How do I buy the right speakers for me?

[krazyxazn]

Sometime in the near future I plan on getting a PS3 and an Onkyo TX SR605 reciever. I own an Acer 24" HDCP. What kind of speakers should I buy? I want it to be 7.1 channel to truely take advantage of the HD Audio from HD media.

Think budget, thats why I said I planned on getting the TX SR605 its because of a budget. Also if you put single speakers please tell me how many of them I will need.

[baccusboy]

You want my advice: Buy Paradigm Mini-monitors all the way around (except maybe the center channel, which they make a match for) and a 12" Paradigm sub.

For the money, I've never heard anything that can touch Paradigm, except some of the Energy line.

If you want to save some money, buy some version or 2's, 3's, 4's (they're not much different in sound than the current v.5, since they have the Titanium tweeter, IMHO). You'll get a pair used on E-bay for $150 to $250. Get 3 pair, and a 12" paradigm sub with a center channel, and you've got one heck of a nice system that rocks cleanly.

Here's a v.2:


A v.3:


A v.4:


A v.5:




You can get a PDR-12 sub to match, and you'll have a set-up like mine:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Paradigm-PDR-12-...QQcmdZViewItem


Matching Center Channel looks like this:



http://cgi.ebay.com/Paradigm-CC-370-...QQcmdZViewItem

[baccusboy]

If you're looking to save even more money, and buy new, then go with some Paradigm Atoms, and a good 12" sub:

http://reviews.cnet.com/separate-spe...8.html?tag=sub

[xman]

Take a look at X-Series from www.av123.com, a small price, and huge performance. I do own them and they sound and look amazing. They do have a very active forum with many comparisons and expert to answer any questions you may have.

http://www.av123.com/products_catego...akers&brand=55

June issues of home theater magazine had an excellent write up about them.

Good Luck,

-- Dean --

[baccusboy]

If you're more mainstream-budget-minded, another look might be at the Klipsch Quintet II's. You can often see them at places like Circuit City, I believe.


http://reviews.cnet.com/surround-spe...-20708700.html

Just be sure to pair them with a good 12" sub, like a Paradigm or a Velodyne if you buy without a sub.

[Dace]

I purchased a pair of Athena LS-500B Floor speakers on sale for 400$CDN. They are said to be excellent speakers for the price. And they are also very stylish...I find. Reg price is ~800$ So Athena speakers and Energy speakers are good

[krazyxazn]

What do you guys think about the Onkyo SKS-HT740 or the Onkyo SKS-HT540.

[ruvic]

Originally Posted by krazyxazn

Sometime in the near future I plan on getting a PS3 and an Onkyo TX SR605 reciever. I own an Acer 24" HDCP. What kind of speakers should I buy? I want it to be 7.1 channel to truely take advantage of the HD Audio from HD media.

Think budget, thats why I said I planned on getting the TX SR605 its because of a budget. Also if you put single speakers please tell me how many of them I will need.

I have Paradigm Studio 20's and an SVS cylinder sub. It's been months and I'm still amazed with the way it sounds.

[baccusboy]

When I was younger (about 7 years ago) I listened to the Studio 20's and the Minis, and I chose the Minis because the Studio 20's just seemed to bright to me. Now that my ears are a bit older, I imagine I would prefer the Studio 20's. Really, about any Paradigm Monitor series (or Studio Series) would be a great buy. Stay away from the Mark series, as they have the old tweeters in them. Those could make for some really cheap surrounds, although I'd probably just buy some Paradigm Atoms for surrounds before I did that.

Paradigm Monitors and Studios are heavy, and built like tanks. My Paradigm Mini v.2's are 7 years old and still sound great. I have moved them five times, including taking them from the USA to Korea, and they're still working great. Only thing about them is that you should get a sub for them (I have a PDR-12, which is awesome) and make sure you don't place them flat against a wall -- they need about 6 inches behind them to breathe.

As I told the OP in a PM, the Paradigm Minis have mostly undergone cosmetic changes since they went to the titanium tweeters in V.2. The woofer cone changed shape in the center somewhere around v.4, but I'm not sold on that making a huge difference. The newest v.5's look a lot different in color, but I haven't heard them yet myself.

Paradigm makes bigger speakers, too, of course! Shipping just gets expensive for big ones, as they are like big, heavy chunks of concrete.

Buying used Paradigm (or Energy) speakers on Ebay is a really great way to build an awesome system for a substantial discount. I bought some from there, and also got a few used from a Paradigm dealer. I had to buy my PDR-12 new (hard to get used).

I've never been an B&W fan, but I imagine you could do the same with B&W, if you prefer.