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I have $500-$700 to spend

post #1 of 34
12/27/11 at 2:13pm
Thread Starter 
Thats what I have to spend on to start my home theater.

here is what I was thinking of getting.

Pioneer VSX-821-K
$180

BIC America F12
$190

And then get either the monitor 60's or 70's from new egg
not sure of which I should get.
$200~~$300



So this is what I am thinking of getting right now
if you have any suggestions or any different setups I should consider that would be great
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post #2 of 34
12/27/11 at 2:23pm
You can get 6 of these for less than $100.

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/show...number=300-652

124 reviews give them an average of 4 out of 5 stars. That might make a good start for you.

P.S. you might want to look at some fo the other subs on parts express.
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post #3 of 34
12/27/11 at 2:28pm
Thread Starter 
I mean, I dont need the complete 5.1 off the start, maybe just like a 2.1

I will be using it mainly for crazy action explosion in my pants movies

and my room is 15x15
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post #4 of 34
12/27/11 at 2:50pm
You'd get better sound quality with bookshelf than monitor towers. I suggest that cause you are going with a subwoofer.

I went from monitor 30's to Polk rti4's and noticed a huge improvement in detail and size of the sound stage. They are currency set up in my parents great room to their stereo and everyone in the family is extreme impressed over last years monitor gifts
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post #5 of 34
12/27/11 at 3:03pm
Thread Starter 
Well the reason why I was going with the towers is because they were on sale, but I was also planning on buying the Cambridge 30's for the surround speakers
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post #6 of 34
12/27/11 at 3:06pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ore0o View Post

here is what I was thinking of getting.
Pioneer VSX-821-K
$180
BIC America F12
$190
And then get either the monitor 60's or 70's from new egg
not sure of which I should get.
$200~~$300
So this is what I am thinking of getting right now

So you are planning, to put the towers and sub in the dorm room?
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post #7 of 34
12/27/11 at 3:10pm
Thread Starter 
It's like the living room of an apartment
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post #8 of 34
12/27/11 at 3:53pm
I'd go with the the sub and receiver you mentioned. I just connected the same 821 to a set of Pioneer tower, centers, and book shelf speaker with a 8" Dayton sub. For the money ($600) VERY hard to beat in that price range. I set this up for my friend/neighbor who heard my Pioneer towers. He is very happy. I have them in my bedroom now since I have a main HT in the basement and an Emotiva setup in the living room. But I LOVE the Pioneer setup for the money.
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post #9 of 34
12/27/11 at 4:25pm
I wouldn't mix 'n' match your fronts and surrounds. Keep them in the same make and model line to match up the sound.

The Pioneer speakers do sound pretty good for budget speakers, but they are fugly.

The Polk's just sound "off" to me.

If you up your budget a bit, I'd also look at HSU's HB-1 mk 2 bookshelf speakers. They're quite surprising for their budget speaker status.
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post #10 of 34
12/27/11 at 5:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Hitchman View Post

I wouldn't mix 'n' match your fronts and surrounds. Keep them in the same make and model line to match up the sound.

The Pioneer speakers do sound pretty good for budget speakers, but they are fugly.

The Polk's just sound "off" to me.

If you up your budget a bit, I'd also look at HSU's HB-1 mk 2 bookshelf speakers. They're quite surprising for their budget speaker status.

I guess looks are subjective. I think they look decent and blend in fine. Although my Def Tech Mythos Ones are prettier, they cost A LOT more. But the Pioneers sound fantastic for the money. Hard to beat in my opinion....
LL
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post #11 of 34
12/27/11 at 6:32pm
Those are gorgeous colors in that room. I found the Pioneers stylish from the moment I laid eyes on them and they looked better to me than the other plain black rectangular boxes they were standing next to at Best Buy. There are some real pretty speakers out there, but I find the Pioneers attractive.
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post #12 of 34
12/27/11 at 6:35pm
Thread Starter 
I was thinking of getting the pioneers but I do agree that they are kind of ugly, but all I am really looking for is sound, but here is what my plans are.

Right now looking for either a 2.0 or a 2.1 that will get my by for the next 6 months. I will be watching movies mostly but also listening to music and tv. Then after that 6 months I want to complete the system to a 5.1


I was just thinking of getting bookshelf's and a sub for now but I was thinking that I should get the monitor 70's or 60's now since they are on sale and I don't think there will be any left within 6 months. So ya, of I were to get the polks, I would finish it off with the proper center and surrounds



So what I can do is just get the pioneers and bic f12, and not upgrade for like 5 years, or I could do something else. So in the end if I don't buy the pioneer setup, iI think I'll spend a little over $1k for a complete 5.1.

So now here is a question, should I just go with the pioneers or should I buy things separate?
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post #13 of 34
12/27/11 at 6:43pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ore0o View Post

I was thinking of getting the pioneers but I do agree that they are kind of ugly, but all I am really looking for is sound, but here is what my plans are.

Right now looking for either a 2.0 or a 2.1 that will get my by for the next 6 months. I will be watching movies mostly but also listening to music and tv. Then after that 6 months I want to complete the system to a 5.1


I was just thinking of getting bookshelf's and a sub for now but I was thinking that I should get the monitor 70's or 60's now since they are on sale and I don't think there will be any left within 6 months. So ya, of I were to get the polks, I would finish it off with the proper center and surrounds



So what I can do is just get the pioneers and bic f12, and not upgrade for like 5 years, or I could do something else. So in the end if I don't buy the pioneer setup, iI think I'll spend a little over $1k for a complete 5.1.

So now here is a question, should I just go with the pioneers or should I buy things separate?

Best Buy currently has the Pioneer five speaker package for $284.
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post #14 of 34
12/27/11 at 7:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ore0o View Post

Right now looking for either a 2.0 or a 2.1 that will get my by for the next 6 months. I will be watching movies mostly but also listening to music and tv. Then after that 6 months I want to complete the system to a 5.1
I was just thinking of getting bookshelf's and a sub for now but I was thinking that I should get the monitor 70's or 60's now since they are on sale and I don't think there will be any left within 6 months. So ya, of I were to get the polks, I would finish it off with the proper center and surrounds

Polk is not going to die any time soon. Also, the real key is to timbre
match the front 3 channels. The surround in movies is mainly sound
effects. All in all, it is nicer if you timbre match - however, not a major
issue for sound effects. If you are going to listen to a lot of surround
music, then timbre matching is important. It all comes down to choice,
preference and taste.
You may or may not want to live with Pioneer for 5 years. I would at
least start with 2.0 or 2.1 - then see what the future holds. The final
decision is yours.
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post #15 of 34
12/27/11 at 7:58pm
Both the Polk and Pioneer are decent options. I owned the pio 41s and briefly had a pair of monitor 60s during the same time. In my living room, with my music and my ears...the Polks sounded better. I am sure others might feel differently but the Pioneers just didn't sound that detailed to me. I am still not a huge fan of Polks monitor line...but I do think they are comparable to the Pioneer line. I prefer the looks of the Polks and I suspect that if you go to upgrade a few years down the road it might be easier to find the Polks than the Pioneers. They sell very, very, very well...and have been around for a long time. Listen to both and buy the setup you enjoy most.

Cheers,
NM
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post #16 of 34
12/27/11 at 11:39pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by ore0o View Post

I was just thinking of getting bookshelf's and a sub for now but I was thinking that I should get the monitor 70's or 60's now since they are on sale and I don't think there will be any left within 6 months. So ya, of I were to get the polks, I would finish it off with the proper center and surrounds

Check out the Energy RC-10s. Lot of love for them in the Energy Owners Thread. I have a pair in a 2.1 setup. Great sounding for the price.
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post #17 of 34
12/27/11 at 11:56pm
Thread Starter 
so now I have another question, are floorstanding speakers even worth it at the price im looking for which is around $300

or should I just buy $300 bookshelf's and save up on floorstandings
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post #18 of 34
12/28/11 at 9:57am
Since the $284 Pioneer setup I told you about does include 2 floorstanding speakers, a center and two bookshelves, does that mean you have ruled out the Pioneers? If you have ruled them out, it would be easier for people to steer you elsewhere.
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post #19 of 34
12/28/11 at 10:38am
That's a crazy deal for those Pioneers. Grab em' up, if you dont like them it's bestbuy... you can return them.
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post #20 of 34
12/28/11 at 10:54am
Quote:


so now I have another question, are floorstanding speakers even worth it at the price im looking for which is around $300

or should I just buy $300 bookshelf's and save up on floorstandings

The $284 Pioneer set is a great deal. However, if you want to build a higher quality system that you will be happy with for longer it would make sense to start with the best 2.0 book shelf setup you can afford right now. The Energy RC-10s already mentioned are very nice as are the HSU HB-1s. If you can, adjust your budget to allow more $ for speakers. Speakers are of course the most important part of your system.
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post #21 of 34
12/28/11 at 11:52am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ore0o View Post

I was thinking of getting the pioneers but I do agree that they are kind of ugly, but all I am really looking for is sound, but here is what my plans are.

Right now looking for either a 2.0 or a 2.1 that will get my by for the next 6 months. I will be watching movies mostly but also listening to music and tv. Then after that 6 months I want to complete the system to a 5.1


I was just thinking of getting bookshelf's and a sub for now but I was thinking that I should get the monitor 70's or 60's now since they are on sale and I don't think there will be any left within 6 months. So ya, of I were to get the polks, I would finish it off with the proper center and surrounds



So what I can do is just get the pioneers and bic f12, and not upgrade for like 5 years, or I could do something else. So in the end if I don't buy the pioneer setup, iI think I'll spend a little over $1k for a complete 5.1.

So now here is a question, should I just go with the pioneers or should I buy things separate?

If you want a system to last you a while, I would look at upping your budget. The Polk's and Pioneer's are starter systems that you'll soon outgrow.

Speakers are indeed the cornerstone to a great home theater system, so this is not where you want to skimp.
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post #22 of 34
12/28/11 at 12:06pm
Well everyone likes what they like so take this for what its worth, but since you are getting a subwoofer I would much rather have the Klipsch WB-14 Icon bookshelf speakers than any of other speakers being bantered about.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882780084
These are very nice speakers and at this price point they may be unbeatable.
I just saw the other color is even cheaper, grab 4 of these at this price
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882780083
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post #23 of 34
12/28/11 at 12:19pm
One thing about Klipsch speakers... they can sound fatiguing to some ears.
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post #24 of 34
12/28/11 at 12:46pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan Hitchman View Post

One thing about Klipsch speakers... they can sound fatiguing to some ears.

So can Polk, perhaps even moreso.
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post #25 of 34
12/28/11 at 12:52pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonyad View Post

Those are gorgeous colors in that room. I found the Pioneers stylish from the moment I laid eyes on them and they looked better to me than the other plain black rectangular boxes they were standing next to at Best Buy. There are some real pretty speakers out there, but I find the Pioneers attractive.


Thank you Sonyad.
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post #26 of 34
12/28/11 at 6:47pm
Thread Starter 
So I went to bestbuy and listened to their speakers

For bookshelf I was able to hear
1.Energy CB-10
2.MartinLogan Motion 2
2.Klipsch KB-15
3.Polk Audio TSI100
4.Polk Audio T15
4.Pioneer SP-BS21-LR

At first I was comparing
Polk Audio T15
Polk Audio TSI100
Pioneer SP-BS21-LR
Klipsch KB-15

And I thought the Klipsch sounded the best out of that group
The runner up I thought was the Polk Audio TSI100
And I did not like Polk Audio T15 and the Pioneer SP-BS21-LR

Then I was able to compare the Klipsch to the Energy CB-10 and the MartinLogan Motion 2

I thought that the Energys were the best because they sounded clear and the bass was smoother than the Klipsch

Then I Compared the Energys with the Martin's with the same sub.
In the end, I still thought that the Energys sounded better



For floorstanding
1.Klipsch KF-28
2.Klipsch KF-26
3.Polk Audio TSI400
4.Polk Audio TSI300
5.Pioneer SP-FS51-LR

The Klipsch are a little out of my price range but they were right next to the rest of them so I just included them
First off, I did not like the pioneers again.
The TSI400 sounded a little better to me compared to the TSI300 because of the bass but when I hooked up the same sub to both of them, I really couldnt tell a difference.



Overall, I liked the sound of the floorstanding speakers better than the bookshelfs, of course the bookshelfs are going to sound better than the floorstanding when the bookshelves have a sub, but when I used the same sub with the floorstanding, I thought that the floorstanding were better.

on these forums, people say that the TSI line is similar to the Monitor line so really I was comparing the monitor 50's and 60's


Based On what I heard, I am thinking of getting the monitor 60's because I do think that I need to spend the money on the 70's for that extra bass driver.

So Monitor 60's??????!!!!?!?!?!?!??!?!?
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post #27 of 34
12/28/11 at 9:23pm
Thread Starter 
now i just hit another problem, the woofers are bigger on the 70's, And i like the Klipsch kf26 more than the 60's and the klipsch kf26 have the same sized drivers as the 70's, so im thinking that the 70's are close to the kf26???? maybe???
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post #28 of 34
12/29/11 at 6:23pm
Quote:


now i just hit another problem, the woofers are bigger on the 70's, And i like the Klipsch kf26 more than the 60's and the klipsch kf26 have the same sized drivers as the 70's, so im thinking that the 70's are close to the kf26???? maybe???

I would think the Klipsch KF26 (Icon) should sound significantly different because of the horn tweeter compared to the Monitor 70s. Personally, I find the horn tweeter fatiguing when listening to music. But, that's just me. You should go with the speakers that sound best to your ears. I wouldn't limit yourself to Best Buy's speaker offerings. There are many internet dealers that offer superior deals and many more choices.
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post #29 of 34
12/29/11 at 6:37pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by postrokfan View Post

I would think the Klipsch KF26 (Icon) should sound significantly different because of the horn tweeter compared to the Monitor 70s. Personally, I find the horn tweeter fatiguing when listening to music. But, that's just me. You should go with the speakers that sound best to your ears. I wouldn't limit yourself to Best Buy's speaker offerings. There are many internet dealers that offer superior deals and many more choices.

well ya, I was just using best buy to listen to something

thats why I was thinking of getting the monitor 60's or 70's because they are on sale at new egg

but what I think that I am going to do is buy the 60's and then in the future, make the 60's my surrounds and buy better fronts
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post #30 of 34
12/30/11 at 12:59am
Thread Starter 
now which receiver should I get?

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V371...235250&sr=1-10

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-VSX-82...235250&sr=1-17

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-RX-V367...235250&sr=1-20

http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-HTR-624...235299&sr=1-52
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