Best pair of towers for under $500

[progers13]

Originally Posted by Fors*

For proper imaging up front, you'll really want your center to timber match your towers. This usually means getting a center channel from the same company and probably the same line to match the sonic nuances of the fronts. Otherwise, the sound might not blend properly and you'll find your center really under-performing in how it blends with the fronts. I have the CS10, and I find that it does have its limitations.

+1 on Fors' post. Your center will handle about 50% of all sound, and something like 90% of all dialogue. It is highly recommended that you stay with the same line for your fronts and center, and get the beefiest center you can within that line. Fors and I have chatted about this subject many times, and he's told me the same thing. He's just trying to help you get the most out of your system, as well as advising you away from the pitfalls that many of us have fallen into.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

It does lack. I was hoping it would get better after I add a power conditioner and Emotiva 3ch amp

You will always be limited by what your speakers are capable of......the amp can't really help to improve their sound very much, nor the conditioner. This is the only reason I have not gotten an external amp yet.....having reached the point of diminishing returns. With the Polk T90 and CS10 and adding an Emotiva XPA-3 to it, I just won't get my money's worth from it. I have asked this numerous times, and every time most felt that my speakers just wouldn't produce the improved clarity that I should hear by adding the amp. So, I am trying to save my money to make an entire front soundstage and external amp upgrade all at once.

[SammyG]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Doesn't it seem... a little wrong to review the speakers you sell as "budget speakers of the year"? They may very well be awesome, I don't know either way, but it seems like a conflict of interest. Anyone else review them?

Yeah, a little bias going on there, huh.

[aramis109]

Dunno that you really need one with that nice Pio receiver, honestly. You listen to it THAT loud?

Another +1 for matching front soundstage. Takes the guesswork and frustration out of trying to do it manually with EQ.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Dunno that you really need one with that nice Pio receiver, honestly. You listen to it THAT loud?

Another +1 for matching front soundstage. Takes the guesswork and frustration out of trying to do it manually with EQ.

Aramis, if you are referring to me....I have a good notion that the speakers I upgrade to very well will be 6 or 4 ohm speakers...so an amp will more than likely be necessary at that point. And yes, it means I have a lot of saving to do as well.......

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

It does lack. I was hoping it would get better after I add a power conditioner and Emotiva 3ch amp

I have to agree with everyone else here that a power conditioner and amp just aren't going to make the kind of difference you're hoping for with that speaker. It can only can do what it can do. For the very best results you should use 3 identical speakers across your front stage. If you can't accommodate a 3rd tower speaker in the middle as a center (and most of us can't), then you should get a horizontal speaker from within the same line of speakers as your mains. If there's more than one center speaker in that line then it's not a bad idea to go with the bigger one.

[Footloose301]

Originally Posted by aramis109

Dunno that you really need one with that nice Pio receiver, honestly. You listen to it THAT loud?

Another +1 for matching front soundstage. Takes the guesswork and frustration out of trying to do it manually with EQ.

Oh yes. For testing purposes(and excitement) I like to show off my stuff using I am Legend with the Dolby TrueHD track. The beginning scene with the GT500. My receivers volume goes to "100" but the volume does NOT actually increase when you turn it up past "70". Idk why. Maybe for clipping reasons. This is a problem. I do want it louder. I watch most movies around 70-75 on the receivers volume.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

Oh yes. For testing purposes(and excitement) I like to show off my stuff using I am Legend with the Dolby TrueHD track. The beginning scene with the GT500. My receivers volume goes to "100" but the volume does NOT actually increase when you turn it up past "70". Idk why. Maybe for clipping reasons. This is a problem. I do want it louder. I watch most movies around 70-75 on the receivers volume.

There's a setting in your receiver that limits its MAX volume. If that's set on 70, the no matter how loud you turn up the master volume it won't go past 70. Go into the receiver's menu and make sure this is either set as high as it can go or turn it off altogether.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by Steve

There's a setting in your receiver that limits its MAX volume. If that's set on 70, the no matter how loud you turn up the master volume it won't go past 70. Go into the receiver's menu and make sure this is either set as high as it can go or turn it off altogether.

I guess that is a good thing....I would hate for my daughter or son to walk up to the receiver and feel like turning the big knob all around.....

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Fors*

I guess that is a good thing....I would hate for my daughter or son to walk up to the receiver and feel like turning the big knob all around.....

Yeah I'm sure it has its uses, but it was the first thing that popped into my mind when Footloose said the volume won't increase past 70.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Fors*

I guess that is a good thing....I would hate for my daughter or son to walk up to the receiver and feel like turning the big knob all around.....

After my daughter nearly blew her eardrums out playing with the dial on my receiver while I was upstairs, I have since implemented that feature. I also have the volume at a set level when the receiver is turned on- that way if it gets bumped or is way too loud, when it's powered off and then back on it won't blast anyone out.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by aramis109

After my daughter nearly blew her eardrums out playing with the dial on my receiver while I was upstairs, I have since implemented that feature. I also have the volume at a set level when the receiver is turned on- that way if it gets bumped or is way too loud, when it's powered off and then back on it won't blast anyone out.

Smart move.....I should do that as well just in case....

[Footloose301]

No no no. It will go all the way to 100. But turning it past 70 will result in absolutely no increase in loudness, despite showing 80, 90, 95, or 100.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Fors*

Smart move.....I should do that as well just in case....

Honestly, I think she was either using the remote or sat on it and it just cranked up, lol. My wife ran over and turned it off and back on (yikes) before I could get there and it blasted again. Hence the settings I've added- no more worries. I still have the upper end a few db's beyond what I listen to it on it anyway. It's just to protect against damage and for peace of mind.

[Steve]

Originally Posted by Footloose301

No no no. It will go all the way to 100. But turning it past 70 will result in absolutely no increase in loudness, despite showing 80, 90, 95, or 100.

I was just throwing that out for something to check. I've never used it so I'm not 100% sure how it works. If you have it set on 70 for example, I don't know if the receiver's volume display will continue climbing past 70 even though it's not getting any louder or if it will only let the display go up to 70.

[callas01]

Honestly I would upgrade all 3, and personally I would look at the discount PSBs that are on sale everywhere. the T45 would be nice or the T55 would blow away what you have and with the C60 center, you would be in heaven.

Fors, from the Reveiws that I have read, you should be able to use your receiver just fine for 6 ohm speakers, 4 ohm you will need an amp.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by callas01

Honestly I would upgrade all 3, and personally I would look at the discount PSBs that are on sale everywhere. the T45 would be nice or the T55 would blow away what you have and with the C60 center, you would be in heaven.

Fors, from the Reveiws that I have read, you should be able to use your receiver just fine for 6 ohm speakers, 4 ohm you will need an amp.

805 should be able to take 4ohm without much issue. It has a setting for it, though it's only to be used when the whole setup is 4ohm. Otherwise you just use the 6-8ohm setting.

*edit* Whoop, thought you were talking to the OP with the Onkyo 805.

[kingofgrills]

If you can increase the budget a little, I would highly recommend Monitor Audio's BR5 towers. The MSRP is $599 a pair, but you can probably find them cheaper in stores.

They have received fantastic reviews, and they offer a lot of detail and extension, along with great mid range definition and bass.

Here are some reviews:

http://www.monitoraudiousa.com/produ...br/br5/reviews

[sterryo]

Originally Posted by Big Daddy

These tower speakers from Emptek are beautiful and perform marverously. They are $500 a pair and Audioholocs reviewed them and picked them as budget speakers of the year. You can buy them directly from factory in Utah or buy them from Audioholics store. Audioholics does not charge for shipping.

http://www.emptek.com/e5ti.php
http://store.audioholics.com/section...nding-speakers

Footloose,

Since emptec is local to me and i never heard them b4 i set up a demo for this morning. For $500 these are really good sounding speakers, i was impressed i took my 14 yr old daughter with me and she really liked them also. they look very nice in either red burl or black ash. while their i had an opportunity to chat with the owner, he started the company 32 years ago. emptec is a off shoot of rbh and is distributed from the same facility.
bottom-line is that should really enjoy the speakers if you choose to try emptec, btw they have a 30 day trial period if you choose not to keep them.