So I have been looking at starting up a decent home theater setup with a 2.1 while I live in an apartment and upgrade to more when I get a house. I have looked at quite a few models, right now I am leaning toward the Focal Chorus 705v and the Denon 1911. I have also checked out paradigm and jamo and I kind of like the jamo's too. The budget is to stay under $1000. I haven't decided on a sub yet but I don't need to get that on day 1. Any input on these speakers or any other recommendations would be greatly appreciated. The room is pretty small 9x12 and I probably sit about 8 feet from the tv. Thanks for your help.
Starting with a 2.1
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Having previuosly lived in an apartment and moved to a house now I would highly suggest buying some very nice towers and waiting to get a sub until you move. You wont be able to turn up your sub without annoying your neighbors so you would get more usable bass from nice towers, plus overall higher quality sound.
I have the opposite take on it: getting value from a sub is not about blasting it but rather about precision.
getting a sub allows you more precise control over the basss, which means better audio quality and no waste unnecessary disturbance from the low frequencies that penetrate walls mo easily.
In contrast tower mean more boomy sound and more likelihood of p&££ing off your neighbours when all you wanted was to hear the dialogue better.
I have the opposite take on it: getting value from a sub is not about blasting it but rather about precision.
getting a sub allows you more precise control over the basss, which means better audio quality and no waste unnecessary disturbance from the low frequencies that penetrate walls mo easily.
In contrast tower mean more boomy sound and more likelihood of p&££ing off your neighbours when all you wanted was to hear the dialogue better.
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Here are several potential candidates, not listed in any particular order...
Dali Fazon Sat 2.1
NAD Visio 20
Crystal Acoustics BPS Stereo with TX-8SUB
ELAC MicroSTAR 2.1 and MicroMAGIC II (you have to select Products, then Micro Systems)
Corsair SP2500
Cambridge Audio Minx S322
Genelec FirstStep
BlueSky MediaDesk MKII
BlueSky eXo2
Orb Audio Classic Two
Avi Neutron Five
Axiom AudioByte (note: the sub is sold separately, but is listed on this webpage)
HiVi M50W
Dali Fazon Sat 2.1
NAD Visio 20
Crystal Acoustics BPS Stereo with TX-8SUB
ELAC MicroSTAR 2.1 and MicroMAGIC II (you have to select Products, then Micro Systems)
Corsair SP2500
Cambridge Audio Minx S322
Genelec FirstStep
BlueSky MediaDesk MKII
BlueSky eXo2
Orb Audio Classic Two
Avi Neutron Five
Axiom AudioByte (note: the sub is sold separately, but is listed on this webpage)
HiVi M50W
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20,336 Posts
The FocaL Chorus 705 is a real good speaker, and will sound good in
your room. The midrange and treble, is one of the best I have heard
at its price point. If you plan to hold off on the sub for now, and if you
can stretch the budget a little - then look at the 706V
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-41246-f...speakerpr.aspx
Towers can overwhelm you, in a 9X12 room.
your room. The midrange and treble, is one of the best I have heard
at its price point. If you plan to hold off on the sub for now, and if you
can stretch the budget a little - then look at the 706V
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-41246-f...speakerpr.aspx
Towers can overwhelm you, in a 9X12 room.
Plus, buying some decent full range bookshelf speakers now and then a sub would allow the OP later to get a matching tower pair and center and use the bookshelves as rear surrounds. Or he may find that bookshelves work fine. I still have B&W 601s as my fronts. Never felt the need to upgrade them.
Incidentally, Best Buy now carries Bowers & Wilkens speakers in store if you live near one. Would be good to audition something like the 685B bookshelf and then see if you can find them cheaper if you like them. They are rated down to 49hz, so you can get some good bass response from them for bookshelves, and you might be happy getting by without the sub for a little bit and spending a little more on the bookshelves now.
Meanwhile, once you pick out your front speakers, then go to the subwoofer forum here and tell them how much you want to spend, what your usage is (games/movie/music), etc. (see the sticky post on that forum). Some of best price/value choices are from Internet direct subwoofer retailers that focus on making subwoofers, and they can tell you which ones to look at.
Plus, buying some decent full range bookshelf speakers now and then a sub would allow the OP later to get a matching tower pair and center and use the bookshelves as rear surrounds. Or he may find that bookshelves work fine. I still have B&W 601s as my fronts. Never felt the need to upgrade them.
Incidentally, Best Buy now carries Bowers & Wilkens speakers in store if you live near one. Would be good to audition something like the 685B bookshelf and then see if you can find them cheaper if you like them. They are rated down to 49hz, so you can get some good bass response from them for bookshelves, and you might be happy getting by without the sub for a little bit and spending a little more on the bookshelves now.
Meanwhile, once you pick out your front speakers, then go to the subwoofer forum here and tell them how much you want to spend, what your usage is (games/movie/music), etc. (see the sticky post on that forum). Some of best price/value choices are from Internet direct subwoofer retailers that focus on making subwoofers, and they can tell you which ones to look at.
I talked to a Vanns.com sales rep a few weeks ago who said that they were in training to sell some B&W products, although I haven't seen their speakers on Vanns' site yet.
Meanwhile, I'd see it more as a trend towards people purchasing better stereo speakers because of HDMI home theater systems, and stores like Best Buy recognizing that. It's good to see lines like B&W more widely available.
Quote:
Originally Posted by JimWilson /forum/post/20914100
B&W is sold in Best Buy now???That's very sad. My how the mighty have fallen...![]()
I talked to a Vanns.com sales rep a few weeks ago who said that they were in training to sell some B&W products, although I haven't seen their speakers on Vanns' site yet.
Meanwhile, I'd see it more as a trend towards people purchasing better stereo speakers because of HDMI home theater systems, and stores like Best Buy recognizing that. It's good to see lines like B&W more widely available.
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From what I've read Oppo makes very solid stuff, but I'm not convinced they're on the same plateau as B&W are. In other words Oppo is not to blu-ray players what B&W is to speakers. That's a huge loss of cache for B&W -- it seems like a desperate move on their part. Wonder if they're really struggling or something.
What's next, McIntosh at Walmart?
![]()
From what I've read Oppo makes very solid stuff, but I'm not convinced they're on the same plateau as B&W are. In other words Oppo is not to blu-ray players what B&W is to speakers. That's a huge loss of cache for B&W -- it seems like a desperate move on their part. Wonder if they're really struggling or something.
What's next, McIntosh at Walmart?
Probably just a safe play for them with the downcline in the number of strip mall stereo stores. For instance, we lost one of the good ones here in Grand Rapids. They've moved the manufacturing of the B&W 600 series to China, so one would guess that they are shooting for much higher mass production.
Probably just a safe play for them with the downcline in the number of strip mall stereo stores. For instance, we lost one of the good ones here in Grand Rapids. They've moved the manufacturing of the B&W 600 series to China, so one would guess that they are shooting for much higher mass production.
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