Get an exclusive sneak peek into our new project. >>> Click Here

Indecision on my setup. Need your opinions!

307 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by TacomaRoamer, May 16, 2006

TacomaRoamer

Discussion Starter · May 16, 2006

Hey folks. I've been scanning the boards for a few weeks and have found recommendations for a few brands exist that are low in price and have a reputation for great sound. I just need to narrow the choices down.

What I need is a 5.1 setup for home theater that also sounds exceptional for music. Ideally the music could be A/B'd to be projected from a pair of full-range bookshelf speakers.

What I have now is a Bose AM10 because Circuit City couldn't replace my broken Velodyne DECO with anything decent (To their credit the DECO was bought at $800 in '04 and they gave me the $1k AM10 for that cost). I plan on selling the AM10 on Craigslist to get back some of the money.

The sound is piped in by optical from both my Mac and my DVD player to an Onkyo TX-SR502. The room size is about 15'x12'.

I need the bass to be punchy and tight for music, with warm mids and sparkly but non-brittle highs. The center would preferrably be less than 11-1/3" wide.

Home theater sound is less of an importance, but I find it irritating to have to ride the bass output control during a movie. Maybe it's the way the movies are produced, but it seems there is only bass when their is A LOT of bass.

So, to summarize, I need either a pair of bookshelves AND a 5.1, OR a 5.1 that integrates some really good sounding musical speakers. Where should I look that would keep me around $1200.

A few years ago I had a pair of B&W DM602S2s that filled out very nicely, but putting together a matched B&W system is expensive and the local B&W dealers wouldn't even think of stocking something so petty as a HTiB! Scoff!

Would an all-in-one system like the Athena Micra 6 plus a pair of DM602S3s fill these two roles well?

Maybe 3 Ascend HTM-200s, an HSU STF-1 sub and a pair of DM601s?

Could an Aperion Intimus 422 cover all the bases?

See less See more

Save

Status: Not open for further replies.

1 - 6 of 6 Posts

PLincoln

· #2 · May 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by TacomaRoamer
Home theater sound is less of an importance, but I find it irritating to have to ride the bass output control during a movie. Maybe it's the way the movies are produced, but it seems there is only bass when their is A LOT of bass.

two issues:

1. your system is not calibrated correctly and you are running the sub hot.

2. experiment with placement of the sub if you cannot treat the room. without treatments the room will never sound good, no matter what speakers you try.

Save

TacomaRoamer

Discussion Starter · #3 · May 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLincoln
two issues:

1. your system is not calibrated correctly and you are running the sub hot.

2. experiment with placement of the sub if you cannot treat the room. without treatments the room will never sound good, no matter what speakers you try.

I haven't bothered dialing in the Bose because I've never wanted to keep them, but the Velodyne sounded okay (not great, but okay). I'll try calibrating once I've got a keeper.

I can't treat the room, and sub placement is limited. It's not as big of a deal if a decent set of fronts give me good a good spread of musical sound.

Music is the primary purpose, and should be well rounded for such styles as blues, metal, rock, punk, old country, alternative, electronic, hip-hop and even some classical and reggae.

See less See more

Save

PLincoln

· #4 · May 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by TacomaRoamer
I haven't bothered dialing in the Bose because I've never wanted to keep them, but the Velodyne sounded okay (not great, but okay). I'll try calibrating once I've got a keeper.

I can't treat the room, and sub placement is limited. It's not as big of a deal if a decent set of fronts give me good a good spread of musical sound.

Music is the primary purpose, and should be well rounded for such styles as blues, metal, rock, punk, old country, alternative, electronic, hip-hop and even some classical and reggae.

if you can't treat the room at all, then your options are limited. a bad room can make great speakers sound like sh!t, while a good room can make even the sh!ttest speakers sound decent.

there are some WAF friendly treatments out there, that you might want to try.

that being said, i see you mentioned the ascends...any reason why you would not choose the 170's over the 200's? also check the svs speaker package

See less See more

Save

ericgl

· #5 · May 16, 2006

HEad over to ********** there are some very interesting developments with the X-ls line well within your budget.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php...5&pagenumber=1

Save

TacomaRoamer

Discussion Starter · #6 · May 16, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by PLincoln
if you can't treat the room at all, then your options are limited. a bad room can make great speakers sound like sh!t, while a good room can make even the sh!ttest speakers sound decent.

there are some WAF friendly treatments out there, that you might want to try.

that being said, i see you mentioned the ascends...any reason why you would not choose the 170's over the 200's? also check the svs speaker package

It's more a matter of living in an apartment. When I get a home or condo in a few years I'll be able to treat a room, but as it stands the best treatment option is a potted plant in the corner

Yes, I could go for the Ascend 170's. I was just throwing options out there. Would they make good music speakers? Would you recommend 5 170s; three 170s for l/c/r and two 200s for rears; or two 170s for L/R and three 200s for rl/c/rr?

See less See more

Save

1 - 6 of 6 Posts

Status: Not open for further replies.

Top Contributors this Month