[friedmud]

About 6 months ago my HTIB pretty much bit the dust (it would overheat and pop and go out)... it was a crappy Panasonic SC-HT900 .


Ever since then I've been looking at receivers and settled on an Onkyo... when last month I found an open box 803 for $499 and nabbed it. I love the receiver! But now comes the speakers...


It is currently hooked up to the surrounds (max 35 Watt) and center (max 150 Watt) from the SC-HT900... but is lacking the subwoofer (it had a proprietary interface....). Honestly, it sounds a whole lot better than the Panasonic already... but I do want to get better speakers (feels kinda ridiculous having these craptastic speakers hooked up to a THX certified receiver ;-)


Now comes the next problem... I'm still in an apartment and having just taken a new job I'm low on cash. Therefore I'd like something small and wall mountable and at or under $500. Next year I'll be moving into a house and will look at getting some really nice speakers then, but for now I just need a stop-gap.


My uses are:

70% Watching TV (Some HD some not)

20% Movies

10% Music


The most important thing is good dialog clarity in both TV shows and movies. I also want them to all come as a set (5.1 or 7.1, but probably 5.1 because of price contraints) for ease (and compatibility).


After doing a lot of reading, it seems like the Athena Micra 6 would be a pretty good fit. I'm also interested in the Polk RM6750BK. How would you rank those two?


Thanks for any help!

 

[friedmud]

I also just saw these:

http://www.velodyne.com/velodyne/pro...V&sid=287u395n


I would still need to pick up a sub... but at $200 that seems like a pretty good deal.

 

[axs]



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


I also just saw these:

http://www.velodyne.com/velodyne/pro...V&sid=287u395n


I would still need to pick up a sub... but at $200 that seems like a pretty good deal.

They are nice, but also check out Hsu VT-12 package with STF-2 sub below
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/performance2.html

 

[friedmud]

Hmmm... that HSU system looks interesting. One problem I have with it... is that it's kinda ugly ;-) Another thing I don't like too much is they are kinda skimpy on the specs for their speakers (or maybe I just missed them). The satellites in that system look kinda cheap (I know, I know... what do you expect for $500)...


Another thing I was thinking about... I live on the top floor of an apartment building. Will these downfiring subwoofers blow low notes through to the people below me (any more than a side firing one would)??


Friedmud

 

[axs]



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


Hmmm... that HSU system looks interesting. One problem I have with it... is that it's kinda ugly ;-) Another thing I don't like too much is they are kinda skimpy on the specs for their speakers (or maybe I just missed them). The satellites in that system look kinda cheap (I know, I know... what do you expect for $500)...


Another thing I was thinking about... I live on the top floor of an apartment building. Will these downfiring subwoofers blow low notes through to the people below me (any more than a side firing one would)??


Friedmud

Hsu has a good reputation for their products and the details are there. Check out those at these links
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vt-12.html
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html


Down firing vs front firing subs, both of them will be able to annoy your downstairs neighbors equally, so watch the volume. May be you should select a smaller sub.
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/performance1.html
http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

 

[friedmud]

Yeah... I am definitely going to have to watch the volume... but I always have had to before as well.


It looks like the Infinity TSS-1100 is on sale right now (I think they are being discontinued). Here they are at Vann's: http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...ures/544336206


To me that looks like a better deal than the HSU... what do you think?


Friedmud

 

[axs]



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


Yeah... I am definitely going to have to watch the volume... but I always have had to before as well.


It looks like the Infinity TSS-1100 is on sale right now (I think they are being discontinued). Here they are at Vann's: http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...ures/544336206


To me that looks like a better deal than the HSU... what do you think?


Friedmud

TSS-1100 can't go as low as Hsu VT-12. TSS-1100 is 120hz-20Khz as compared to 80hz-20Khz for VT-12. Hsu sub is better too.


Many local stores carry TSS-1100, why don't you give them a listen and if they sound right to you, go for them.


BTW, like most ID brands, Hsu also gives you a 30-day in home trial, so if you don't like the sound of it, you can always return it (minus shipping charge of course).

 

[friedmud]

I ended up going with the TSS-1100.


The HSU looked like a good system... but I was able to go listen to the TSS-1200's (which are practically the same except for a face lift) at Ultimate Electronics... and I was blown away.


Ultimately, both would have been more than enough for me. I like the aesthetics of the Infinities better (as does my wife which is important)... and they come with all the mounting brackets and everything. Plus, I got them for $499 _total_ (including shipping/speaker wire/sub wire/mounting brackets) if you include all of that with the HSU system it would have been over my budget.


But of course... I'm just trying to justify it all to myself... there are always trade-offs. The main one here being the range of the satellites. I am hoping though, that good sub placement and tuning of my receiver can make up for the bottom missing on the satellites.... we'll see.


Friedmud