HT Upgrade Help

[rob_z11]

I need some help in deciding how to best spend about $900 to upgrade front 3 speakers for my home theater.

I have about 12 feet ceiling and living/Theater room is about 17x16 with all tiles and area rug with 65 inch lcd on top of the fireplace.

I have old JBL 5.1 cube speakers mounted high like about 10 feet, and i have two more in-wall speakers makes it 7.1 setup.

I am trying to replace front 3 JBL with floor speakers, and have about $900 to spend.

I have Denon 3801 receiver connected to my HTPC via optical, and tv is connected to htpc via hdmi. Most of the use of the speakers will be for movie, tv and music, so about 60% for movie and 40% for music.

I have been looking at some Klipsch vf35 at local Bestbuy which is open box for about 700 a pair, and nearest bestbuy with Magnolia Room is in Jax, Florida.

Any recommendation will be greatly appreciated.

[talstarone]

Well you have provided almost all the information we needed to be able to give you some good replies and suggestions.

I am a Polk Audio Fan,and personally think,that for the money,Polk Audio Products are 1 of the companies that provide the Best Bang to the Buck.

Polk has several different lines of speakers but there are 2 in particular I am thinking of right now.
One is the Polk Monitor Series(Very Good Performers at a Great Price)They are being discontinued so they can be purchased new for a small percentage of what they are worth.

But if you were to Purchase any of the Polk Monitor Speakers,Polk has been in business since the 1970's it seems.So,your warranty for the Monitors would stil be valid.

Then there is the line Polk is Bringing out as a replacement for the Monitor Series.This line of Speakers is called the Polk TSi Line.They are very similar to the Monitors with only a few differences.

The main difference is the Monitors have a Bass Port that fires out of the front side of the speaker to help strengthen the Bass the Monitor Speakers Produce.The Polk TSi speakers have their Bass Ports on the bottom of the speaker.

Both lines of speakers have legs that raise the bottom of the speaker cabinet a couple of inches off of the floor.I will be honest in saying I am not 100% sure why they moved the Bass Port to the bottom(unless to eliminate any port chuffing that may occur from a forward firing port).

The other differences seem to be cosmetic in nature.The TSi line has a top plate on the speaker cabinet made of piano black laquer.The Monitors use a wood like laminate for the same top plate.

Then the front side of the TSi Speakers are the black laminate that covers the rest of the speaker cabinet except for the top laquer plate.The Monitor Line has a silver front side that is visible when the front Speaker Grille is Removed.

And finally the Monitor Speakers have an open speaker grille for the sound to pass thru.The TSi speakers have a speaker grille that uses molding in different shapes to some how effect the sound that makes it thru the speaker grill an into the Home Theater Area.

Also their is the same diference in the Center Channel Speakers in these 2 lines made by Polk.

The line that matches the Monitor Series is designated as either CS1 or CS2.CS1 has a 1 inch silk/polymer dome tweeter in the middle ,flanked by a 5 1/4 inch polymer woofer on each side.The CS2 has the same 1 inch dome tweeter in the middle as the CS1 but uses 6 1/2 inch woofers to flank the tweeter.

The TSi Center Speakers use the designations of CS10 and CS20 for their Center Speakers.The CS20 has the same 1 inch dome tweeter flanked by (2) 5 1/4 inch woofers,while the CS20 uses dual 6 1/2 inch woofers.

The major differences is on the CS speakers each side panel or end cap(2 total per center speaker)are made with the same black piano laquer as the Polk TSi Top Plates.The CS1 and CS2 speakers use the same wood laminate for the side caps as the Monitor Series does for all but their silver front plate.And also the CS Center Speakers have the speaker grilles that use a distinctly shaped molding(to disperse the sound of the speaker,in my opinion).

The Top Speakers of the Monitor and TSi Lines each use (4) 6 1/2 inch woofers firing forward with a 1 inch silk dome tweeter under the top wofer and above the second woofer.They can handle a good deal of power,and have a strong mid range and nice low end due to the (4) 6 1/2 inch woofers.

The Monitors are called Monitor 70's and the TSi's are called TSi500's.The CS2 is the center channel match for the Monitor 70(since it uses the same tweeter and same(2) 6 1/2 inch woofers).

While the CS20's are the match for the TSi 500's using the same tweeter and same (2) 6 1/2 inch woofers.

There is a very reputable online company called NewEgg.They sell all types of electronics including several lines of great performing Home Theater Speakers and Components and TV's.


To purchase a pair of Polk Audio Monitor 70's from NewEgg it would cost $229.99 per speaker(or $459.98 per pair).Add in the CS2 Center Speaker Priced At($149.99)This would leave you with a total of @$610.00 for the Polk Audio Monitor 3 Front Speakers.
Here is the link to the Monitor 70's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290015

And a Link To The Polk Audio CS2:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290024

To go for the Polk Audio TSi500 Front Speakers The Price Is($399.00 each)
or($798.00 per pair)
Here Is The Link For the Polk Audio TSI500's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290103

Then Add in the Polk Audio CS20,priced at($199.00 each)
Here is the link to the CS20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290107

The 3 Front Speakers For The TSi 500's with the CS20 Center Channel would cost you ($997.00) for all 3.

There are other brands of speakers and even other lines of Polks that can be recommended.

These are 2 that I am very familiar with.I own Polk TSi400's and a Polk CS10 and many of my friends own these Polks as well as the Monitor Line of polks as well.

So i hope this helps you with some of your questions.And I am sure there will be several other wise choices brought to you by many members of this Awesome Forum.

[Fors*]

Good God Tals.....my own fingers hurt reading this post. I hope yours are OK. By the way, this is a good post with some very nice advice. Good job!

[talstarone]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

Good God Tals.....my own fingers hurt reading this post. I hope yours are OK. By the way, this is a good post with some very nice advice. Good job!

Thank You,Sir...I dont know what happened..I just started typing and it went on and on and on
...My fingers were a little sore about half way thru,but I wanted to help all I could and typed as fast as possible so I could remember everything that was running thru my mind .

Didndt want to forget or leave anything out.I just hope I didnt add so much that I made it more confusing then helpful...

[Johnny Vinyl]

Originally Posted by talstarone

Thank You,Sir...I dont know what happened..I just started typing and it went on and on and on
...My fingers were a little sore about half way thru,but I wanted to help all I could and typed as fast as possible so I could remember everything that was running thru my mind .

Didndt want to forget or leave anything out.I just hope I didnt add so much that I made it more confusing then helpful...hnoes:

You typed it because you have "passion"...nothing wrong with that! In fact, I'd love to see more of it!

Great post talstarone

John

[dolphinc]

Originally Posted by talstarone

Thank You,Sir...I dont know what happened..I just started typing and it went on and on and on
...My fingers were a little sore about half way thru,but I wanted to help all I could and typed as fast as possible so I could remember everything that was running thru my mind .

Didndt want to forget or leave anything out.I just hope I didnt add so much that I made it more confusing then helpful...

+1 on the other post, very good info. I just upgraded to Polk's about a month ago and I absolutly love them, something I should have done last year.

I bought them from Newegg for next to nothing with free shipping, I added a BIC America 450watt 12" sub to complete the collection.

[callas01]

Rob,

My first advise is to audition as many speakers as you can. Try listening to PSB, Energys, Polks, Monitor Audio, KEF, Mirage, Definitive Tech, B&W, Paradigm, Dynaudio, and whatever else you can find to really see what it is you prefer the most. Some of these may be out of your price range but it is good to hear everything and know what YOU LIKE. We can all tell you what we like and what you should go with, but you will have to live with them and its best you decide what to live with. IDEALLY, you may want to find speakers that are neutral sounding, but some are bright, some are warm.

Since you are into music, it seems quite a bit, you may find that both PSB and Energy are right up your alley. They are very good with Music and HT. I use Energy speakers 70% HT and 30% music, and they are awesome. Both Energy & PSB have a warmer sound that is smooth and have deep bass. Highs are acurate and do not fatigue the ear over long periods of music listening. The nice thing is that both the Energy Reference series and PSB Image series is that they are incredibly detailed and great for HT use without being overly bright sounding.

Here is an incredible sale for some Energys that you may be interested in AFTER you have listened to several different speakers and develop a since of what you want. RC-30s $480/pr and the center channel $300. If you can fit them into your budget you may be able to add the surrounds too.. $200/pr

For the PSBs you can look here or talk with a local dealer, Here are the Image T45s and the Center to match. I saw a local guy near me had a 5.0 PSB Image package with the T55s for about $900, so I am sure with a little haggling you could get the setup for $900-1000.

As I said in the begining... AUDITION, AUDITION, AUDITION. Find what you like and buy what you like. Take with you your own music and movies that you are familiar with so you can audition speakers.

If you give me your zipcode, I will help you locate some local dealers so you can hear tons of speakers.

Steve

[ZedsDead]

I would definitely look at this thread and especially post #22. I have spent a fair amount of time jotting down notes about what my next setup will be like (hopefully next year) and am leaning towards one of the companies Big Daddy highlights on post #22. I have been looking mostly at bookshelf speakers because I have subwoofer plans as well, but as far as towers go, Elemental Designs towers looked gorgeous and have one heck of a compelling price tag. Just being on the forum a short time I know there are devout ED users/fans on here that can tell you much more than I can. Happy hunting.

[rob_z11]

Thank you so much for everyone's help, and I am sorry that I was not able to login to this forum yesterday to respond, but this is really really nice info to chew on to make the final choice.

Dear Mr Talstarone - that was one awsome response...

[talstarone]

Originally Posted by rob_z11

Thank you so much for everyone's help, and I am sorry that I was not able to login to this forum yesterday to respond, but this is really really nice info to chew on to make the final choice.

Dear Mr Talstarone - that was one awsome response...

You are indeed welcome my Friend.
If you have a chance the Polks would make a Great Set of Speakers for your Upgraded Home Theater.

However if you do have a chance to audition some other speakers without driving too far out of your way,it would and could be worthwhile.

All people hear the way speakers sound somewhat differently.So,what others may hear,may sound differently to you.

But Polk are some of the Most Popular and widely used Speakers on the Forum.This does not mean they are the best speakers for each individual.But they are tremendous performers for a Great Price.

So ,in my opinion,if you cant audition some other speakers,going with the Polk Audio Speakers is not a Bad Choice by any means.

So compare speakers in person if you are able.But,like many members and Home Theater Owners,they dont have a stereo store to compare in person different higher quality speakers.

So if you find yourself in this case,The speakers from Polk have a large following.

So,if you have any other questions please feel free to ask.Many of the members of Blu-Ray.com, have great opinions and are very wise in their opinions and choices.
So no matter which route you follow you will have some great individuals to lead you down the path you choose.

[DonRSD]

just save what you write & copy/paste

most people ask the same questions so the same answers will do.

the search function on this site is a rarely used feature

[GeologyNut]

Originally Posted by talstarone

Well you have provided almost all the information we needed to be able to give you some good replies and suggestions.

I am a Polk Audio Fan,and personally think,that for the money,Polk Audio Products are 1 of the companies that provide the Best Bang to the Buck.

Polk has several different lines of speakers but there are 2 in particular I am thinking of right now.
One is the Polk Monitor Series(Very Good Performers at a Great Price)They are being discontinued so they can be purchased new for a small percentage of what they are worth.

But if you were to Purchase any of the Polk Monitor Speakers,Polk has been in business since the 1970's it seems.So,your warranty for the Monitors would stil be valid.

Then there is the line Polk is Bringing out as a replacement for the Monitor Series.This line of Speakers is called the Polk TSi Line.They are very similar to the Monitors with only a few differences.

The main difference is the Monitors have a Bass Port that fires out of the front side of the speaker to help strengthen the Bass the Monitor Speakers Produce.The Polk TSi speakers have their Bass Ports on the bottom of the speaker.

Both lines of speakers have legs that raise the bottom of the speaker cabinet a couple of inches off of the floor.I will be honest in saying I am not 100% sure why they moved the Bass Port to the bottom(unless to eliminate any port chuffing that may occur from a forward firing port).

The other differences seem to be cosmetic in nature.The TSi line has a top plate on the speaker cabinet made of piano black laquer.The Monitors use a wood like laminate for the same top plate.

Then the front side of the TSi Speakers are the black laminate that covers the rest of the speaker cabinet except for the top laquer plate.The Monitor Line has a silver front side that is visible when the front Speaker Grille is Removed.

And finally the Monitor Speakers have an open speaker grille for the sound to pass thru.The TSi speakers have a speaker grille that uses molding in different shapes to some how effect the sound that makes it thru the speaker grill an into the Home Theater Area.

Also their is the same diference in the Center Channel Speakers in these 2 lines made by Polk.

The line that matches the Monitor Series is designated as either CS1 or CS2.CS1 has a 1 inch silk/polymer dome tweeter in the middle ,flanked by a 5 1/4 inch polymer woofer on each side.The CS2 has the same 1 inch dome tweeter in the middle as the CS1 but uses 6 1/2 inch woofers to flank the tweeter.

The TSi Center Speakers use the designations of CS10 and CS20 for their Center Speakers.The CS20 has the same 1 inch dome tweeter flanked by (2) 5 1/4 inch woofers,while the CS20 uses dual 6 1/2 inch woofers.

The major differences is on the CS speakers each side panel or end cap(2 total per center speaker)are made with the same black piano laquer as the Polk TSi Top Plates.The CS1 and CS2 speakers use the same wood laminate for the side caps as the Monitor Series does for all but their silver front plate.And also the CS Center Speakers have the speaker grilles that use a distinctly shaped molding(to disperse the sound of the speaker,in my opinion).

The Top Speakers of the Monitor and TSi Lines each use (4) 6 1/2 inch woofers firing forward with a 1 inch silk dome tweeter under the top wofer and above the second woofer.They can handle a good deal of power,and have a strong mid range and nice low end due to the (4) 6 1/2 inch woofers.

The Monitors are called Monitor 70's and the TSi's are called TSi500's.The CS2 is the center channel match for the Monitor 70(since it uses the same tweeter and same(2) 6 1/2 inch woofers).

While the CS20's are the match for the TSi 500's using the same tweeter and same (2) 6 1/2 inch woofers.

There is a very reputable online company called NewEgg.They sell all types of electronics including several lines of great performing Home Theater Speakers and Components and TV's.


To purchase a pair of Polk Audio Monitor 70's from NewEgg it would cost $229.99 per speaker(or $459.98 per pair).Add in the CS2 Center Speaker Priced At($149.99)This would leave you with a total of @$610.00 for the Polk Audio Monitor 3 Front Speakers.
Here is the link to the Monitor 70's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290015

And a Link To The Polk Audio CS2:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290024

To go for the Polk Audio TSi500 Front Speakers The Price Is($399.00 each)
or($798.00 per pair)
Here Is The Link For the Polk Audio TSI500's:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290103

Then Add in the Polk Audio CS20,priced at($199.00 each)
Here is the link to the CS20:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290107

The 3 Front Speakers For The TSi 500's with the CS20 Center Channel would cost you ($997.00) for all 3.

There are other brands of speakers and even other lines of Polks that can be recommended.

These are 2 that I am very familiar with.I own Polk TSi400's and a Polk CS10 and many of my friends own these Polks as well as the Monitor Line of polks as well.

So i hope this helps you with some of your questions.And I am sure there will be several other wise choices brought to you by many members of this Awesome Forum.

+1, wow, great information there Tals!!

[rob_z11]

Just wondering if there is something on the main forum which people can post good deals if they have heard/found on speakers for others to take advantage of.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by rob_z11

Just wondering if there is something on the main forum which people can post good deals if they have heard/found on speakers for others to take advantage of.

Yes, there is rob......Hot Deal Forum

[rob_z11]

NewEgg.com has PolkAudio's VM30 for very attractive price? Any thoughts on it?

[callas01]

Originally Posted by rob_z11

NewEgg.com has PolkAudio's VM30 for very attractive price? Any thoughts on it?

they seem a lot like the definitive tech mythos speakers, and personally I find they sound good but have a lack of bass and impact for good HT use. you have a fine sub, so they may work well for you. and I love going to best buy and watching and listening to Dave Matthews on the guitar playing and the sound from the mythos, just they are not my taste for HT. I would expect that the VM30s would be similar in sound and application.

honestly for music and movies in your budget I would get either the Energy RC-30s I linked you too and the center channel or perhaps look at the B&W 684 should be about $900-950/pr or Paradigm Monitor 7s about $900/pr or PSB Image T55 about $900/pr and then build piece by piece from there and have one of the best systems then an average one you get all at once.

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

+1 on the PSB T45's ( I personally like them better than the T55)

So a pair of T45's would be hard to beat especially since you can get them here for $529 shipped!!! I purchased my PSB Image S50s from here and was a little skeptical since it says "cosmetically blemished" but to this day I cant tell what theyre talking about. I looked, hard and found nothing. Very pleased with purchasing from them.

https://dmc-electronics.com/Default.htm

[callas01]

Originally Posted by PSB_Paradigm_HSU

+1 on the PSB T45's ( I personally like them better than the T55)

So a pair of T45's would be hard to beat especially since you can get them here for $529 shipped!!! I purchased my PSB Image S50s from here and was a little skeptical since it says "cosmetically blemished" but to this day I cant tell what theyre talking about. I looked, hard and found nothing. Very pleased with purchasing from them.

https://dmc-electronics.com/Default.htm

I think they showed the T45s for $439 and the T55 for $529, but either way they are great speaker for the price..

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

Originally Posted by callas01

I think they showed the T45s for $439 and the T55 for $529, but either way they are great speaker for the price..

AGREED!

The T45's are $439 before shipping, and $529 shipped

[rob_z11]

where do you guys go listen to this speakers such as Engergy and PSB. Love the looks for PSB, and specially T65?

How do they compare to Klipsch's WF-36?