Speakers or Receiver?

[1878]

I'm about to upgrade from my Samsung htib and I'm looking for a bit of advice. The upgrade will take a few months because I've only had the htib for 5 months and the wife thinks it is fine.

I can afford to spend about $600 now, but I don't know what I should buy first, a receiver (onkyo 605) or fronts and centre.

Would it be better to run new speakers off my current htib receiver and wait a while for the Onkyo or hook up a new receiver to my htib speakers?

My budget for L,C,R is around $700 and my viewing area is 12' x 12'.

I know I should probably wait and get them together but I can't.

[ascian]

Get the receiver first. Then center channel. In that small of an area, something like Klipsch or Mirage have decent speakers in a small, price-friendly package that would fit well.

[1878]

I've been looking at the Polk RTi series bookshelf speakers...do you have any views on them, very new to all this

[richterbon23]

the ht-sp908 is supposed to be a great package... comes with the onkyo 605 and some good speakers for an amazing price... i will be getting this within the next month.

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by 1878

I've been looking at the Polk RTi series bookshelf speakers...do you have any views on them, very new to all this

You can`t go wrong with the RTi series. I have the RTi8`s (not bookshelf I know) and they`re absolutely awesome. The RTi6`s are fantastic speakers you`ll love them.

[1878]

Originally Posted by richterbon23

the ht-sp908 is supposed to be a great package... comes with the onkyo 605 and some good speakers for an amazing price... i will be getting this within the next month.

I did have a look at that but I would rather by separate components..that way I can spend a bit more over a period of time without the wife catching on.

[Petra_Kalbrain]

Get the receiver first and use the speakers from the HTIB for the meantime. Just make sure that the settings within the receiver are adjusted to the wattage rating of the speakers. Otherwise, you could blow the speakers. Then, you can slowly (or all at once) pick up speakers to fill the entartainment area as they become available.

With a receiver you have the ability to balance all of the speakers based on each speakers quality and capability. With the HTIB, those options are less versatile and your additional speakers, if added one at a time over a long period of time, will surely cause all kinds of unbalanced sound quality within the listening area.

[1878]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

Get the receiver first and use the speakers from the HTIB for the meantime. Just make sure that the settings within the receiver are adjusted to the wattage rating of the speakers. Otherwise, you could blow the speakers. Then, you can slowly (or all at once) pick up speakers to fill the entartainment area as they become available.

With a receiver you have the ability to balance all of the speakers based on each speakers quality and capability. With the HTIB, those options are less versatile and your additional speakers, if added one at a time over a long period of time, will surely cause all kinds of unbalanced sound quality within the listening area.

The Receiver it is then

Thanks

[NTKT10]

New speakers should definitely be first. You'll notice the largest immediate improvement from a different set of L&R's. Add the center in a few months and then go for the receiver. Next comes the sub, and finally surrounds. An added benefit of waiting a few months to buy receiver is that the price is bound to drop. Speakers hold their value much longer than receivers.

Check HERE for speakers/receiver.

Frys for Polk, which could be a good speaker for you budget. You may be better of with a pair of floorstanders in the front, cost is about equal to bookshelf speakers after adding stands.

You could go with a pair of RTi 8's and the Onkyo 605 in your budget to start. HTIB speakers aren't good, and a new receiver won't help them to sound better.

You may also try asking this same question or searching at avsforum.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by 1878

The Receiver it is then

Thanks

What is your budget on the speakers, after you get the receiver? I'm not a fan of Klipsch, or Polk..... In my opinion, much better is out there if you're willing to look.

[1878]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

What is your budget on the speakers, after you get the receiver? I'm not a fan of Klipsch, or Polk..... In my opinion, much better is out there if you're willing to look.

My Speaker budget (L&R) is around $600.

[NTKT10]

Originally Posted by Beta Man

What is your budget on the speakers, after you get the receiver? I'm not a fan of Klipsch, or Polk..... In my opinion, much better is out there if you're willing to look.

I agree that you can find much better than big box brands by searching. With a $600 budget you could look at B&W 685 bookshelf, Monitor Audio Silver RS1 bookshelf, Monitor Audio Bronze BR5 floorstander, PSB Image T45 floorstander (T45). These are B&M brands, you could also check out Internet Direct sellers (Axiom, AV123, Ascend, etc.) Check out Audiogon as well for deals on equipment that may otherwise have been outside of your budget. Good luck.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by NTKT10

I agree that you can find much better than big box brands by searching. With a $600 budget you could look at B&W 685 bookshelf, Monitor Audio Silver RS1 bookshelf, Monitor Audio Bronze BR5 floorstander, PSB Image T45 floorstander (T45). These are B&M brands, you could also check out Internet Direct sellers (Axiom, AV123, Ascend, etc.) Check out Audiogon as well for deals on equipment that may otherwise have been outside of your budget. Good luck.

I have B&W 686's for surrounds, and they're great. The entire 600 series is a great value too. I'd save the cash, and get the 685's for Mains, 686's for Surrounds, the matching Center (not sure what one it is) and you can get a non b&w sub to save cash, b/c the 600 series subs are pretty small if you're looking for HT, and not music.

[Beta Man]

I don't know what this company is, but it lists prices (something B&W's website doesn't do) This is all standard MSRP, and prices don't really fluctuate on this brand, so you get what you get..... I was fortunate enough to get a 10% break on mine from the local shop because I purchased the 705's, stands, HTM7, 686's, and some accessories..... You can try to get a break on a pair of 685's but I don't know....

http://www.hometheaterstore.com/home...akers_s/31.htm

here's B&W's website if you want more infor directly from them.

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/

They're set up to be bi-wired, but the crossovers are well made, and make bi-wiring unnecessary if you don't want to do it.

good luck, and I suggest checking out an audio forum for more help!

[1878]

Thanks a lot for the informative replies. I'm going to do a bit of research this week and then try and buy next weekend.

Thanks again.

[Clark Kent]

The conventional wisdom is to buy the speakers first. Speaker technology moves at a much slower pace than receiver technology and hence well kept speakers can last you 20-30 years(if you don't want to upgrade to better speakers ). But receivers are often obsolete 12 months after you buy them(unless you went the route of separates with amp and pre/pro).

[Petra_Kalbrain]

B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) make some seriously gorgeous sounding speakers at reasonable prices! I own the Mini Theatre M series with the AS2 subwoofer and they blow sound wads all over the living room everytime I fire up my sound system!

[1878]

I just found out that there is a Monitor Audio dealer in my area...going to check that out today.

[Beta Man]

Originally Posted by Petra_Kalbrain

B&W (Bowers & Wilkins) make some seriously gorgeous sounding speakers at reasonable prices! I own the Mini Theatre M series with the AS2 subwoofer and they blow sound wads all over the living room everytime I fire up my sound system!

Those are nice, I listened to them in a show-room. I ended up going the route I did, because I love my music too.... although they'd work, they really are designed around home theater solely.... as all micro-systems are.

Amazing how those little M1's sound though...... makes you wonder why anyone would buy bose!

[Pseudoblu]

Originally Posted by 1878

I'm about to upgrade from my Samsung htib and I'm looking for a bit of advice. The upgrade will take a few months because I've only had the htib for 5 months and the wife thinks it is fine.

I can afford to spend about $600 now, but I don't know what I should buy first, a receiver (onkyo 605) or fronts and centre.

I know I should probably wait and get them together but I can't.

I feel your pain as the wives always think what we currently use is just fine.. even if it's 2 years old and outdated
But I literally did the same thing you are talking about last week... I went with the 605 over the new speakers as I am fine with the Sony HTIB I currently use (I just added 2 surrounds for the 7.1).. If you are not that interested in the new formats of PCM/TRUEHD/DTSMA then speakers might be the better option...

If what some of them are saying about the new speakers and 605 as a package deal.. that might be worth the look.. but are those speakers much better than the ones you currently own.. Good luck as this shhtuff can get really frustrating.