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Which speaker set up gives me the best sound

1565 Views 20 Replies 10 Participants Last post by VectorLabs, Jul 22, 2009

makoi84

Discussion Starter · Jul 21, 2009

Hi guys, I'm a noob setting up my HT. I've got my TV and now I need to get my audio set up. I've been lurking for a while trying to soak in as much info as possible and decided that the best way to go for a beginner set was to buy speakers individually (instead of an HTiB) and set my budget for $1000 for a 5.1 setup plus including receiver (the wife still thinks the budget is $500

). So far, here are my options.

Set1

JAMO

E 6 Series Home Theater Package - Black Ash (Each)

Sale Price: $550.00

Dayton SUB-120 HT Series 12" 150 Watt Powered Subwoofer

$155.23 EA

Pioneer 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver VSX-819H-K

$269.99

Set2

Energy - C 300 - Tower Speaker

$260

Energy - C-100 - Bookshelf Speakers

$200

Energy - CC50 - Center Channel Speaker

$85.00

Energy - ESW- Powered Subwoofer

$185

Pioneer 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver VSX-819H-K

$269.99

Set 3

This bundle is currently available at Vanns for $649:

Mirage

OMNI 550 CH

Single Omnipolar floorstanding speaker

Velodyne

VX-10

10" Class A/B Subwoofer, Video Gray

Mirage

OMNI 550 CH

Single Omnipolar floorstanding speaker

Mirage

OMNI C150 CH

2-way cherry center-channel speaker

Mirage

OMNI 150C

Omnipolar two-way bookshelf speaker pair

Pioneer 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver VSX-819H-K

$269.99

So my question, being a novice and unable to audition any of these speakers, which set up gives me the best sound for a 12x29 room and using this for 50/50 video and music? Also, if there are better options that you guys are aware of and can recommend that would awesome.

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1 - 20 of 21 Posts

MLKstudios

· #2 · Jul 21, 2009

Your room is kind of large for any of those. If you could swing $1200-1300, you could get an SVS package (w/sub) and the Pioneer. The sound wouldn't be as thin.

makoi84

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jul 21, 2009

It's gonna be hard to convince the wife to add another $300 because I've already stretched it $500 more than the original budget. I'd love to spend a couple of grand to hook up our home audio, but we just bought a house, all new furniture, yada yada yada, and she looks at all the electronics stuff I want to purchase as a luxury

. So I'm kinda stuck with a $1000 budget and the three sets I researched seems to fall within my price range. I was originally going to purchase Take 5.1 but decided I needed floorstanding speakers to sandwich my wall mounted Panny. Are the three options that much better than Takes' 5.1 which I can get for a lot cheaper? My room's height is approximately 7 ft.

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afrogt

· #4 · Jul 21, 2009

All those options are way better than the Take 5.1 system. The little Takes would suck in a 12 x 29 room.

Some corrections to your options.

In Set2 you have $200 for the C-100 bookshelf speakers. Are you planning to buy two pair? They go for $99/pr.
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENC100

In Set1 you pay $550 for the Jamo setup. You can get it for $488 by doing it this way.
http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/...103__0_0_0_-1/

And two E660s
http://www.wwstereo.com/#/ecommerce/...103__0_0_0_-1/

Otherwise the setups look fine.

can't say which one is better, they all look pretty good. I have the Jamo setup and love it. You probably cant go wrong with any of the 3 options.

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makoi84

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jul 21, 2009

Thanks afrogt. I didn't realize the $99 for the C-100 comes in a pair. I thought that price was per speaker.

Another option I'm contemplating is going with the E680 Jammo setup with the center and getting the C-100 bookshelf speakers for surround (for aesthetics purposes of the room). My wife might not like the idea of having four floor standing speakers in the room but I don't want to sacrifice the quality of sound if that's what I'll do getting the bookshelf speakers. But if I go with the bookshelf options, I can spend an extra $100 on my sub. Currently my option for a sub is Energy - ESW for $185 or Dayton SUB-120 HT Series 12" for $155. Am I better off going with a pair of bookshelf C-100 rather than a pair of Jammo E660 and getting to spend at least $280 for a sub?

Zoraster

· #6 · Jul 21, 2009

Be a man.

psgcdn

· #7 · Jul 21, 2009

That's your advice?

Zoraster

· #8 · Jul 21, 2009

Yes, that's my advice! Too much emphasis on wife appeasement for my taste. A $500 (ostensible) budget for 5.1 component system? Bookshelves over floor-standing? Come on.

makoi84

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jul 21, 2009

It's $1000 budget for 5.1 system (read posts above).

If you're married, you know it's all about compromise.

Lastly, I don't know much about home audio so that's why I'm here asking for help.

Thanks.

Nels07

· #10 · Jul 21, 2009

look into ed, 5T5's all the way around with a A2-250 is $714 and you can always go up from there if you could stretch your budget a little more, i havent listened to the 5T5s but i listened to the 6t6 towers and "bookshelfs" and loved em so i bought a 5.1 set up

psgcdn

· #11 · Jul 21, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by Zoraster /forum/post/16861064

Yes, that's my advice! Too much emphasis on wife appeasement for my taste.

Well, this is an AV Forum, here to give advice on AV related questions. It's not a forum on the quickest way to divorce, judging other people's relationships, or questioning the manhood of other members.

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AvGeek07

· #12 · Jul 21, 2009

I know this is off topic and all but,

Audiophiles should not get "married". this what you have to put up with once you tie the not no more toys.

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tsantanni

· #13 · Jul 21, 2009

Check out these offerings from tSc

http://www.thespeakercompany.com/TSBST-HT-P114C33.aspx ($615 free ship)

http://www.thespeakercompany.com/TSBLT-HT-P155C33.aspx ($570 free ship)

The 2nd option leaves you some more cash to put on a better receiver. I have a similar setup to the 1st option, except with the larger TSBL bookshelfs and T300 sub. Sounds incredible for the money I spent.

MLKstudios

· #14 · Jul 21, 2009

There will be lots of personal favorites mentioned. Any small speakers are not going to create enough SPL (Sound Pressure Level) to fill the room. What is important for a room that size is, a front stage that can reach down to 80 Hz (the left, center and right speakers), and a big powerful sub (SVS, Hsu, etc.). The two surrounds are not as important, but ideally should match the front stage.

You really have enough room to employ two good subs if you are after theater-like sound. The cube type subs can be used as end tables to appease the current girlfriend.

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VectorLabs

· #15 · Jul 21, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by MLKstudios /forum/post/16860090

Your room is kind of large for any of those. If you could swing $1200-1300, you could get an SVS package (w/sub) and the Pioneer. The sound wouldn't be as thin.

Um the Omni 550 are pretty big towers. How can that not be enough yet you point him to the SVS package which has small speakers?

makoi84

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jul 21, 2009

tsantanni: Thanks, I checked those out. I like those setups. From reading this forum, I gather that I should spend more of my money on speakers and not so much on my receiver, budget permitting. Have you had any experience with any of the TSTs?

MLKstudios: Thanks for the heads up.

openwheelracing

· #17 · Jul 21, 2009

with that kind of budget: go with a decent receiver and 4.0 setup. Put most of the money into the front two, and buy a pair of cheapused bookshelves for the surrounds.

edit, seriously though, you probably should look at the used market. I fear $1000 for a complete new setup would be a total waste of money.

tsantanni

· #18 · Jul 21, 2009

Quote:
Originally Posted by makoi84 /forum/post/16862659

tsantanni: Thanks, I checked those out. I like those setups. From reading this forum, I gather that I should spend more of my money on speakers and not so much on my receiver, budget permitting. Have you had any experience with any of the TSTs?

I haven't had any direct experience with the TST's, however the reviews on them are pretty damn solid. I agree spend more money on speakers, but if you can save money by buying speakers that have more $$$$ value in theory than you pay, then you have extra to buy a nicer receiver to power them.

Personally I went with the bookshelfs and a good sub because I didn't really need towers for my room. With the money I saved, I was able to put towards a receiver that should last me a good number of years. Good Luck!

makoi84

Discussion Starter · #19 · Jul 21, 2009

openwheelracing: I hear ya. I'm on the lookout for some deals on used speakers. I went on www.audiogon.com but even there used speakers are out of my price range. Know any other websites that I can check out? (I'm also looking at Ebay and Craigslist).

makoi84

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jul 22, 2009

I found Definitive Technology BP7006 Speakers pair for $549 but it's a mix match (two left channel supertower). Since these speakers are omni-directional, is this going to be an issue setting them up as my left and right front speakers?

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

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