Speaker Upgrades (back surrounds and center channel)

[Zarathustra]

Earlier this year I very much got into home audio. My first forray into the medium came this spring/summer when I bought a PS3 $499, a Onkyo 605 $399, Fluance ES-1's $299, Fluance AV-SC $69, Fluance AV-BP2's $99 (check them out at www.fluance.com). I also ordered (but have not yet gotten) the BIC Acoustech H-100 subwoofer for a cool $200 bucks (thanks to some nice people on this site) Anyway, while I'm extremely happy with my set-up, my mind is always thinking ahead for "something better".

I've been checking around and really like the more high end polk products and was thinking of getting some quality polk bi-pole surrounds and moving my surround fluances to the back back (or should I just leave the fluances where they are and have the polks at back surrounds?). I love my ES-1's, so no upgrade is needed for them. My will also be more than enough as well.

I'm just looking for some suggestions/opinions on
1. A great center channel speaker (now that I know they're one of, if not the most important piece to a home theater set-up)
2. If I should get bookshelfs or bi-pole/di-pole surrounds for the back?
3. Any good brands or models that you think are going to fit my system well (for the surrounds or center channel).

whew, I'll let it at that for now...

[gvortex7]

If you're looking for high end stuff then give Definitive Technology and/or Klipsch Reference Series a try.

[Zarathustra]

I guess I should say about $400 for the center channel and $250 for the bookshelf/surrounds is what I'm looking to spend

Not high end like $800 or more. I've been looking at Klipsch Reference series (those 4 speaker centers for $900 are dreamy...but outta my range or need ). I'll go check out Definitive Technology now.

Paradigm Reference Studio CC
Boston Acoustics VR 12
Polk Audio CS400
..are three early center channel contenders I'm liking quite a bit.

[MouseRider]

You might get a timbre difference if you just swap out your center without matching them with your L and R which could affect the overall sound experience from your front channels.

That's something to consider as well.

[gvortex7]

Here is a *****in' center channel speaker, I know because I've heard it in showroom:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1157067061166


And at $299.99 it should be well within your range. I just love the sound of Klipsch.

[gvortex7]

For bookshelf you may want to give this a try:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1157067061370

They're $299.99 for the pair.

And for surround, with good multi-directional sound maybe this:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1157067061098

These are $224.98 a piece, but I believe are well worth it.

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by MouseRider

You might get a timbre difference if you just swap out your center without matching them with your L and R which could affect the overall sound experience from your front channels.

That's something to consider as well.

Very true. Although a lot of receivers allow eq adjustments for this reason, bottom line it's best to get voice-matched speakers.

Edit: If you must get different speakers, also consider speaker impedance. You probably wouldn't want to introduce a less efficient center channel into the mix. Even if your system can handle it, it'll probably sound like crap.

[Zarathustra]

I guess I'll just keep what I have, they work really nice...maybe I'll just add some Fluance back speakers.

[WeApOn]

Again, we are in a similar case. I've been upgrading all my audio products-- and I just finally decided on what to get. You mentioned Polk- All the speakers I bought are from Polk. As you know, we do(or will) share the same subwoofer, so that will help. I'll answer in regards to your questions:

1)Polk CSi3/CSi5(depending on how high quality you want to go). The 3 is geared more for music while the 5 is more for movies and has a much 'deeper' sound. At least that's what I've heard. I ordered the 5 the other day, and I'm waiting to get it in. Once I get it I'll give you a much better opinion on it.

2)I was told that bi-pole/di-pole speakers work best in side, unless you're going 5.1. If I remember clearly-- you want to do 7.1. If you ARE doing 5.1-- getting bi-pole/di-pole should fill in for your sides. But if you want 7.1-- I'd say get bookshelfs.

3) For the SIDE surrounds(I am doing 7.1) I got the FXi3's. This was a longshot for me, because I don't know how I am going to like bi/di-pole speakers. I like being able to localize sound-- but these speakers are meant to be used for ambience. I'll see how I like them(or bi/di) in general. Nevertheless-- these speakers(if you are getting bi/di) were recommended to me many times-- so I'll pass those recommendations along to you.
For bookshelfs I got the RTi6's, but I have yet to decide on my rears. I will probably go with RTi4's.

Again-- I have not heard these myself-- so I can't recommend them to you personally-- but the center/fronts fit your budget almost perfectly I believe.

[Matt X]

Originally Posted by gvortex7

If you're looking for high end stuff then give Definitive Technology and/or Klipsch Reference Series a try.

I second that, I'm looking into those myself........

but having speakers that "match" (esp. tweeter types) is prob. most important....................

[Zarathustra]

Originally Posted by WeApOn

Again, we are in a similar case. I've been upgrading all my audio products-- and I just finally decided on what to get. You mentioned Polk- All the speakers I bought are from Polk. As you know, we do(or will) share the same subwoofer, so that will help. I'll answer in regards to your questions:

1)Polk CSi3/CSi5(depending on how high quality you want to go). The 3 is geared more for music while the 5 is more for movies and has a much 'deeper' sound. At least that's what I've heard. I ordered the 5 the other day, and I'm waiting to get it in. Once I get it I'll give you a much better opinion on it.

2)I was told that bi-pole/di-pole speakers work best in side, unless you're going 5.1. If I remember clearly-- you want to do 7.1. If you ARE doing 5.1-- getting bi-pole/di-pole should fill in for your sides. But if you want 7.1-- I'd say get bookshelfs.

3) For the SIDE surrounds(I am doing 7.1) I got the FXi3's. This was a longshot for me, because I don't know how I am going to like bi/di-pole speakers. I like being able to localize sound-- but these speakers are meant to be used for ambience. I'll see how I like them(or bi/di) in general. Nevertheless-- these speakers(if you are getting bi/di) were recommended to me many times-- so I'll pass those recommendations along to you.
For bookshelfs I got the RTi6's, but I have yet to decide on my rears. I will probably go with RTi4's.

Again-- I have not heard these myself-- so I can't recommend them to you personally-- but the center/fronts fit your budget almost perfectly I believe.

Thank you very much for all the info
For now though it seems that I might just add some Fluance bookshelves in the future and keep everything as is, the system sounds really, really good, near perfect for my uses and I wouldn't want to ruin that because I got anxious/greedy and wanted something bigger. All I do now is crank up the center channel a bit and everything sounds as it should. I think I'll keep it this way for now. I'm still waiting on the sub, should be this week though.

[MouseRider]

Originally Posted by WeApOn

2)I was told that bi-pole/di-pole speakers work best in side, unless you're going 5.1. If I remember clearly-- you want to do 7.1. If you ARE doing 5.1-- getting bi-pole/di-pole should fill in for your sides. But if you want 7.1-- I'd say get bookshelfs.

3) For the SIDE surrounds(I am doing 7.1) I got the FXi3's. This was a longshot for me, because I don't know how I am going to like bi/di-pole speakers. I like being able to localize sound-- but these speakers are meant to be used for ambience. I'll see how I like them(or bi/di) in general. Nevertheless-- these speakers(if you are getting bi/di) were recommended to me many times-- so I'll pass those recommendations along to you.
For bookshelfs I got the RTi6's, but I have yet to decide on my rears. I will probably go with RTi4's.

Again-- I have not heard these myself-- so I can't recommend them to you personally-- but the center/fronts fit your budget almost perfectly I believe.

I am a fan of tripoles, they do give you the best of both worlds in a manner of speaking, providing you with both directionality and spread.

I use the M&K SS-150s which are switchable mono-, di- and tri-pole speakers.

[red_5ive]

Originally Posted by MouseRider

I use the M&K SS-150s which are switchable mono-, di- and tri-pole speakers.

Nice - M&K makes some excellent stuff for HT applications. I listened to the S-150THX line a few of years ago. Normally I can care less for a THX stamp, but I was floored by these speakers... they were phenomenal. The bigger surprise too was that being 4ohm the Denon 5803 they were hooked to drove them fairly easily.

[MouseRider]

Originally Posted by red_5ive

Nice - M&K makes some excellent stuff for HT applications. I listened to the S-150THX line a few of years ago. Normally I can care less for a THX stamp, but I was floored by these speakers... they were phenomenal. The bigger surprise too was that being 4ohm the Denon 5803 they were hooked to drove them fairly easily.

Yes, they are incredible speakers, even today.

My LCRs are S-150P-THX, the self-powered versions of the S-150THX.

Back in the day, THX meant something. These days, not so much anymore, especially after it was sold off.