hey guys so im been going back and forth lately and not sure what system to get, I never had true 5.1 system until I bought the bose stereo with Yamaha htr 4063, previously I had only 2.1 Klipsch synergy B20 bookshelfs, and a Klipsch sub10 down firing. with an old Harman kardon avr-347 receiver. not sure whats better . I want something small yet with big sound any suggestions? should I sell the bose or my klipsch 2.1 system? very undercided. help would be appreciated. budget is $1000 with receiver CDN
Doesn't mean one can't have fun with a small set up. And of course psycho-acoustics comes into play as one listens with the hearing system nature gave us (ears), not with measuring equipment that none of us use to hear/listen! That's how one person thought my hybrid i6sw on 110 watts (as seen in link) was mistaken for 3 x 10's on 500+ watts.
But to the OP, the likes of Bose won't give you window shaking sound. and for your budget, there's not much out there. Steinway Lyngdorf S15 for example goes loud, but there's a price.
You might want to look at the Elac B5 that are getting some rave reviews. Personally I think they're simply bass heavy speakers with atrocious sound, but most of the hi-fi press are applauding them vigorously.
Sell both and get yourself a pair of these Kef Q100 which are on clearance across Canada. http://www.2001audiovideo.com/en/catalog/product/82842-KEF-Q100
If you want a center channel the Kef Q200C also on clearance. http://www.2001audiovideo.com/en/catalog/product/158591-KEF-Q200c-B
This puts you a hair under $750. If your receiver is fully functional, Use your current receiver for now and use your Synergy as surrounds until you can better ones. Buying a receiver now will take up most of your budget. Receivers, even refurbs will run $500-600 for anything half decent in Canada.
I have two Acoustimass 10 systems used with TVs. They are quite suitable and good bang for the buck for that use but not what most would like or want for dedicated home theater or serious music audiophiles. Being very familiar with the Bose, the other day I was at Nebraska Furniture Mart in Omaha looking at AV equipment...they have a huge AV department so I like to go see and hear all the new stuff a couple of times a year. One of the things I just saw/heard there are the new SVS satellites and I've got to say compared to the Bose (and any small/wall mount surround system I've heard for under $2000) they blew me away. That wasn't what I went there to hear but I found myself going back to them twice simply because they were that good. Their standing deal is 5 SVS satellites, a matching SVS 1000 series sealed or ported sub and a Onkyo 120 WPC AVR for $1100. If I wasn't about to upgrade my home theater room, I honestly would have bought two of these setups to replace my Acoustimass systems.
The only product from Blose that I would ever consider "reasonably good" might be their noise cancelling headphones. I don't say this lightly, they're a big employer here in MA and a contributor to the local economy. Between that series of Klipsch (one of the brightest tweeters on the market) and the Acoustimess, I'd still take the Klipsch and suffer them while I saved and got out to listen to other options.
You guys are entitled to your opinions, that's fine with me. I have four surround systems in my house and the Bose works well in two smaller rooms with TVs where I don't want to spend more than $3K on each system (display, speakers, AVR and disc player) and, I want to save floor space by using wall mounted speakers that don't detract from floor space and décor. It is what it is. I'm not into worshipping or hating material chit, I just want stuff that works well for me. The Bose are cheap and easy for many folks who don't want to spend hours and days looking, listening, and comparing so they can brag about how much better their $900 system is than the $999 Bose. That's humorous to me. Hooked up to a good AVR with a newer version of Audyssey, I can tell you the Bose sound as good or better than quite a few other more expensive "living room theater systems" in my neighborhood....and they are not cheap and ugly to look at like a lot of the stuff recommended above....lets be real about squared-off boxy vinyl covered speakers taking up floor space at the front of your living room....really?
Back on topic. If anyone is in the market for small wall mounted, unobtrusive decent sounding surround speakers with a decent sounding small sub, I highly recommend they give the SVS satellites a listen. After all the OP was asking for suggestions at a $1000 price point wasn't he?
NVMYSI83...You already have two sets of speakers and $1000 budget. Another option would be you get a new AVR with at least 100 wpc and Audyssey XT-32 from a source that will allow you to return it if you don't like it. Use the Audyssey equalization with both sets of speakers in the room you are going to use and see what you think/prefer. I'm betting that when you hear your speakers Audyssey XT-32 equalized in your space, you will be surprised and decide to keep one of the sets of speakers you already have. You'll have a much better AVR to build future upgrades on and you'll come in under budget....then you can sell off your other stuff and save up for a "serious" speaker upgrade in the future.
You guys are entitled to your opinions, that's fine with me. I have four surround systems in my house and the Bose works well in two smaller rooms with TVs where I don't want to spend more than $3K on each system (display, speakers, AVR and disc player) and, I want to save floor space by using wall mounted speakers that don't detract from floor space and décor. It is what it is. I'm not into worshipping or hating material chit, I just want stuff that works well for me.
Seems like you are setting up a false dichotomy in order to defend your purchase choice. Many, many members here have experienced Bose Acoustimass compared to other setups that cost less, and they find the other setups a better performer in sound quality. It's not about "worshipping or hating." It's about being frugal. That's what people are generally looking for here: how to get the best value for their dollar.
The Bose are cheap and easy for many folks who don't want to spend hours and days looking, listening, and comparing so they can brag about how much better their $900 system is than the $999 Bose. That's humorous to me.
You don't have to care whether or not you got the best performance for you money. If you are the kind of person that never looks at Amazon reviews or do comparison shopping to see where your money is best put, that's up to you. But I can not see why it's so humorous that others do. That's why people seek recommendations here on AVS. They want to know where they can best put their dollars. Generally, AVSers here have found that you can get systems for $500 that sound better than a $999 Bose Acoustimass setup. For many people, that difference in money matters even if it does not to you.
You guys are funny. Poor guy is looking for options and you're focused on criticizing options given and his Bose in particular. OP was pretty clear..."Small speakers"...not my words, but his. That's what he's wants. He bought the Bose for a reason. He wants to know if he should keep what he's got. At least give him some options that may make him happy with what he already spent his money on...why spend the distorted energy putting down what he has?
He's got nothing to loose by comparing his Yamaha YPAO to Audyssey XT-32 with the speakers he already has before he spends more of his money to buy a third set of speakers someone else tells him too because they have them, they sell them, or they like them.
I am fortunate enough to have both and have compared YPAO to XT-32 in different rooms with different speakers from substantially different price points. The new Audyssey does a much better job overall than YPAO... period. In short, it's a free option to try that may work for him. Audyssey is a cheaper way to make less costly speakers sound better and perhaps very acceptable to him. If it does, and he likes it, purchasing an "XT-32" AVR will be cheaper than buying new speakers, and it will be beneficial with any speaker upgrade he does in the future. It will make a substantial sound difference with his Bose cubes in any room he chooses. You can keep your opinions on that to yourself unless you've actually compared the two equalization systems with the Bose cubes...but we all know you won't. At least it gives him an option that none of the egotistical self-appointed audio gurus in this thread offered.
nvmysi83, Always try the "no cost" comparison or system improvement options before buying speakers someone else tells you too, and only buy what sounds good to you. You can always save up for a "bigger speaker improvement than $1K" and you might want the Klipsh' or Bose for office, garage, spare room or who knows. Explore every option. Good Luck
Welcome to the Internet. You can find a range of opinions on most any topic. While everyone is entitled to their own opinions, some are necessarily better than others. Which are better is open to debate. This is a "discussion" forum after all, and most people value discussion to help them figure out which are the best recommendations.
He bought the Bose for a reason. He wants to know if he should keep what he's got. At least give him some options that may make him happy with what he already spent his money on...why spend the distorted energy putting down what he has?
I told him I like his Klipsch Synergy he had better than Bose. Pase22 recommended he consider the KEFs which are a fantastic deal in Canada right now. Those seem like options to me. There are a lot of people that love Bose, so usually it's not difficult to sell a Bose set. He could certainly upgrade to something else.
Ok guys, been a while since I came back to read all these comments, so I did SELL the Bose system with the Yamaha receiver, after hooking up my synergy b2's back up and my matching klipsch sub10s down firing sub the sound was way bigger and at least shakes my 11' x 24' theatre room. I decided. I want loudspeakers and not satellite speakers, 1 problem is I can't have tower speakers because I only have 6" on each side of my projector screen, so front have to be bookshelves, Center channel and then rears can be anything , towers, bookshelfs, or surrounds, I was thinking of keeping my synergy sub and bookshelfs as fronts, I found a guy selling the synergy c2 matching Center for only $90 USD shipped, and synergy s2 surrounds for tears also matching for $120 USD shipped, should I got with this setup for now ? And upgrade my received which is a Harman kardon ave-347
I always wanted 5.1 surround, the other option is that a local guy is selling kef q500 speakers, kef q200 Center and a soundstage lf500 triple 8" subwoofer for $650 USD
I know this is a smoking deal consider the towers alone cost this amount but I don't think the towers will fit and then I'm also back to 3.1 and not 5.1 surround, any input suggestions? What should I. Do maybe? Thanks guys
Ps, would like a good simple receiver to use, I heard Yamaha is easy to use I find my Harman kardon easy to use as well but I dunno what's good out there and if I can buy used to save some money that'd be great thanks guys
The receiver you get will depend on the features you need like bluetooth, wi-fi, 4K, 5.1 or 7.1. etc... Budget will also be a factor. I think your first upgrade should be better subs then center and surrounds last. If Your HK is working and you're able to connect all your sources to it, I'd hold off a little while. If you can work the center into your budget that would be a good idea. For surrounds, you can use anything for now, even a used pair of speakers for $25 off Kijiji. I don't recommend getting surrounds for $120 USD if it prevents you from making sub or receiver upgrades.
FWIW, I'm using $60 surrounds with a $1200 front stage in my set-up with no complaints since the surrounds contribute mostly ambient sounds. will upgrade eventually but very low on my list of priorities.
If you haven't already ordered the Klipsch center and surrounds, another option that might fit your budget (not sure) is to move your Synergy bookshelves to surround duty and take advantage of the KEF special right now for new front left/right and center. pase22 can tell you about that because he bought them about a month ago.
Although debatable, Yamaha and Denon have better room correction than Pioneer. Pioneer's room correction is still better than none at all so I you should be alright. Just make sure the seller still has the calibration microphone.
Hello,
New to this site but my opinion for a $1000 you could find like a Definitive Technology PC600 and a Receiver for that money. Decent system for the money and you could always upgrade any portion of it as you go.
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