[speedogomer]

I'm slowly (very slowly) building my budget 5.1 system. I just need to get a sub, and replace my old htib rear speakers.

My question, how important are the rear spekaers? I do a mix of gaming, movies, and music with my system. Was considering just a small budget speaker for them like the Dayton B652 ($40) or B452s ($30).

I have a 15 year old Kenwood VR615 reciever with Kef C75 front tower speakers, and have a Kef 100c reference center channel.

Should I spend a little more? Or any good budget reccomendations for rears?

 

[toddman36]

The ones you listed will be fine, Id go with the b652.

 

[FMW]

For me the surround speakers are relatively unimportant. Virtually anything will do. For others it is a religion. My advice, however, is to concentrate on those main speakers. Those are the ones that produce the music. I normally recommend making them as good as you can before adding anything else.

 

[C0rk]

The surround speakers are just for effects, so they don't have to be as good as the fronts. However, they'll probably have a different crossover, and if your receiver doesn't support individual crossovers too low a crossover wouldn't be good for the surrounds (the one likely to need a higher setting), which means you'll have to consider raising the crossover for all 5. Again, only "if" the receiver can't do individual crossovers and the front/surround speaker crossovers don't match (I didn't look up your speakers).

Also, just to clarify, in a 5 speaker system, the surrounds go on the sides, not the rear; in a 6 or 7 speaker system the last 1/2 would go in the rear. (Don't mean to be petty, just making sure you knew that.)

 

[haas75]

Also, just to clarify, in a 5 speaker system, the surrounds go on the sides, not the rear; in a 6 or 7 speaker system the last 1/2 would go in the rear. (Don't mean to be petty, just making sure you knew that.)

C0rk is 100% correct.
http://www.dolby.com/us/en/guide/surround-sound-speaker-setup/5-1-setup.html
I didn't have a great place to put my 5.1 rear surrounds so they are in the rear ceiling and it is not the best. Not really sure how to change it at this point. Brand new house and I ran all of the cable prior to finish construction.

 

[chip387]

Check Svs prime or aPerion audio Bipole. Need a quality sub too. PSA, Svs, rhythmic, in that order. You'll appreciate better surrounds with bluray movies and surround music.

 

[pmat123]

There are lot of movies (mostly action) which do make a lot of surround use. For drama movies, the surrounds might not be that important. I felt the need of better surrounds few months back while watching Edge of tomorrow . Upgraded from 4.2inch to 5.25inch and happy with the decision.

In a nutshell, they don't need to be as good as the Front L/R but if you listen to Multichannel music or watch lot of action flicks getting better surrounds is recommended.

 

[speedogomer]

I understand my 5.1 "rears" go to the side and not really behind me, I have them set up 90 degrees to my right and left. My room has a shelf that goes 360 degrees around the room and have the old htib speakers sitting there.

Local audio shop has some white (would blend in for me) PSB Ambient I speakers for $75. Any thoughts on them?

 

[zieglj01]

Local audio shop has some white (would blend in for me) PSB Ambient I speakers for $75. Any thoughts on them?

Offer $50 - make sure they look good (take the grills off and check)
And make sure they sound good.

 

[dmb12679]

Establish your 3.1 System!!!!!!! R/L/C Sub


Get that where you NEED it to be, then worry about surrounds, or don't.


I have a fair system and really feel the front stage is where it is at. If you pulled my rears(sides) I really would not miss it for 90% of listening.


Spend the $$$ up front, and when it's said and done, then put adequate $$$ to the back as you please

 

[Toe]

I am a firm believer in identical speakers all around, or at least surrounds from the same family of speakers that share the same tweet, mid and/or woofer. Lots of demanding multichannel movie and music tracks these days and skimping on surrounds relative to your mains is a big mistake IMO. The more seamless your entire sound stage (front and rear) the more convincing the audio will be.

 

[speedogomer]

Establish your 3.1 System!!!!!!! R/L/C Sub


Get that where you NEED it to be, then worry about surrounds, or don't.


I have a fair system and really feel the front stage is where it is at. If you pulled my rears(sides) I really would not miss it for 90% of listening.


Spend the $$$ up front, and when it's said and done, then put adequate $$$ to the back as you please

I understand, which is why I've already bought the Kef towers and kef center. I'll be looking at sub's the day I go to look at the PSB ambients. The local shop is very good, and really let Mr demo the kef c75 towers I bought from them. I bought the kefs after listening to them back to back with a pair of $20k Legacy speakers, and the kefs held their own.

Anyways, the local shop, Audio Classics in Vestal NY have been pretty good to me, and I'll give the PSBs a listen. Just wondering what others thought of them.

 

[Eyleron]

If you have a dead room, where the lateral reflections of the front sound stage are absorbed, then the surrounds are what's providing that missing ambiance and sense of space. That sounds important to me. The audio artists/engineers have put what's in the surround track for a reason.

If you play loud, then a weak surround that over-taxes the amp or itself distorts excessively will harm the experience.