Can $1000 get me high quality, great sound?

For speakers and sub only:

I'd look at the Pioneer book shelf set-up. You can get this at Best Buy.
or
Infinity with the bookshlef speakers all the way around.
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108P162...splay=Infinity
Plus center
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108PC35...ORID108&tp=189

That's $600.

How big is your room? If smaller, I'd go with.
http://emotiva.com/ultra_sub12.shtm

If larger...I'd save a bit to get a ported sub....like
http://hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3mk4.html

If you can push your budget at all, put it toward the sub.

Five NHT Absolute Zero for $200 each.

" The Absolute Zero's listening-window response (a five-point average of axial and +/-15-degree horizontal and vertical responses) measures +0.94/-0.82 decibels from 200 hertz to 10 kilohertz. The -3-dB point is at 83 Hz".

http://www.hometheater.com/content/n...-labs-measures

Then get a Rythmik FV12 for $500.

http://www.rythmikaudio.com/FV12.html

Center:

http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/...09,29,253.aspx
L & R
http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/...08,20,250.aspx

Then 2 of these for surrounds:
http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/...26,30,704.aspx

For whatever reason I did not care for these speakers when i heard them in the store. The dealer I went to had NHT and Canton. I went with Canton. They weren't terrible, but just weren't for me.

To the OP...if your budget of $1000 is for everything that is one thing.
If it is solely for speakers, that is something different altogether.
My suggestions were based on $1000 for everything and not going over.
If you are willing to stretch it at all you should make that clear from the beginning. At this budget...every could of hundo extra you are willing to spend can change the recommendations considerably.

If you cannot go a penny over $1000 for everything...the Infinity speakers are your ticket. They used to be more expensive, but Infinity released a new model I believe.

This looks like 5 speakers, minus the sub - and wants bookshelf

The NHT is a good option, and has more detail than the Infinity Primus.

My number 1 choice, is 3 of the Boston E60 - and a pair of the NHT
SuperZero's for surrounds
http://www.amazon.com/Boston-Acousti...1930730&sr=8-1
http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volum...07-part-1.html
The E60's listening-window response measures +1.25/–0.97 dB from 200 Hz to 10 kHz. The –3-dB point is at 65 Hz, and the –6-dB point is at 53 Hz. Impedance reaches a minimum of 4.36 ohms at 203 Hz and a phase angle of –58.73 degrees at 111 Hz.

http://www.nhthifi.com/Bookshelf-spe...&category=3772

My bad. That's what happens when you skim. I saw 5.1, but not "minus sub".

It is called As the World Turns - life goes on!

If you are willing to consider 5.1 all at once, take a look at the HSU Enthusiast packages, such as the Enthusiast 2. HSU makes some of the best subs for the money, and if you search the forum for the last few weeks, you'll see plenty of people talking about the HSU HB-1 bookshelf speakers. Buying them all together can give you a discount on the sub. Or if you want to get one of their 15" subs, check out the Hybrid 5.1 packages. That VTF-15H is normally about $1000 with shipping.

http://www.theaudioinsider.com/manuf...s.php?mPath=13

Really great bang for the buck speakers, A2 LCRs across the front and A1s as surrounds would be awesome. The A2s would be right at the 2ft high mark.

I know you said you had kids and afraid they would tip the towers over but IMO bookshelfs would be easier to tip or knock over than a tower. The Arx A3 tower is also within your budget for a 5.0system, the bottom can be taken off and theres a port plug inside and you can fill the bottom portion with sand to add about 30-40lbs extra at the bottom to keep it from tipping.

Arx A3, A2 center, A1 bookshelfs would put you over $76.00 over budget.

Check out Chase Home Theater. I also think the NHT's and Aperions are great options.

I agree with the Andrew Jones, Pioneer 5.0 setup. It's price is relatively low, it has a sort of bland finish with wire mess speaker grills. But it sounds amazing, and can't be beat in it's price range.

The speakers require a bit more juice to get them going, but that really shouldn't be a problem for any receivers. I play mine at about 15 to 20 watts per channel at a comformtable, yet full sound.

You should test them out, you don't need to get the floor standers for the fronts, can simply get four bookshelves, but the floor standers are great. Just go to Best Buy, pick them up and test them out. If you don't like them, simply return them, no hassle.

I've listened to Infinity P162 and I used to own NHT SuperZero.

I would say both are very good speakers, and I would not say one is better than the other.

The P162 @ $85 each on Crutchfield is probably best bang for the buck. It has been reviewed by Soundstage and measured @ NRC. Overall, fantastic bang for the buck.

I don't think you can go wrong with either Infinity or NHT.

Do you have a local store that sells Paradigm speakers? You may be able to find some good prices on clear out monitor series v6 speakers as the monitor 7 is now out. I got an amazing price on v5's when the v6 came out (titan $399 & cc290 $299) and I am very happy with the sound quality.

I see you have kids per your comment and I am by all means not trying to up your budget (by much) but I see these threads and when I was buying for the first time I wish I had found this forum for some help..

In my opinion and only my opinion (you have to put that disclaimer here).

I think you will learn to really appreciate what you purchase and like most hobbies in time you will get the upgrade bug. I know $1k is a fair chunck of change but in this hobby I really think it is better to go slower and buy up a bit.

I really think I would ignore the rears for now and focus on two bookshelves and a center. You are on the right track and I still use monitors (bookshelf) even as I moved way up the chain. You can buy the rears as funds permit and as long as you stay within the brand (I guess not required for rears but you should) you can get those anytime.

Secondly I always say audition before you buy as what I like in sound you may not but these are returnable and the price is not off the scales.

I have grown to love Dynaudio and Focal. I wish I had of known a long time ago what I do now as there was a lot of garage sale gear that came and went.

You may look at these and consider. I think you need to go up $150. I think for the money they have nice looking cabinets and I just trust Focal and Dynaudio period. I don't think you will find better for the price but that is my opinion..

Pick up the rears later(IMO). I hope a decent sub is in the cards as well. Don't throw away money and remember you may not always live where you do now in regards to neighbor comment. The money on gear that ended up in garage sales could have went to a better system..

I do like Focal so much and Dynaudio. Check the seperate threads here for each brand.

http://www.musicdirect.com/c-611-center-channel.aspx

http://www.musicdirect.com/c-612-boo...ndFilterID=853

Good luck and as always it's best to listen first if you can...
And you mentioned Totem. Good for you and you are on the right track.. I still think in this range I would consider Focal but to each his own.
Rick

How big is your room?

where in Canada are you? maybe we can point you in the right direction.

Right now you can buy (Thanksgiving sale) a pair of Ascend Acoustics CMT-340SE bookshelves, a matching CMT-340SE center and a pair of HTM-200SE or CBM-170SE surrounds for just under $1000 plus shipping and any duties to get them into Canada. That's the system in this review. These are very easy to drive and sound great.

If shipping kills the above then you could still go with 5x CBM-170SE and have a butt kicking system.

Absolutely on the money post... the CMT-340 SE is on par with a NatP that you couldn't even build for the same price Dave's asking.

You seriously can't get better speakers at that price point period.

The only other product I could suggest at that price point would be the Mirage OMD line that Vanns bought out from KG on the API takeover and only because they are on closeout EOL. They are VERY SPECIAL loudspeakers that might not ever be available again... The OMD-5 is under $200 a channel and in all honesty at that price can't be touched by anything ON EARTH.

If you want a sub CHEAP that will blow the doors off of just about anything out there take a look at the DIY design from Bill Fitzmaurice called the Tuba HT. It can be built for around $500 bucks.

For AVR get a Denon or Onkyo/Integra.

If we are talking a grand for THE WHOLE THING... forget it... save some of your paper route money for another six months and spend the money required to do it properly!!!

It's IMPOSSIBLE to audition loudspeakers properly in any of those big box stores. You can get speakers ten times better anyway either from an ID outfit or from a DIY kit. Also don't listen to that advice about Infinity consumer units or Boston Acoustics... it's bad advice for sonic per $ ratio. The only ones I'd consider of that consumer lineage would the NHT Zeros mentioned.

I personally would build a Mirage OMD setup from Vanns... It might exceed a grand but your room sounds perfect for Omnipoles.

When it's all said and done with subjective and RTA measurements Dave kicked everyones butt with a sonic per $ ratio with his CBM-170 and 340s never before seen. Danny Ritchie's DIY kits are dam close but it's Daves xover work that wins out and his Seas tweeter. These speakers can get you to 80-85% percent of what a NO HOLD BARED NO DOLLAR LIMIT millionaire rig would do, only in a small enough room as the larger the room the more $$$ required. Middle class basements are IDEAL.

I grew up in a stereo shop and work in AV and the first time I fired up CBM-170s I almost fell over... I suggest them as studio monitors to DIY DAW studios.

They are a TRIUMPH of "cheap and cheerful" audio and seriously need some industry recognition and awards.

PS only thing is they ain't the most pretty or WAF proof. That's where the OMDs really shine!

Solid-State,

You're throwing around a lot of opinions here, but the thing is, they're just that: opinions. Why is yours better than everyone else's? Fact is, it's not. To say that the OP shouldn't listen to some of the other suggestions is just foolish, especially since you don't have a legitimate reason for saying so (it's just your opinion, which holds no more weight than the next guy's). If I was new to this forum I wouldn't listen to a thing you said because of the way you said it. Chill out man.

I'd put my 1000 toward just front L/R. Get something really good that won't give you upgraditis for a while. That's what I did. I bought a pair of paradigm studio 10s and love them. I'm thinking of adding a sub or upgrading to towers, but everytime I sit down and do critical listening, I sometimes wonder why I should. You should shoot for that level of quality. As far as ascend goes, I hear great things, but I'd shoot for the ascend acoustics Sierra-1 bookshelf if I were to go that route. Then save up and add a sub. There are some great speakers out there for 1000 a pair. If you want towers, you could go with the new Paradigm monitor 7 or a B&W 684 for right around that. I'm sure there are other good choices. Focus on great two channel for now, not good 4 or 5 channel. You can add on later.

Left and right mains = Energy RC-10's $300
Center = Energy RC-LCR $350
Surrounds = Energy RC-10's $300

This is taking your budget all the way to it's limit but you would be hard pressed to find better sounding speakers for the price. If you were to buy this set up two years ago, you would have paid $1600. The Energy RC line uses cabinets made of real wood veneer and woofers made of Kevlar. Two options you never see on speakers that cost $300 a pair. This will give you a great set up to start off with and the only thing you will want to upgrade to is a pair of RC towers which Vanns just got some in stock. They got 50 pairs of the RC-70's in stock and are selling them for $600 a piece. The RC series line is highly regarded in the Audiophile world and those 50 pairs probably won't even last one week.

By the way, Vanns is a great place to buy speakers. Their prices and customer service is top notch. They are an authorized dealer for all the brands they sell and they have a nice return policy.

You won't find great sounding speakers that sound great at any volume for that money. But to you they will sound great and that is all that matters. I remember going from TV sound to a home theater in a box from walmart and I thought I was seriously styling. Then I went to a Kef setup and I was like WOW..this is amazing. Now I am at a Procella setup and I am using the same superlatives. It is all relative and I enjoyed my Home theater in a box from walmart just as much as my Procella setup. This is because my standards slowly were raised as I heard better systems and what I felt was good sound evolved as well.

The moral...Search out an internet direct company that you can get decent speakers for 1000-1500 for the 5 satellites and then drop another 1000-2000 on a sub (SVS) and you will be in heaven! Then never listen to a better system!

If you have 10000-15000 for a higher end setup it is worth it IF you are passionate about sound reproduction in movies, music and games....don't get me wrong. But if 1000 is the absolute budget then follow my first advice.

I disagree! Have you heard any of Dave's or Dannie's marvels at that pricepoint?

www.ascentacoustics.com
www.gr-research.com

Then that would be your loss wouldn't it.

Yeah he should listen to those mainstream speakers... why not!?! And I didn't say he should listen to them either! I said he shouldn't PURCHASE THEM. If your looking to purchase speakers it's best to listen to as many as you possibly can. Problem is A/Bing them is almost impossible unless it's from the same store. The speaker hookup time is also to long for sonic memory and most shops don't have a speaker level switch for A/B ing and PURPOSELY don't have one!

IMHO it's impossible for the major corporate brands to make a speaker at the pricepoint of a CBM-170SE/CBT-340SE or A/V-1 A/V-2. Dave and Danny have spent YEARS perfecting those loudspeakers for consumers like the OP.

The large corporations are to greedy to achieve the same level of performance and why would anyone put more money into their coffers considering the state of affairs!

It's like comparing a pre-fab Dell PC to one made out of quality PC motherboard/PSU/RAM.

There is really no contest!