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help replacing stolen speakers

4K views 107 replies 18 participants last post by  dsrussell 
#1 · (Edited)
House got cleaned out. Little time for research and have already spent way too many hours researching replacement camera gear and pro photo monitor. Help narrowing down speaker choice to about 3 candidates would be greatly appreciated.


Don't care about brand name, do care about performance. Like bang for the buck and value. Will be used for home theater, but music far more important.


1. Looking to pay ~2000$ for entire system, receiver, tower speakers, subwoofer and center channel. Surround speakers not stolen. Will one get a better deal buying a system or individual components?


2. Prefer to pay ~500 for a pair of tower speakers. Would pay a few hundred more, but only if there was an immediately obvious sound quality increase, not an incremental improvement you have to strain to hear. Will be in a 22x26 room with wood floors. Eclectic music tastes, but vocals most important, need to hear the nuances in a singer's voice. Had Energy RC30s. Liked them.


3. Had a Polk CS20 center channel speaker. Dialog occasionally indistinct, wouldn't buy it again. What are some good options under $300ish


Thanks in advance!
 
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#2 · (Edited)
Look at the Denon receiver - E400
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-E40...TF8&qid=1414872145&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+e400

HSU subwoofer - VTF-3
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-E40...TF8&qid=1414872145&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+e400

HTD Level Three towers
http://www.htd.com/Products/tower-s...rs 7- Series&gclid=CIyQ_cia2sECFcpcMgodJDQATw

Level Three Center
http://www.htd.com/Products/center-c...hannel-Speaker



------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

EMP Tower speakers
http://emptek.com/r55ti.php

EMP Center channel
http://emptek.com/r56ci.php
 
#3 ·
Look at the Denon receiver - E400
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-E40...TF8&qid=1414872145&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+e400

HSU subwoofer - VTF-3
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-E40...TF8&qid=1414872145&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+e400

HTD Level Three towers
http://www.htd.com/Products/tower-speakers/Level-THREE-Tower-Speakers?kpid=Level%20THREE%20Tower%20Speakers%207-
Series&gclid=CIyQ_cia2sECFcpcMgodJDQATw

Level Three Center
http://www.htd.com/Products/center-c...hannel-Speaker

EMP Tower speakers
http://emptek.com/r55ti.php

EMP Center channel
http://emptek.com/r56ci.php
Thanks, that was helpful. A lot has changed since I bought my old gear 4-5 years ago. Denon may be price competitive with Onkyo now. Wasn't familiar with HTD. Anyone know if the level three tweeter issue is fixed? How is the r55ti different from the e55ti? Their website not helpful. "Formerly known" implies no difference, but then why change the name?


Klipsch bought Energy, and I don't know what effect that has had on price /performance.


While reading reviews of the speakers you listed I came across the A5rx-c which look promising, but don't know that I'm willing to wait a few months for them to be built.
 
#5 ·
You aren't making this easy.... I'm guessing it would be January at the earliest. If a great deal comes up on black Friday on something good, will be hard not to jump. Seeing some amazing prices on the Energy RC70s but don't live near a FRYs. Still reading about the speakers mentioned above.
 
#9 · (Edited)
Have a 100 pound German shepherd, who apparently just wagged his tail. Putting in a security system and gate. Not replacing stuff till that's done. Have been told if you live in the country expect to get hit once every 10 years. This is another reason to get good, but not top of the line stuff.


Ps. Will consider trade of smart, handsome, friendly German shepherd for high-end speakers.
 
#10 ·
Too much info available. Most of it subjective. The concept of blind testing when doing comparisons doesn't seem to have made it into stereo review land.


Two things are clear: my wife is already telling me I'm spending too much time on this and 2) my hoped for speaker budget of 500 is rapidly disappearing into wishful thinking land.


Will probably choose among the r55ti's, HTD level threes, Energy RC70s, A5rx and JBL 580s, with whatever sales pop up in the next month being the deciding factor, given performance is supposedly in the same ballpark. One shootout of some of these said the r55s were muddy, but that might be disputed by most... Any pros/cons of these welcome, keeping in mind a sub will handle the low range. Looking for something that will bring out the best of songs like "killing the blues" or "Oliver James."
 
#14 ·
Yes, but the store with the best price by far (that I can find anyway) is in-store pickup only. Nearest one is 3 hours away. I may be headed that way in the next 2-3 weeks and will see if price is still available and I haven't bought anything else. Would have already bought them if nearby because that price is unbelievable relative to when I bought the RC30s.
 
#16 ·
I'm going to stray a bit. Dealing with insurance companies can be trick, and I assume you are dealing with an insurance company.

First you need to determine what type of insurance you have.

You might have current value insurance. That means what you have depreciates with age.

Replacement Value will spend more or less than the cost of your equipment in order to replace it with the current most equivalent piece of equipment.

For example, I have Diamond 9.6 which were commonly available for about $1000/pr. However the nearest current equivalent is the Diamond 10.7 which has 6.5" woofers as opposed to 8" woofers. However, it is the closest model and it costs $1250/pr. However, there are new models coming out that are the exact equivalent with 8" woofers, but I suspect it is going to cost about $1500/pr.

So, the true replacement value of my speakers is $1500/pr. But I only paid $425/pr for my speakers (new). What I paid is not as relevant as what it will cost to replace them Hence - Replacement Insurance.

So, the first step is to establish a documented clear replacement cost, that establishes what the Insurance company owns you. Once you have that, you can start looking at equipment, and you can spend more or less as you desire.

Remember, it is the Insurance Companies job to pay you as little as possible. It is your job to push them to make a fair and reasonable settlement.

You have $2000 for a system and you estimate $500/pr for speakers. But specifically what equipment do you need that money to buy you? CD? BluRay? Stereo Amp? AV Receiver? 5.1 Speakers? Stereo speaker? We can't know how to divide the money unless we know what the what the money is intended to buy.

Next, once we have a budget and list of equipment, we can ration out the money in a appropriate balance relative to the what you want to buy.

You have had some good suggestions, but a systematic approach is going to provide the most usable suggestions.

If we assume (unlikely) that you need an AV Receiver and a 5.1 set of speakers, then I would suggest $500 on the amp, and about $1500 for the 5.1 speakers. The more things you need, say a CD, BluRay, Streaming, and/or Turntable, the more that dilutes the available money.

Then we must have some sense of the how you envision the system. It seems you want Floor-Standing speakers, so that is a start.

It is also handy to know the dimension of the room the system will be placed in.

I'm not criticizing any comments you've had so far. I'm just saying if we go about this in a systematic way, we will get better results and zero in on the final system much more quickly.

Steve/bluewizard
 
#17 · (Edited)
I'm not criticizing any comments you've had so far. I'm just saying if we go about this in a systematic way, we will get better results and zero in on the final system much more quickly.

Steve/bluewizard
Steve, thanks for the advice. We have replacement cost and I probably should have negotiated harder. Plus, almost all my electronics were bought on steep sales that would be hard to replicate. Then factor in the sheer quantity of stuff stolen, the time it takes to research replacement costs and that many items are discontinued or heirloom.... well its a real pain. Its a bit of a catch 22 for discontinued items. You don't know the real replacement cost until you buy it, but have to estimate it before you buy it and turn that paperwork in first. And that can take a ton of research you may not want to put in until you are actually ready to buy.


I'm willing to pay additional out of pocket to upgrade... am shooting for the 2000-2500 range. You make a good point about prioritizing the allocation of funds. I have to replace the receiver (discontinued Onkyo I paid 700ish for on sale), the Polk CS20 center channel, two RC30s and a Lavasubs subwoofer. They didn't take the 7.1 surrounds or blu ray. Other than the center channel, I was pleased with the rig.


While it will be used for movies, music (especially vocals, acoustics) is more important. So I was thinking the dollar priority should be speakers, sub, receiver and center channel in that order. What do you think?


May be mistaken but have the impression floor standing speakers will do a much better job than bookshelf. 500 on the speakers is seeming less realistic, but I'd like to keep them under 800. That said, if a couple hundred more on the speakers would give a huge quality bump, then I might bite.

The room is about 500sq Ft, but entertainment area takes up only half.

Bang for the buck matters. If I get ripped off again, would suck even more if it was high end stuff.


So far only one suggestion on receiver and sub. Didn't want to spam the same questions in those forums.
 
#19 ·
You have to be clear about what your budget is for. That is, the list of equipment it is intended to buy.

For the moment, given that you have a replacement Amp, I'm going to assume the cost if for a 5.1 speaker system. ...or have I misinterpreted?

The bulk of that money will go into the Front and Subwoofer, lesser amounts into the Center and Surrounds.

I would say at least $500 in the front, another $500 into the Sub, and that would leave another $1000 that should very easily cover your Center and Surround. Perhaps even a AV Reciever, but that's not clear yet.

What speakers have you had experience with. The best you can do is audition as many speakers as possible to get some sense of the sound your prefer. What did you feel about the Polk Audio speakers you had?

Next, are you looking to maximize your money? That is the best system for the least cost? A company like EMP-Tek has very nice speakers (based on reputation) for a very modest amount of money.

http://emptek.com/

http://emptek.com/impseries.php

http://emptek.com/r55ti.php

http://emptek.com/r5ci.php

http://emptek.com/r56ci.php

Am I correct, your room size is 22ft x 26ft? That room should accommodate just about any speaker.

I personally would advise against an Onkyo AV Reciever if music is important. I'm guessing you have perhaps $500 or just a bit more for the amp. That, sorry to say, buys you a garden variety amp. Brands I prefer are Yamaha, Denon, and Marantz. On the higher end Anthem. But, that's just a matter of preference. My real preference is for a Stereo system unless ...by chance... I win the Lottery.

Polk Audio has an Ebay site where you can get some fantastic deals on their speakers.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/TV-Video-Ho...&_armrs=1&_ipg=&_from=&_ssn=polkaudio&_sop=15

Polk RTi-10 Tower ($560/pr) -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-...01?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item5b039e2e35

The current equivalent model to the RTi-10 is the RTi-A7 which sells for about $500 EACH.

http://www.polkaudio.com/rtia7/d/1010

Making the above a very good deal.

Polk CSi-5 Center ($275/each) -

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-...37?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item35d46d9a09

For a Sub, I think many would recommend the SVS SB-1000 (Sealed, $500) or the SVS PB-1000 (ported, $500).

That system listed above would cost -

$560/pr = Polk RTi-10 Floorstanding
$275/ea = Polk CDi-5 Center
$500/ea = Subwoofer
----------------------------
$1335 = Total

The Polk RTi line is pretty high. Though I'm not 100% clear on what equipment you originally had. Could you list the brand and model of your AV Receiver and Front and Center speaker? Again you mentioned some model numbers but it is unclear what brand they are associated with. Knowing precisely what your original equipment was, will help us determine whether we are upgrading to taking a step sideways.

If left to guess, it would seem you had a POLK CS20 and an Energy RC30 floor-standing. How you came to that combination is another story.

I found Energy speakers to be very clear, but lean on bass, and they were relatively compact in size for floorstanding. The lean bass is less of a problem in a 5.1 system though.

We can go on all day listing speakers in your price range, but it would help to get some sense of the sound characteristics you are looking for.

Here are some Energy Floorstanding from NewEgg for $599 seemingly per pair.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...-_-pla-_-Home+Audio+Speakers-_-9SIA1J70FP0970

However, I don't see a matching Center speaker from the same source. Though certainly they make Center speakers if you can find them -

http://www.energy-speakers.com/center-speakers/

http://www.energy-speakers.com/tower-speakers/

Just a few thoughts.

Steve/bluewizard
 
#21 ·
Steve, thanks for the links I'll check them out. Good deals at that ebay site. All I need is a subwoofer, receiver, front speakers and center channel. I have 4 surround speakers already that will not be equal in quality to the new stuff.


Willing to tolerate more flaws in the home theater aspect than the music. If I end up with a system that is solidly respectable for movies and superior for music, I'll be happy. Musical tastes are not especially bass heavy, so I thought to put more money into the speakers than the subwoofer. Likewise, the center channel is less important. As for receivers, is there really that big a difference in sound quality in the 5-800 (after discount) range of the major brands? Maybe these reasons are flawed, but this is why I'm putting more time into the speakers. I like detail and presence. A speaker that can convey subtle sounds that other speakers might miss, and perform well at lower volumes too. After reading this thread and reviews, the goalposts have changed a little. I'm thinking the best way to spend 2000-2500 would be $700-1000 for floorstanding speakers, $4-500 for the sub,
 
#22 ·
I wouldn't worry about floorstanders if you get a decent subwoofer. Let the sub take care of bass. I would go for bookshelf speakers unless you find a good deal on some towers. I like the JBL Studio series, you can't lose with the 530s. I would also be looking at some KEF Q series, some Q100s perhaps. EMP has had sales on their towers around black friday, I woudl be looking at a E55Ti / E56Ci setup as well. For subwoofers I would stick with Hsu, Rythmik, or Reaction.

And for heaven's sake, use some of your money to buy a better security system or you'll have to do this all over again!
 
#27 ·
Because I found the MB Quart Vera VS05 high-end bookshelf speakers - which are a former
$2000 a pair bookshelf speakers - that I got for $500. The resolution is on a higher level.

The JBL 530 is still high on my list, for good bookshelf speakers under $1000 a pair. They are
now better served somewhere else.
 
#32 ·
The biggest issue I have with the Studio 570 is that they are too short. They cost quite a bit more than the 530's, which do need stands, but so do the 570's, just much shorter ones. I'd look at either the 530 with the correct height stands for your setup (mine are 24" for my 530's), or go straight to at least the 580.
 
#43 ·
I used to be a tower only type because I thought they were a lot louder, until I played around with some stand mount speakers and realized they payed every bit as loud as I needed, and since I already had subwoofers, towers gave me no advantage.

With a tower, you get the height they happen to be. Some are for me, too short, some are too tall. With a stand mount (aka bookshelf) speaker I can choose the stand height that puts the tweeter right were I want it with respect to the seating position. Take the JBL's, I have the 530's on 24" stands which puts the top of the speaker about 42" from the floor, which is prefect for me. The 570's cost quite a bit more, are a tower, but are only about 34" tall, that is too short. I'd still need small stands and not gain much. The Studio 580 is 42" tall, but they are $800 each vs the $479 a pair I paid for the 530's.
 
#51 ·
I've seen a lot of guidance that speakers be 12-18 inches from the wall, which in my case is easier to accommodate than the 60cm this one recommendation had for the JBL 530s. So what I'm wondering is do the 530s have to be further from the wall than many other speakers?
 
#54 · (Edited)
Reading too much about best possible bang for the buck speakers. Am considering bookshelves such as JBL 530s, KEF Q100s, SVS Primes and Philharmonitors. However concerned to read some saying the philharmonitors are only for smaller rooms. Even read that some of the smaller towers aren't for larger rooms. These will be in a 550 sqft room with 14 ft ceilings. Are bookshelves going to cut it? Will be sitting 12-20 ft from the LCR in one half of the room.


Stands aren't necessarily cheap either and can add 300+ bucks. Seems another point for towers.


EMP r55Tis remain on the tower short list. Waiting to see reviews of the SVS Prime towers. Am also looking at various other tower that are said to be strong in the midst and highs, but not as good below 40-50 Hz. Don't care about the bass because subwoofer will handle that. Anybody have additional suggestions for towers that might get dinged for bass in the reviews, but are very good at mids and higher? No point paying for towers that excel in bass if you won't use it.


Also an advantage of a particular brand would be if they have a well priced center channel to match the fronts.
 
#56 ·
Reading too much about best possible bang for the buck speakers.

Stands aren't necessarily cheap either and can add 300+ bucks. Seems another point for towers.

Am also looking at various other tower that are said to be strong in the midst and highs, but not as good below 40-50 Hz. Don't care about the bass because subwoofer will handle that. Anybody have additional suggestions for towers that might get dinged for bass in the reviews, but are very good at mids and higher? No point paying for towers that excel in bass if you won't use it.

Will be sitting 12-20 ft from the LCR in one half of the room.
The more you read, the more you are going to spin on a merry-go-round.

Good bookshelf speakers can work in that room - however regardless of your choice,
I would try to sit around 12 ft back and not 20 ft back.

Also, I can find good speaker stands for around $150 or less per pair.
 
#62 ·
The Epos 2s are well reviewed, but I hadn't noticed they were 4 ohm. Might mean I need an AVR with a class D amp. If my two fronts are 4 ohm, does that mean everything else has to be 4 ohm connected to the avr? Deal killer if so.


I've never looked up close at stands. How are the speakers secured? I have kids and a big dog who will for sure knock over anything not bolted down.
 
#63 ·
See the following bench test: http://www.stereophile.com/content/epos-epic-2-loudspeaker-measurements

This bodes well for you. It's when 4 Ohm speakers dip down well under 4 Ohms that you would have a problem. These appear to be more like 6 Ohm speakers, which your AVR could drive handily. They are also surprisingly efficient. Very good choice!

Many stands have chambers one can fill with sand, kitty litter, or steel shot to help weigh them down.
 
#65 ·
AVRs usually have discrete amplifier sections, so it shouldn't be a problem. Some bookshelf speakers have threaded inserts (these are usually on the rear, however), so essentially, they would just sit on the stand unless you can find a right-angle bracket (and a stand with clearance holes). There are locking-type banana plugs or you could just wire directly. That should be enough to keep the speakers from falling (depending upon the weight of the speaker). However, since you have children and dogs, perhaps a tower might suit you better.
 
#66 · (Edited)
I had the studio 580 and also the philharmonitor for almost a month ,the studio are great speakers I almost keep those speakers what I love about this speakers is the horn , wind instruments sound incredible natural and real and do not introduce ear fatigue like the klipsch.



I had the feeling that a person was in my room playing trombone,trumpet,saxophone... really impressive horn.I totally recommend this speakers for those that love music with wind instruments.



You can always found a good deal on this towers.


This guy own a lot more expensive B&W N802,B&W N804 ect... speakers but he totally love the JBL 580.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtupttHVhUaN_4zK_FWWBCg
 
#68 ·
Thanks folks. Have narrowed it down to towers equal or better than the EMP R55Tis, or bookshelfs as good or better than the JBL studio 530s or Epos epic 2s. The JBLs for awhile were available for about 150 less than current best price. Doesn't sit will with me to pay more than their previous best price. For the sub hoping to pay about 500 and looking at rhythmic, Hsu, SVS and Outlaw. Denon was at front of AVR list, but am put off by numerous reports of their AVRs freezing and needing to be unplugged.


Will see what kind of deals I can find over the next two weeks and go with the best bang for the buck. Might get lucky and some even better equipment might go on sale, like the JBL 570s or 580s. If I end up near a Fry and the Energy RC70s are on sale, I might bite. I know build quality is superb, but they are an older speaker and I can't find any info about how they would measure up against the EMPs or JBLs. Will also give me time to get the security systems installed before the goods arrive.


Read one comment that bookshelfs won't blend as seamlessly with a sub as a tower. Would that still be true for the better bookshelfs?
 
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