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Please help with speaker selection for my basement HT

1K views 30 replies 7 participants last post by  Zorba922 
#1 · (Edited)
Hello All,

I am looking for some help in selecting a good speaker combo for my basement HT. I am finishing up my basement and want to make a home theater which is going to be also in a open space of approx 19ft x 25ft.

Unfortunately, my basement is not big enough to have a dedicate room (I would love to have this option but it is not possible :()

So far I have read many many many pages of AVS forum to make this list. I must say I am in Canada and does not have much selection (better prices) as US, so my choices are limited. I want to set up a budget HT, my first one, so please bare with me.

Please help me select, which is a better combo and also please add to this list if you have any other preference or suggestions (note - listed dollar amount is in CAD)


FRONT R/L SPEAKERS
psb floor speakers alpha T1 (roughly 300 pair)
pioneer spfs52(roughly 360 pair)
Fluance XL7F (roughly 650 pair)

CENTER
Polk Audio CSI A4 Center Channel Speaker
Fluance XL7C 
pioneer sp-c22
POLK CS-10

SUBWOOFER
BIC AMERICA F12 (rougly $300)

SURROUND
JBL LOFT 40
Fluance SX6
Fluance AVBP2


Thanks a lot!!
 
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#2 ·
Don't have personal experience with any of those speaker, BUT whichever front LR you pick be sure to get the matching center. Matching surrounds isn't as important, but the front three should be from the same maker and series. Good luck!


Sent using Tapatalk since the mobile version is still [emoji107]
 
#3 ·
I am finishing up my basement and want to make a home theater which is going to be also in a open space of approx 19ft x 25ft.

Please help me select, which is a better combo and also please add to this list if you have any other preference or suggestions (note - listed dollar amount is in CAD)


FRONT R/L SPEAKERS
psb floor speakers alpha T1 (roughly 300 pair)
pioneer spfs52(roughly 360 pair)
Fluance XL7F (roughly 650 pair)

CENTER
Polk Audio CSI A4 Center Channel Speaker
Fluance XL7C 
pioneer sp-c22
POLK CS-10

SUBWOOFER
BIC AMERICA F12 (rougly $300)

SURROUND
JBL LOFT 40
Fluance SX6
Fluance AVBP2
From the above, I'd pick the PSB towers, Polk CSiA4 center, JBL Loft 40 surrounds, and BIC F12 sub.

If you can find the BIC PL200 sub for a little more it'd be worth it. If you watch a lot of action movies it would be especially worth it to get the SVS PB1000 here:
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/box-s...-dsp-controlled-10-ported-subwoofer-p-53.html

If it were my money, I'd opt for bookshelf speakers for your fronts instead of towers and put the savings into the SVS sub. A pair of the well-regarded Pioneer Andrew Jones speakers just CAD170 shipped:
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2S4...d_t=201&pf_rd_p=1977604502&pf_rd_i=B00011KLOI

Since the center does the bulk of HT output, I'd get this BIC FH-6LCR for CAD235 shipped here:
https://www.amazon.ca/gp/offer-listing/B0015A8Y3E/ref=dp_olp_new?ie=UTF8&condition=new
Reviews:
http://www.amazon.com/review/R1DYBWMB71UQXB/ref=cm_cr_rdp_perm
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-FH6-LCR-6-5-Inch-Frequency/dp/B0015A8Y3E

For your surrounds, I'd go with whatever's the least expensive options...probably the Pioneer AJs or the JBL Loft 40s.

And yes, I'd politely disregard the usual "audiophile" dogma about the life-and-death importance of "timbre matching" your front 3 speakers.

The only purpose of a center channel speaker is to render DIALOGUE as clearly as possible without requiring you to crank up the volume.

Often times the supposedly "matching" center is ludicrously incompetent at that one simple function, in which case I would recommend tossing that old "audiophile" myth and just getting one that does the job...and often times price is not a reliable indicator of a competent center channel.

What in god's name is the point of "timbre matching" (as if most users could even tell you what "timbre" even is, let alone identify a "timbre match" in any sort of blind ABx testing) if you still end up with lousy garbled dialogue?

Many speaker companies half-ass their center speakers because they know that most consumers will blindly follow the glib advice of most audio salesmen that they MUST "timbre match" the center to the mains. (Same marketing strategy drives their half-assing their subwoofers, because they know most consumers are gullible lemmings.)
 
#5 ·
Wow, thanks a lot Zorba922 for your input. I truly appreciate it. I may have to up my budget a little. I always thought that the floor speakers are better than Bookshelf because they look big and cool..haha..

I will look into all these options. Would you then mount the FR/FL on a stand? I will be using a projector/screen (manual/motorized) and TV behind the screen.

Also, if I get JBL loft 50 at a decent price (refurb) would it be ok, or it is better to stick with bookshelf.

And I was wondering/confused on matching the front right, center and left as I read at many places on AVS forum that it is not necessary/required to match the fronts.

The HT is mainly for watching movies and some gaming as well.
 
#4 ·
Getting Bookshelf speakers instead of towers will allow you to get much better speakers at the same price point. The low end extension you'll get from towers will be handled by the sub anyway. The BIC FH-6LCR is an excellent choice for center channel.
Fronts; I'd go with PSB, These are a little than the B1'S






http://www.crutchfield.ca/PSB_Imagine_XB_pair_Bookshelf_speakers_p/760imnxb.htm
For surrounds I would go with Dayton Audio B652 since the LOFT 40's are $300.
https://www.amazon.ca/Dayton-Audio-...1468143837&sr=8-3&keywords=bookshelf+speakers
In that size room you're going to need a bigger sub than the F-12. Zorba suggestion of the SVS sub may be a better choice.
 
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#7 ·
Thank you pase22 for your suggestion and input. I will look into these options. I have not heard of Dayton so will be reading more on those. Also, if I go with SVS sub, I will have to lower my budget on the from R/L, so PSB XB is out of question :(
 
#6 ·
I've updated my thread about the Fluance if you want to take a look....not sure if you need the XL7 towers since you're getting a sub so I would consider the XL5 HT package....and dont worry about the center, its more than up to the task. This so-called "myth" of timbre-matching is not for everybody and I can re-assure you that you dont need to purchase a horn-loaded tweeter CC just to hear dialogue.

If you do order the Fluance over the phone, the salesperson should give you a promo code that gives you an additional 10% off the total also....they did when we ordered ours anyways.
 
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#15 · (Edited)
I would start with just these for now. A lot of great reviews and often recommended here (only $42 more than the PSB). You also have the option to try them for 45 days, return them if you don't like them. Actually thinking of getting a pair myself.
http://www.electronicsforless.ca/svs-prime-bookshelf-bookshelf-loudspeaker-black-ash-each-3906.html
From what I've heard, the center is pretty good too. Another option would be to look for used speakers on Kijiji. Good deals can be had depending what part of country you're in.
 
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#17 ·
I would start with just these for now. A lot of great reviews and often recommended here (only $42 more than the PSB). You also have the option to try them for 45 days, return them if you don't like them. Actually thinking of getting a pair myself.
http://www.electronicsforless.ca/svs-prime-bookshelf-bookshelf-loudspeaker-black-ash-each-3906.html
From what I've heard, the center is pretty good too.
Thanks!! This is a great option to consider. I am thinking of getting Yamaha RX-V579 as my receiver
 
#18 ·
I like towers for higher spl and my dogs wont knock them over :)
 
#25 ·
speakers position

Can I please also get input on the placement of the speakers for this room (roughly 23ft x19ft)? If I am going with below recommended setup?

L/R: Pioneer SP-BS22
Center: BIC FH-6LCR
Rear: Dayton Audio B652
Sub: SVS PB-1000 (would 1 sub be enough or should I go with 2 BiC F12s?)
Receiver - most likely Yamaha RX-V579
Screen: Haven't decided - depends on the availability in Canada
TV: There will be a TV behind the screen (the 4x6 area will be closed and made into a WIC with all my equipments (AVR, PS3, XBOX) will be stored in a cabinet)




Thank you
 
#26 ·
Can I please also get input on the placement of the speakers for this room (roughly 23ft x19ft)? If I am going with below recommended setup?

L/R: Pioneer SP-BS22
Center: BIC FH-6LCR
Rear: Dayton Audio B652
Sub: SVS PB-1000 (would 1 sub be enough or should I go with 2 BiC F12s?)
Receiver - most likely Yamaha RX-V579
Screen: Haven't decided - depends on the availability in Canada
TV: There will be a TV behind the screen (the 4x6 area will be closed and made into a WIC with all my equipments (AVR, PS3, XBOX) will be stored in a cabinet)
I'd go with the single PB1000 over 2 x F12.

That's a bear of a room. Placing the screen off center to one side of the room means having one of your speakers right next to the wall, plus the long hallway would suck out a lot of sound energy. Really not a good idea.

How about putting the screen and speakers at a 45 degree angle to the corner opposite the window, with the viewing armchairs or couch parallel facing them? It may look a really strange from an interior-decorating perspective but for audio/HT you would get far superior results.
 
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