Suggestions for ID auditions/choice?

I agree with boxerboy and he said it shorter then what I have explianed. Music will really show what the speakers have to offer. If the music does not perform very well, then you know it will not do so hot with HT. I went with Swans as they were at a very good price and I wanted to give them a try. I have yet to find a review or comments of people saying bad things about them. But the price was what caught my eye. So I took the risk and got them! I am very happy with my purchase and I am also glade that I spent half of my budget as well. Also talking to Jon the owner of theaudioinsider.com who sells these speakers, he was very honest, answered all my questions and he knew his stuff. I listened to many other speaker brands before I bought these and I must say they impressed me the most. I am looking forward to your testing and would like to see what you have to say about the brands you test. Everyone has their opinion on sound and what they like in a speaker. Please keep us informed of your results! Some ID brands to try which have been stated above: av123, axiom, ascend, swan (theaudioinsider).


- Garrett

You've got a list of some excellent choices, and I doubt you'll be disappointed with any of them. However comparing in your own home is the absolutely best way to find what you prefer.


Ascend: Your comments are dead on!


Aperion: Don't know a thing about them (I guess that confirms your comments on them as well )


Onix: I'm confused by your "low WAF" factor. Since Rockets are, IMHO, really beautiful speakers, may I assume that the objection is Bigfoot's size? You are correct about the quality of Bigfoot's sound. Best center I've ever heard. With a room as large as yours, depending on how far the seating area will be from the speakers, I would think you'd be looking at some good sized speakers anyway. (OOPS! Just noticed that the wife prefers piano black. No Rockets in piano black)


Axiom: Equally confused by the "seem pricey compared to others" comment. I sorta feel they're right in the ballpark. Are you considering that the cost of shipping is included in purchase price? If you opt to return them you pay return shipping, but I suspect that is the case with all of your options. By the way, QS8s are the best surrounds I've ever heard.


I vote for getting the mains as opposed to just the center channel. If you like the sound of the mains, chances are you'll like the center. Of course getting the mains and the center would be ideal, but I'd understand if that is cost prohibitive.


Good luck and enjoy the hunt!

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thanks, everyone, for the comments!


please toss out anything that may be helpful as far as choice of SVS sub (per room size, and/or compatibility with the different speakers i'm considering), and receiver/amp. i know there is a lot of good stuff out there but making it all work together seems to be the trick.


i have a sample of the rocket's rosewood veneer, and while it is very pretty, it is a different color from some cherry furniture already in the room that will be next to the speakers. that is why the low WAF. i might be able to sell her on these if i become convinced they are the best choice, but keep in mind she really wants "some of those little bose speakers that are not very noticeable" so i'm trying to compromise. i would just cross the rockets off the list if it were not for what i've been reading about the bigfoot center channel.


while looks certainly are not as important as the sound, i do think that piano black would look the best as it would match up nice with the sammy 6187. keep in mind this is all in the living room.


thanks again!

Don't order a center to test. Get a pair of mains to test. And then test them with music, not movies. If a speaker sounds good with music, it will probably sound good with movies too (though I think jazz and classical music require a brighter speaker than rock and movies do).


I have outlaw components. I have one of their older receivers and their monoblock amps. I think their components are a best-buy. They are not quite audiophile grade, but they are close. You can't beat them for the price and virtually identical complents are sold for much more than Outlaw sells them for.


Depending on where you live, many ID speaker companies will refer you to people in your area who will let you come to their homes and demo their speakers. That would sure save you a lot of shipping charges. Contact the speaker companies directly and ask them for references in your area.


I have a 13' by 30' room with a concrete floor. After auditioning many, many speakers, I decided that, for me, EFE speakers offered the best combination of sound and price. I consider EFE to be an ID brand in that they will email you their catalog if you ask but don't have a website and only sell by word of mouth. If you want their contact info, PM me and I'll send it to you (I think they sell both their domestic line and their imported line of speakers in piano gloss black).


I also have an SVS sub (the 25-31 PC+). It is a great sub, but if I had to do it all over again, I might perhaps order one of their subs that goes to 20Hz. I don't know that it would make much difference, but I'd do it just to have that extra capability. There are some trade-offs for that though. Talk with the people at SVS; they are a great resource.


I have also heard good things about Ascend, GR-Research, Swan, Cambridge Soundworks, Onix, Axiom, and Magnepan. Magnepan would be very worth checking out if you listen to a lot of classical or jazz (since you are getting amps and a sub anyway).

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If the main focus of the purchase is music then sure but if its HT then this is a bad suggestion!!


80+% of movies goes through the center channel. This means the center channel is the MOST important speaker for HT. Therefore one should make sure the center channel is great and not just an after thought.


I have found that many of the good mains dont have great center channel options but on the other hand great center channel speakers seem to always have matching great mains.


IF HT is your goal then FIND yourself a great Center Channel the get the Mains to match it.


Food for thought Onix RSC200 at around $500 is constantly compared to Center channels at $2K. (hehe )

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Hi Garret. The TV is a Samsung HL-S5687W . The stands are Sanus Euro . Not the most elegant stands, but being modular, they are practical and offer a flexibility that I needed. They come with pillars that separate the shelves by 8", but 5" or 12" pillars are also available at fairly reasonable prices. I have 12" pillars under the TV to accommodate the Bigfoot center channel.


I opted for the basic black (less expensive), but they also are available with cherry finish shelves, and glass shelves. Click on the "View All Euro" button at the bottom of the page, and you'll get an idea of prices. They can be found elsewhere on the internet for a few dollars less per unit.