[dmxsoulja3]

Ok so I have narrowed it down to three contenders for my 1k budget 5.1 system build. My listening involves about 90% HT and 10% Top 40 style music, volume levels? 80+db at 7ft listening distance...I like it LOUD when I'm watching movies, that feeling of "being there" or immersion is what I thrive on. Room size, about 13x13x10.


Elemental Designs-

5T5 MTM x3

5TC Bookshelf x2

Price about 400 shipped.

Leaving a decent amount left for a good subwoofer, however I haven't read many reviews anywhere on their systems, sensitivity seems good, so should be efficient and play loud but again no reviews to say how they would do distortion level wise and such.


HSU HB-1 Enthusiast "1" package


* 1 VTF-1 Subwoofer

* 4HB-1 Horn Bookshelf Monitors

* 1 HC-1 Horn Center Channel

about 1k dollars, from the reviews I have read these get loud, obviously the Horn design is super efficient and I read reviews of 90-100db sound levels that showed no signs of clipping or giving up..obviously I wouldn't expect these levels 100% of the time as that would surely bring on hearing loss. Only downside, I don't know if a VTF-1 will satisfy my needs for bass in my room size..


av123 Onix XL-S or XC-S setup.

One Pair of x-cs main speakers

One Piece x-cs center speaker

One Pair of x-cs surround speakers

One Piece x-sub subwoofer

for about 900 dollars, or slightly less to move down to the XL-S series. I have read these are the budget speaker of the year, they are warm, etc etc. They seem pretty efficient, but when I read reviews that mention soundstages, and warmth I think of listening to an orchestra and not 85db of sound from my favorite action DVD's without clipping and distortion. Again I wonder if the X-Sub can keep up with my room.


So there are my observations, do you have anything to add, a package to consider? Advice one way or another?

 

[MUCHO]

Since you asked me to post in your thread I will.


I can not comment on the HSU speakers for HT but for music and articulation I greatly preferred the X-LS.


Using X-LS + X-CS in my room for HT and playing it LOUD (which is how I like it) everything is very clear and distortion free.


In my opinion at 7 feet your ears are going to give up before the X series speakers.


I don't know what the term warm means but I do know these are very good HT speakers for the price.


On the other hand I sincerely doubt you will be happy with the X-sub if you like it LOUD. Granted I have not heard it but I don't see how the X-sub could keep up with a room your size and certainly it would lack the tactile feel in the deep down scenes.


If you're very sincere about staying in budget I would suggest you skimp on the rear speakers and increase your subwoofer budget signifigantly.


You could go 3 X-CS across the front, and get some crap speakers for your rears for $50 or less, which would leave you with $500+ for a "real" subwoofer. As time goes on if you feel like it you can get better rear speakers.


HSU makes great subs - I'm using one myself. AV123 has a sub coming out soon designed by Mark Seaton that looks to be killer and of course SVS is great for this as well. I'm sure there are others but those are the ones I am familiar with.


I'm using $50 a pair Polk R15 for my rears and while in certain movies their different "voice" does bring attention to themselves 90+% of the time I don't notice anything which means they're doing their job. Most movies have very little information coming from the rears.


Hope this helps. Depending on where you live you may be able to audition some X-LS speakers.

 

[zero the hero]



Quote:
Originally Posted by dmxsoulja3 /forum/post/0


Ok so I have narrowed it down to three contenders for my 1k budget 5.1 system build. My listening involves about 90% HT and 10% Top 40 style music, volume levels? 80+db at 7ft listening distance...I like it LOUD when I'm watching movies, that feeling of "being there" or immersion is what I thrive on. Room size, about 13x13x10.


Elemental Designs-

5T5 MTM x3

5TC Bookshelf x2

Price about 400 shipped.

Leaving a decent amount left for a good subwoofer, however I haven't read many reviews anywhere on their systems, sensitivity seems good, so should be efficient and play loud but again no reviews to say how they would do distortion level wise and such.


HSU HB-1 Enthusiast "1" package


* 1 VTF-1 Subwoofer

* 4HB-1 Horn Bookshelf Monitors

* 1 HC-1 Horn Center Channel

about 1k dollars, from the reviews I have read these get loud, obviously the Horn design is super efficient and I read reviews of 90-100db sound levels that showed no signs of clipping or giving up..obviously I wouldn't expect these levels 100% of the time as that would surely bring on hearing loss. Only downside, I don't know if a VTF-1 will satisfy my needs for bass in my room size..


av123 Onix XL-S or XC-S setup.

One Pair of x-cs main speakers

One Piece x-cs center speaker

One Pair of x-cs surround speakers

One Piece x-sub subwoofer

for about 900 dollars, or slightly less to move down to the XL-S series. I have read these are the budget speaker of the year, they are warm, etc etc. They seem pretty efficient, but when I read reviews that mention soundstages, and warmth I think of listening to an orchestra and not 85db of sound from my favorite action DVD's without clipping and distortion. Again I wonder if the X-Sub can keep up with my room.


So there are my observations, do you have anything to add, a package to consider? Advice one way or another?

I can't comment on the speaker choices, but IMHO with that square room you'd better save some money for acoustic treatments and/or bass traps otherwise your speakers/sub won't sound so hot.

 

[dmxsoulja3]

Thank you for the comments and what not guys, and mucho you make a great point about getting just some rears that get the job done, I felt the same way too, I mentioned it in another thread and the topic didn't go over so well, but in my experience from low end system to decent systems like B&W owners and such, even with better high end recievers, the rear speakers didn't ever make a whole lot of noise. I could tell they were on, and they were definitely providing the effect but again not a whole lot of "in your face" behind you noise levels, even on calibrated systems, so I might do just what you suggested. I will do my research on the acoustic treatments and such, if you have a good starting point and check back into my thread post a link or two.

 

[Chris Schempp]

Hey guys, we've actually posted freq. response graphs for the MTM's/Bookshelves on the site now. Did the testing yesterday, working on getting everything done and up there. But anyway, here are the graphs:


1m in room freq. response of the A6-5T5

1m in room freq. response of the A3-5TC

 

[igofast]

If you can, wait for a review from craigsub on both eD's 5T5's and A2-300 sub. If they end up doing what I think they will, the package I would go with would be(ok, has been):

6T6x2, 5T5x3, A2-300 = under $1k

Otherwise, you may want to look at SVS's offerings as well(sorry, I know you're trying to reduce your options), they are currently running reduced pricing on white and silver systems.

 

[tC_skier]

yea still waitin for reviews on these too

 

[dmxsoulja3]

If it wasn't getting any worse, I got a chance to audition both Ascend 340SE's and the 170SE's, and they were amazing. Though I won't be able to afford a sub initially with my order, within a month or two I can grab one. I think the overall price vs. quality is great with Ascend.

 

[aviman33]

Try Paradigm. Either 5 Atom's with the HSU VTF1 sub


or (2) Mini Monitors V.5 in the front, with (2) Atoms in the back. Add a Paradigm center channel speaker (can't recall the model) and finally the HSU VTF1 sub.


The 1st option is around a $1000, the second is a few hundred above.


Jon