~$2000 budget fronts (for 5.1 build up)

Originally Posted by BigBuga 

Hey everyone,

I'm new here, hopefully this post is alright as a first time poster, but I've been scouring this forum and the web for info and advice regarding a home audio set up. Budget is about 1000 to 1500 dollars. Looking at fronts with either a center or sub. May hold off on both of those at the moment as well. But mid to long term plan is to build up to a 5.1 set up. I'd rather buy good speakers slowly than a bunch of "ok" speakers up front. I'm planning on going into a local shop today or tomorrow to listen to some speakers.

What are you going to listen to tomorrow? What have you heard that you like or dislike?


Use: ~50/50 home theater/music (various types), maybe a slight tip towards theater.

Driven by: I'm pretty set on an Onkyo 809 but open to suggestions in the $500-$600 range. Seems like there are some good deals on the 809 now for power vs features. the Audessey room thing sounds good to as the room is odd shape. I'm also thinking the pre-outs are worthwhile down the road if I decide to go that route. Don't care about zone 2/3 stuff, or even the fancy upscaling so much.

Room: Odd shaped and most likely poor acoustics. Front of the "room" is about 15 ft, back of the room is about 12 ft. The "room" is about 15 ft long/deep. One side has 90 degree wall, other side is at angle (so like a trapezoid). The "room" continues on for another ~25 feet into the kitchen. All open. Ceilings are a good ~16 feet throughout. It's overall a large space, but I'm really looking to set it up or maximize sound in the "room" rather than the whole space. I should also say that I'm using a projector and have plenty of space so I was considering another main as a center.

Budget: Like in title, around 1000-1500 dollars for a set of fronts. My plan is to build up. So that amount could either include a front or sub or not at the moment. I was thinking one of those $300 on sale Klipsh subs from newegg. I'm open to new or used - you can get more speaker for your dollar buying used.

Speakers I'm considering: Paradigm Monitor 9, Studio 60's, B&W 683/4, CDM9MT, Matrix 804, PSB Image 6 (hard to find), and the EMP tek E55ti (eh.) I thought about the Polk Rti A7/9 too, but it sounds like you can get better speakers for the money and that most people here are not too excited about polk. I'm also open to suggestions on something else.

Based on past and more recent reviews, the e55's are more on par with the Studio's from Paradigm. Many here like PSB also. I've heard the RTi like and was not fond of them. Treble had to much fake edge and midrange was just meh. There are plenty of speakers in your range that are currently getting solid reviews.

EMP e55ti
HTD Lvl 3
Ascend CMT's/Sierra's
Aperion Verus Forte (or grand if you want to up the budget and build a lot slower)
Focal 814v at A4L.com
+ those you've already mentioned. I'm sure I'm forgetting some, but that should get you started.

Concerns: Driving the speakers, will the 809 or similar be enough? I've thought about bookshelves and a sub combo, but I've always like an impressive pair of floorstanders. Also as far as the center/sub, which to get first? I'm leaning towards the sub. I'm also thinking about a main as a center due to the lack of space restrictions.

I've always like floorstanders also. The cost isn't too much more by the time you factor in stands. Many preach about not needing floorstanders if you have a good sub, but there are many more factors than just that. I'd much rather have less excursion and lower thd at a given spl at say 80hz from towers than a bookshelf working its butt off to give you the same spl at 80hz. Again..just another trade off. Every speaker has different characteristics related to distortion, etc so it's a crap shoot to say one or the other will be better. Up to you. You're already trying to audition so you're headed in the right direction.

As far as a center or sub first.....you'll get a lot of mixed comments on that one. I personally say that if you have say $500 left over and that's what you only want to spend on a sub...then buy the sub. If you even think you might be able to spend a little more on a sub, buy the center and save a little more. The center is likely not going anywhere since you want to get one from the same line within the same company for timbre match.

Rather new to mid-fi/hi-fi, used to have a sony system for a while, with some sony+techniks speakers. I've been reading up on the technical stuff too (just cause that's the way I am) but feel like I've got a bit of a way to go with some of the higher knowledge stuff.

Thanks gals and gents.

Originally Posted by Newbie01 

Going with your list of speakers:

Paradigm Monitor 9, Studio 60's, B&W 683/4, CDM9MT, Matrix 804, PSB Image 6 (hard to find), and the EMP tek E55ti

My own .02

Paradigm and PSB just dont do it for me. No wow. Heavy bass muddles the entire speaker on Paradigm. PSB sound stage seemed thin and non-emersive.

B&W... I liked them a tad fatiguing in the high range...nothing really bad though. I like my sound a tad bright and these were a tad more than a tad.

Never heard CDM9MT or the Matrix 804.

EMP tek... Way to go out of all these.

.

Originally Posted by Darrin_R 

You might want to listen to PSB again. 10 million audiophiles can't be wrong.
EMP is a value line speaker made by RBH, but I'm sure you knew that.

Originally Posted by Darrin_R 

You might want to listen to PSB again. 10 million audiophiles can't be wrong.
EMP is a value line speaker made by RBH, but I'm sure you knew that.

Originally Posted by BigBuga 

^ yeah, that's what I was thinking too. I mean looks wise the Aperion's have it IMO. But I'm really curious as far as the difference between the two, especially considering how much the EMP's have been talked about and the huge price difference. I'm not sure if I'll go through with it or not yet...

Since I bumped up my budget, I've also realized that now the Salk's Song Towers are more or less in the running (I think shipping puts them over 2K). In any case, these sound interesting in the sense that they seem to be a product of love and singular vision. I like the idea of my towers having some woofers in them...but supposedly they sound great. May have to wait on those for down the line or some of their higher priced stuff.

Originally Posted by BigBuga 

yeah...I think they just redid their site cause a couple weeks ago it was set up different. It was 1998/pair (I think) for standard veneer outside of black. Black was 100 bucks cheaper.

Originally Posted by Newbie01 

Really... I obviously am not a B&W expert but when I heard the 683 a few times (all at the same shop mind you)..although different models in the lineup as well...there was something about their upper end that just set me a tad off.

Let me put it this way... Everything was semi laid back...but when something hit a a real high note...its not that they were forward or bright per say...they were still generally characterized as nuetral or laid back..but a tad shrill at the top top end... Does that make sense? So I guess the word bright isn't correct. In that the whole upper range was not dynamic or forward ...but at the highest end of the high...it seemed shrill...not bad but somewhat.

Originally Posted by BigBuga 

Quick question regarding receivers....

New Onkyo 809 for $610 or Open Box (with Factory warranty) Denon 3313 for 640?