What's a good set-up for around $1000?

[Dieselboy]

OK, I already have an Elemental Designs A3-300 sub, so the sub is not necessary in the price consideration. I also have a Pioneer Elite -21 reciever which I will most likely only use 5 of the avaliable 7 channels because of room design so I'll probably end up bi-amping the front two monitors. I want to get floorstanding towers and not bookshelves for these as well. I'd also like to use some bi-pole rear surrounds too. The room is 13L x 16W x 7.5H in my basement and is a dedicated HT room (movies only, no music listening). If my budget is unrealistic then please provide price estimates of your recommendations please.

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

PSB Image T45 (fronts), C40 (center), Alpha B1 (surrounds)

Total = 1130

$130 over budget but well worth it!!

Check out saturday audio and dmc electronics for pricing

[ZIPPO]

These all get good reviews & are on sale.
L & R: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290017
$109 each with code EMCMMMP33
three 5.25" mid/woofers plus a 1" tweeter

or

L & R: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290015
$169 each with code EMCMMMV33
four 6.5" mid/woofers plus a 1" tweeter

CENTER: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290024
$129
two 6.5" mid/woofers plus a 1" tweeter

& these for your REARS: http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/p...s/recent/fxi3/
one 5.25" mid/woofer plus two 1" tweeters

You'll have to ask someone over at the Polk speaker thread how to order these: https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=98099




OR

this for L & R: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108P362...62.html?tp=185


this for CENTER: http://www.crutchfield.com/p_108PC35...le.html?tp=189

& use bi-polar rears from a different company.

[ZIPPO]

Originally Posted by PSB_Paradigm_HSU

PSB Image T45 (fronts), C40 (center), Alpha B1 (surrounds)

Total = 1130

$130 over budget but well worth it!!

Check out saturday audio and dmc electronics for pricing

NICE FIND!
I think he wants bi-pole rears.

If you can stretch your budget more & get the PSB bi-pole rears(PSB S-50), I'd say go with PSB_Paradigm_HSU's recommendation.

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

Originally Posted by ZIPPO

NICE FIND!
I think he wants bi-pole rears.

If you can stretch your budget more & get the PSB bi-pole rears(PSB S-50), I'd say go with PSB_Paradigm_HSU's recommendation.

Thanks!

I saw he wanted bipoles but considering his budget, the Alpha B1's will be great for surround duty as well. Of course the S50s are better for surrounds but is it worth stretching a budget by around $500?? in my opinion, no. But hey if you can, go for it!

[callas01]

Energy RC-30s $600/pr
Energy RC-Mini $275
Energy Bi-pole speakers $158


Total setup $1033


Energy and PSB are similar sounding. Personally I really like both.

[Dieselboy]

First off, thanks for the recommendation guys! A couple questions on the current recommendations so far:

Did I read correctly that the PSB's are a 4 ohm design? I don't want to deal with that high of impedance preferably, sorry I should've listed that earlier.

Also, do the left and right monitor Energy speakers have two sets of binding posts so I'd be able to bi-amp them? I couldn't find a spec. for that on them.

The Polk stuff seems good for the price. The monitor 70's seem like a better suite to my needs I think.

I should mention that my rear surrounds will most likely be placed in or very near the corners of the room, I've noticed that some bi-poles are not very well suited to corner placement (like the energy ones), anyone know which bi-poles are a better design for this location in a room? Look at my gallery pic's to the left if you need to see- =)

Keep the recommendations coming and any other thoughts too!

[PSB_Paradigm_HSU]

Originally Posted by Dieselboy

First off, thanks for the recommendation guys! A couple questions on the current recommendations so far:

Did I read correctly that the PSB's are a 4 ohm design? I don't want to deal with that high of impedance preferably, sorry I should've listed that earlier.

Also, do the left and right monitor Energy speakers have two sets of binding posts so I'd be able to bi-amp them? I couldn't find a spec. for that on them.

The Polk stuff seems good for the price. The monitor 70's seem like a better suite to my needs I think.

I should mention that my rear surrounds will most likely be placed in or very near the corners of the room, I've noticed that some bi-poles are not very well suited to corner placement (like the energy ones), anyone know which bi-poles are a better design for this location in a room? Look at my gallery pic's to the left if you need to see- =)

Keep the recommendations coming and any other thoughts too!

The Images are very efficient and easy to drive (4-6ohms). Just about any receiver will run them easily. I had a pair of Image B25 (AMAZING bookshelves) with the same impedance paired with an onkyo 606 and no problems whatsoever.

[aramis109]

I don't think you're going to get good sound out of bipolar surrounds in those locations. I'd probably keep those speakers and just upgrade your fronts unless you're really unhappy with them. You could use the extra cash to go bigger and better that way, then upgrade them later if you wanted.

*edit* I'd also try angling the mounts down a little bit more to get a more encompassing soundfield.

[callas01]

yes the Energys have 2 sets of binding posts for bi-wire or bi-amping.

The PSBs I thought were 6 ohm nominal, 4 ohm minimum.

You don't have to have the same rears as fronts.


Also, the Polks will be outclassed by both the Energys and PSBs.

[Dieselboy]

I have played with moving the angle down on the rears before, but it seemed to define where the sound was coming from too much for me, whereas when I fire them more 'over my head', it seems to disguise and blend the rear sound more. Which is why I was leaning towards going with a bi-pole rear speaker design. Is there no bi-pole type speakers that are designed to go in a corner?

[callas01]

Im not 100% sure, but most of the bi-pole speakers that I have seen have flat backs and get wall mounted. It seems you are looking for a diamond shaped speaker to go in the corner, personally I haven't seen anything like that.

[aramis109]

Originally Posted by Dieselboy

I have played with moving the angle down on the rears before, but it seemed to define where the sound was coming from too much for me, whereas when I fire them more 'over my head', it seems to disguise and blend the rear sound more. Which is why I was leaning towards going with a bi-pole rear speaker design. Is there no bi-pole type speakers that are designed to go in a corner?

Then definitely leave them there. It just "looked" high to me. I don't know of any corner bipoles- they're mostly meant to lie flat on the wall and fire out to the sides at an approximate 45 degree angle. You'd potentially lose some sound down that hallway and not achieve the proper dispersal effect.

[ZIPPO]

The Paradigm Monitor ADP-190($500/pr) would work in corner placement according to the manual.

http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/...1-4-4.paradigm


manual: http://www.paradigm.com/en/pdf/user_...ual_adp190.pdf

[blindcat87]

I think that Ascend CMT-340SEs across the front and their smallest, sealed model, the HTM-200 SE, for surrounds would fit your budget with their package deals. The sealed surrounds would do very well in the corners I think, and the CMT-340 SE and the center bersion are all biampable. I used the 340s with the larger CBM-170s as surrounds for some time before moving up to their Sierra 1s along the front with the 340 SEs moved to the rear for surround. This is serious overkill, but I am into surround music as well as HT.

They offer great bang for the buck, accuracy is their main focus which was a big deal for me. Anyway, if you want to check them out, their site is:
www.ascendacoustics.com

Chris

[househead]

Do you like the eD sub? I think they're a decent company so why not give take a look at their stuff?

With their package builder you can get this 5.0 set. There's plenty of reviews out there to check out. I haven't heard them personally but hear they sound very good for the $.

$718.25

A6-6T6 Towers
A6-6T6 Center
A3-5TC Bookshelf (or scrap that and get something else)

Or heck even A6-5T5 for surrounds (more $)

[Dieselboy]

Would a di-pole design be any better for my situation or should I just give up on the whole bi/di pole thing? I also ran a wire through the wall when I built the room for a 6th channel, it's directly above the seating if you look at my gallery photos, would I be better off utilizing one bi pole here since it's a flat suface and use regular style speakers for the other corner surrounds? Remember to consider that if I do this then I'll loose my ability to bi-amp the front L/R monitors too in the process!

[Big Daddy]

Originally Posted by Dieselboy

Would a di-pole design be any better for my situation or should I just give up on the whole bi/di pole thing? I also ran a wire through the wall when I built the room for a 6th channel, it's directly above the seating if you look at my gallery photos, would I be better off utilizing one bi pole here since it's a flat suface and use regular style speakers for the other corner surrounds? Remember to consider that if I do this then I'll loose my ability to bi-amp the front L/R monitors too in the process!

No, bipoles are more flexible when it comes to placement. Dipoles have to be installed on your side so that you are sitting in their null spot. In your situation, install the bipoles either on the rear wall or diagonally against both rear walls at a 45 degree angle. Give them some breathing room on both sides.

It may be helpful to read A Guide to Bipolar, Dipolar, & Direct Surround Speakers.

[ZedsDead]

Fronts: http://www.htd.com/cabinet-speakers/...Tower-Speakers $399 a pair

Rears: http://www.axiomaudio.com/qs4.html $428 (These are what they call quad-polar speakers)

Center: http://www.htd.com/cabinet-speakers/...hannel-Speaker $129

Comes in just under a grand.

[househead]

av123 ELT package.

$699 cherry

$799 rosewood

delivered



http://www.av123.com//index.php?page...mart&Itemid=37