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Critique this 5.1 college apartment setups

post #1 of 11
1/18/09 at 5:48pm
Thread Starter 
All right... well my roommates and I (actually just one of my roommates) want to go in together on a HT/music setup for our place. I'm gonna be buying the speakers, he's gonna take care of the receiver.

I was thinking that ~$800 for the whole bit would work well for us...

The setup would be used for
TV/Movies/Music
50/30/20

Looking at:
Nanosat 5.0s - $250
PA-120 Sub -$250

and for him a receiver ~300ish (marantz 5002? pioneer 1018? HK 254?)

I know it's the golden rule usually to spend more on the speakers than the receiver, but is there really any other solid option that I should consider before springing on the speakers?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions...

Steve
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post #2 of 11
1/18/09 at 6:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevedub View Post

I know it's the golden rule usually to spend more on the speakers than the receiver, but is there really any other solid option that I should consider before springing on the speakers?

Steve

With a max budget of $500?
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post #3 of 11
1/18/09 at 6:09pm
Factory Refurb Marantz SR5002 for $300 - http://www.accessories4less.com/make...urround/1.html - That would leave you $500 for speakers. It won't decode HD audio but it does accept it.
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post #4 of 11
1/18/09 at 8:24pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by blued888 View Post

With a max budget of $500?

I wouldn't want to stretch past $700... prefer to stay ~$500
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post #5 of 11
1/18/09 at 9:01pm
I've had the Nanosat speakers and they're a lot of fun, but the 2.75" woofers really sound thin in medium to bigger spaces. I'd think this would be a better option:
2 pair Energy C-50: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENC50
1 Energy C-C50: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENCC50

It should be somewhere around $250 shipped and, along with your PA-120 sub, would fit your budget perfect.
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post #6 of 11
1/18/09 at 9:11pm
If you can push your speaker budget to $780; get the PA-120 for $230, then get 2 pairs of KEF iQ1 and an iQ2 from Vanns for $550.
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post #7 of 11
1/18/09 at 9:30pm
I agree with Ickysmits.

Getting a receiver with 7.1 analog inputs is likely more critical than getting a receiver that can decode Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio. It is likely that as the cost of BD players goes down, that more of them will provide decoding via 7.1 analog outputs. Vizio displayed such a BD player at CES 2009 and said it would be available by April 2009.

http://www.vizio.com/about.aspx?cid=2887&id=1314

eCost.com has revolving inventory of refurbished receivers - some with 7.1 inputs for less than $200. My last three receivers (currently an Onkyo 805) have been refurbs from eCost.
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post #8 of 11
1/18/09 at 9:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by stevedub View Post

I wouldn't want to stretch past $700... prefer to stay ~$500

World Wide Stereo is having a closeout sale on Energy speakers.

A 5.0 package costs around $400. Just add a subwoofer to it.

Or small size/footprint is a requirement?
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post #9 of 11
1/18/09 at 10:23pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks for the suggestions everyone!

As for the size, I don't know about being able to fit floorstanding speakers in. the setup for the TV is kind of weird. Also, for the rears being able to be wall mounted would work the best (or I guess stands would work).

OR would it be possible (all right) to use the floorstanding as surrounds and the bookshelves as fronts? Or would that just be stupid (I don't know much about Energy speakers - or speakers at all, for that matter).

Edit: Just looked at the pictures for the Energy speakers... looks like the fronts have bigger drivers and thus should probably be placed in the front... hmmm

Edit x2: Gonna do some measurements tomorrow... that 5.0 package for $400 looks almost too good to pass up... I'll make the speakers fit if I have to! Haha.. we'll see...
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post #10 of 11
1/19/09 at 5:44pm
Thread Starter 
So.. it looks like I'm going to go with the Energy speakers which are on sale.

I'm stuck deciding whether I should get 4 bookshelf and 1 center, or the 2 towers, 2 bookshelf, and 1 center option.

Would the 2 floorstanding speakers be enough of an upgrade in quality to merit the $150 price jump?

Once again, thanks in advance.

Edit: 4 C-50 Bookshelves + 1 CC50 center channel, + PA120 sub = $460
2 C-300 floorstanding speakers + 2 C-50 bookshelves + 1 CC 50 center + PA120 sub = $630 (difference is actually $170)
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post #11 of 11
1/23/09 at 4:26pm
Thread Starter 
Bringing this thread back to the top because I'm going to order soon, but I can't quite decide.

The system from WWStereo has the C300s paired with the CC50 (on Energy's site the system has the CC100). Is this a mismatch for the front soundstage or will it not matter that much? If same sized drivers across the front (C50s + CC50) would sound better, I'll probably go this route.

Thanks again.
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