Floorstand or bookshelf speakers for home cinema (floor plan of the house included).

You can get a system for a couple hundred dollars or a couple hundred thousand dollars...so it will be necessary to know what you are thinking about spending on speakers. What is the Sq footage of the entire open area? That layout will be a bit challenging...

Soory, for some reason I cannot edit my posts...I assume that is a typo or I am misunderstanding about those 6'5" inch ceilings. I guess you don't have a lot of visitors from the NBA!

So your entire upstairs is one open room basically? What is your budget? Are you looking for reference level volume, house shaking base?

And only 2m ceiling??

I was going to recommend Ascend Sierra 1s/matching center and AA surrounds ...but your budget can certainly get something a notch or two higher higher (the AA system would run 1500-2,000 depending on the surrounds). If you went Ascend Towers, center and matching surrounds, you would be at just around 3,000 dollars.
The SVS subs come highly recommend and can often be had starting at 500 dollars. For a room that size, two?
Anyway, I have already spent $3000 (or 3500) of your dollars!

Some experts can do a better job of recommending systems that might sound better, considering the openness of you space...

Disclaimer...while I have heard the Sierra's...I don't own them and only had a few hours with them. Excellent speaker, however! Just one suggestion...

You won't be able to overpower your room.

What dealers do you have near you that you could demo some stuff? Speakers are pretty subjective so it's good if you can listen to them. Personally if I was spending $3500.00 right now on speakers I'd be looking at the Paradigm Studio line. They make very nice looking and sounding speakers.

Yup definitely. It will definitely sound way different in an open room opposed to a closed room, so take that into consideration. Basically pick what you like best, you can't really go wrong when all that matters is how it sounds to you, so just pick what you like best.

There may be speakers than perform better in open areas...but in general, I would guess that if a speaker that sounds better than others in a closed room, it would more than likely sound better than those same speakers, in an open space...assuming the speakers all have enough power/sensitivity.

I current have a system with EMPtek speakers, which are outstanding for the money... But your budget is about 2x mine, so you can do better!
Bic acoustech has several HT systems that I have hear ( pun intended) sound great! Make sure you appreciate horn tweeter, however.
RBH sound, the parent company to EMP, make some very high quality speakers.
Last, I love the sound of the neo planar tweeter that BG radia uses, but have never been able to afford them! Very clear, detailed highs!

definitely check out B&W 600 series and CM series, both really nice looking, good for living rooms, and both sound great. I think fronts, center and 2 rears of the CM's would be in the 4500 price range and the 600s would be in the 2000 price range.

Amongst the speakers you listed (all good speaker companies)....No personal experience with Focal, but people on this forum seem to really like them! I have never been a fan of B$W, however, based on hearing only a couple speaker models (they just didn't stand out). Energy, PSB and Paradigm I have heard and they make good speakers- cannot even tell you what models I have heard.

At some point, you will have to listen to speaker...trust your ears. Then when you have one or more models that you really like, make sure the store has a decent return policy, buy them with the idea that if they don't sound good in your home, they are coming back! If you can afford to short term, buy more than one modelt, set them up and do a A/B comparison and you will really get a sense for which one is the better speaker for you and your room!

sucks about your focal and dyn dealers, the dm3.7s, 2.6s and center would be right in you budget and a great setup, as would focals 700 and 800 series speakers. personally id go back and listen anyways, if the sound isnt for you, then pass, but that way you can make a better informed decision. JMO.

of those 3 paradigm studios would be more of my go to, but psb and energy make good speakers also.

for a sub, check out svs or hsu, much better and more for you money then any of the others will provide at your price point.

I just upgraded my system from Vandersteen 2C and PSB Image 6T. Let me explain. I have 2 separate systems, one in my living room the other in my man cave. Vandys' were in the living room and the 6Ts' in the main cave. First things first. I am always music first and home theatre second, that being said I have never heard a speaker for music that didn't do home theatre very well. The same qualities that make it a great musical speaker will do just as well as a ht speaker. It was just for that reason I switched to bookshelf speakers. There are qualities of the bookshelves that are very difficult to find in floorstanders that won't cost you a mint. What you don't get in a bookshelf you can easily get by adding a powered sub.
I looked at quite a few speakers, Paradigm, B&W, Totem, Definitive Tech and GoldenEar Tech. Listened to the reference studio 20 - 5v, 685 from B&W, and Aon3 Goldenear. Hands down the Aon3 was tops. Highs were outragious, midgrange crystal, and a very smooth and deep bass. The 685s' coming in were the favorite going in but sound was bright and britle and wasn't close in the bass. The Paradigms' were nice but the looks were the only thing I felt beat out the Aons and cost $500 more as was the Totem rainmakers. So the Aons' went in my man cave where I do most of my sustained listening. They are now fully burned in and are simply awesome. I bought the 50c center. I already have a few subs so that wasn't needed. Will pick up there surrounds in a few months but surrounds have never been a critical component for me. Now if you get a full package for the Aons' including center, surrounds and sub you would be talking about $3000 worth of awesome sound.
Picked up the Studio monitor 55s' from Definitve tech for the living room. Let me say this, they can be had for around $500 a pair if you shop and I have never heard a speaker for that money as good as these. Similar sound as Aons' but Aons' have more of it.

Joe

It's definetly about what you prefer. I like my Dynaudio excites more then the focal 800s, but you may not feel the same. I think you have two great choices before you. I'd pick the focals over the psbs. But you pick what you like best. Again, I'd buy a subwoofer from avs it Hsu research as you will get more for your money, imo.

I am also a Focal Fan - and I prefer them over PSB, and PSB is a good one.

Phife,

Have you checked out monitor audio? You should, they're great speakers for the money.

Phife,

Have you checked out monitor audio? You should, they're great speakers for the money.

ive heard the dali phantom in-wall speakers, which are built the same as those, and they were excellent speakers. however those speakers you are looking at for rears match the Ikon series, see if the dealer you are going to also has some Dali Ikon 5s or 6's on hand.

3500 is a good budget and you try some local dealers for the below to see which ones sound better to you:

1) B&W 600 series setup (CM series is the upgrade if you can swing it)
2) Paradigm Monitor series (Studio series is the upgrade if you can swing it)

Generally both will be good and Paradigm would be a bit cheaper.

If you end up getting Paradigm, Anthem receiver would be a winning combination. With B&W you can go with Rotel.