Help with speaker purchase

Hi, I am in no way near an expert but as I've recently been looking around on line at speakers and AVRs I thought I'd take a stab. (wouldn't hurt to get you bumped to the top either. ) I haven't been able to hear demos of any speakers in years, I live too far away even from a Best Buy (do they even have speaker rooms?). Anyway I read a bunch of reviews here and there and liked what I saw about Atlantic Technology's 2200 series. A few years ago they were quite pricey but now can be found on Amazon for $149 a pair for surrounds and mains. I'm not sure what the sub costs, the center is $99. I actually bought the center as we were limping along with a slightly dead 30+ year old Altec Lansing. I also like the AT because its specs were very close to the Boston Acoustic mains I was already using. (not that you have to compare specs since you haven't got a thing). Both DH and I are really pleased with how the center sounds and it meshed well.

Here's a short review: http://www.hometheater.com/content/atlantic-technology-system-2200-speaker-system-glance-ratings

I'm thinking of getting the surrounds if I can talk DH into it he thinks the LREs we have are good enough but I know these would be much, much better.

I don't know anything about Polk these days, I didn't care for the ones I heard back in '97 but I know there are quite a few on this board who have some. Maybe they can tell you more. Have fun, building up a nice HT on a limited budget may be hard but it's certainly doable.

Wow, that is a really great deal on the Atlantic Technology speaker set. Clearly this is a closeout sale on these spakers and wont last.

I think the recently revised Andrew Jones Pioneer speakers should be on your short list as well at your budget.

To answer some questions:
Absolutely. The key here is understanding limitations of a bookshelf vs a floorstanding speaker. If you are getting a subwoofer (as you are) the is not as much tradeoff vs not getting a subwoofer where a tower speaker typically offers more extension for bass. The other tradeoff would be for 2 channel music. A tower speaker will typically sound better, due to having that additional headroom for bass.

It is typically recommended to match the speaker brand and speaker line for all your speakers when possible. This allows for timbre matching, so yes, nothing wrong with matching fronts and rears. That said, most of your audio comes from your front three speakers and subwoofer. So I typically recommend spending most of your money there and then getting cheaper surrounds from the same speaker line when possible. Also keep in mind that you want your main front three speakers tweeter to be at ear level when seated at the primary seating position, and rear or surround speakers, tweeters should be at ear level when standing.

Subwoofer is really dependent on your expectations. If you are a bass head, you may want to buy your speakers first then save up for a sub. Otherwise, due to your budget, I would be looking at something like this:
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-629

And the new Andrew Jones Pioneer speakers are here:
Fronts and rears:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+4%26%2334%3B+Bookshelf+Speakers+%28Pair%29/5086955.p?id=1218610014045&skuId=5086955
Center
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+Dual+4%26%2334%3B+Center-Channel+Speaker/5086891.p?id=1218610015437&skuId=5086891

I would also consider these for your mains vs bookshelves if you do have the space:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+5-1/4%26%2334%3B+Floor+Speaker+%28Each%29/5086937.p?id=1218610014331&skuId=5086937

Rear speakers are generally referred to as surround. These days there seem to be dipole, "this pole, that pole", I can't keep them all straight. I suggest googling and reading about them. I know I read quite a few articles unfortunately I didn't bookmark any of them and of course, I can't find them. You don't have to use the same brand, I just used speakers I had around the house except for buying a new center speaker. You also don't have to have floor standers, there are some really great book shelf ones out there, go to the different sections on this forum and read. With such a small space book shelf speakers would be fine. I've got a huge cavernous space and I'm still using all bookshelf speakers. Sounds great to us. Just go slow, do what you can, when you can. We limped along with an old speaker for our center for over a decade. we just disconnected the blown woofer and relied on the tweeter and mid-range. I must say the new speaker is a heck of an improvement. As I mentioned before my center is not the same brand as my front bookshelfs. But I tried to match sensitivity, cross-over frequency etc and at least for me, it worked.

Here's one article that will explain the jargon, dipole. bipole, etc. http://www.hometheater.com/content/ht-guide-speakers

Some tips on home theater from Crutchfield http://www.crutchfield.com/S-mQ9WOCWXyzW/learn/learningcenter/home/ht_speakers.html

ANd a little subwoofer info http://thespeakerguys.blogspot.com/2007/11/how-to-choose-subwoofer.html

Theoretically you could use book shelves all around. That's what I am doing because I already have 2 pair of bookshelf speakers. They're both Boston Acoustic but different lines. I'm using the smaller ones as surround simply because with what I have it makes sense to use the bigger ones as the front mains.

If you look at entire lines these does however, most speaker lines seem to have a dedicated surround-type speaker that is capable of being used as dipole or bipole by flipping a switch. For instance look at these Atlantic Tech surrounds I have looked at because I bought the matching center:

versus the mains that go with them.

From everything I've been reading specialized surrounds can enhance the listening experience, but not essential. The only reason I haven't bought these even at what I consider a damn good price is cash flow problems and a spouse who thinks what I have is good enough. Then again Hal is probably right and for us what I already have ARE good enough.

So yeah, You can use the same bookshelf speakers for front and back BUT if you're looking at a particular brand and the price is the same (as is the case with my example) it wouldn't hurt to get the specialized surrounds.

As for running the speaker wire. If you ran it along the ceiling for instance, you could always paint the wire to blend in. I've got my surround wires running across the beams above me (cathedral ceiling) I just try not to look up.

I would say...you front 3 speaker absolutely need to match. The surrounds, well maybe in a ideal world but much less critical. A lot of people want smaller speakers for surrounds, to wall mount.
I have a EMPset up for my front 3 and am running SLS Q line gold speakers as surrounds. Sounds great!

I am running these, Energy 5.1 Take Classic speakers ($400, 5 speakers and a sub) and I am loving them, I am definitely not an audiophile, however. If you get mounts (extra $40) you can mount these anywhere. I am using a denon AVR-1312 receiver.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001202C44/ref=asc_df_B001202C442220131?smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER&tag=cnet-ce-20&linkCode=asn&creative=395093&creativeASIN=B001202C44

They are the cnet's #1 recommended speaker system for the cost

If my budget were 2 bills those would be my choice. I have the CS2 Series 2 and it is a very good center for the money.

For the money it would be hard to beat. I can't think of anything better for the same price.

There are other options - however, that may float your boat

How do you plan to set-up your front channel speakers, since your TV is in
the left corner, and then try to balance it out with surrounds in a open room?

Behind the TV will block and interfere with the sound. In shelves is better than behind
the TV. For in the shelves, you will need front ported or sealed speakers. > The Polk
is not a good option for this. I would also think about 3.1 or 2.1 to begin with, till you
can figure your balance out.

HTD has front ported speakers, and I would consider them, and I much prefer their
sound over the Polk Monitor speakers.

HTD Level Two
http://www.htd.com/Products/level-two-speakers/Level-TWO-Bookshelf-Speakers
http://www.htd.com/Products/level-two-speakers/Level-TWO-Center-Channel-Speaker

Than buy the Polks, it will be a little better than TV speakers. >>>
The choice is up to you. It is not recommended to put rear ported speakers
inside a cabinet hole, it tends to hinder and muddy the sound. > Placing a
speaker behind the TV, will also interfere with the soundwaves, and bass.
Edited by zieglj01 - 11/21/12 at 5:38pm