[grogy]

I am in the process of rebuilding my current set up. I would appreciate any advice. I am looking for the best overall entry level value to match the receiver. I live in a very rural area and do not have the opportunity to sample.


The room is very big and has nearly no soft surfaces. 22 feet deep X 38 feet wide and 9 foot ceilings. It is also open to large foyer. All hardwood flooring and lots of windows.


The primary viewing seats are 15 feet from the screen. This area is at one end of a "great room" living/dining/kitchen. Meaning it is open to one side. I will try to add some sort of a picture if it helps?


I will be in the low end of any purchase so please if possible lets say a $1000 budget. Obviously this will not be theater quality. But hopefully it wont sound like a subway tunnel.


The equipment involved:


KEEPING/ALREADY HAVE


Onkyo TX-NR808


Onkyo BDSP308


Mitsubishi WD-82838


Box Office Media Player


X-Box 360 with kinect


UPGRADING FROM (COULD USE THIS)


Harman-Kardon PA-5800


Bose Acoustimass 6

 

[FOH]

I'd recommend something like this; HSU is an internet direct retailer that specializes in high output, high value speakers.


You need a sub, and some speakers that can attempt to portray transient special effects in a relatively realistic manner.


Chase Home Theater has a $350 Pro-10/Sho-10 that you could get three across the front for your budget and proceed from there as your budget allows.


IMO, first and for-most, in a system used for HT, high sensitivity, high output is an essential building block prior to moving forward.


Good luck

 

[karlsaudio]

ROOM TREATMENTS! I have a 12 x 16 room that is similar to yours. Over the past month, I have put thick curtains in the windows and put a rug on the floor that covers 90% of the surface. While still not perfect, it helped immensely. The room now sounds "dead" without all the echoing going on. It makes listening much more enjoyable.

As for your budget, is that total for all speakers? If it is, go to Newegg and check out the Polk Monitor line. Something like three monitor 60s across the front and monitor 40s for the rears and a sub will be under $1,000. The Polk subs Newegg has are not great. The "DSW"s are much better I have heard.

 

[FOH]

^^^^


Polk is similar to Klipsch. They are great companies that design and mfr. many fine products, however,..subwoofers is not one of them.


The value in what's available in subs today, and the price/performance ratio that exists, I'd pursue on of the many fine Internet Direct (ID) sub mfrs.


HSU, Epik, ED, Chase, SVS etc.. as well as BIC and Lava

 

[karlsaudio]

But Klipsch horn tweeters fire that HF right in your face! Off axis might not be as bad however. Please listen to Klipsch before you might buy them.

 

[m-heat]

^^^ 2nd!!!

Room treatments are needed.


I just moved from a carpeted apartment with low ceilings with my TV between two draped windows to one with high ceilings hard floors and no curtains. The stereo just doesn't sound the same.


I might suggest getting two good tower speakers and upgrading the rest later. Use your Bose for center surround and phase them out over time. Your budget will be saved for now but you'll be able to upgrade as finances allow.

 

[FOH]



Quote:
Originally Posted by karlsaudio /forum/post/19564544


But Klipsch horn tweeters fire that HF right in your face! Off axis might not be as bad however. Please listen to Klipsch before you might buy them.

No-one is suggesting to purchase anything from Klipsch,..correct?


Also, A Klipsch sound, or horn sound is entirely painting with too broad a brush. There is good and bad in many lines. I'm convinced that the highest sought after HT speakers, at any price, are horn loaded.


A soft dome based single tweeter speaker system, is incapable of high performance HT, at reference level, in a typical HT, at typical distances.


Power compression, break-up artifacts, and most critically, lack of controlled directivity, render non horn loaded designs seriously handicapped compared to well made, purpose built, CD designs.

 

[karlsaudio]



Quote:
Originally Posted by FOH /forum/post/19564503


^^^^


Polk is similar to Klipsch. They are great companies that design and mfr. many fine products, however,..subwoofers is not one of them.


The value in what's available in subs today, and the price/performance ratio that exists, I'd pursue on of the many fine Internet Direct (ID) sub mfrs.


HSU, Epik, ED, Chase, SVS etc.. as well as BIC and Lava

You mentioned them is all.

 

[FOH]



Quote:
Originally Posted by karlsaudio /forum/post/19566873


You mentioned them is all.

You may re-read what I posted wrt Klipsch. Or for that matter, re-read what the discussion was even about. You brought up Klipsch tweeters.


Forget about it, the discussion was about subs.

 

[umr]



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



No-one is suggesting to purchase anything from Klipsch,..correct?


Also, A Klipsch sound, or horn sound is entirely painting with too broad a brush. There is good and bad in many lines. I'm convinced that the highest sought after HT speakers, at any price, are horn loaded.


A soft dome based single tweeter speaker system, is incapable of high performance HT, at reference level, in a typical HT, at typical distances.


Power compression, break-up artifacts, and most critically, lack of controlled directivity, render non horn loaded designs seriously handicapped compared to well made, purpose built, CD designs.

Line arrays can overcome the power limitations of some tweeter designs.


The other fact is that few people actually push their system to reference levels and if they do few scenes require anything near 105 db in a non-LFE channel. Selecting speakers should consider how they will be used and not just the standards.

 

[FOH]



Quote:
Originally Posted by umr /forum/post/19567439


Line arrays can overcome the power limitations of some tweeter designs.


The other fact is that few people actually push their system to reference levels and if they do few scenes require anything near 105 db in a non-LFE channel. Selecting speakers should consider how they will be used and not just the standards.

Regarding tweeter line arrays, yes, you're entirely correct. I should've been more clear. Obviously a line array does well in controlling the vertical response, however a line array doesn't address horizontal pattern control which in my opinion is very important in HT.


Music only systems are ideal for such designs, I prefer pattern control as low as possible,..wrt freq., in optimized HT applications.

Quote:
The other fact is that few people actually push their system to reference levels and if they do few scenes require anything near 105 db in a non-LFE channel.

If their system isn't capable, absolutely, they're not doing it. If one can hit reference levels with low levels of distortion, in a properly optimized system in an ideally treated room, then yes, they're hitting reference.

Quote:
Selecting speakers should consider how they will be used and not just the standards

You're right, that's why I specified "high performance HT".


Good points, Thanks

 

[karlsaudio]



Quote:
Originally Posted by FOH /forum/post/19564503


^^^^


Polk is similar to Klipsch. They are great companies that design and mfr. many fine products, however,..subwoofers is not one of them.


The value in what's available in subs today, and the price/performance ratio that exists, I'd pursue on of the many fine Internet Direct (ID) sub mfrs.


HSU, Epik, ED, Chase, SVS etc.. as well as BIC and Lava

See first line.


But yes, you are right. It is a sub discussion! No biggie.

 

[FOH]



Quote:
Originally Posted by karlsaudio /forum/post/19567663


See first line.

It's a simile, comparing mainstream audio mfrs., referring to subs. You brought them up in your subsequent 5:30 post.



I can explain it to you, but I can not make you understand.


Good luck

 

[karlsaudio]

FOH, I think you have gone over both mine and the OPs head. Not a big deal.

But again, we both agree with the subs. Although Polks higher end subs are not bad. The DSW Pros. But way over the OPs budget!

 

[grogy]

Ha! thanks Karl, definitely over my head. I have to say I appreciate the response from everyone though.


I never thought of working the Bose in to the system but if I could use the Bose to run the rear, center and side, get new fronts and a sub. The sub is a must because the room is so large.


Best value DSW PRO 600? Or are you sugesting a micro pro? That would be out of my range.


Or this?

http://www.epiksubwoofers.com/empire.html

 

[karlsaudio]

Yes, the DSWpro600. I have not heard the "micros" however but they seem good on paper.

 

[FOH]

As I attempted to convey in post #4, Polk offers some fine products, the PSW subs are fine products. But they are very over priced and one can do approx. twice as good, performance wise, for the money.

 

[grogy]

Well I have decided to go with the CraigSUB 18.1 subwoofer and a combination of my existing equipment. If it is un bearable I will have to budget some real money and have the room balanced.


Thanks for all the replies!

 

[FOH]

A very solid choice.


Now, you need to be ready to optimize the sub into your space. Placement and EQ. Here is a good article wrt general placement guidelines.


Congrats and Good luck