Speaker recommendation for home theater, own 3 Salk Sound Speakers

How large is your room? Do you like the Salk Towers for movies? If so, then I would keep them and get some surrounds. It it not as essential that your surrounds timbre match your other speakers as much as it is for the front speakers to, but if you are happy with Salk and plan on keeping the speakers for sometime, then getting the surrounds may be a good investment.

I had the same question...and I will tell you what I was told and what I read...

Save yourself some money and get decent but inexpensive speaker for your surrounds. They should have good on-axis and off-axis response. They should be fairly flat. crossable at 80 hz...but besides that...just dont over spend.

I got got confirmation on the Ascend 170 SE..should have it by Monday. Shoot low then go higher...about the most you would be out is the 30 bucks for shipping and with a ton of internet companies not even that: SVS, Aperion, Ascend, Audio Insider, EMP Tek, Tekton, Philharmonic ...all great speaker companies.

I am sure I missed some. SVS and Aperion have pay shipping both ways... Just saying aim inexpensive (not cheap) then move up if they don't sound good enough.

I would go out and listen. PSB, Paradigm, Goldenear, Deftech, B&W, Kef, etc. Triad and JTR would be at the top of my list (don't know your budget). What are you doing for a sub?

If you have DIY skills the SEOS Waveguides would be killer. I am planning them as my next speakers now, they are ideal for home theater. If you built a false wall with an acoustically transparent screen, you could hide them as well and maximize your speaker placement:

http://www.diysoundgroup.com/waveguide-speaker-kits/fusion-series-kits.html

I have owned SongTowers for over 5 years, and have had a SongCenter for about 1.5 years. They are excellent for music and movies. You should definitely keep them.

The Salk SongSurrounds do sound very good, but are expensive. I use NHT SuperZeros for rear channel speakers. I bought them over 12 years ago, but after I got my Song fronts, I decided to keep them. I usually listen to music with only the front 2 speakers, and use all 5 only for movies. I've heard the present version (NHT SuperZero 2.0) and I think they also work well as rear channel speakers for movies. They have an overall neutral sound balance, a relatively flat frequency response, and go rather well with the Salks. And, they are small enough to allow wall or ceiling mounting.

Dennis Murphy, the designer of the Songs, thinks the SuperZero 2.0 is a good choice as inexpensive rear speakers to go with his designs.

I think the Salk will sound just as great for movies as they do for music. No question about it in my mind.

Just make sure you have 2 or more great subs with any speakers you have.

I am buying a Dennis Murphy L/R and he also told me to get NHT SuperZero. If you read his thread allot of people say even the NHT center works (not sure I would go that far)

I didn't go with the SuperZero simply because I couldn't cross my sub at 80 which I was told was fairly important. Now the NHT Classic 1 you can cross at 80 but now your up your cost. NHT do come up used a ton.

As for subs... Outlaw works but there are tons of other choices too ... PSA, SVS, HSU, Rythmik ...and if you can swing it...OMG OMG JTR and HP Submersive.

Don't get me wrong Outlaw is good...

Frankly at the cost range of the 170 SE / NHT you really can't go too wrong.