[MikeRoz]


My current speakers include this Sony speaker pair  as a floorstanding front pair, as well as the center and rear satellite speakers from a Klipsch 5.1 Ultra set for which the amp has long since died. My setup is in a room that's approximately 10ft by 10ft.

 

Can anyone recommend a good 5.1 set for me? Or would it be better to add a subwoofer to my setup and call it done? Something like this Klipsch set (RF-42 II)  would probably be the extreme top end of my budget. Worth the upgrade? 

 

My usage will be primarily television, with film, music, and maybe some gaming.

 

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

EDIT: Sorry! Link syntax fixed now.

 

[crazyrob425]

Budget?


Do you have any issues with your current setup?


What is the receiver that you are using currently?

 

[MikeRoz]


Like I said, the very top end of my budget would probably be something around $1700, like the Klipsch set I linked. I'd rather it be less than that. It never seems like I can find anything between a $100 set that includes tiny satellites and a small sub, and something for $1700+ like those Klipsch speakers. I also don't know whether anything less expensive would even constitute an upgrade from what I have, hence I'm asking.

 

I don't have any issues with my current setup, aside from the fact that it's not currently installed - need longer speaker wire, need to run the wire somehow, and need to either mount the speakers or purchase stands. The satellites from the Promedia Ultra set are kind of old, and they've been knocked around in moves from my college days, but they still work and sound decent. 

 

My current receiver is a Yamaha HTR-7065  - sorry, I meant to include that information.

 

[cel4145]

Yes. You can greatly improve over the Sonys.


In a 10 by 10, I'd say go for good bookshelves and trust a really good sub to handle the bass.

Ascend Acoustic CBM-170 SE for front left/right, CMT 340 SE center, and either another pair of CBM-170 SE or the HTM 200 SE for the rear. Then get a good sub from SVS Sound, Power Sound Audio, HSU Research, Rythmik Audio, or Outlaw Audio. Those are Internet direct manufacturers that provide amazing price/performance values for subs.

 

[crazyrob425]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cel4145  /t/1522985/5-1-speaker-purchase-advice#post_24495513


In a 10 by 10, I'd say go for good bookshelves and trust a really good sub to handle the bass.

Ascend Acoustic CBM-170 SE for front left/right, CMT 340 SE center, and either another pair of CBM-170 SE or the HTM 200 SE for the rear. Then get a good sub from SVS Sound, Power Sound Audio, HSU Research, Rythmik Audio, or Outlaw Audio. Those are Internet direct manufacturers that provide amazing price/performance values for subs.

x2

 

[darkpoet25]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cel4145  /t/1522985/5-1-speaker-purchase-advice#post_24495513


Yes. You can greatly improve over the Sonys.


In a 10 by 10, I'd say go for good bookshelves and trust a really good sub to handle the bass.

Ascend Acoustic CBM-170 SE for front left/right, CMT 340 SE center, and either another pair of CBM-170 SE or the HTM 200 SE for the rear. Then get a good sub from SVS Sound, Power Sound Audio, HSU Research, Rythmik Audio, or Outlaw Audio. Those are Internet direct manufacturers that provide amazing price/performance values for subs.

A couple of other Ascend options would be, if the space provided of course would be three vertical 170's with a pair of 200's for surrounds and an SVS PB-1000. The other being a set of five 200's for the L/C/R and surrounds and a Rythmik LV-12R for the sub. Then there is HTD Level 2 and 3's.

 

[zieglj01]

The SVS PB-1000 will easily handle a 10 x 10 room.

 

[MikeRoz]


Sorry for the long period of dormancy.

 

So, my main problem at this point is center satellite depth. My television is mounted over my fireplace. The mantle is only 8 inches deep. This means the old center from my ProMedia Ultras looks right at home at 4 3/4" deep, the CMT 340 SE and RC-42 II are way too big, and the C-20 narrowly fits.

 

I was tempted to give up and put off a speaker upgrade until a later year. My ProMedia center fits fine, so then I just need to buy speaker stands for the rear ProMedia satellites. Except the satellites have a mounting screw at the bottom rear for the little included 2" stands. All the stands I can find require either a center-bottom or rear mount. So I am back where I started.

 

I'm now considering, from the Klipsch Synergy line:

 

F-30s for FL FR

C-20 or C-10 for C

S-20 for SR SL

SW-110 for LFE

 

I did a search for the Synergy line here, and found they're not very well-regarded. Some suggested alternatives like the Pioneer SP-FS52-LR, but the matching Center satellite is about an inch too deep.

 

Any thoughts? I'm most constrained by center size here, unless I was to start mixing and matching product lines. I'm not sure if that's a good idea.

 

[JustABrah]

If I was you I'd buy the Sierra-1s LCR and a Rythmik LV12R that comes in at $1827 plus shipping, you can buy the HTM-200 for rears later and save extra with B stock, if that price is a bit much you can save by buying the Sierra-1s as B stick which should knock it down a little more. This gives you the option later to upgrade to the Sierra-2s when you got extra cash. If you buy the Rythmik sub from Ascend with your speakers you get a bit of a discount as well when you buy the LCR as a speaker package. IMHO this is by far the best option as having that option to upgrade to the Sierra-2s later, say a year or two makes this much better than anything you can buy in this price range or even much more than this price point.

 

[MikeRoz]


Sierra-1 is 10" deep - please read the post above yours.

 

[smithhayward]


My Polk CSi3 center speaker is overall 9-1/4" deep, but the cabinet is exactly 8".  If you wire it such that the rear of the speaker is flush with the wall then the only overhang would be the speaker grille.  My two cents... (short of recommending a slim Bose center channel).

 

[JustABrah]

I've tried the HTM-200 from ascend upfront and they did a solid job and they'd fit you could run with 5 of those and go with the LV12R sub or even move up to a F15 with the money you're saving... I use the HTM-200 as my rears and there a great speaker, I believed there compared to the Paradigm studio series for performance wise, although I've never ab the two speakers I've heard the Studios a lot and I would believe that their on the same playing field. Good luck, that's the only speaker I've heard that would fit for you.

 

[MikeRoz]


I just noticed that the HTM-200 is only about 6" deep. What if I went with:

 

Ascend HTM-200 SE center

Ascend CMT-340 SE mains

Klipsch SW-110 LFE

 

For the rear, I'm undecided whether I want something smaller like the Klipsch Synergy S-20 or a pair of HTM-200s. I don't really want gigantic rear satellites, especially if I have to mount them to the wall. Can anyone recommend stands or mounts that would be suitable for these speakers? If I go with stands, I'm hoping to tuck the bases of the stands underneath my couch. 

 

EDIT: Just saw your reply, JustABrah. I'm hesitant to get a 300W sub - living in a condo, I will never, ever have the opportunity to really let that play at full blast without getting all the neighbors and the housing association mad at me. I'm not a 'bassophile' by any means.

 

[JustABrah]

I would go with a better sub, go with SVS, HSU or Rythmik for your sub you'll be getting a MUCH better sub, if you end up with the Ascends you'd get a discount on the Rythmik sub if you buy it from them and you get another discount with speaker packages.

 

[MikeRoz]


I'm concerned that Ascend's cheapest model might be too much sub for my condo. Don't want the neighbors/housing association coming after me.

 

[cel4145]



Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRoz  /t/1522985/5-1-speaker-purchase-advice#post_24586142


I just noticed that the HTM-200 is only about 6" deep. What if I went with:


Ascend HTM-200 SE center

Ascend CMT-340 SE mains

I have the CBM-170 SEs. The Ascends are nice speakers for the money. If your room is small and you aren't planning on driving it really loud, you could go with the CBM-170s for front left/right.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeRoz  /t/1522985/5-1-speaker-purchase-advice#post_24586168


I'm concerned that Ascend's cheapest model might be too much sub for my condo. Don't want the neighbors/housing association coming after me.

You can always turn the sub down. For the money, check out the SVS SB-1000 . It's a compact 12" sealed sub. Probably won't have any more output than the Klipsch (if that much), but definitely will sound better. And it's not going to fill a big room with bass.

 

[MikeRoz]


They certainly get excellent reviews, but I'm a bit put off of doing that because they're smaller than the SS-B3000 pair I currently use. Saving nearly $300 would certainly be nice though. 

 

What stands would you recommend for the front CBS-170 pair and the rear HTM-200 pair?

 

EDIT: And thanks for the advice on the SB-1000, I may end up getting that. Klipsch can't seem to get any love in this thread

 

[JustABrah]

Go for the Rythmik F12 then, you'll get extra savings with Ascend when buying Rythmik sub from them with your speakers and they'll help you with setup or any problems and since it's their speakers and sub they would know best. I have the PB-1000 and its a solid sub for the money but it lacks the bass that hits you in the chest or going lower then 20Hz, since your looking for a good movie system you really should get a great sub as its a very important part of a good HT system, I'd go for the F15 or the LV12R and you'll have head room which is always a good thing to keep the sub playing its best, the SB-1000 won't be a good sub for movies, for music sure but it'll lack the output for a great movie performance.


If you run 5 HTM-200 you can wall mount them and clear the floor space.

 

[JustABrah]

Also, if you go with the HTM-200 since their smaller speakers, which you need to fit, you'll need a sub to play cleanly and good up to 100Hz, so a very good sub is going to be important for you, honestly I'd go with a sub like the F15 or better as a sub is going to be very important and since it'll be taking over all the bass below 100Hz, which will include male voices, like Banes.

 

[MikeRoz]


The product page for the HTM-200 says the frequency response is linear all the way down to 70 Hz. Both the SB-1000 and the LV12R are linear to well over 100 Hz. I would imagine that a HTM-200 system would be fine with either an SB-1000 or an LV12R, and either would certainly be a massive improvement over my current 5.0 system. 

 

I'm not sure I'll have room on the wall to mount the speakers on either side of my new TV. I estimate I'll have about 9" on either side, and the -200 is 6.5" wide. Don't want to make the wall look too crowded.