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Guidance on my first 2.1 setup? Budget of about $450 potentially

post #1 of 21
1/25/13 at 8:17pm
Thread Starter 
Hi guys,
I'm looking into getting my first decent sound quality 2.1 setup and get away from my dinky little logitech satellites but I know pretty much nothing about speaker options save for a bit of initial searching. I've got a budget of about $450 to put between the speakers and sub provided I can shop on newegg or amazon, and I don't really live anywhere that I can readily go out and listen to many options. My primary focus will be music, but I'll be using them for tv/movies a bit too.

I'm currently in a 12' x 12' bedroom but will be moving into what I think's more like a 10' x 14'or so. I listen to music pretty much across all spectrums. Classical, rap, edm, jazz piano, folk, metal, classic rock. I'll hopefully be looking into a vinyl player within the coming months as well so if they can play nicely with that it'll be awesome. My listening configuration is flac -> foobar -> xonar essence st -> dt880's or rca's to my onkyo ht-rc430 I impulse grabbed off woot, which triggered this entire search! The options I've been looking into have been the pioneer fs52 or bs22, Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 350, or the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1's. Someone also recommended the Energy Veritas V-5.2c and using it as an LCR, but i'd kinda prefer to keep my shopping to newegg/amazon unless it's a clearly better decision. For sub's I've been looking at the Dayton sub100 or Pioneer SW-8.
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post #2 of 21
1/25/13 at 8:24pm
Cambridge Audio S30
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Speakers-Dark-Pair/dp/B004NDN9NK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359174257&sr=8-2&keywords=cambridge+s30

JBL subwoofer - Studio 150P
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882665157
Edited by zieglj01 - 1/25/13 at 8:43pm
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post #3 of 21
1/25/13 at 9:57pm
Andrew Jones Pioneers at $89 a pair...and a good sub

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=sr_1_34?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1359179789&sr=1-34
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post #4 of 21
1/25/13 at 10:43pm
IMHO and my opinion only...the def tech SM 350/450s, if you can get them fir 200/pr, are as good of a deal as you will get !
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post #5 of 21
1/26/13 at 5:30am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by zieglj01 View Post

Cambridge Audio S30
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Speakers-Dark-Pair/dp/B004NDN9NK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1359174257&sr=8-2&keywords=cambridge+s30

JBL subwoofer - Studio 150P
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882665157

Can you tell me anything about how this sub would compare to the pioneer or dayton?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elihawk View Post

IMHO and my opinion only...the def tech SM 350/450s, if you can get them fir 200/pr, are as good of a deal as you will get !

thanks, they're probably my first choice. i think its mainly between that and the fs52
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post #6 of 21
1/26/13 at 6:35am
All I can say is this...I have the def tech SM450s and had bought a set of the pioneer bookshelf speakers (series one) from best buy. The sm450s had much better bass and were better in the mid and highs as well. Now, I didn't have the pioneer towers and I didn't hear the series two speakers, so take with a large grain...but head to head, it wasn't even close IMHO!
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post #7 of 21
1/26/13 at 6:40am
Interesting Elihawk. I wonder if that is driven to some extent by the difference in the speakers sensitivities, or the AMP they are being driven by. I may give the def tech's an audition....
Edited by davboy - 1/26/13 at 7:43am
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post #8 of 21
1/26/13 at 6:59am
Thread Starter 
Will my receiver be able to power the def techs well? A few reviews I read said they were a bit harder for entry level receivers

should I hold off on a sub or the HTPC and get the Def Tech 450's?
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post #9 of 21
1/26/13 at 7:14am
For your budget, I would recommend the Martin-Logan MLT-2 system.

You can get it for under $400, and it has everything you need. It is much better than most "box" systems, with larger main speakers and a fairly decent sub.



Quote:
Originally Posted by erratik View Post

Will my receiver be able to power the def techs well? A few reviews I read said they were a bit harder for entry level receivers

should I hold off on a sub or the HTPC and get the Def Tech 450's?
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post #10 of 21
1/26/13 at 7:33am
Quote:
Originally Posted by erratik View Post

Can you tell me anything about how this sub would compare to the pioneer or dayton?

Here you go - this sub would be my choice over the Dayton and Pioneer subwoofers
http://www.avhub.com.au/images/stories/australian-hifi/reviews/2011-05_to_12/2011-11/jbl_sub150p_subwoofer_review_lores.pdf
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post #11 of 21
1/26/13 at 7:57am
I own the Pioneer FS52s and they sound great for home theater, but I find them a little lacking for music. I thought I would mention that since you seem musically focused. Though, it could be that I need to tweak the settings on the receiver a bit more....
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post #12 of 21
1/26/13 at 8:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by erratik View Post

Will my receiver be able to power the def techs well? A few reviews I read said they were a bit harder for entry level receivers

should I hold off on a sub or the HTPC and get the Def Tech 450's?

The Onkyo receiver can work, the Definitive for your room or new room, is not that hard to drive.
Also people tend to hear things a little different - I find the Pioneers real good for music. > Also
room/placement, can and will play a part. > Also, the new Pioneers are not that hard to drive.

Also the Cambridge S30 is not a wimp, and is a solid speaker with good strong bass.

Now as far as your question, should you buy the Definitive - well, only you can make that choice.

If you ever grow into 5.1 - then I would upgrade your receiver.
Edited by zieglj01 - 1/26/13 at 8:32am
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post #13 of 21
1/26/13 at 9:18am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by zieglj01 View Post

The Onkyo receiver can work, the Definitive for your room or new room, is not that hard to drive.
Also people tend to hear things a little different - I find the Pioneers real good for music. > Also
room/placement, can and will play a part. > Also, the new Pioneers are not that hard to drive.

Also the Cambridge S30 is not a wimp, and is a solid speaker with good strong bass.

Now as far as your question, should you buy the Definitive - well, only you can make that choice.

If you ever grow into 5.1 - then I would upgrade your receiver.

my long term intention is to have HTPC in the livingroom with 5.1 and then begin a music focused 2.1 setup in my bedroom with a quality tube amp and such...but that'll be a few years smile.gif
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post #14 of 21
1/26/13 at 9:31am
The def tech sm350 have 90db sensitivity, which is pretty good. The pioneer speaker sensitivity is lower. Again, I have not heard the series 2, so they might be very improved. The series 1 sounded muffled and weak to me...in a very short audition.
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post #15 of 21
1/26/13 at 9:55am
Definitive just like some other manufacturers tend to stretch their specs. The SM350 was measured
with 87.5 sensitivity - which is decent for their size. The Pioneer BS22 measured at 86 db
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post #16 of 21
1/26/13 at 10:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Elihawk View Post

The def tech sm350 have 90db sensitivity, which is pretty good. The pioneer speaker sensitivity is lower. Again, I have not heard the series 2, so they might be very improved. The series 1 sounded muffled and weak to me...in a very short audition.

Thanks Elihawk. I have the series 2 of the Pioneer's, never heard the first series. I do know they were almost completely reworked...
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post #17 of 21
1/26/13 at 11:37am
Thread Starter 
"In both cases, I aligned the subwoofer using a chromatic scale from one of my test CDs, adjusting the volume, crossover and phase controls to give the most linear, most realistic response at my listening position"

I need to learn how to properly adjust all these sorts of things to get the best sound with the speakers i'll be getting. gosh, so much to learn. I wish the receiver had better documentation as well.
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post #18 of 21
1/26/13 at 11:44am
If you live near a Frys. They have the Infinity Primus 363 for $234 A PAIR.
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post #19 of 21
1/26/13 at 12:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by GaryWA View Post

If you live near a Frys. They have the Infinity Primus 363 for $234 A PAIR.

+1, THIS.
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post #20 of 21
1/26/13 at 12:15pm
Thread Starter 
There's a fry's about an hour and a half a way, but I don't think I'll be able to transport those speakers in my vehicle, wont be able to get out there for at least a month, and dont know that I can budget that much outside of amazon/newegg
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post #21 of 21
1/26/13 at 1:18pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by zieglj01 View Post

Here you go - this sub would be my choice over the Dayton and Pioneer subwoofers
http://www.avhub.com.au/images/stories/australian-hifi/reviews/2011-05_to_12/2011-11/jbl_sub150p_subwoofer_review_lores.pdf

Those are impressive specs for a 10" sub in this price range (or any size sub).

I would commit to that sub and then select from the Pioneers, Cambridge S30s, and the Def Techs. Advantage of the Pioneers would be you could go for 4.0 or 3.0 right now and stay within budget.
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