[coderego]

Hi all. I am a complete novice with this stuff, so feel free to tease/flame/make fun of me

Objective: I'd like to create an enjoyable home theatre system for:

• Gaming
• PS3 Video Content: Blu-ray, DVD, Netflix (lots of Action but plenty of sitcoms etc...)
• Media Server Content: ps3media server transcoding
• MP3 listening (Everything from symphonic and heavy metal to jazz and classical)
• Cable TV

While spending around: $800-$1000

Existing Equipment

• Samsung LED 46" 6000 Series (120hz)
• Playstation 3
• Denon 2112CI
• Speakers from a 15 year old $100 sony home-theatre-in-a-box 5.1 system...lol

I recently picked up the denon per recommendation from JDSmoothie on these forums. So: time for the speakers!

Speaker Selection



As I said, I'm a total novice with this. I've heard lots of recommendations for the ProCinema 600

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_735PCIN...DynamicContent


I've read a lot about "Voice Matching" -- is it better to go with a full pre-matched system like this?


I've heard mostly good things about Definitive, B&W, Mirage, and Energy and bad things about Polk and Klipisch. I was originally looking at the Polk Monitor series but I've just heard so many people ragging on them...


Is there a certain brand I should look to / away from based on my media types (see above please)? The cruchfeild guy said stay away from Martin Logan based on my music tastes but I tend to trust you guys more

Thanks for any advice!


As a side note, I have a $1000 newegg gift card but their selection looks awful! If I can use it...great but id rather not get bad speakers just to use that card.

 

[trumbull247]

I wouldn't call Polk, Klipsch(granted the Synergy line), ML and Energy a "bad" selection...(only counting what won't "blow" the budget)


Limited, yes...bad, no.


Do you want 4 towers and a center?

Do you want 2 towers, 2 bookshelves and a center?

Do you want 4 bookshelves and a center?


Do you want 3 matching towers and 2 bookshelves?

Do you want 5 exactly matching speakers?


If you have room, 5 Energy CF30 would be awesome. Or 4 of them with the center(from elsewhere).

 

[coderego]

I think the back two should be bookshelves.



Rectangular room with couch on 1 wall 12 feet from TV on the opposite wall. Was going to put center channel under the tv, two speakers on either side of the tv stand (about 10 feet itself from one side to the other)--on the stand if bookshelves, on the floor if floorstanding. Back two speakers was going to put on coffee tables on either side of the couch.


Look/Size is meaningless to me! Just want it to sound good

 

[trumbull247]

If you can handle Cherry, the Polk M70 at $95 is way too good to pass up.


Otherwise, since your budget will be limited if you buy any other variation of 60/70(not enough for a subwoofer)...


The Energy CF30 is your next choice, although NE doesn't any bookshelves or a center.


But, no matter "where" you get them...here are your choices...


BIC DV/PL/FH

Polk Monitor

Mordaunt Short Carnival(maybe)

Klipsch Synergy(although most people prefer the BIC PL at the same basic price)

Infinity Primus

Energy C(F/B/C)

Jamo S606(complete set)


After those...uuhh...hhmmmm

 

[coderego]

update: electronic expos recommends

http://www.electronics-expo.com/make...ge/MX51/1.html

 

[trumbull247]

I'm sure they would. They probably make $600 on that thing.

 

[coderego]

He said he could give to me for $599. I'm pretty good at haggling, haha.


But what do you think about those speakers? Worth it getting placed on the trumbull247 list?

 

[trumbull247]

Yeah, if you don't mind tiny speakers that don't produce bass.


Do those satellites even hit 100hz?


You should ask EE about the "open box" MX51 they have for $500.

 

[coderego]

I don't care about speaker size...but bass sounds important


Isn't that the point of the sub tho?

 

[zieglj01]

You are better off getting speakers that play down to 80 hz


Take a look at the Infinity Primus
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...primus&x=0&y=0


Another good one is HTD Level Two speakers
http://www.htd.com/Products/level-two-speakers


And the Bic PL-200 sub
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-PL-200-Aco.../dp/B001W3FXAQ

 

[jterp7]



Quote:
Originally Posted by trumbull247 /forum/post/20847149


If you can handle Cherry, the Polk M70 at $95 is way too good to pass up.


Otherwise, since your budget will be limited if you buy any other variation of 60/70(not enough for a subwoofer)...


The Energy CF30 is your next choice, although NE doesn't any bookshelves or a center.


But, no matter "where" you get them...here are your choices...


BIC DV/PL/FH

Polk Monitor

Mordaunt Short Carnival(maybe)

Klipsch Synergy(although most people prefer the BIC PL at the same basic price)

Infinity Primus

Energy C(F/B/C)

Jamo S606(complete set)


After those...uuhh...hhmmmm

where are you seeing it for $95?

 

[bladerunner6]



Quote:
Originally Posted by coderego /forum/post/20846894


Hi all. I am a complete novice with this stuff, so feel free to tease/flame/make fun of me

Objective: I'd like to create an enjoyable home theatre system for:

• Gaming
• PS3 Video Content: Blu-ray, DVD, Netflix (lots of Action but plenty of sitcoms etc...)
• Media Server Content: ps3media server transcoding
• MP3 listening (Everything from symphonic and heavy metal to jazz and classical)
• Cable TV

While spending around: $800-$1000

Existing Equipment

• Samsung LED 46" 6000 Series (120hz)
• Playstation 3
• Denon 2112CI
• Speakers from a 15 year old $100 sony home-theatre-in-a-box 5.1 system...lol

I recently picked up the denon per recommendation from JDSmoothie on these forums. So: time for the speakers!

Speaker Selection



As I said, I'm a total novice with this. I've heard lots of recommendations for the ProCinema 600

http://www.crutchfield.com/s_735PCIN...DynamicContent


I've read a lot about "Voice Matching" -- is it better to go with a full pre-matched system like this?


I've heard mostly good things about Definitive, B&W, Mirage, and Energy and bad things about Polk and Klipisch. I was originally looking at the Polk Monitor series but I've just heard so many people ragging on them...


Is there a certain brand I should look to / away from based on my media types (see above please)? The cruchfeild guy said stay away from Martin Logan based on my music tastes but I tend to trust you guys more

Thanks for any advice!


As a side note, I have a $1000 newegg gift card but their selection looks awful! If I can use it...great but id rather not get bad speakers just to use that card.

With the Newegg gift card you could get a Polk system with the Klipsch sub that is on sale for $350.

 

[trumbull247]

The Cherry Polk M70 is in the "open box" area of NE.

 

[jterp7]



Quote:
Originally Posted by trumbull247 /forum/post/20847994


The Cherry Polk M70 is in the "open box" area of NE.

appears to be OOS

 

[coderego]

So at this point, I am still speaker less! I have recieved my shiny new 2112CI in the mail and am eager to get speakers for it

.


I am currently leaning away from the Mirage mx5.1/DT pro Cinemas. Granted I am a total noob but just based on the frequency ranges, they don't seem like they will cover too much!


So: I am taking a good look at the polk again. I can get two monitor 70s, two monitor 40s, and a cs2 for a total of $580.


I was then looking at Velodyne Impact 10 or the BIC Pl2-200 for the subwoofer.


Am I crazy about any of this? Am I going to be wasting my money here? Anything I can get that is substantially better for around the same price point?


Thanks so much guys for taking the time to put up with a n00b like me

 

[cel4145]



Quote:
Originally Posted by coderego /forum/post/20928650


I was then looking at Velodyne Impact 10 or the BIC Pl2-200 for the subwoofer.

Use your Newegg card and get the Energy S10.3 for $249 . The sale is almost over. That sub is usually about $400 and retails over $500. The Energy S10.3 and the Mirage Omni S10 are basically the same thing because Klipsch owns both companies. Slight differences. Read around for both of those models and you'll find good reviews. The S10.3/Omni S10 will differ from those other subs you picked in that it might not hit as low and give as deep a thump. Instead, it will be more musical, tighter bass, very good mid bass, more well-defined. It's a great sub at $249.


Now you can get a great deal on the Energy CB20, CB10, or CR10 at Vanns right now. You have to visit their promo page and enter "energy." Then surf through Energy's selection. Two CB20s for the front, a CR10 for the center, and a CB10 set for the rear would set you back $550. BTW: Vanns has one of the best reputations among Internet audio retailers, right up there with where Newegg is for computer hardware. Just not always the best deal.

 

[cel4145]

Oh, and of course you could get the CF30s for the front from Newegg, and then the CR10 for your center and either the CB10 or CB20 for rear from Vanns. Those are the matching speakers. It would put you over budget a little if you got a sub, but you'd mostly be using your Newegg card. And this setup would blow away those HT box sets.

 

[coderego]

are those energys you are recommending better than the polks I have selected? And better than those subwoofers I picked?

 

[cel4145]



Quote:
Originally Posted by coderego /forum/post/20928980


are those energys you are recommending better than the polks I have selected? And better than those subwoofers I picked?

I would choose the S10.3 for the woofer out of those, but it's a subjective choice. I would want the cleaner, more accurate bass, and the Energy is known for that where the BIC is not (I don't know about the Impact 12). And actually right now, it looks like the Energy CF70 is on sale for the same price as the Polk Monitor 70. That CF70 is supposed to be a hell of a speaker.


I'd look for some reviews on each of the CF70 and the Monitor 70. Google for them. You might read on Amazon, but look here, too, and look for formal reviews. Your main front speakers will define your home system quite a bit. Pick the main speaker set that seems better to you, then get the other speakers to match. For instance, here is a review of the CF70:

http://hometheaterreview.com/energy-...aker-reviewed/


BTW: I realized I wrote CR10 instead of CC10 for the center channel for the Energy system (but I got the price right).

 

[jjl4004]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cel4145 /forum/post/20928783


Use your Newegg card and get the Energy S10.3 for $249 . The sale is almost over. That sub is usually about $400 and retails over $500. The Energy S10.3 and the Mirage Omni S10 are basically the same thing because Klipsch owns both companies. Slight differences. Read around for both of those models and you'll find good reviews. The S10.3/Omni S10 will differ from those other subs you picked in that it might not hit as low and give as deep a thump. Instead, it will be more musical, tighter bass, very good mid bass, more well-defined. It's a great sub at $249.


Now you can get a great deal on the Energy CB20, CB10, or CR10 at Vanns right now. You have to visit their promo page and enter "energy." Then surf through Energy's selection. Two CB20s for the front, a CR10 for the center, and a CB10 set for the rear would set you back $550. BTW: Vanns has one of the best reputations among Internet audio retailers, right up there with where Newegg is for computer hardware. Just not always the best deal.

Quote:
Originally Posted by cel4145 /forum/post/20928807


Oh, and of course you could get the CF30s for the front from Newegg, and then the CR10 for your center and either the CB10 or CB20 for rear from Vanns. Those are the matching speakers. It would put you over budget a little if you got a sub, but you'd mostly be using your Newegg card. And this setup would blow away those HT box sets.

I think these guys mean the CC-10 for the center. The CR-10 is a bipole/dipole surround speaker.


Are you looking for a 5.1 or 7.1 and what is your top dollar on your budget?