minuette home theater speakers may not be up to the audio potential of blu-ray. Although the Infinity BU2, 12" sub still has some major kick (when it actually works though. - I'm 99% positive there is something wrong with the sub's low level input jacks. The connection has become very touchy and the sub sometimes will not work with slightest movement of the banana plugs).


The speakers are mainly used for watching movies. That said, I recently purchased a Yamaha RX-V671 AV receiver and it just arrived on my door step this Friday. Due to a significant increase in rent and relatively small living room, I'm looking for "budget" speakers. I've got $200 immediately available (thanks to Amazon gift cards) and am debating between just getting a solid center channel speaker or saving a little more ($400 total) for a home theater speaker package.

Potential center channel speakers:

-Yamaha NS-C310 OR

-Definitive Technology ProCenter 1000

Both have quality reviews and meet my budget and size requirements (6" height maximum)


OR...

Potential Home theater speaker package:

-Energy Take Classic 5.1

-Fluance AVHTB 5

The Energy set has a wealth of positive reviews and includes a sub but I'd have to wait until early next year at the earliest. On the other hand, with the Fluance I could get it sooner and use it with my older Infinity sub.


Do I slowly build a system and first get a solid center channel or replace the whole set all at once? Any input and advice is appreciated.
 
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#2 ·
The DefTech ProCenter 1000 is very solid, and it's not expensive either, so that would be a good choice. I would discourage you from doing the "mix-n-match" version of building a HT system though. That doesn't really work out.


Trying to integrate disparate speakers is often an exercise in futility. Since the characteristics of the speakers would be different the sound will also be, which makes balancing and tuning almost impossible. Whatever brand/manufacturer you decide on for the center should also have speakers you're considering for the other channels. At the very least, the front three should be the same.


That being said... along with the ProCenter here are a few others that might be worth looking into (they're all at, or very near, your projected budget):


HTD Level Three

Boston Acoustics CS 225C II

Polk Blackstone TL3

Aperion Intimus 4C

BIC America DV53CLR

EMP Tek E5Ci

Premier Acoustic PA-4.2C
 
#3 ·
If you've liked your Infinity's, some of the Infinity Primus line is on closeout right now because they are updating the line. Check Amazon. You might even be able to afford a center and two bookshelves. Then you can add the rear surrounds later from the new line, since they don't need to be an exact tonal match.


Update: It occurred to me that your Infinity Minuette might work well as the surrounds for the Infinity Primus.
 
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