[lp4nd4l]

Hey guys,


I intend to make a HT system from parts all over the place, I was just wondering if it's a good idea to use tower speakers for the front two surround speakers, and bookshelf ones for the back, with a centre? Or would the two tower speakers overpower everything?

 

[FOH]

If you are piecing together a multi-channel system, you should first concentrate on the three primary mains, ie., Left-Center-Right. Then, examine what you have left for 5.1 surrounds. Get that squared away prior to moving into 7.1.

Quote:
would the two tower speakers overpower everything

You can adjust individual channel levels so that in a balanced multi-channel system, all of the channels are referenced to the same level. The industry standard Radio Shack meter, at ~$35, will serve you well.


Good luck, you're gonna need it.

 

[XLR8TR]



Quote:
Originally Posted by lp4nd4l /forum/post/20857364


Hey guys,


I intend to make a HT system from parts all over the place, I was just wondering if it's a good idea to use tower speakers for the front two surround speakers, and bookshelf ones for the back, with a centre? Or would the two tower speakers overpower everything?

If you are on a tight budget, I suggest getting bookshelf/surround speakers for everything and then getting a higher quality sub woofer.

 

[baniels]

You can get much more for your money if you let the surrounds come in to play later. As FOH said, left, center, and right are the most important. I would take good quality mains and center with no surrounds over 5 lesser quality speakers all around me. A good subwoofer is a key element, but it won't cure everything. Consider living with three channels for a while and save up for the surrounds later.

 

[lp4nd4l]

Thanks for the help guys, my cousin has an older 12" Klipsch he's giving me. I was going to use two Polk Monitor 50 Series II for left and right, then a CS2 Series II centre. Would that make a good starting point?

 

[baniels]

That doesn't sound like a bad start. I haven't heard them, but they seem well reviewed on the consumer sites. You're definitely better off spending your budget on those three now. Some matching bookshelves for surround won't be too hard to save up for later.


Another approach to making the decision without haste, would be to browse the forum(s) for the many "what speakers should I get for $$$" or "best tower speakers for $$$" threads. After wading through the remarks of people telling the original poster to read the countless other identical threads out there, you will get some good advice and opinions.


Don't be afraid to consider brands that you haven't heard of before. There are some pretty decent internet-only factory-direct places that compete on price and performance levels with some of the name recognition brands. KEF and Energy being two that I have not heard, but have seen mentioned in those types of threads.


Take the time to browse through the most recent 5 or 10 pages of topics in the Speakers area to find some relevant threads, and you're bound to get some ideas.


Good luck to you.