5.1 Speaker Recommendations

Expensive receiver for only a $1200 budget.

HAve you heard the Polk TSi's or Monitor Series speakers?

The Monitor 70's and 60's are great for the price. And leave money left over for a quality internet-direct subwoofer from Epik, HSU, or Rhythmic

4x Infinity Primus P163 - $340
1x Infinity Primus PC351 - $200
HSU VTF-15H Sub - $879 + shipping

IMHO: Re:Polk - anything below LSi series - is not worth consideration or mentioning also ANY polk sub.

It would help certainly, the Monitor 70's are an improvement over the Monitor 60's with bit better bass response as well.

If you like the sound of the Polk Monitor's than that is a plus though cause you know what your ears like

Heres a pretty good list of ID companies. All offer in home trials and will be much better than the Polk Monitors. The Polk Monitors have a muddy midrange and upper range, but the 70's do have great bass but not much else going for them. Infinities are also great speakers much better than the Polks.

You spent too much on a receiver and didn't allow enough for a speaker budget. The speakers will make the biggest difference in sound not the receiver, don't expect the Polks to sound any better then when they were running off the 508. The Onkyo 809 is running around $750-$1K, thats alot of receiver for only a $1K speaker budget. IMO with an expensive receiver you should have around $1K for speakers and another $500-700 for subwoofer.



http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/enthusiast3.html
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hybrid15pkg.html
http://www.axiomaudio.com/hometheaters.html
http://www.aperionaudio.com/catalog/...Family,90.aspx
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages...m/cmt340m.html
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages...c/cmt340c.html
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages...70/cbm170.html
http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-scs01.cfm
http://www.edesignaudio.com/index.php?cPath=2_42

Know that for a system primarily for HT, a good center channel and subwoofer are very important. If you get a good set of bookshelves, a good center, and a good sub, you'll likely have a better HT experience than if you allocate your money toward tower speakers.

If you want a very good sub that gives you excellent bang for your buck in HT and you can spend more, look at 10" or 12" subs from Internet Direct retailers such as HSU, Outlaw Audio, Epik, and Rythmik in the $400-$600 range.

The OP has an 11x20 room. So unless it has cathedral ceilings, the VTF-15H seems overkill on his budget. A good 10" or 12" ID sub should do the job.

10" sub - you're joking me right? OP said his biggest use is BluRay movies.
Sub overkill ??? No such thing exists. HSU is extremely good sub and in extension mode can really reproduce sub 20hz frequencies at reference levels - task no possible for most 10" and 12" subs

But if size of sub is critical - I'd check out SVS PB12-Plus

Call Vanns and see if they are still running a special on the Energy CF series. They were selling the CF-70 towers for $250 a piece and they are normally $550 a piece. Match them up with a CC-10 for the center and two CB-10's for surrounds and you will have a kick ass system for less than $1000. That still leaves you $500 for a nice 12in sub from HSU or Outlaw. Your size room doesn't need a 15in sub to charge it. A 12 will definitely be enough. Those Energy's will sound much better than those Polks. I think Vanns still has that Energy promo until the end of October. They also have some of the best customer service in the industry.

HSU rates their 10" VTF-1 as suitable for his size space. Granted, I would go up to a 12" sub for the lower extension. But at this price point, I'd recommend the Energy line over the Infinity's for better SQ to go with the sub instead of spending so much money on a VTF-15H due to diminishing returns. It would be different if he had 5,000 or 6,000 cubic feet.

+1

Or, assuming you get a good sub, go with the CB-20s in the front if the CF-70s are out of budget over the Infinity Primus and Polk lines.

I would go with 3 Definitive Tech CLR2002, for the L/C/R speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Tec.../dp/B000TD8XCU

2ea of the ProCinema 800 for surrounds
http://www.amazon.com/Definitive-Tec...8458991&sr=8-1

And the Rythmik sub
http://www.rythmikaudio.com/FV12.html

Ok, 15" ported maaaybe a tad to powerful, but that said two smaller subs would still be better choice to help contain room modes

Energy Speakers mentioned above
or
The pioneer speakers sold at Best buy
or
my pick would be the ascend accoustics CMT-340 as mains, 340SE center channel and HTM-200 SE as surrounds.

I would leave at the very least $500 for a sub....BUT if I were you I'd go all the way up to $1000. Trust me when I say that a good sub is a game changer. I know. I went from a BIC F12 to a Rythmik F15. I could not believe the difference. Yeah, I know....I went from a $200 sub to a $1000 sub. I haven't regretted my decision. Get an F12(or F15 if you can) or HSU VTF-15H.


The Rythmik is going to be a little more accurate than the HSU. But, the HSU will have more output. There will be a trade-off. I went the accuracy route, but I'm sure the HSU is great as well. AND, it is not to say the HSU is not accurate. Rythmik just places extra emphasis on accuracy and the subs have very little overhang. It's what they are known for. Sorry for the long post.

Seriously....if you can afford it I'd step up to the VTF-15H. You just bought some really nice speakers. You need to close this baby out. The VTF-2 MK3 I'm sure is alright. But, once you get good bass, all you want is more. Don't sell yourself shorter than the VTF-3 MK4

No debate - everyone has a preference - the HSU can work.
It depends on your room about placement - it is reccomended
that you do a subwoofer crawl, for best results.

Very very nice man. Its almost my exact set up. I have the CB-10's in the rear because the CB-20's just look to big hanging from the wall. Its a pretty big bookshelf so if you want, save yourself some money and get the CB-10's. They easily handle the surround sounds. In my opinion, the Energy C-series was designed for Home Theater and those CF-70's create a very nice wide sounding front soundstage. I have mine straight with no toe in. They have very good off axis sound and keeping them straight makes the front soundstage sound bigger.

yes it would work well with those speakers and it's a great subwoofer

Yes it would work in the back of the room. Do the "subwoofer crawl" form the best subwoofer position in your room