Which Speakers are right for me

[dbecks]

I just got a Sony KDL-46XBR4 and now i'm in the hunt for audio. I have made my choice to go with the Onkyo 605 receiver, but now I need to find out a good speaker system preferably under $600. I'm looking for a system with at least 5 speakers and a nice subwoofer. Also, do these speaker system include brackets so I can mount the speakers on the wall or do I need to buy thoose seperately? Here are a couple choices I was looking at.

Harmon Kardon HKTS-18 5.1

http://www.amazon.com/Harman-Kardon-...8482726&sr=1-2


or

ONKYO SKS-HT240

http://www.amazon.com/ONKYO-SKS-HT24...8483059&sr=1-6

Also what do you guys like as far as blue ray movies? I think i'm gonna pick up I-Robot, the Patriot and No Country for Old Men. Suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

[ixlegitballinxl]

i'd take that 600 and buy a center channel and left/right speakers..and keep adding over time

[dbecks]

Originally Posted by ixlegitballinxl

i'd take that 600 and buy a center channel and left/right speakers..and keep adding over time

What do you recommend?

[Rabidhunter]

The Harmon Kardon seems to be the more complete set. The Onkyo is a 6.1 set, and would work best with that. With the Kardon set, all you have to do is add two speakers to upgrade to 7.1. If you wanted to go really cheap, but still have decent sounding speakers for the price, go with my setup. All Sony. I'm really joking here, but Sony does have some good speakers for smaller rooms like mine. They sound great.

Fronts: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SS-B3000-...8485371&sr=1-2

Center and Rear: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SS-CR3000...8485371&sr=1-4

Sub: http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SA-W2500-...8485371&sr=1-3

I know I'm going to get a lot of slack for admitting that I have Sony speakers, but hey, I paid less than $300 for the set. They're quality, and match perfect with my Sony reciever. Music and movies sound amazing. I watched 2001 A Space Odessy yesterday, it blew me away.

[ixlegitballinxl]

klipsch...if you look hard enough, you can find those 3 speakers for around 600.....if your in a hurry for SS..just buy some cheap speakers...i know u can by harmon kardon SS for 99 bucks a pair

[Metalheadisme]

You can get a 3.0 system from Elemental Designs for a great price using their package builder.

You can get:

1 Pair of A6-6T6 Towers
1 A6-6T6 MTM center speaker

for 590.75 shipped.

You'll have to wait until may for the center (they are backordered) but the towers by themselves kick some serious butt. Best speakers at that price point by far in my opinion.

You can add a subwoofer and surrounds later by using the same package builder and get the discount (their subs are REALLY good).

http://www.edesignaudio.com/htpackage.php

[jomari]

my personal choice over all the htib sets or smaller speaker sets...

albeit it doesnt have a subwoofer just yet, well, you can add on any 100 dollar sub with it, and get some great sound.

or better yet save up and get a svs sub, or even hsu...

http://svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm

[Beta Man]

Every speaker thread is the same as the next...... everyone who owns whatever speakers they own, suggests them..... but every speaker has a different "Type" of sound, and some people prefer one type to another, you have to listen to speakers and see what sounds the best to you....

[RUR]

Originally Posted by ixlegitballinxl

i'd take that 600 and buy a center channel and left/right speakers..and keep adding over time

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Every speaker thread is the same as the next...... everyone who owns whatever speakers they own, suggests them..... but every speaker has a different "Type" of sound, and some people prefer one type to another, you have to listen to speakers and see what sounds the best to you....

To the OP: The above is the best advice you'll get, IMHO. You're better off buying better speakers, even if you must wait for the back channels and only you can decide which speakers sound best to you. Demo a bunch before you make a decision. It's time well spent.

[dobyblue]

Originally Posted by dbecks

I just got a Sony KDL-46XBR4 and now i'm in the hunt for audio. I have made my choice to go with the Onkyo 605 receiver, but now I need to find out a good speaker system preferably under $600. I'm looking for a system with at least 5 speakers and a nice subwoofer.

If you're going to buy a small satellite system to start off with, I'd pick up the SCS500.5 from JBL. The subwoofer has good response down to 30Hz (- 6dB) and the satellites are all 100w/ch and extend to 100Hz at -6dB which is probably a good place to set your crossover on the Onkyo.

Here's a review from Jeff Lawson at Audioholics.
http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/s...s/jbl-scs500.5

For this price range you can't expect to get a clean frequency response from 20Hz to the upper limits of your hearing (between 17kHz at 20kHz) but I started with a smaller version of this system (SCS145.5) and it does perform well for HT at this price point. I had previously picked up a Sony system but took it back within 30 days to Best Buy and picked this one up.

It was a good starting place to allow me to slowly upgrade my speakers one area at a time. (I upgraded the fronts, then the centre, then the rears and sub)

You can get it shipped from Tiger Direct for US$377.
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...1&Sku=J55-1020

Put the extra $223 in the bank and start saving for your first pair of floorstanding towers. Then at least you're able to enjoy the surround experience. Getting a good 5.1 system can take some time, but in the end it's certainly worth it.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by dobyblue

Put the extra $223 in the bank and start saving for your first pair of floorstanding towers. Then at least you're able to enjoy the surround experience. Getting a good 5.1 system can take some time, but in the end it's certainly worth it.

Sound advice..... Pun intended

[prerich]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

Every speaker thread is the same as the next...... everyone who owns whatever speakers they own, suggests them..... but every speaker has a different "Type" of sound, and some people prefer one type to another, you have to listen to speakers and see what sounds the best to you....

+1 What Beta is saying is true. When brands are suggested its only because we have our favorites. I would like you to take some movies and music, go to a audio store and listen to different setups. I can suggest some brands - everyone knows Klipsch (seems like thats the only brand on the board ), Paradimgm, Definitive Technology, Phase Technology, Axiom and others have speakers in his price range (for LCR). If he doesn't mind used - he can go to Audiogon and find B&W lcr's also.

[olds403]

For budget speakers there are quite a few manufacturers that make quality products. I would steer clear of the onkyo speakers, Onkyo is not a "speaker only manufacturer" and I would try to buy speakers from a company that manufactures only speakers. Paradigm, Energy, Polk, Definitive technology, NHT all make very nice budget products that do not compromise sound quality for price.

[Homura]

The Polks sound really nice if you are on a budget. My roommate just got the cs1 center channel for $100 and it sounds so much nicer than the center Yamaha that he got in a HTiB. Check the Polks out on Amazon, they are super cheap. If you wanna hear them, go to Circuit City.

Center: http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Mon...8536131&sr=8-4
Fronts: http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Mon...8536131&sr=8-3
Rears: http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Mon...8536131&sr=8-3
Sub: http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-10-...8536131&sr=8-5

Total Price: $606

I'm not being biased in anyway, as I don't even have the speakers. I'm just going off of what I listened to at CC.

[Beta Man]

Given the Original poster's budget, I think the above advice is great..... I'd go one step further, and recommend you go to Best Buy, Circuit City, and whatever other stores you have in your area (Tweeter, or Vanns or those other stores I've never been to b/c they're not in my area) Each Big-Box Store carries 4 or 5 brands usually, and I'd give a listen to everything within your budget at those, then compare to the Def Tech's or Paradigm line, or other speakers, that falls into your budget, and make your decision based on that. Big-Box stores are a quick way to get exposed to several brands side by side. I'd take a small note-pad to cross off stuff as you go, so you don't forget what ones you liked!!!!!

[nezff]

Originally Posted by ixlegitballinxl

i'd take that 600 and buy a center channel and left/right speakers..and keep adding over time

agreed. I like Paradigm and Klipsch.

[Woody]

Originally Posted by prerich

+1 What Beta is saying is true. When brands are suggested its only because we have our favorites. I would like you to take some movies and music, go to a audio store and listen to different setups. I can suggest some brands - everyone knows Klipsch (seems like thats the only brand on the board ), Paradimgm, Definitive Technology, Phase Technology, Axiom and others have speakers in his price range (for LCR). If he doesn't mind used - he can go to Audiogon and find B&W lcr's also.

That is the first time I have heard Phase Tech mentioned on this board.

I don't know why but I found that funny. I used to sell them along with many others.

[dbecks]

Ok, I think what I want to do is just start off with maybe a center speaker and 2 front towers possibly for under $1000. Then I will add on a sub and 2 surrounds and backs later. What what speakers do you suggest for the 3.0 or even 2.0 setup, or do you think I should get a 2.1 setup? Also Will I be able to watch movies such as DTS-MA 5.1 movies, but I only have a 2.1 setup?

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by dbecks

Ok, I think what I want to do is just start off with maybe a center speaker and 2 front towers possibly for under $1000. Then I will add on a sub and 2 surrounds and backs later. What what speakers do you suggest for the 3.0 or even 2.0 setup, or do you think I should get a 2.1 setup? Also Will I be able to watch movies such as DTS-MA 5.1 movies, but I only have a 2.1 setup?

To answer one of your questions...... Don't do 2.1, start with the Center/L/R that's the best way to start in my opinion (and I'd imagine most) If you use your system for 90% or more for music, then maybe the sub first before the center, but for HT, get the Center/L/R first.

I can suggest speakers I like/have/heard, but you have to listen to them for yourself to decide if you like them.

Some to check out, to keep in budget, would be Paradigm, Tannoy, B&W, Polk, Def Tech, and many others I'm sure.

I have a set of B&W 686s that I'm not using right now, but I enjoyed them when I had them set up. I think with the matching center you'd be somewhere around $800 or $900 If I had to guess..... or the larger 685's and center would be $1,100 or so??? maybe $1,000 then the 686s would make nice surrounds (what I had used them for, but they can fit the bill as fronts too)

I don't recommend B&W for HT subs, but many have them and love them, so that's up to you as well.

Similar combinations can be made with the other brands I mentioned as well.

[Lucy Diamond]

Ahem...


Me me meeeeeeeeee

PARADIGM


me =

Hey...I stick by my brand bebe