Need some speaker advice - Blu-ray Forum

cookdiesel · 06-03-2008, 01:31 AM

Long time lurker of this wonderful site and have decided to do some upgrading. I found some great deals on the pieces I have already purchased and I am in the process of putting the final pieces together and thought I should get some real advice on the center channel and the subwoofer.

I have currently purchased:

Onkyo 805
Polk M60's
Polk M40's

Now I need the two biggest parts. I have seen in the different posts about matching the center to the fronts, Polk recommends the CS2, but I see they also have the CSi3 which appears to be decent also, but maybe I need something else.

For the sub I see many different options and suggestions. I don't really want to break the bank on the sub and I was kinda leaning to the JBL sub12, but it appears to me that everyone here likes the BIC Acoustech H100. Is this a good sub for the 200+ range? Is there something better?

Any options and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

JasonR · 06-03-2008, 01:46 AM

I would try and voice match your speakers, so I would say the CS2.

I think you would be happy with either of those subs in the 200 dollar price range. Personally, I would get the BIC.

cookdiesel · 06-03-2008, 03:11 PM

Thanks Jason for the info...I will match the center channel with the CS2, is there a big difference between a front firing sub and a bottom firing sub? or is it just preference?

The room this is going to be in has 20+ foot ceilings and is roughly 20x17.

Any assistance is appreciated.

Thanks.

Beta Man · 06-03-2008, 03:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookdiesel

Thanks Jason for the info...I will match the center channel with the CS2, is there a big difference between a front firing sub and a bottom firing sub? or is it just preference?

The room this is going to be in has 20+ foot ceilings and is roughly 20x17.

Any assistance is appreciated.

Thanks.

They both have their strengths/weaknesses for placement...... but it's pretty universally acceptable, that you can make either configuration work.

P.S.. ... Nice big room you got there.

cookdiesel · 06-03-2008, 05:09 PM

Yea...the room is nice, but the nice folks who built the house didn't run speaker wire in the walls, so now I have to run speaker wire to the rears. Looks like I am going to go with the flat wire to go under the carpet.

So unless anyone has found anything better I will pick up the Polk CS2 and an H100 Acoustech.

and thanks for the assistance in rounding out what I hope to be a nice surround system.

Beta Man · 06-03-2008, 05:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cookdiesel

Yea...the room is nice, but the nice folks who built the house didn't run speaker wire in the walls, so now I have to run speaker wire to the rears.

Yeah.... I have a bone to pick with the people who built my house...... of course they probably died 70 years ago

kingofgrills · 06-03-2008, 09:05 PM

Definitely use the recommended center channel to timbre match your Polks. And if you have $200 to spend on a sub, the BIC Acoustech H100 is probably the best way to go. It's Hsu Research designed and rated down to around 24 Hz I think.

The only other sub in that range I would consider is also Hsu Research designed, and that's Outlaw Audio's LFM-2. It's currently on sale for $199, down from $299. It's a down firing ported sub, but at just 8" the LFM-2's bass extension doesn't reach as far as the H100.

If you can get a Acoustech H100 for just $200, get it while you can. It's pretty much as good as you can get for that price range.

cookdiesel · 06-04-2008, 01:10 AM

Ok guys...I just picked up an H100 for 200 + 30 for shipping. I hope this was at least reasonable.

Now I just need to find a decent deal on the CS2 and some good speaker wire. I think I want to run the flat wires to my rears, and I see in a previous post some suggestions so I will be looking at those for sure.

I want to thank you everyone for their suggestions cause once the wife sees that I went a few hundred over the budget she is going to kill me!

But its all for the movies and how good they sound!

06-03-2008, 01:31 AM	#1
cookdiesel Junior Member Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Orlando	Need some speaker advice Long time lurker of this wonderful site and have decided to do some upgrading. I found some great deals on the pieces I have already purchased and I am in the process of putting the final pieces together and thought I should get some real advice on the center channel and the subwoofer. I have currently purchased: Onkyo 805 Polk M60's Polk M40's Now I need the two biggest parts. I have seen in the different posts about matching the center to the fronts, Polk recommends the CS2, but I see they also have the CSi3 which appears to be decent also, but maybe I need something else. For the sub I see many different options and suggestions. I don't really want to break the bank on the sub and I was kinda leaning to the JBL sub12, but it appears to me that everyone here likes the BIC Acoustech H100. Is this a good sub for the 200+ range? Is there something better? Any options and suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

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06-03-2008, 01:46 AM	#2
JasonR Super Moderator Top contributor Member since:Nov 2007 Trading Score:12	I would try and voice match your speakers, so I would say the CS2. I think you would be happy with either of those subs in the 200 dollar price range. Personally, I would get the BIC.

06-03-2008, 03:11 PM	#3
cookdiesel Junior Member Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Orlando	Thanks Jason for the info...I will match the center channel with the CS2, is there a big difference between a front firing sub and a bottom firing sub? or is it just preference? The room this is going to be in has 20+ foot ceilings and is roughly 20x17. Any assistance is appreciated. Thanks.

06-03-2008, 05:09 PM	#5
cookdiesel Junior Member Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Orlando	Yea...the room is nice, but the nice folks who built the house didn't run speaker wire in the walls, so now I have to run speaker wire to the rears. Looks like I am going to go with the flat wire to go under the carpet. So unless anyone has found anything better I will pick up the Polk CS2 and an H100 Acoustech. and thanks for the assistance in rounding out what I hope to be a nice surround system.

06-03-2008, 09:05 PM	#7
kingofgrills Blu-ray Guru Top ranked HT gallery Member since:Dec 2007 Location:PDX Home Theater Gallery:31 4K collection:5 Blu-ray collection:81 Trading Score:31	Definitely use the recommended center channel to timbre match your Polks. And if you have $200 to spend on a sub, the BIC Acoustech H100 is probably the best way to go. It's Hsu Research designed and rated down to around 24 Hz I think. The only other sub in that range I would consider is also Hsu Research designed, and that's Outlaw Audio's LFM-2. It's currently on sale for $199, down from $299. It's a down firing ported sub, but at just 8" the LFM-2's bass extension doesn't reach as far as the H100. If you can get a Acoustech H100 for just $200, get it while you can. It's pretty much as good as you can get for that price range.

06-04-2008, 01:10 AM	#8
cookdiesel Junior Member Member since:Jun 2008 Location:Orlando	Ok guys...I just picked up an H100 for 200 + 30 for shipping. I hope this was at least reasonable. Now I just need to find a decent deal on the CS2 and some good speaker wire. I think I want to run the flat wires to my rears, and I see in a previous post some suggestions so I will be looking at those for sure. I want to thank you everyone for their suggestions cause once the wife sees that I went a few hundred over the budget she is going to kill me! But its all for the movies and how good they sound!

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