Your Opinion #2

[GRILLSMASHER]

This is continued from my initial thread; Your opinion under- HT general discussion.

The 3 questions below will help me determine whether it would be worthwhile to refund a brand new setup-for a better one! thx

Question # 1- Does anyone think that the tsi 400's are worth $300.00 each considering polks' previous line monitors perform or produce audio at this level(from postings I've read) for 100-200 dollars?

Question#2 -Is the Polk TSI series worthy enough to be considered somewhat top notch (speakers) for a dedicated home theatre?

Question #3- What would be your ideal setup if you had $2500-$3000 TOPS to use for a projector and audio setup? I do want two subs, You don't have to include projector unless you're familiar

I really appreciate the input and i am not asking these questions to have fun, your input will be considered strongly, considering i'm fairly new to home theatre. Equipment will be posted within the next thirty days or so, i just would like to hear opinions! im considering taking current setup back which CAN BE VIEWED IN MY GALLERY back to upgrade, i just got approved for a home loan and will have a loft for a dedicated HT!! thx

[ZIPPO]

1. YES

2. They are good enough. Are there better? Yes. I'd consider the Polk LSi & RTi series as top notch offerings from Polk, but way more expensive than the TSi series. If you want better performance at a slighter increase in price, check out the entry level offerings from Paradigm(Monitor series), Energy(C series) or BW(600 series).

3. It's possible. Here are a couple links to other members galleries that mirror your goal.


https://www.blu-ray.com/community/ga...r=guitarist155
https://www.blu-ray.com/community/ga...mber=Sirius389

They have similar speakers & receivers as yours in addition to a front projection system.

Try to enjoy what you have for awhile before you get upgraditis

[callas01]

Grillsmasher, what zippo said is absolutely correct, if you want to spend more and get something else, then yes you will prolly get a better sound stage, is it worth it?? You need to audition speakers to find out for yourself. Look at the list I gave you in the other thread and the ones zippo said here.

The receiver is the one part I think you should consider upgrading if you are going to have an LCD/Plasma in the room also... you should get the Marantz 6003 for the 2 HDMI outs that it has.

[Grevlin]

Question #1: YES
Question #2: Absolutely

Question #3: "Here we go:" (Joker in DK)

Its spooky how similar our set-ups are. (or I should say will be) Those are excellent speakers, and I think the 607 is also more then enough power to push those Polks. If you are looking to spend $2500 to 3000, that may only be enough to get you a nice projector. I just recently bought the Panny AE3000 for $2500 and projectorpeople.com threw in a bunch of free stuff. I cant say nice enough things about the Panny- its a HUGE improvement in the overall experience.

Just pay attention to throw distance- the distance between the proj lens and screen. How big is that screen wall, it looks pretty big- you may have the left a little in front of the window depending on screen size. I don't think you would have a problem doing a 100 to 120 inch diagonal screen size.

You will need, at minimum, the following:

1. Ceiling mount (if you are going that way) may be included for free

2. HDMI cable long enough to go from onkyo to proj (I got a 50' for $50 at monoprice) and maybe some wire tracks to cover the hdmi cable. Unless you are going in-wall

3. Screen- can be anywhere from $400 to thousands for manufactured. I did my DIY for $60

These extra items will make you hit your $3000 max. Your console looks like a good height (low) so you really don't have to change much to have a sweet proj set-up. Even the wall colors are excellent (not bright white )


I would recommend spreading your front left and right out (you will have to anyway to fit in the screen) and mount those rears up high or on stands. Most like to put them at eye level when standing.

Subs: I would look at the Acoustic Audio sub thread. You can get one for around $150, of buy two for $300- You WILL get the itch for a sub. I have the AA HDSub-12

Check out my gallery, its got pics of everything I did. I also have my 40" lcd in my office, and I'm figuring out where to mount it.

Good luck, keep us informed on this thread or start your own HT thread. (not sure if you already have one)

[GRILLSMASHER]

Hey guys thx for all the input and recommendations;they are extremely helpful. Callas01 i really appreciate all of the detailed recomendations, i have researched most of it thus far!! Great stuff!! And zippo i think you might be right about upgradeidus, im real bad about wanting more or better and my buddy just introduced me to home theatre, im starting to second guess if it was a good thing!

I was looking @ the pioneer elite sc-05 or sc-07, that marantz 6003 looks real good also , which of these three would you gies choose for overall performance, quality, longevity? (or if there is a better av reciever within this price range , that would be better ! (1000-1200 bux)

Once i buy a reciever i dont want to worry about upgrading any time soon @ least for a while, thats why i want decent equip., so i dont spend more later or soon after, if that makes any sense. Another thing i like the idea of a seperate amp do you think this is overkill with a receiver like one of these? Ive been lookin @ the emotiva's.

And for the record the gallery shows the house im renting, my new setup will be for a new house that i am not in yet, but i am positively gonna have a loft.

The equipment i just bought i spent 1500 on and i can go return it and use that money to apply to this new setup which will be a dedicated loft theatre in the new house! The issue was i got excited and ran out to fry's and just bought what the guy had recommended im doing research a bit late but the best part is i can still go return this and fix it!! Better late than never.

So basically which of the three receivers above would you gies approve, or anoter within its range?

And is amp neccesary within one of these recievers?

Ill be getting rti's or equv in another brand im still shopping speakers!!

Thanks guys sorry to bug!!!
--just had to put this lil freak in there ive never seen a better smiley!!

[ZIPPO]

If your going with the Polk RTi series, then get the cheapest receiver you can find. Make sure it decodes lossless audio, has 5.1 or 7.1 pre-outs & enough inputs(HDMI, etc.). Then spend the rest on a Emotiva UPA-7 or XPA-5. Those Polks will need some serious power. If you want a good receiver to power your RTi's look at the higher end Onkyo(805, 806, 876) Pioneer Elite(SC-05, SC-07), Denon or Marantz.

[repete66211]

Question # 1- Does anyone think that the tsi 400's are worth $300.00 each considering polks' previous line monitors perform or produce audio at this level(from postings I've read) for 100-200 dollars?

In my opinion, when comparing the performance numbers Polk gives, the additional price is not justified.

Question#2 -Is the Polk TSI series worthy enough to be considered somewhat top notch (speakers) for a dedicated home theatre?

"Top notch" is a subjective term so I won't comment on that, but the TSi line isn't Polk's top-tier product. Cost-wise they're four out of five.

Question #3- What would be your ideal setup if you had $2500-$3000 TOPS to use for a projector and audio setup?

I know nothing about projectors. As far as speakers go, for that price range you're best served by Newegg's Polks or else Polk Direct on eBay.

[GRILLSMASHER]

thx guys!!!!

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

If your going with the Polk RTi series, then get the cheapest receiver you can find. Make sure it decodes lossless audio, has 5.1 or 7.1 pre-outs & enough inputs(HDMI, etc.). Then spend the rest on a Emotiva UPA-7 or XPA-5. Those Polks will need some serious power. If you want a good receiver to power your RTi's look at the higher end Onkyo(805, 806, 876) Pioneer Elite(SC-05, SC-07), Denon or Marantz.

I really have to question the logic of marrying that kind of amp power to a cheapo receiver with substandard processing, most of which wouldn't have bi-amping capability anyway. I don't think that is good advice, to try to pinch pennies on the receiver. Besides that, separates are way out of the OP's stated budget. It is self-conflicting advice.

I know a lot of people on the forums have Onkyo receivers, like the OP, and are likely to get defensive about this, but while they show impressively on a spec sheet or benchmark, they do run hot, that is a fact. There are also other subjective matters upon which I would recommend against keeping the Onkyo.

Over the years, I have personally owned several Sony receivers, two Panasonics, a Teac, and an Onkyo. Most of them were pretty good, the only ones I was unhappy with were the Panasonics. My current Marantz 6003 greatly outclasses them all, and can be found for just under $800. Or, for a couple hundred less, I would suggest the Marantz 5003 or Denon AVR2309; but if you're running your video through it too, I'd stick with Marantz.

One thing, though, Grillsmasher, Fry's electronics does not carry Marantz, but they do carry Denon. I ordered mine online. If you want to find one in the Phoenix area, you might have to look up some dealers on the internet.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by mjbethancourt

Over the years, I have personally owned several Sony receivers, two Panasonics, a Teac, and an Onkyo. Most of them were pretty good, the only ones I was unhappy with were the Panasonics. My current Marantz 6003 greatly outclasses them all, and can be found for just under $800. Or, for a couple hundred less, I would suggest the Marantz 5003 or Denon AVR2309; but if you're running your video through it too, I'd stick with Marantz.

I agree....

I've had several AVRs over the years, and I think one of the main reasons Onkyo is so popular here (not speaking outside of here) Is the fact that they were the first decent unit on the market for a reasonable price that would handle the new Codecs (the 605.... at the time, pretty much 50% of this site owned one )

People then upgrade.... so they stick with what they know and love..... 705, then 805, etc.... anyways.... nothing against Onkyo, but if you're going the route you're talking about, you may want to think about scrapping it for another processor.

[ZIPPO]

Emotiva UPA7 $649 free shipping until July 15th ($551 left for a receiver)

or


Emotiva XPA5 $799 also free shipping ($401 left for a receiver)

&

Yamaha RX-V665 $499.99 with free shipping at Newegg.com, 6ave.com, or Audioholics.com

[GRILLSMASHER]

mjb what do you think bout the pioneer elite vs marantz overall-specifically 6003 vs. elit sc-07 for value/performance

im gonna spend 1-1500 tops for a reciever.
2k-2500 for all speakers and subs.

Projector will be seperate
dammit man i started out w- a budject of 1500 now im gettin deep--lol

And what do you think perfromance wise of the PARADIGM REFERENCE line?

[Grevlin]

o yeah, you need about 3 g's to do the projector project. (If you want a 1080P proj)

[JasonR]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

Emotiva UPA7 $649 free shipping until July 15th ($551 left for a receiver)

or


Emotiva XPA5 $799 also free shipping ($401 left for a receiver)

&

Yamaha RX-V665 $499.99 with free shipping at Newegg.com, 6ave.com, or Audioholics.com

^^ I love it, good suggestion!

[callas01]

Originally Posted by GRILLSMASHER

mjb what do you think bout the pioneer elite vs marantz overall-specifically 6003 vs. elit sc-07 for value/performance

im gonna spend 1-1500 tops for a reciever.
2k-2500 for all speakers and subs.

Projector will be seperate
dammit man i started out w- a budject of 1500 now im gettin deep--lol

And what do you think perfromance wise of the PARADIGM REFERENCE line?

see your other thread. 5 speaker companies I listed can all help you with this budget.... #1 thing is to go audition, look on the speaker manufactures website to locate a dealer near you. I did it for B&W for you already. GO and LISTEN LISTEN LISTEN!!!!

Never heard them personally, but I think this will take you way over budget. But I don't know the pricing on these, considering the Monitor 9s are like $1100 just for the front 2 R/L, I think the Studios and Signatures would be into the $2K range entry level.

[Grevlin]

Grills, the mods may have to merge your threads... now that's a good one.

Maybe they can change the title and make it your HT thread...

[mjbethancourt]

Originally Posted by GRILLSMASHER

mjb what do you think bout the pioneer elite vs marantz overall-specifically 6003 vs. elit sc-07 for value/performance

im gonna spend 1-1500 tops for a reciever.
2k-2500 for all speakers and subs.

Projector will be seperate
dammit man i started out w- a budject of 1500 now im gettin deep--lol

And what do you think perfromance wise of the PARADIGM REFERENCE line?

... an expanding budget is an unavoidable fact of the game: the more you know, the more you want.

I think those two receivers are essentially equal, and the Marantz is about $300 less. I've never heard anything bad about either product. The Pioneer lists much higher wattage, but actual bench tests have put them a bit closer than that. The main difference I'm aware of is that the Pioneer has more "active" processing, while the Marantz is characteristically "neutral": The Wolfson DAC, Faroudja video upscaler, and Burr-Brown SRC in the Pioneer are the industry standards for good receivers, but some people find fault with the end result, they don't like how it can affect the colors of their video display, or they might find the audio a little too "bright" or overprocessed for their tastes, or find the soundstage too narrow and "engineered". The Marantz, on the other hand, is going to pass signals through with the least amount of active processing, so that what comes out of it is a totally clean but well-amplified transmission of whatever signal goes into it.

You can't go wrong with either one of those. In summary, the Marantz is cleaner, and the Pioneer is more powerful.

The Paradigm Reference line are excellent speakers. I've never owned them, I've just played with them a little. I'm a little biased on speakers, I admittedly prefer speakers with a warmer sound, because I use my speakers both for movies AND music. So, I'm principally opposed to the "bright" sound of Klipsch or Bose, for example; therefore, Paradigm are a little off from my tastes, I find the treble a little harsh; but others seem to highly recommend them. Incidentally, I recently saw that Fry's is now carrying Martin & Logan speakers at a pretty good price. They're a little pricey, but they are seriously awesome. If you're thinking of getting into the price range of Paradigm, you might want to go and audition some Martin & Logans, too.

Also, I know some folks are going to disagree with me, but if you get tower speakers with large enough woofers, (say 8-inch as opposed to the typical 6-inch), then getting two subwoofers is an unnecessary luxury that you can put off until later. One good one should do the job. In my setup, (built at a very low cost), I have six towers that each have a pair of 8-inch woofers, (and a center-channel with some 6-inch woofers). With all those woofers powering the sound, I'm able to set the crossover on the subwoofer a bit lower, and I'm getting powerful sound from all over the room instead of just from my subwoofer location. I think it makes for better surround-sound when your sub and center aren't carrying all of the load.

It seems I'm also in disagreement with some of the other guys about going with a great receiver rather than bargain-basement separates. I wouldn't get into separates unless you're willing to spend about double the budget you're talking about. I'd rather have a great receiver than just an "OK" receiver with a power-boost from an entry-level amp... there's more to sound than just power. You guys are setting him up for a wicked case of upgrade-itis: if you get a great receiver, you can always add an amp later; and an excellent one, too, not an entry-level amp. If you get that Yamaha and that Emotiva, you're just going to end up wanting to upgrade both later, and anyway, that Yamaha is not an improvement over the receiver that you already have, there is no reason to do that.

[GRILLSMASHER]

Thx CAL ANd MJB for all the resouces and info it really is opening up options up for me!
Never ceases to amaze me that i got more info about HT here on this forum than going into stores and chattin with these numbskullz. i just tweaked the onkyo last night as i was playing with it, turned up center a tad and the surround it does sound pretty killer now, but i think im still goin with the marrantz 6003 over elite just for price point ive been lookin @ recommended speakers i like the look or the energy speakers all though ill keep the grillz on!

I Like dls_222's profile his audio (speakers / center channel) is kind of what i would like to achieve , the way his center is mounted -is the marrantz 6003 plus an amp too much or could the marrantz pump these puppies alone--

either way i dont think having a amp wont hurt right!!
Besides as i grow i could always mix and match equipment between my rooms right?

And which power conditioner would you reccomend for this setup
marrantz and emotiva?

[callas01]

Originally Posted by GRILLSMASHER

Thx CAL ANd MJB for all the resouces and info it really is opening up options up for me!
Never ceases to amaze me that i got more info about HT here on this forum than going into stores and chattin with these numbskullz. i just tweaked the onkyo last night as i was playing with it, turned up center a tad and the surround it does sound pretty killer now, but i think im still goin with the marrantz 6003 over elite just for price point ive been lookin @ recommended speakers i like the look or the energy speakers all though ill keep the grillz on!

I Like dls_222's profile his audio (speakers / center channel) is kind of what i would like to achieve , the way his center is mounted -is the marrantz 6003 plus an amp too much or could the marrantz pump these puppies alone--

either way i dont think having a amp wont hurt right!!
Besides as i grow i could always mix and match equipment between my rooms right?

And which power conditioner would you reccomend for this setup
marrantz and emotiva?

That is because we have a passion for HT and Hi-Fi music, they(Numbskulls) are trying to get a paycheck they can blow on friday night.

The onkyo is a good receiver to power some entry level polks. The Marantz 6003 is an awesome receiver, it will push most speakers by themselves, but yes you can add an amp later if you want, also you should be able to bi-amp your front R/L speakers with the Marantz too, if your going 5.1, and that will really drive the Energys if that is what you are going after, or anyother speakers for that matter.

I don't know much about Power conditioners. Amps you could look at the Rotel as well.

[mjbethancourt]

I'd stick with the 6003 for now, and add an amp when you've got another $1000-$2500 to spend on it. Marantz makes a decent amp at $1000 -- the MM 8003; and I agree with Callas that pretty much anything from Rotel is an outstanding amp, and they have a good line of features to choose from.

Oh yeah, power conditioners:
I use a Monster HTS 3600mkII, got it for only $200 bucks. They make some bigger ones for a little more coin. It solved the problems I was having with overloading my circuit, and in AZ we have a lot of thunderstorms in the summer. With any Monster conditioner, they will compensate you for any HT gear damaged by a surge or other such electrical event. I think some of their competitors do that, too. The one I have doesn't have an un-interrupted power supply, that's a feature that's important to some people, especially if they have a computer running through it. I'd just as soon get the UPS in a separate unit.