Best floorstanding speakers according to redditors
We found 812 Reddit comments discussing the best floorstanding speakers. We ranked the 164 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 812 Reddit comments discussing the best floorstanding speakers. We ranked the 164 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Getting close to wrapping up the closest thing to my dream setup I've ever had. Moved into a new house, got my collection out of boxes in the basement, where they'd been for the previous 10 years, and and got a decent system put together.
It's not perfect by any means. The speaker placement is far from ideal, but I need to keep them tucked in like this until my toddler is old enough to not want to knock them over. She's good about leaving my stuff alone, but better safe than sorry. Eventually I might put them along the other wall, facing out into the room, and further from the wall. When things aren't out in the open, she's much less likely to want to mess with them.
We don't have curtains up yet in the new house, which explains the art board pieces in front of the Expedit cubes. I don't want sun to fade the spines. It has the added benefit of keeping my two year old out of my records. I might keep them up on the lower sections until she's older. The wooden boxes hold 7 inches, and I'm planning to paint them black to match the shelves.
I just got a pair of bargain BIC Venturi DV84 speakers based on a tip from r/vinyl and research online. I got the Expedit shelving I'd been envying for years. And I finally got my collection out of inconvenient storage in the basement and into a place I could actually pull something out easily and spin it.
The only expensive thing in the whole system is the turntable, a Pro-Ject Perspective. I saved up and bought it when I was single, but the rest of my audio budget ended up on my wife's finger… I bought it at a local audiophile shop that had it on sale as a floor model, complete with Grado Gold cartridge. Planning to get a Speedbox for it so that I don't have to swap motors to play 45s. It sounds really good, but it's so much more finicky than my old Technics. Just takes some getting used to.
Luckily, shortly after that, I happened upon a Soundcraftsmen amp and pre-amp at a thrift store, and I'm really happy with how it sounds. Good old made-in-the-USA. I'm not really sure how to optimally set the EQ, need to read up on that. I am just keeping it basically flat for now.
The headphone tube amp is a Belari VP-130. I read very good reviews of it online, which often said it was a bargain for the price. I use an old pair of AKG K26P headphones, which have served me well for the last 6 years of daily use at work and home.
The lamp above the turntable is a cool Bauhaus style lamp that my dad found at a yard sale years ago. He was going to give it to Goodwill until I told him that was crazy, and he was happy to donate it to my cause. Thanks Dad!
I still have to do some fine tuning on the turntable before it's setup properly. It got banged around in the box when I moved it, apparently.
Also included a few snapshots of parts of my collection (if you click on them to enlarge, you might be able to pick out a few titles). I'll post some high points in the collection soon.
Thanks for looking!
EDIT: Thanks everybody!
The main issue most have is that there is a misconception that a decent home theater setup has to cost a lot of money. Most also don't realize how bad many of these soundbars actually sound (the comparison to tv speakers doesn't help haha, those are a really bad frame of reference).
For example, the following speakers are really really good for the money, there are also bookshelf versions that are even cheaper but wont have as full a sound.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
You can grab two of these and a simple amp or receiver and have some really good sound. And then if you want more, you can grab the center, rears, and sub for a full system at a later date.
Nothing wrong with piecemealing together a system over time.
Do they have a 4k TV? Or even plan on upgrading to one? If so, that Bose system does not support HDCP 2.2 and they will be unable to play UHD sources. I would also avoid Polk if you can. There're better speakers out there for similar price, like these Fluance floor standers or these Klipsch ones.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4 x2
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs530bt/denon-avr-s530bt-5.2-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html
$350 for the package. The new receiver gives you proper 5.1 output and 4K video pass-through. Your current unit can only run stereo and has no sub out. You can add the matching centre channel for another $100, and the same again for the matching bookshelf speakers to use as surrounds.
I'm going to give you answers that you didn't come here for. Get ready.
So your apartment says no subwoofer? Get a pair of tower speakers if you can. They'll have plenty of bass. I have a couple pairs that I use without subwoofers anyways. I'm going to take you slightly over budget, but bear with me. These guys here have those three woofers on the front, but take a peek at the bottom. They have an 8" woofer pointing down, to act as a sub but without being a sub.
Get an SMSL amp (the sa36a will probably work, but I'd go for the sa50 just to be safe) and you're at like $560.
---------------------------
But poly I want bookshelves, not towers. I can't fit towers in my room/apartment/life.
Alright bookshelves it is. Here's another answer that you don't want to hear. None in that price range are going to have a resounding amount of bass. Yeah, they'll have enough, but they won't reach way down. There is, however, a way around that, and it comes in thr form of building your own. Those ones will have bass, be bookshelf sized, and make you happy. If you decide to go DIY, head over to r/diyaudio and ask around a bit more for some advice and get some more specifics. DIY can save tons of money for you.
-----------------------------
But poly I can't build anything!
Fair enough. That is pretty common. I'd take a look around at the sales going on currently. Klipsch and Elac have great sales, and you'll be able to pick something amazing up for an amazing price. And if you want something super classy and cool, these fancy guys should do the trick.
Oh, and for a 2.0 system, whichever one you get, an smsl sa50 would work. Plenty of power and it has RCA inputs, so you can plug it in to something else. I've got one with a RCA to 3.5mm connected to an echo dot, and it's great.
I hope some of this helps! Let me know if you have any questions.
Edit: fixed tower speakers link
SCUMBAG AFFILIATE LINK WARNING
---------
Here are the Amazon links with no fuckery
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Bookshelf-Speakers-Black/dp/B07B4Q5587
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Center-Speaker-Black/dp/B07B4VCT99/
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Floorstanding-Speaker-Black/dp/B07B4V37VV
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-SUB3010-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B07B4WM5H1
-----------
Also, they are not on sale... they are on 'sale'. Normal discount.
Mods - Check the user's post history... all links to affiliate sites.
Hello, fellow Canadian!
DO NOT BUY THIS SYSTEM. You can get a MUCH better system for $25.49 more.
Check this out:
ELAC F5 Towers - $839.98
ELAC B4 Surrounds - $269.99
ELAC C5 Center - $319.99
BIC F12 Subwoofer - $295.53 (incl. shipping)
Sub-Total: $1725.49
I would recommend just getting ELAC B5s or B6s for the front speakers and you can save a couple hundred dollars more (which I might put towards a better subwoofer or a second subwoofer).
Sorry I wrote all that without directly addressing your question, but that Polk package is bad value (even though it's on sale) and the included subwoofer is a pile of steaming shyte.
So, for pairing speakers with a receiver, pretty much anything works. Denon, Marantz, and Yamaha are the most recommended brands here.
Gibby's Electronics sells the Denon X1300 for $399.99 (b-stock) but they're out of stock. They also have the S710W for $399.99 (b-stock, I don't get the pricing), which is probably your best option unless you're willing to wait for b-stock to come in for the X1300.
SVS PB2000 sub -$800
Marantz SR5009 $420
Infinity primus center $200
Infinity primus towers $300 for the pair
Infinity primus bookshelfs $190 for a pair add another pair for 7.1
add another big subwoofer later for more oompf. the primus series represents pretty good value and they will play quite impactfully
then figure in another grand for a projector and screen
Someone in r/Audiophile asked me to give my impressions of the Mac, so here's the overview I gave. . .
Bass: By far the most immediately noticeable difference. The notes that fell into the lower register were thicker when coming through the Mac. I'd call it fuller, but that often comes with the connotation that it was louder or became more overwhelming, which was not the case here.
Imaging: Whereas before I could pick a general area for a particular sound's "source" -- center, off center, at the speakers, just inside/outside the speakers -- it had now become a far more distinct imaging (e.g., the drums sound like they are right there, the piano is a few inches above that). The one negative point I found however, when listening to Portishead's Roseland NYC Live album on the Thorens was that the audience applause fell much further into the background. Perhaps that is a more accurate reproduction, but I missed it sounding like I was in the middle of the crowd.
Mids-Highs: Where I really took note of this was while listening to Queen's A Night at the Opera. Freddie Mercury's voice was so so much more present. As I cycled through a few other songs with power vocalists on them the experience with Queen held very true across them all. High notes were also very tight.
Range: This took a little more to notice, but once I did, I was in love. It seems that my Marantz' internal amp had been cutting off the extra highs, and the extra lows. I was hearing things higher in the upper register, and lower in the lower register -- and to no insignificant degree -- than I had ever before. It wasn't like hearing the bass note extend out a hair lower, I felt like I had gained an entire new frequency band on both ends.
Tone: Here's where I'm a little mixed, and it's something that I never thought I'd be mixed about. The music reproduction was surreal in its accuracy, which is what I always imagined to be what I wanted. Even though the MC250 was tuned to be a more warm tube-like solid state amp, I began to understand what people mean by MacIntosh being almost sterile. I only got the sense of this a few times, but it was there, and was enough to make my ear to ear grin, when considering the other benefits, slip ever so slightly. However, with this sterile accuracy, what I lost in warmth and that certain je ne sais quoi, I was able to gain through hearing absolutely every damn thing that was happening when they recorded whatever track I was listening to. The prime example of this came from a run through of Dave Brubeck's "Take Five" (If you haven't heard it, stop reading and go listen. . . now). Not only could you hear the saxophonist's voice rushing through his instrument (something which I could hear before with the Marantz), you very literally could hear him place his lips on the reed, and when his mouth would release from it, just before taking a breath. I half expected to be able to discern his heartbeat. Whatever you wanted to hear on the track, it was there, and easily isolated by your ears. Listening to old favorites quickly became a game of listening for things I didn't hear before, then zeroing in on it to find out what it was.
Overall: Holy SHIT!
TL/DR: With a Mac solid state, you lose a bit of the warmth and je ne sais quoi that comes with a great tube amp, but in exchange everything is fuller/tighter, and its accuracy would let you hear if a fly shits in the recording studio and enjoy it in its full sonic brilliance.
Here's an overview of the setup I used:
Stereo Rig
Analog Source
Digital Source
Your budget is pretty small to get a receiver AND a full 5.1 set up. If you care about your audio, which it looks like you do after ditching the sound bar. I would suggest starting off with a 2.1 set up and adding the center, and surround speakers later when you have more money.
These are even on sale right now to make it even easier: https://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/
Onkyo TX-NR676 - $339.00.
Polk T30 center channel - $89.99
Polk PSW10 10" subwoofer - $99.99
Polk T50 towers for the front speakers - $89.99 x2 = $179.98
Polk T15 Bookshelf speakers for the rear surrounds - $59.00 x2 = $118.00
Total: $824.98. Throw in ~$70 for sales tax and another $30-40 for audio cable and $5 for an HDMI cord. You can save $60 by switching the front towers for T15s.
The Onkyo can be expanded to 5.1.2 for Atmos, and supports DTS:X as well. 4K passthrough and it supports every audio format up through Atmos. It's a fantastic AVR, especially at that price.
EDIT: fixed link for T50 towers.
https://www.amazon.com/Uni-fi-Floorstanding-Speaker-Black-Single/dp/B01CRYWVLM
What is everything in your current setup? What is your room size LxWxH? Is your budget $1600? Also see r/audiophile for over $1k speakers.
Reference Premiere are better than Reference.
Skip the up firing reflecting Atmos, especially if only going 2.0 or 2.1 for awhile. Atoms is best as direct firing ceiling speakers.
The previous generation Reference Premier are on sale since the newest version just came out. Consider getting the matching center while it is on sale and before it goes out of stock.
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-260F $400 each
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F $480 each.
Will you be getting a subwoofer?
Have you considered bookshelf speakers and two subwoofers?
Speaker Recs: AverageJoe's Tower List, AverageJoe's Bookshelf List, r/HTBuyingGuides Speaker Recs
ELAC on sale: Debut 2.0 F6.2 $340 each.
Monitor Audio
DIY: diysoundgroup.com
Check out Internet Manufacturer Direct for a good bang for the buck with 30 day in home trials.
Axiom Audio M50, M60 or M80. $1290+ pair, free shipping baked into price, $60 returns.
HTD.com Level Three $800 pair + $25 shipping and free returns on your first order.
Chane A Series towers $880 pair + $25 shipping. Flat planar tweeters.
CMT-340 $500 pair + $40 shipping with the TP24 tower like bases. Neutral sound with a flat frequency response. Best budget audiophile and home theater speakers I have found and own for under $800. Great highs, mids and lows. Nothing missing, nothing overly accentuated.
Music only, turntable primary, pretty large room, no size restrictions, rock/jass/blues and $450 max budget.
Here is what I would consider.
Amp choice - Pick one
Speakers - Pick one option
Sub (if you want one..don't think you need one straight away) - Dayton Sub-1000 $110 currently on sale.
If you don't go with the sub and AVR you should only need a set of RCA cables for the TT and some speaker wire to get going. If you go with the AVR you'll want a sub cable for the Dayton.
Just don't buy Pyle. They are such a shit brand. Get a self powered set of Behringer's if you must or buy used. That is a pretty unreasonably low budget for /r/audiophile or /r/soundsystem for that matter.
Try this instead. Behringer A500 and two of these Bic Towers.. They may not get as loud as the garbage pyles but if you treat them nicely they will sound better. Ideally for a LARGE room intended for a 50+ person party you want a budget nearer to $1500 to do it right.
Nooo, he should have bought the way better BIC RTRs
Denon S710W ($250), it handles HDR, has Audyssey Bronze, and ARC (the S510BT doesn't have those, so get that if you don't care).
Pioneer FS52 ($90x2, if you have Prime)
BIC Venturi 10" ($170).
If you have a subwoofer, I personally don't think towers are worth it, besides aesthetics. Amazon sells the bookshelf version of those towers for half the price ($90 for the pair). So you could go that way to save money, or get better bookshelves and/or a better sub.
Or, if you don't care about future expandability, you can get a real nice pair of powered monitors with a sub out, bypassing the need for a receiver. Such as the new Kanto YU6 for $390 (available in many colors) + either the BIC F12 ($215) or the Dayton 15" ($200).
Your case sounds designed for the NAD D3020V2. It's a two channel integrated amp, musical and warm sounding (the "NAD" sound) . Has optical input so you can connect your tv, a phono section so you can connect your turntable and a subwoofer output for if you decide to go 2.1 later.
As for speakers,
Comfortably in budget floorstanders, the Pioneers you already posted. $260
Arguably better bookshelves the Elac B6.2's on sale for $238, well under budget.
Over budget but very very pretty and nice sounding. The Wharfedale Dentons for $499
​
That all said, the advice to spend most of your money on speakers makes plenty of sense if you're never going to upgrade anything. Personally, I've spent a bit more on nice amplification so that I know I have what I need and that it will be adequate for any speakers I end up picking up. Also that rule is more for people spending $1000 on an amp and $3000 on a set of speakers. It doesn't translate as well to budget systems since going from $50 to $300 is like...hot garbage to very very good.
Klipsch RF-82 II https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00TE8OTRO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Ms3FDb12CF02E
Emotiva T0 https://emotiva.com/collections/loudspeakers/products/airmotiv-t0-pair
Pioneer SP-FS52 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Xq3FDbSYDV129
I would go with the Klipsch
i dont think this is really a budget audiophile question... thats a fairly complex setup youre looking for.
if you havent already, you should try posting in these too.
r/audiophile/
r/hometheater/
the route i would go is to have a dedicated media PC, where all the music you want to listen to is housed or streamed from or whatever. then have 2 receivers connected to that PC through your home network. 1 for downstairs, 1 for upstairs.
a lot of receivers these days have apps to control them so you should be able to control either receiver from anywhere the wifi works. multi zone receivers could be used to send sound directly to different rooms through speaker wire, or use the preouts, and then run rca cables to amps in each room (or hidden away somewhere) to power the speakers there.
playing 2 songs/streams from the 1 computer just means you need 2 soundcards and 2 media players running, with each sending to the different soundcard. possibly could use 2 outputs on 1 soundcard, but not sure. i have 1 dac that is running off optical from the motherboard then have another small headphone amp that is just a USB one. i do it this way so that i can send music through the optical to the dac, then to an amp, then to sub and desktop speakers. i have my winamp set to output to the optical line. then i can set the computers default sound to the USB soundcard that my headphones are plugged into. that way i can play games or whatever and have that in my headphones while music plays over the desktop speakers in the background. and there is a free app you can download that controls winamp through your phone/tablet too, so you can control it without having to be at the computer or pull winamp up. called aWaRemote. you install it as a server on the pc, then as app on whatever other device. super simple. so if you had 2 versions of winamp running you could output 1 to downstairs, 1 to upstairs, then control both completely individually from your phone or a tablet anywhere in the house. or outside if the wifi reaches.
and if youre looking for a great set of speakers that are affordable, check out the Andrew Jones Pioneers. I have several pairs of these and have given them as gifts. theyre really great for the price. sound great, easy to power and dont cost much. https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_2
Towers
AND
Center channel
I'd go with the used receiver and some Good speakers, add a sub later.........
Pioneer SP-FS52
https://www.frys.com/product/7327244?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B008NCD2S4/
​
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0oVljZGOJUE
9:06 Mark
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcEOUF7Sodo
Look at KEF. Amazing value for money, in your price range, often heavily discounted for older (but totally awesome models). Q series are very strong.
Here is the first offer I found https://www.kefdirect.com/specials/specials/q900-floorstanding-loudspeaker.html
edit: My advice stands but that link was pricing the speakers per unit!! This is more the price I'd expect (from UK reseller though) http://www.superfi.co.uk/p-3277-kef-q500-speakers-pair.aspx
I'm sure similar US deals exist. Here they are on Amazon but you probably want to listen to them and crank them up first so you know what to expect when you get them home https://www.amazon.com/KEF-Q500-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker-Single/dp/B00CE3LGAO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498030917&sr=8-1&keywords=KEF+Q500
The F6.2 is also on sale...
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-F6-2-Debut-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B07B4V37VV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1523321443&sr=8-1&keywords=elac+f6.2
Speakers:
(2) BIC Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker
(1) BIC Acoustech PL-28II Center Speaker
Subwoofer is still on it's way in the mail but it's a BIC PL-200 Acoustech Platinum Series Subwoofer
Turntable:
Technics SL 1210 mk5
Shure m97xE Audiophile Cartridge
Receiver:
Pioneer Elite 7.1 Receiver (Sorry can't find link)
For those wondering the record is Flume - Flume (debut)
That's about as good as it gets in that price range for a 5.1 system. Were this me I'd prefer to spend that money on a pair of Infinity Primus towers: http://smile.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1457128300&sr=8-3&keywords=infinity+primus
Then add to the set as my budget allows until it's a full 5.1 system. It will only be a 2.0 system to start but when you finish you'll have a much better system.
I'm a noobie. The only speaker system I've had before is a [Logitech z623 Computer speakers] (https://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/speaker-system-z623?crid=47) which was satisfactory until the subwoofer started rattling at high volumes and one of the speakers stopped working. I want to get a full set-up so I've been learning everything I can. I want a good set up for house parties, generally playing rap and electronic music. My budget is $250-500.
Willing to buy used, just always paranoid I'll buy something in bad shape.
These are the parts that I am currently contemplating buying:
Speakers -- I can't decide between tower or bookshelf. I have read that bookshelf speakers can be a better bang for your buck, so I would love some suggestions. Speakers are suppose to be the most important part of the set up so I've tried to pick out decent options, but very willing to go cheap if there are any good deals.
Bookshelf option:
Craigslist for Bookshelf
Tower options:
or the cheaper version
or dirt cheap option
Craiglist for Towers
Subwoofer:
This product seemed to be at a great price for its quality, so for now I think this is what I'm gonna get but very open to suggestions.
Craigslist for Subwoofers
Still doing research on DAC's, Amps and Receivers, probably just gonna go with a receiver for simplicity's sake.
EDIT: Wait can I just get these JBL LSR305 Professional Studio Monitor with the built in amps and then just have to buy a DAC? or would I still need a receiver if I wanted to add a subwoofer?
Well, I did the best I could. I ruled out bookshelves since you said you had the room since bookshelves in this price range don't do so well with "loud" without causing distortion and hearing damage.
So, here are some options. Get one thing out of each section. Try to spend as much as you can on the speakers.
Speakers
BIC America Venturi DV64 x2 (~$250)
Infinity Primus P363 x2 (~$350)
PSB Alpha T1 (~$400)
Integrated Amplifier
SMSL SA50 (~$75)
Emotiva mini-X a-100 (~$190)
The following aren't necessary to get things working but you should add them when you get the cash.
DAC
schiit modi 2 (~$100)
This connects your computer to the amplifier. Without this, you just use a male 3.5mm to rca stereo cable.
Subwoofer
BIC America F12 (~$190)
You connect the amp's outputs to the speaker inputs on the sub and then connect the speakers to the sub's speaker outputs.
If I were you I would start out with the PSB speakers and emotiva amp (if you can afford the ~$600) then add the sub when you get more money. The DAC will sound better than your computer's sound card and reduce static and interference from your computer.
I am enjoying my BIC DV64 towers, they meet your price and requirements for no base.
I did a side-by-side comparison with the BICs and my Pioneer FS52 towers that I have upstairs, I preferred the BICs to them. After running Audyssey in the room the BICs really came alive.
$1000 isn't much to work with, but you can still get a decent setup.
Receiver: Denon 530
Towers: Bic PL-89
Matching center
Sub
Total comes to $1069, but I don't think you will have any complaints about this setup.
If you really want to go cheap, get some Polk Monitor 70s which I routinely see on sale for $170-180, a matching center from Crutchfield's scratch and dent for about $70 with the same sub and receiver.
Whatever you do, have some patience and just wait until Black Friday. Last year Best Buy had Polk and Klipsch stuff on sale for 50% off. You might be able to snag some Polk Signature S55s or Klipsch Reference series for cheap.
How bout Bic?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B001VIXH7I/
Hey /u/ZeosPantera,
I first wanted to say you are the fucking man. This subreddit has been so incredibly helpful in figuring out my audio system. Additionally, I was wondering if you could provide your expertise for me.
My fraternity is currently getting our house back in a few weeks, and we have money to spend on home improvement (in this case, an audio system for the large common room). I'm looking for a system that can double as both a home theater sound system as well as speakers for a large, loud party. I assembled a list of components and was hoping you can recommend any changes. This is the list so far:
Receiver - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B7X2OV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Center - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y3E/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Front speakers (tower) - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002ISZEV2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_7?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Rear speakers - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00CRMKJTQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_6?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1WPEQCN6WJKZG
Subwoofer - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y5M/ref=ox_sc_act_title_8?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
These are the ones you listed as being loud enough to play music on as well. Will these products fit the bill for my needs (home theater, large frat party)? Also, these extras to set up the system:
Banana plugs - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0090CVJZ4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
RCA cable - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003FVX9FO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A1DCPNQKKEISZB
Copper wire - http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00APEG9MO/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Is there anything I'm missing in order to set up the system? Thank you so much!!
If you live in a place where you could mount a screen, or have a room setup with enough space to use a stand, and you truly want to get the theater experience, you can get a solid projector-based setup for $1500.
BenQ W1070 - $700
16:9 100' retractable screen - $80
Assume ~$70 for a blu ray player, if you don't want to just get an HDMI cable and adapter and use your laptop for now, and that leaves $650 for audio, which can certainly get you a very strong two-channel system. Especially if you live in an area with a healthy craigslist trade. Then you can work your way up to 5.1 over time if you feel the need to.
Keep an eye out on craigslist for Infinity Primus P363 tower speakers (and for upgrading to 5.1, other Infinity Primus speakers as well). The Primus line has just gone out of production, but they're great speakers for their price, and the 363 towers could regularly be had for $200 a pair on sale at Amazon or Fry's, so they got around quite a bit and pop up pretty regularly secondhand.
In general soundbars and other home-theater-in-a-box setups are a good thing to avoid if you can afford to step up a notch, and I think you could with your budget, especially your budget + some patience for sales or your budget + craigslist.
I can't say I'm an a/v guru, but this is the core of my setup and I typically get "I would never leave my couch..." reactions when folks come over, haha.
You'll probably find more advice over in /r/hometheater, too.
always been a fan of infinity speakers myself, having an old set of studio monitors from the 90's for my stereo setup.
i have a full set of the Primus line, and they're affordable with a good sound (and i think they look better than the pioneer speakers). also, amazon has them on crazy discount right now, though you can usually pick them up for $200/ea.
some people don't like that infinity is now owned by harmon and is a shadow of what it once was, but these speakers have served me well until i have the funds to throw $3000 on a set of something better.
There are 2 models! The one you saw are the "BS21", usually found at $99. Those are the "BS41", larger and more powerful, usually found at $200 (and usually out of stock).
There are also from the same series the floor standing speakers FS51.
Edit: details.
https://camelcamelcamel.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/product/B00631YX62?active=price_amazon&context=top_drops
EDIT: Title should read Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II. Please excuse the title type-o.
These general consensus is these are going to be a better bang for your buck.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
https://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-S510BT-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B00YAO43YG/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484676180&sr=1-1&keywords=denon+receiver
As far as sub goes. These cheaper reccomended are:
https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1000-10-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B0063NU3AA/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484676249&sr=1-1&keywords=dayton+audio+sub-1000
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484676267&sr=1-1&keywords=bic+america+f12
or my personal favorite:
https://www.outlawaudio.com/products/m8.html
There are other brand like Chane and HSU that get great reviews as well for speaker/subs.
Such a list is a bit of a waste of time. The number of combinations is far too great at every price point. It may be more productive to pick a price point and get recommendations.
I've got more than a few systems under my belt, having bought and sold more equipment than most people will ever hear. I am down to 3 (maybe 4) systems at the moment. If I were to recommend a "beginner" or entry level system, it would be one that gives bang for the buck, can be improved as funds allow, and that meets your current needs. That being said, I think it would be very hard to beat a NAD D3020 as the heart of a starter system. It only needs a digital source (i.e., your computer) and a pair of speakers. I use one in one of my systems with a pair of Dynaco A25XL speakers to great effect. A good beginning choice would be the Pioneer Andrew Jones series http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1407462178&sr=1-2&keywords=andrew+jones.
If you must get brand new speakers, these would get my vote for something on the cost effective side of things:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1396045316&sr=8-3&keywords=pioneer+andrew+jones
The BS22's floor standing brother, the SP-FS52-LR, is also on sale @ $86.99/each. This is the cheapest they've been since August 2013.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/
With your budget, if you don't want to go modular and add the pieces as you go along and get a 5.1 right away, think this seems like a decent package that you'll be very happy with for a good couple of years:
These Pionneer towers x2
And the surrounds
And center that go with the set
This sub seems very well liked around here
The amp you mentionned (I have had RX-V657 for years, very good) is also very good an will be plenty
rest on cables and stuff if you need, go to http://www.monoprice.com
All that should come in around your budget!
Cheers and have fun!
If you are looking to buy new, take a look at these:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002EPWC0?ie=UTF8&at=&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1409468125&sr=1-1&keywords=pioneer+floorstanding+speakers
If you want to buy used, give me your local Craigslist and I'll take a look at it for you.
A better option would be a vintage receiver and these speakers.
For $250 you can easily get a pair of these: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4 they are excellent tower speakers for the money
Not sure about "plug and play", but I'll try.
Denon S530BT - $150
Dayton 1200 Subwoofer - $150
Pioneer AJ Towers FS52 - $97/each
Pioneer AJ Center $99
Dayton B52AIR - $46 - Surrounds
or
Jamo 3.1 $499
The Denon Receiver and the Dayton Surrounds.
Total: $409
Just my two cents, you could do the Best Buy $300 on speakers and like you said get whatever 5.1+ receiver elsewhere. Best Buy will price match Amazon if it's "shipped and sold" by Amazon. So for example you could get the Pioneer towers and center channel for around $300:
Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones Tower each $110 Amazon (x2 for $220) / $125 Best Buy (x2 for $250)
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-5-1-4-floor-speaker-each-black/5086937.p?skuId=5086937
Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones Center channel $85 Amazon / $95 Best Buy
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI/
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-dual-4-center-channel-speaker-black/5086891.p?skuId=5086891
Total if you Amazon price match = $305 before tax
EDIT: just be sure to factor in cables/speaker wire to total budget, and make sure everything will fit and has a proper place to be setup. and don't overlook a universal remote if that's an option/need. :)
EDIT 2: OK so this doesn't satisfy the need for surround. So you could throw in cheap surrounds for now as well. Top 100 Amazon satellite speakers, others on here may have cheap suggestions?:
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Electronics-Satellite-Speakers/zgbs/electronics/3236454011#1
EDIT 3: And here's the matching bookshelf speakers if you wanted to match them up for the surrounds, swap these in front as a cheaper alternative to the towers, or both... for pair $110 Amazon / $125 Best Buy:
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/pioneer-4-bookshelf-speakers-pair-black/5086955.p?skuId=5086955
I went with these - heard good things for the price. They do alright....
Pioneer SP-FS52-LR Andrew Jones Designed Floor standing Loudspeaker (each) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_BbSMwbF38FV6C
Well it really does depend on your budget. If you're going the 3.0 route I would go with the Andrew Jones Pioneers ($250 a pair) with the matching center ($95). If thats a little too expensive you can get the bookshelf version for $99 for the pair.
There's this also this Fluance 5.0 set for $250 and while I've heard good things especially for the price, I haven't actually heard the speakers themselves.
Polks are fine if you can get a real good price, but there are better options out there. Check out Craigslist.
If you can spend a little more then these are susposed to be the best for your money right now Chane A1rx-c, but you'll be paying around $500 for a 3.0 setup.
Your need for acoustic panelling will largely depend on the furnishings of the room. If the room is mainly hard surfaces, with no carpet and with solid furniture, you might look into dampening. For your budget, however, you're really only looking at adding a thick rug rather than full-on room treatment options.
Basic advice: to play music from your computer you need a DAC, an amplifier (including a pre-amplifier) and speakers.
Computers have DAC's built in to their headphone outputs, but they tend to be of poor quality resulting in poor sound quality. Integrated amplifiers include a preamplifier built in, and tend to represent the best bang for buck.
For your budget, I recommend spending a decent amount on speakers, and only as much as you have to on the other components. Get a DAC like the HiFimeDIY Sabre USB DAC ($42), the Schiit Modi ($99), or the ODAC ($145). Amplifiers vary quite a lot with price and availability depending on where you are, but you might look out for the Marantz PM6005, the Rotel RA-10, the Onkyo A-9010, the Yamaha A-S300, or the NAD 326BEE or D3020. Note that some of these have built in DACs, so you might like to spend the extra and get a PM6005 (for example) and then you won't have to worry about getting a DAC.
That leaves about $400-700 for speakers, depending on how much you spend on your amp and how much you decide to budget. You can either go floor-standing speakers, or buy stand-mounted (aka "bookshelf") speakers. This is up to your personal preference. At your price point you tend (as a very general rule only) to get better mids and highs from stand-mounters, but better bass from floor-standers. Floor-standers include the KEF Q500 ($550), the Monitor Audio Bronze Series 5 ($314) and 6 ($424), the Wharfedale Diamond 230 ($699), or the Q Acoustics 3050 ($799). Stand-mounters include the KEF Q100 ($424) or Q300 ($649), the Monitor Audio Bronze 2 ($378), the Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 ($249), or the [Q Acoustics Concept 20] (https://www.amazon.com/Acoustics-Concept-Bookshelf-Speakers-Anniversary/dp/B01I46G1VI/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484025379&sr=1-5&keywords=q+acoustics) ($430). There are many, many more speakers, and they make by far the greatest difference to the sound you will hear, so I strongly recommend you go to a bricks and mortar store and listen for yourself before deciding on a set. Remember that if you buy stand-mounters you will also need to buy stands to put them on.
You will also need cables to connect your computer to your DAC, your DAC to your amp, and your amp to your speakers. MonoPrice cables are good value. Avoid buying overpriced cables from HiFi retailers as these tend to be incredibly high margin items. Getting decent banana plugs on the speaker cables (if you can in your country) will make plugging and unplugging the speakers a whole lot easier.
Good luck and please let me know how you get on!
Why not both?? I collect CDs and records with my own personal sound system.
Get yourself a receiver. This is what I own. You can plug your PC or use bluetooth to connect devices to it, so stream, CD, or anything. And your turntable can plug in directly if you have a built-in pre-amp (see below for options/suggestions).
Get some bookself speakers. I own these and are good for their price, but BE CAREFUL. The receiver is pretty powerful and you risk blowing out your speakers, so don't blast it at 100 for like 48 hrs straight. These are the tower versions.
Turntable time!! Most people bash on the Audio Technica LP-60 for it's tracking force, lack of counter-weight, and speed and such but it's a decently priced TT with a built-in pre-amp for starters. Willing to spend more? Audio Technica LP-120 is fantastic. I own one.
Lastly, just buy an artists music, and support them, and that is what satisfies me.
Even bookshelf speakers with a 4 inch driver will go down to 60hz or 70hz. Those with 5 inch drivers will often go to 45hz or 50hz.
Set the subwoofer to handle everything from just above the lower rating on the bookshelf and you are good to go. Most subs are rated from 100hz and down but it is better to set them as low as possible while still covering the transition from main speakers to the sub.
There are a couple of pretty good towers in that price range too
https://www.amazon.com/Monitor-Audio-Bronze-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00XW22VY6/
https://rbhsound.com/bstock-r55ti.php
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Signature-S55-American/dp/B01LWB2LIX/
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8/
https://www.amazon.com/Emotiva-Audio-T1-Tower-Speakers/dp/B01MQ6CKYU/
Option 1
Front L/R: Chane A5RX-C $399.99 Each
Center: Chane A2.4 - $269
Surrounds: Micca MB42 - $62
Option 2
Front L/R: HTD Level Three Towers $799/pair
Center: HTD Level Three Center - $209
Surrounds: Micca MB42 - $62
Option 3
Front L/R: Elac Unifi Tower $499/each
Center: Elac Unifi Center - $349
Surrounds: Micca MB42 - $62
Elac Debut 2.0 F5.2 Floorstanding Speaker, Black ($240 Each)
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07B4WFWZF/ref=cm\_sw\_em\_r\_mt\_dp\_U\_zT3FDb1VN6GD5
With that many seats off-axis I would consider a speaker with a coaxial driver. KEF Q-500 or 700 and I would absolutely consider the ELAC UF5 on resale value alone.
I recently was evaluating systems around that price point. The Cambridge Audio CXA80 is fairly feature rich amplifier with USB ins for your soundcard, $1000. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_779CXA80B/Cambridge-Audio-CXA80-Black.html
Slightly over budget, but mentioning it because they're on sale due to the line being discontinued are the Monitor Audio Silver 6 at $575 each (normally $650). I went with the 10s, but they all sounded pretty good. https://www.crutchfield.com/p_893SLVR6W/Monitor-Audio-Silver-6-Walnut.html?cc=02
I didn't audition them myself, but the ELACs were pretty well reviewed, at $375 each. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BDIG0E2
I will say that after auditioning stuff, I ended up going way over budget.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-VSX-831-5-2-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B01E857SZW/
+
http://www.svsound.com/products/pb-1000 (get the 2000 if you can stretch the budget)
and
https://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-t1
If you don't like the Emotiva aesthetics: https://www.amazon.com/Wharfedale-Diamond-230-Black/dp/B00VGY4DB6/
If you want to save money: https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8/
Getting the respective stand mount version of the speakers (Emotiva B1, Diamond 220, Elac B6) will save you money for pretty much same exact quality considering that your destination isn't music.
Sounds like you might be very underwhelmed with the setup only 250 can get you. Especially with the setup you already have. But if these can make it up to you maybe a 2.0 system would be a good start and work from there later on.
Scroll through these bookshelf speaker for some good ideas. The kef q150, jbl stage, wharfdale diamond, polk signature 15, Elac debut b5.2. All good starts to a system.
https://www.crutchfield.com/g_37900/Bookshelf-Speakers.html?tp=186&pg=3&o=d#&price=60-300
Or
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Andrew-Designed-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B0798YNCQ1/ref=zg_mw_3236453011_14?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=61BTSNTW87Z8RRTK3QP4
Or maybe this 3.0 starting point and get 2 Floorstanding speakers and a sub later and move the bookshelf ones to the rear for a full 5.1.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI/ref=pd_aw_sim_23_1/141-7821185-1647945?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008NCD2EI&pd_rd_r=80a2854b-12b5-40ff-8f99-58c7f4b43b2e&pd_rd_w=UUvP7&pd_rd_wg=lXjps&pf_rd_p=dfdb1da3-5e85-40b8-aca6-1f16b6aad03b&pf_rd_r=V91T78W06QSB4VJSJKAC&psc=1&refRID=V91T78W06QSB4VJSJKAC
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/ref=pd_aw_sim_23_2/141-7821185-1647945?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008NCD2LG&pd_rd_r=80a2854b-12b5-40ff-8f99-58c7f4b43b2e&pd_rd_w=UUvP7&pd_rd_wg=lXjps&pf_rd_p=dfdb1da3-5e85-40b8-aca6-1f16b6aad03b&pf_rd_r=V91T78W06QSB4VJSJKAC&psc=1&refRID=V91T78W06QSB4VJSJKAC
Pioneer's Andrew Jones speakers are great for the price and hit way above their weight class. Check them out here...
Towers
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-Andrew-Designed-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B0798YNCQ1/
Bookshelves
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG/
Center
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI/
If you're eventually going to a larger space and eventually a home theater, skip powered monitors.
If you're not going for a sub, the three popular towers in that price range are:
You can find even better deals used though. People tend to sell towers for 30 cents on the dollar.
For receivers, check out http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html and pick something with HDCP 2.2 if you want to use 4k down the line.
under $600 Elac Debut 2.0 F6.2 towers are on sale for $275 each
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Floorstanding-Speaker-Black/dp/B07B4V37VV/ref=sr_1_2?crid=I3JNAFC1FOCY&keywords=elac+debut+2.0+b6.2+floor+standing&qid=1574787440&sprefix=elac%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-2
These are most affordable, I’d recommend.
https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Floorstanding-Speaker-Black/dp/B07B4V37VV/ref=sr_1_2?crid=I3JNAFC1FOCY&keywords=elac+debut+2.0+b6.2+floor+standing&qid=1574787440&sprefix=elac%2Caps%2C212&sr=8-2
These KEFs are nice.
https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefq700blka/kef-q700-6.5-3-way-floorstanding-speaker-black-each/1.html
This is the ELAC set:
http://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014GSER6O/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014GSEQWE/
So for the money, if we're only talking about new speakers, I think they're pretty much unbeatable.
But the overall cheapness of the materials shows a bit more in the floorstanding version than in the bookshelf version, IMO. I don't think it's a very attractive speaker, and more important, they don't provide as much additional bass as I feel they ought to, when compared to the bookshelf version.
You might see if anybody's got anything attractive on offer on your local craigslist.
Or, if you upped it a little past $500, you could get a pair of ELAC F5 towers. Bigger upgrade for sure. Even the bigger Elac bookshelf speakers would be an upgrade too, like the B6.
Or the larger Wharfedale bookshelf speakers would be an upgrade too, like the 225 or the Denton.
If youre not looking to add a sub those might be your best option for the price. Is the no sub an issue of cost, volume, or something else? Honestly for home theater a sub is very important if you want the cinematic impact. If you cant do a sub, then get floorstanders or bookshelves that play fairly deep.
AJ Pioneers just arent as well suited to theater as others listed here. They are somewhat veiled/mellow sounding with the rolled off highs which is the exact opposite of what you want for theater. My $.02 anyway.
Another good tower option that will play lower, louder, and have a more "theater friendly" sound signature would be the Bic DV64's
you are way way way off. What is the most you can spend without raising any eyebrows?
You want at least 4 speakers in the corners of the gym. Any single speaker is going to sound like junk in a room that big. loud and blaring right next to it and weak further away.
This one has bluetooth, but you'd be better off with a chromecast anyway.
https://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RS202/Yamaha-R-S202.html?tp=47041
Then 2 pairs (4 speakers total) of
https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-T652-2-Way-Speaker/dp/B00Q3MG05S/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1503111961&sr=1-2&keywords=Dual+6-1%2F2%22+speaker
or
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-Venturi-DV64-Speaker/dp/B00011KLOI/ref=sr_1_3?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1503111961&sr=1-3&keywords=Dual+6-1%2F2%22+speaker
or
https://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-B652-Bookshelf-Speaker/dp/B002RMPHMU/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503112092&sr=1-1&keywords=dayton+audio+b652
4 speakers total
Or you could go with an AV receiver (av receivers can easily accommodate the sub woofer) (easy peasy to find used) and a subwoofer like
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1503112134&sr=1-1&keywords=bic+subwoofer
I just bought a pair of these:
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-Venturi-DV64-Speaker/dp/B00011KLOI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1342143556&sr=1-1&keywords=bic+america+dv64\
Seems like a good pair of speakers for the price. Been looking to upgrade as well, as I've been surviving on my headphones for the last half-year, and my leftover surround-sound-in-a-box speakers aren't cutting it. Going to get a Bic America center channel and four of the smaller 3 1/2'' to complete it.
If you're set on the receiver, a pair of Bic DV84 for $140 each or a pair of Polk Monitor 60s for $160 each. Bic DV62CLRS center for $100 and DV62si for the rear at $110 for the pair. Bic F12 sub for $185. Maybe a pair of Fluance bookshelves for $180 a pair, and Bipolar for the for $200 for the rear, then find a center, hard to beat the bic for the price as far as a sub though. The Bic 84s, and Monitor 60s stand up pretty well to heavy bass, the F12 will add the necessary kick in the balls.
Not sure why you x-posted this to audiophile, with that budget the only way will get audiophile grade is if you can find the score of the century on craigslist.
You aren't going to be able to connect the Jasmine to the Behringer. If this is what the back of your Jasmine looks like, the only outputs are the speaker outputs. There isn't really a good way to input that into your Behringer.
You can run the Jasmine as your main amp if you so choose. According to the Amazon listing on your speakers, they have an incredulous 98db sensitivity. The 11 watts on the Jasmine would be more than enough to drive the speakers to a good level. You would have to do a little gymnastics to continue using your sub, however.
Here is a list I made for a guy at work. Some of them are a bit out of this price range, but it gives you an idea. Also, remember, towers are sold individually, so you will need to double the price. This is also a tiny sample of what is available.
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-RF-82-II-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0041GEZDM/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526632&sr=1-2&keywords=klipsch+speakers (my personal #1 pcik in this list)
http://www.amazon.com/KEF-KHT6000BL-Slender-Profile-Aluminum/dp/B000F189P2/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526895&sr=1-2&keywords=kef+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Focal-Chorus-726V-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B001L4ZZTA/ref=sr_1_8?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393527225&sr=1-8&keywords=focal+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-RF-52-Reference-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B0041578BE/ref=sr_1_3?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526674&sr=1-3&keywords=klipsch+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Klipsch-RF-62-II-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00415E7FE/ref=sr_1_13?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526730&sr=1-13&keywords=klipsch+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-Amercia-Acoustech-Platinum-PL-89/dp/B001VIXH7I/ref=sr_1_18?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526752&sr=1-18&keywords=klipsch+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Focal-Chorus-714V-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B001ASBPO6/ref=sr_1_4?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526792&sr=1-4&keywords=focal+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Focal-Chorus-716V-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B001AN2E3W/ref=sr_1_9?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526814&sr=1-9&keywords=focal+speakers
http://www.amazon.com/KEF-Q500B-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker-Single/dp/B00CE3LGAO/ref=sr_1_7?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1393526934&sr=1-7&keywords=kef+speakers
If these are too pricey, here are some even cheaper ones that should be real good as well:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1393527045&sr=1-6&keywords=pioneer+speakers+andrew+jones (this is the only pioneer model I would recomend)
http://www.amazon.com/JBL-ES80BK-3-Way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00166ZFXO/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1393527099&sr=1-1&keywords=jbl+es80
BIC AMERICA RTR-EV15 15-Inch 3-Way Eviction Series Bi-Ampable Floor Speaker
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003H3L76I/
We gotta go to the big room for this!
btw - if you need a surround floorplan, BIC has you covered...
https://www.amazon.com/Cerwin-Vega-XLS-12-3-Way-Audio-Speaker/dp/B002JGTO5K/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1372087345&sr=1-1&keywords=B002JGTO5K
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WBYI/ref=psdc_3236453011_t1_B002JGTO5K
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-RTR-EV15-Eviction-Bi-Ampable-High-Efficiency/dp/B003H3L76I/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=BIC+eviction&qid=1556489536&s=electronics&sr=1-2
https://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-290-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker/dp/B00519EG0U/ref=sr_1_4?keywords=JBL+studio+floor+speaker&qid=1556489581&s=electronics&sr=1-4-catcorr
https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX-8220-Channel-Receiver-Bluetooth/dp/B075P831VY/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=TX8220&qid=1556489610&s=electronics&sr=1-1-catcorr
Making sure I get the parts right:
4x http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M
1x http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-X1000-5-1-Channel-Networking-Receiver/dp/B00CALM2JY
1x http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1200-12-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B00669L3HS
Any complaints or thoughts about the setup?
Is the receiver easy to use? My wife is a bit tech impaired when it comes to things like receivers.
It says you can "wirelessly stream music from iTunes on your PC or Mac or from your iPod touch, iPhone, or iPad via your home network" but I see no wireless specs. Would I need to run network cable to the router for those features to work?
Sorry for the bombardment of questions, thanks for your help!
You can get the same receiver you listed from Accessories4Less for $169. So that saves you $90
I would also take a look at the Dayton SUB-1200 or SUB-1500. Both are well reviewed, and several redditors have used them in budget systems lately, with very good results. Say you go with the 1500, that saves you $40.
Are tower speakers essential? If so, I'd personally recommend the Infinity Primus p363 for your L/R. Much higher rated than the BIC, with fewer build quality issues. There are reports of the BIC speakers being top heavy, poorly fitting vinyl veneer, and rattling grills. In addition, horn speakers tend to be a "love it or leave it" sound. Even at the higher price the p363's are at, is still a superior speaker, or you could wait to see if they go on sale again. There are two Infinity center channel speakers, one for $199.95 and one for $149.95. With the savings from the other components, you could get either one.
If bookshelf speakers are an option, that opens up a whole lot of speakers that are superior to the BIC, especially if you're crossing over to a sub. The Emp Tek r5bi at $225/pr new or $182/pr Scratch and Dent has a rabid following here, and very favorable reviews just about everywhere. The matching r5ci is also highly recommended. There are alternatives from Chane (currently backordered), Home Theater Direct, and plenty of other Internet Direct and Brick and Mortar options.
If you have to have horn speakers, but bookshelves are an option, I'd take a look at the Hsu Research HB-1 at $159 ea. Or Klipsch bookshelves.
Craigslist tends to be hit-or-miss depending on the area you're in. I'm in the Plains states (SE IA) and don't really see much on the used market. Someone closer or in major metro areas (Chicago, Seattle, LA, etc.) will have better luck. However, I'd stick to speakers unless you or a buddy knows electronics repair. You don't get any warranties buying used, so caveat emptor.
Last thing, I personally wouldn't buy Pyle products even if you held a gun to my head. I'd take a look at Dayton Audio, Monoprice, Home Theater Direct, or even Polk before I'd buy Pyle. The other option is to sink that money into the fronts for now, and buy the surrounds later. It's not like the holes are going to fill themselves in. The other thing to look at is Dolby Atmos. You could set up a 5.1.4 system using the in-ceiling positions, and use bookshelf speakers for the rear channel.
Now, this isn't a huge knock against BIC speakers. Many people have them and like them. I just think that there are better solutions out there, especially if you can use bookshelf speakers.
I'm assuming you are asking about a set of speakers (most likely 2-hence stereo). If you only want good Bass just get a powered sub! I'm kidding but realize you're questioning the audiophile sub-reddit here.
If you are talking about something like this:http://www.amazon.com/Sony-MHCECL99BT-Wireless-Music-System/dp/B00MO66IJU/ref=sr_1_5?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1426037868&sr=1-5
Then i can tell you your options are pretty limited and I have the previous model of these and although they are good (I paid $130). You can get much better sound out of a Lepai-20XX amp and Overnight Sensations for a bit more money.
You are probably best off getting http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1426038067&sr=1-1&keywords=infinity+primus
and something to drive them
Thanks for the explanation. I may have to go this route instead of going with an Audio Technica 440 ML for my next stylus.
Turntable: Marantz 6100
Amp/Preamp: Mies i100 integrated amp (a Kickstarter special that blows my previous amp/preamp combo out of the water)
Speakers: Pioneer SP-FS51-LR
can you spin the orientation 90 degrees so you can move a little further from the screen? I would skip a soundbar regardless, really limiting the accuracy and dynamics of the system if you go that route.
You have 1001 options with a $2000 budget.
1)go 5.1 not 7.1 You don't have the acoustical space for 7.1 to make a huge difference.
2)$250-$500 for a solid 5.1 big name receiver.
3)$400-$800 for a nice 5.0 speaker package
4)$200-$800 for one good sub
$850-$2100 range.
Examples.
2) http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-X1000-In-Command-5-1-Channel-Networking/dp/B00CALM2JY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1382284650&sr=8-1&keywords=denon+avrx1000
$450 but I'd buy a little extra here for Audyssey XT. The last thing you want in a confined space like this is high response peaks in the mids/highs.
3) Towers, http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=pd_sim_e_4
Center , http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C21-Watt-2-Way-Speaker/dp/B004MF4S0M/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_y
surrounds , http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS21-LR-80-Watts-2-Way-Speakers/dp/B004MEWZE4/ref=pd_bxgy_e_text_z
About $300 total?
In a room this small, you need a subwoofer with a controlled rolloff starting around 40-50hz. There aren't many of these...
This one would absolutely rock this room size but it might be a little over kill if you never push the volume levels. $749
http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/speaker-subwoofer-reviews/63016-power-sound-audio-xs15-review.html
You are looking at high output levels down below 10hz though.
That's $1500. You can spend $250-500 on a lesser sub and drop it down to $1000-1250 easily.
its gonna be hard to get floor standers in your range.
i would recommend speakers like these:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0045NCB32/
their normal price is $140 but the sometimes go on sale on amazon like they are now.
which have decent bass but by no means can cover the range of a good subwoofer. most should find it adequate however. you will need stands.
you can add a subwoofer later on if need be.
a Denon Receiver like a 1613 should fit well.
on an Android, download an app called Bubble UPnP (or many other DLNA/UPnP apps out there) and it can play to any DLNA certified device including most new receivers. i can attest to it working well with denon and marantz. however there is a caveat; this will only work with music files on the phone, not streamed files like pandora or spotify or etc.
if you dont want to use stands, basically the only decent floor standers in your range are gonna be something like these:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004H1M4NO/
which are decent, and will have more bass, but otherwise not as good as those infinity's.
i forgot to mention, the receiver needs to connect to your home router to work with UPnP, it does not have a direct connection to the phone.
In all honesty almost anything is going to sound better than a soundbar. I would start with a 2.0 system and work your way up from there, onkyo makes some OK receivers that are stereo only, and then I would get a set of Polk floorstanders. This combo will sound good, not mind blowing, but light years ahead of the sound bar you have. And from there you can grab a 12" subwoofer.
On your budget going 5.1 seems a bit out of reach, but you can get a good 2.0 or 2.1 (with a cheap sub) and you'll be in business.
Like a lot of the others have said that's a big room to fill with sound, so starting with just a stereo setup and getting a nice big rug in there will help wonders.
https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B006QL0XXQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473647960&sr=8-2&keywords=polk+floorstanding+speakers
I realize those links are for the us, but in just wanted to link to what I was referring to. If those aren't available by you itnat least gives youna starting point. Good luck!
5.1 surround sound with a HDR/4k Passthrough receiver. I'd say bare bones about $650 or so for the lowest end gear.
EDIT: Quick throw together here. Would work well though. A little over budget, but probably worth it
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B006QL0XXQ/ref=lp_3236453011_1_12?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1482959814&sr=1-12
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Center-Channel-Speaker/dp/B0018QROM2/ref=sr_1_2?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1482960146&sr=1-2
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T15-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B002RJLHB8/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1482959871&sr=1-1&refinements=p_89%3APolk+Audio
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002KVQBA/ref=s9_acsd_top_hd_bw_bitM_c_x_1_w?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=merchandised-search-8&pf_rd_r=DAXEP2BDFVM1W8SMJQBM&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=6fc71d99-5362-526e-b48e-9a05897aee91&pf_rd_i=172568
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/yamrxv381/yamaha-rx-v381-5.1-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html
You'll get a HUGE upgrade in sound quality if you stick with a 2.0 setup and don't need either particularly deep nor prominent bass. Klipsch makes some great speakers for music and home theater applications, and are really sensitive so any good amp can drive them with no problem.
If you don't have a good surface to place them on, you'll also need speaker stands, or you can just avoid that and get floorstanding speakers. Polk Audio and Klipsch are still my first choices in that price range, as they both reach pretty damn low without a sub and are bright and detailed, going well with home theater applications. Either with an amp, however, might be a little above your price range.
Do some research. Poke around and read some reviews. You may not like bright speakers - it also may turn out that you really don't like the kind of fudgey Bose sound, either.
What sounds good to you?
I've been very happy with my Fluance set:
The full Pioneer set below. If you can wait for a Newegg sale, they get cheaper. There are also older models of these for less, but the new ones are said to be a big improvement.
Floorstanders
Bookshelf
Center
Sub
If you want to manage 3-4 inputs, you will be better off getting an AVR. Accessories4less has really good prices and options.
An AVR will let you switch between multiple sources - whether they are HDMI video sources (gaming for example, or Roku) or digital audio sources, or analog audio sources. Besides this, an AVR will also amplify the signal, and also has an inbuilt DAC, so you can hook up passive speakers that are a lot less expensive than powered speakers. For example, you could hook it up to Pioneer BS22 bookshelf speakers for $130, or buy the FS52 floorstanders for $250 a pair (in which case you will not need a separate subwoofer)
Most entry level AVRs will not have a phono preamp. Assuming your TT does not have an inbuilt phono, you will likely need to buy a separate one. You can buy a Rolls VP29 for $50 from Amazon, or if you want to spend more, you could buy Schiit Mani or the Pro-Ject Phono Box - both sell for $130.
AVR plus speakers plus phono - you could still pull this off for under $500 and get decent sound quality. You can also look at used AVRs - they can often be had for half price or less (especially if they are slightly older - as AVRs are all about latest and greatest features - so now, AVRs that do not support 4k will sell for steep discounts). Look at usaudiomart for example.
Ok here's what you should buy right now. Like Zeos said, This gives you a good option to upgrade in the future (just buy more speakers).
Receiver: Denon Refurbished
Subtotal: $238.00
Speakers: Pioneer FS-52 (2 of them)
Subtotal: $410.00
Subwoofer: Polk Audio PSW10
Subtotal: $520.00
Cables: Monoprice.com
Subtotal: $560.00
That leaves you $440.00 for a TV. I understand that this probably isnt enough to get you what you want. It's alright to spend a little bit more money, since beyond the TV, everything else here will last quite a while. Audio equipment doesn't go obsolete in 4 years like TV's do, so it's a wise decision to spend at least 50% of your budget on all that. So, if you stick with these couple things, you could get them, and then buy a refurbished 50" TV for $600 or so, and you wouldnt be much over your budget. But, I can promise you and I think most people here would agree, that a decent $500 TV with a 2.1 audio setup is going to give you a better home theater experience than a $1500 TV and no seperate speakers.
They are acceptable.
What is your budget? Pioneer got these speakers, aprox $300 canadians for a pair.
https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=emc_b_5_t
Dayton audio also got these speakers. I would buy these over the T652
https://solen.ca/products/multi-room-home-theater/finished-speakers/dayton-audio-mk442t-4-2-way-transmission-line-tower-speaker-pair/
(Solen.ca is an authorized Dayton retailer)
What about: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4 the same brand as the floorstanders. Better for my price range.
I don't know anything about these speakers. It's hard to even find the specs but if the google machine is correct they're very efficient at 92dB sensitivity. These are probably 10-15 years old so the price seems a bit high to me. IMO these Pioneers would cost you a little less, are also efficient at 87dB, and no risk because they're new http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4/. Your receiver should drive either of these just fine.
looks like a great set up for the money. As others have stated I wouldn't spend the money on those speakers cables but they are hassle free. I have some mediabridge products and they haven't disappointed me. I would consider replacing those two center channels with these Floor standing speakers Considering this would allow you to forego the speaker stands your cost would only increase a little bit. IMO these speakers are more suited towards a 2.0 setup than those center channels you have selected. Either way that's a nice set up for $500
Heads up: all the Andrew Jones speakers are on sale for the next 8 hours or so for Amazon's deal of the day.
I own the older model of the bookshelf speakers and they're fantastic for the price. I'll probably fill out my home theater with these.
Floor standing loud speaker SP-FS52 - $89.99 each
Center Speaker SP-C22 - $69.99
SW-8MK2 Subwoofer - $99
Depends on what you mean by low budget.
Andrew Jones Pioneer series is a good entry level, 150 each for the front towers, center is 100.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
You have a lot of flexibility with the surround speakers. They aren't going to be asked to produce much bass, and they don't even need to match your mains. So you can go with smaller wallmount speakers if necessary.
As for the fronts, I think you'll just need to go with floorstanders unless you can rig up some way to securely fasten bookshelf speakers to their stands, and fasten the stands to the wall or something so they can't tip over.
Floorstanders don't need to be expensive. These have been out since 2012 and all the speakers in this line (except the sub) are pretty well loved; tons of reviews to Google.
Those speakers are also cheap enough that you won't feel bad about experimenting a little with them. My wife and I are planning on starting a family and I expect I'll need to replace my bookshelf speakers with something like that. My current plan is to get those Pioneer towers and perhaps attach a wider base, or some kind of wall strap, to decrease the odds of tipover.
I have the add-on Atmos speakers that sit on the floor standing speakers and I love them. I assume they are very similar to the all in one unit.
what do you think of these compared to the sony's or infinity's? (http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4)
I have heard a lot of good things about them just wondering if there was a comparison.
Speakers: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4#
Receiver: Late 70s Phillips 7871 http://i.imgur.com/mXMqfmU.jpg
They are just ok but adequate for most people...
You'll find that buying what i have listed below would sound much better but obviously wouldn't have the same form factor...
Fronts (2x): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2S4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Rears (Sold as pair): https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2LG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Center: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2EI/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
Sub: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0063NU3AA/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A385A0XNQBW8HY
Total around $600. If you wanted, you could invest a bit more into the front L/R channel speakers (or the subwoofer)
If you are looking for minimal trouble and just want a home theatre as easy as possible, you obviously would be giving up sound quality for something easier to work with. so the bose would work. Just go off your instinct :D Like the other mentions if you are happy with how the bose system sounds, then it would be a great deal.
Sale ended man, you're too late. They were $79/ea on bestbuy and amazon.
Edit: Still available on Amazon for $99 + Tax on Amazon tho.
​
I ended up tightening my budget quite a bit on this new home theater, so some of my choices aren't as nice as what I had before, but I'm very happy with what I got in the end. I want to thank everyone who gave me advice in my last post here. It was all very helpful!
I went with a 65" Samsung 120Hz smart TV. I decided against getting the 240Hz because I couldn't see a difference between the two when looking at it, and the 3D makes my wife sick in any case. That saved me almost $500.
For the receiver, I took everyone's advice and opted away from the all-in-one set I'd been looking at. Instead, I got a great price on a Pioneer VSX-824 that I've been very happy with.
I know the Denon reciever is what everyone recommended, and it's what I bought at first, but strangely enough my PS3 didn't work with it. It worked just fine connected to the TV directly, and other devices worked with that HDMI cable and port, but the PS3 just told me to go fuck myself. A quick google search told me that it's a flaw in the way the HDMI handshake works with Denon receivers, so back it went.
I went with Pioneer speakers as well, hooking up a
pair of tower speakers for front left and right, a pair of matching bookshelf speakers for the rear, and the matching center speaker.
The subwoofer will have to wait, for now, but the plan is to purchase the matching subwoofer when we're ready.
Instead of the Harmony Ultimate, which didn't seem to get any good remarks, I opted for the much cheaper Harmony 650, which has made my wife very happy. No more frayed tempers about what button does what on which remote. I'm even buying my parents one for Christmas.
I'm hugely pleased with the upgrade over my previous setup, even if it's not everything it could have been. What do you all think?
I'm seeing this and crying:
https://www.amazon.es/Polk-Audio-T50-Altavoz-unidad/dp/B013LIN5W2
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/dp/B013LIN5W2
(I've seen it a lot cheaper in other sites, but the Amazon comparison is really crazy)
As far as speakers, do you recommend these, these, or these?
Would this be a good choice for my receiver? I would of course order it from accessories4less.
Really depends on where you are comfortable with your budget ending up. I think the next step up would be using the receiver I linked above with 2 of the Pioneer SP-FS52 floorstanding speakers. Total without taxes or shipping (including the receiver) would be about $440. You can use the rest of your budget for some speaker wire, and a surge protector.
When you're ready to upgrade, you can get the Pioneer SP-BS22 bookshelf speakers, the Pioneer SP-C22 center channel, and a decent budget subwoofer such as the Dayton Audio SUB-1200 or the BIC America F12.
If you do wind up getting speakers, I can't recommend these enough. Fantastic for the money.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_5zx1tb07HT6XDW68
Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf Loudspeakers https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2LG/
x2
Pioneer SP-FS52-LR Andrew Jones Designed Floor standing Loudspeaker (each) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2S4/
x2
Pioneer SP-C22 Andrew Jones Designed Center Channel Speaker https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2EI/
Pioneer SW-8MK2 Andrew Jones Designed 100-Watt Powered Subwoofer https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B008NCD2PC/
Onkyo TX-SR343 5.1-Channel A/V Receiver https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00WSED53A/
I have two of these
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
and the matching center channel
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI
and love them. They are inexpensive and sound pretty good and the reviews on the boards are decent as well. Since they are a bigger speaker they will give you a little bit better depth than the book shelf.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1494893705&sr=8-3&keywords=sony+floorstanding+speakers
Does anyone have experience with these? I have some Realistic Nova 10s that I need to upgrade badly lol. I can probably blow around $300.
In your shoes i would suggest doing a 2.0 or a 2.1 if you can squeeze a little more juice out of your wallet. Explanation: a 2.0/ 2.1 will give you a far better sound quality with a dedicated amp/receiver and external speakers rather than in all in one sound bar type unit. although you don't crank your system sound quality is important and will be better out of this set up too. And lastly you then have the availability to upgrade and expand your system later on. I know these were posted once but here why.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4 great price point, great sound quality. I think the rest of this sub would agree these are a fantastic speaker for the price. They are rear ported, the closer to the wall the more low end you will get from them.
http://www.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-S500BT-Receiver-Capability-Bluetooth/dp/B00JR6GJLW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415645951&sr=8-1&keywords=AVR-S500BT Big fan of denon, they make great receivers starting from the bottom all the way to high end. built in bluetooth, powerful enough to handle a slightly bigger speaker if you want to upgrade later
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M If you have the money or the want, this is a great subwoofer for the money. Fairly clean, pretty crisp, not real muddy.
I didn't think it was possible to add in a sub without the receiver or at least an amp that has the connections.
Is it possible to do it with this setup, I assume I need another cable.
I bought all the speakers as I found them for 50% off at a local store (Brandsmart) and couldn't pass up the deal. The bookshelf, center, sub are in boxes till I buy a receiver but if I can make use of the subwoofer for now that would be great. Also the Lepai was $20 in Prime Now, and it will be moved to the bedroom later on.
Thanks! The rumble is rough with all hardwood floors. A kid runs next door, and I feel like he's next to me. Searched on Amazon and will likely order the highest-rated product unless you have a specific recommendation? I'm using the Pioneer Andrew Jones SP-FS52 and the sub from Harman Kardon's HKTS1 5.1 system, if you're familiar.
What do you think of the Pioneer SP-FS52?
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
For $500, you're going to need to buy used if you want some big speakers.
There are a few new options though:
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/dp/B013LIN5W2
Or
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
Here's a nice stereo integrated amplifier:
http://www.parts-express.com/onkyo-a-9010-hi-fi-integrated-amplifier-44-watts-per-channel--252-526?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pla
Here's a cheaper one:
https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-TX8020-TX-8020-Stereo-Receiver/dp/B00EE18O7W
the pioneer sp-fs52's designed by andrew jones are really fantastic floor speakers you can get on the cheap. great all around sound and only $125 a piece.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
The Floor speaker is also going for 90 each https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_3?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B008NCD2S4&pd_rd_r=V4FPA1BC2QHXN3X2JPWX&pd_rd_w=NQbvf&pd_rd_wg=g3OvO&psc=1&refRID=V4FPA1BC2QHXN3X2JPWX
i can not say something im not familiar with(SX^), i know JBL are very good at their retail price range(200) so getting a par for 100 is a good deal, and they are good for stands and can be mounted. now i see deals on other great speakers all the time in fry's like if you want towers , i see pioneer andrew jones towers at 70 each , actually they are currently 90 each on amazon (usually 130) but that is almost 200 then, i guess JBL, try and if you don't like you can return.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
I plan on getting the following with the money i get from selling my Alienware:
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
http://www.amazon.com/Beyerdynamic-DT-880-Pro-Headphones-250/dp/B001B1QENY (the on sale $180 version)
http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Phono-Preamplifier-Black/dp/B007A0CYCK
hey bro,
Two floor standing speakers: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417266924&sr=8-1&keywords=sp+fs52
Sub woofer: pioneer S-MS3SW (Any better options?)
AVR: Which AVR do i pick? Does it matter if i pick a pioneer or something else?
This. I think we saw a pic of these come through here a while ago and the answer was the same.
BTW - MDF stands for Medium Density Fiberboard. It's a fairly dense but low budget material the speaker cabinets are probably made of.
Even at $60, I would keep shopping. Pioneer isn't known for their speakers, except the new ones like this.
Speakers have the biggest impact on sound quality.. Might need to do some digging if you only have a $200 budget. But it is the season for deals.
Something like this might be a big boost http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
Then a sub to help fill out the low end and give more body and oomph to sound. AVRs have the least impact (of course clean power and a quality dac is important) but mostly they give you connectivity.
That would be my order of upgrades if I were you
Others have mentioned it but it bears repeating. Those are low quality speakers. It is NOT worth investing in the equipment that you would need to drive them. Don't throw good money after bad. Start from scratch and get something significantly better.
AVR-S510BT - $169. Entry level receiver from one of the best brands available. A good and very affordable starting point.
That's a good entry level 5.0 setup for around $600. If you're on a budget, consider just getting the AVR and front left and right speakers for now. Add the center, surrounds, and a subwoofer of your choice, as your budget allows in whatever order you prefer. I can guarantee you it will sound better than any possible set up with you existing Sony speakers.
I have these towers, the matching center, and the matching bookshelf/surround.
I'm using the towers and center with the bass turned down, but could use the bookshelfs if i had stands for them.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1421111229&sr=1-1&keywords=pioneer+tower+speakers
I also have a non-pioneer 12" subwoofer that is disconnected and makes a great lamp/table.
/r/audiophile is mostly into objective standards, and I've built plenty of systems that are better for less.
For 2.1 you can have this Bose system, or you can have and Andrew Jones designed system by getting 2x these and one of these
5.1 you say? You can have these Bose or these Andrew Jones for a fraction the cost.
The Andrew Jones include sizeable drivers, comes with real speaker parts made for actual low distortion like crossovers, sizable drivers, and properly designed tweeters. For an entry level setup they already dominate the Bose up and down.
They also have bookshelves if the towers are too much, there's also options like the Micca MB42x too which you could pair with a sub if space is a bit concern (though back firing ports means they will need space from the wall.
>I will continue to buy Bose products, and will continue to mentally tell those people to fuck off.
Fuck you too presumptuous prick.
There are many Budget Brands nowdays that sound excellent. Can't name all of them. You also have to consider whether the speakers are passive or powered. If a speaker is passive you need an Amp/receiver to power them. To get the best value generally you have to wait for sales or used/b stock sales.Some brands that are good: Emotiva...
Pioneer which have a sale for a pair of fs52 towers for 150 on massdrop...
Elac... Polk Audio...Edifier Powered speakers... SVS
Amazon has the Pioneer SP-FS52 tower for $90 each and SP-BS22-LR bookshelf for $90 for the pair, Monday only.
I looked into the Denon and it looks like I can grab the X1300 at Bestbuy right now for around $400. They also have a Sony 4k receiver priced at $200 right now. It looks like one of the big differences would be the addition/lack of DolbyAtmos and internet connectivity. I haven't heard either so I can't speak on the differences. Would you say its worth the $200 price hike?
Also, googling DolbyAtmos a bit leads me to believe that I need an Atmos capable speaker set/soundbar to fully enjoy it. From what I saw they were pretty pricey. Do you have any suggestions on that front? Because it looks like (unfortunately) the combination of the Denon with an Atmos capable speaker set would be out of my price range at the moment.
Do you suggest I wait and save up for some sort of Denon/Atmos Speaker set-up? Or would some sort of combo of the Sony with maybe these speakers be sufficient?
Thank you for all the help so far!
Go with some of the pioneers from Amazon that are on sale link. A decent Denon receiver, and a pl200 sub. A way better system for not much more money.
Dude, the KEF deal may be a good price, but you can do better. The Andrew Jones Pioneer towers FS-52 are fantastic for the money. With the $100 savings you can get the center for $85 and still be under budget.
Edit: here’s a link and this price could be better. I got mine for $98 each from Amazon, so $119 is a touch high. Wait for sale. Has 500+ ratings at 4.5 stars means you don’t need to settle for a bookshelf.
I've also been considering getting the sub in a few months, and getting two tower speakers like these Pioneer SP-FS52 for right now. Would that be a better move?
A friend has a pair of these and really likes them. I don't have much knowledge about sound cards though so I can't recommend anything. I'd imagine you can just do a quick search though to find one that's compatible!
Budget: Like to keep it under 800.
What I Need: Looking for an entry level system with a receiver to build around. Only want 2 speakers.
Where it will be used: In the family room of a 1600 square foot single level. The room is 15 x 15.
Use: Music (variety). Will use with Apple TV and PC for gaming and movie watching.
I was thinking about going with the Onkyo A-9010 https://www.amazon.com/Onkyo-A-9010-Integrated-Stereo-Amplifier/dp/B00SY20TE8
Speakers: I was going with floor speakers. These look good. Pioneer SP-FS52. https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
Questions:
I want the system to be a incognito as possible to placate partner. Will the system sound good? Would lay people be impressed with the sound? Or is going to sound like a glorified 5 speaker special from Best buy? I'm willing to spend more on the speakers, up too $500 if there is a significant difference that a normal person could tell. I am not interested in a loud or party system. I'm in my mid thirties and got a little one. I am interested in new right now, and preferably from Amazon. Thanks for the help. I really appreciate it.
Start with these, keep adding the rest of the set peices as you can.
Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones Designed Floor standing Loudspeaker (each) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_7M0wyb1HF2CMN
Speaking from experience and reviews, you might want to consider the Fluance XL5F towers, which are on sale for only $199 (reg. $350). Free shipping (both ways) and 30 days time to listen and decide. I love my SX (towers below) and these seem very well received.
http://www.fluance.com/floorstanding-speakers
The pre-ELAC, Andrew Jones designed Pioneer towers were my second choice and have been recommend and well reviewed also. Couldn't go wrong them either!
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
A user above suggested this
https://smile.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/
Should I go with those or do u think ur suggestion is better for the floor speakers
Okay, I lived in the dorms for two years so I can help you out here.
I'm hoping you're not trying to do a surround sound thing, because it just won't work well. That being said, I'm going with the notion that you're setting up two different groups of speakers.
Are you using the Modulus MS-1 speakers as computer speakers? Let's say that you are.
Are you wishing to use the BU-1 with both sets of speakers? Let's say that you are.
Here's what you need to do:
Inputs
Speaker Connections
Doing this, you can choose which set of speakers to have on, and you can also turn both sets of speakers off when you want to just use your headphones with the 1/4" jack. Although I think you might have to manually turn your subwoofer on and off depending on if you want to hear it with your speakers or not, and when using headphones. If you're set on getting a pair of floor standing speakers, take a look at these. They are easy on the wallet, and are pretty slim so they won't take up a lot of precious floor space. If you'd rather not spend that much, take a look at these. With the subwoofer to supplement them, it shouldn't matter a whole lot that they only have a 4" woofer (just means you might need to raise the low-pass filter on the sub). Don't forget you'll need speaker stands with the bookshelf speakers.
Extra tips for dorm rooms:
For towers
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
They go on sale frequently for under $100 each
matching center
So my main motivation was that I was shopping around for some stands for my pair of sonos ones, and I found all the decent stands cost 100-200 dollars. On top of that the alexa support on the sonos ones was terrible and the microphones were just kind of crappy too. I realized that instead of blowing money on stands I could probably just sell my two sonos ones and get a pair of floor standing speakers and an amp instead (since I already own a sonos CONNECT and a Sonos Play:5).
​
I ended up getting pair of Pioneer SP-FS52 Andrew Jones speakers along with a pretty nice SMSL amp. I had the CC Audio routed into my connect and the connected routed into the SMSL amp. I kinda started to think, why do I even have all this invested in the sonos ecosystem when I just want Google Assistant and a good wireless audio system. I remembered that Chromecast audio recently got multi-room so I figure I could replace the sonos gear in my kitchen with something based on the chromecast audio and come out ahead.
​
Anyways, I found a Chromecast Audio on newegg and ordered that. Wish I'd bought several of them on sale a couple months ago. I already had one that I bought a while ago, Very underrated product.
Hi everyone,
I am planning on setting up a 2.0 or 2.1 system for my new apartment. My budget will around $550 dollars and am primarily thinking of floorstanding speakers. I will primarily be using this by myself for listening music but also needs to double as a home theater for when people are over. As of now, I'm thinking about this setup-
Yamaha r-s201 - $150
Pioneer SP-FS52-LR $100 ea.
So in all, I'm looking to see what you guys think of my set up. I have significant room in this budget and am very open to any suggestions. If you think a more expensive set up is worth it then please let me know! I appreciate any suggestions or critiques.
Non-mobile: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4
^That's ^why ^I'm ^here, ^I ^don't ^judge ^you. ^PM ^/u/xl0 ^if ^I'm ^causing ^any ^trouble. ^WUT?
Thanks for weighing in, I appreciate it!
And is there a noticeable difference between this receiver and the one you linked? Rather, would it be worth saving the 50 bucks or should I go in on the best receiver I can afford? It's sort of hard to keep track of all the differences between them when I don't have any experience with them to start with, haha.
Also, there are loads of 2 piece speaker options on A4L for right around the same price as those Infinity's. Is there much of a difference between those and something like this or this? Orrr, and this is the last one, but cnet seems to love these so I'll throw it out there - I could get two of these Pioneer FS-52s for ~200, gently used. How about that Denon Receiver + those towers?
The Pioner SP-FS52 towers would probably make good budget floorstanding surrounds.
I personally prefer dipolar surrounds especially in small to medium rooms, especially when wall mounted. The surround effects sound wider and blend in a lot more than monopoles. The Fluance dipoles get pretty good reviews. I'm using the BIC PL-66 psudo-dipoles as they more closely match the timber and sensitivity of my horn driven mains.
Hey sorry to highjack this chain, but will that Yamaha R-S201BL do a good job of powering these speakers?
Those remind me of my Andrew Jones Pioneer's. I'm curious whether they're the design you got the idea from?
Receiver: https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/denavrs530bt/denon-avr-s530bt-5.2-ch-x-70-watts-bluetooth-a/v-receiver/1.html
Speakers:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2S4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2EI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1
[Budget: Below 1k.]
Hello, everyone! I never really thought I would ever get into vinyl at all, but after acquiring a few choice albums I really enjoy listening to, I figured I would start the journey! I've been doing some research, and I was wondering how these pieces work out for starting out (Wanted to remain under $1k for the entire thing.).
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00GA9COMM/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (Audio Technica AT-LP120)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008NCD2S4/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (Pioneer SP-FS52 Speakers)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00EE18O7W/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (Onkyo TX-8020 Stereo Receiver)
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009RT2IAK/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER (And some Banana Plugs to connect it all, of course.)
Any feedback is greatly appreciated!
In commercial theaters with height channels, the speakers are pointed backwards a bit. It's hard to find images that illustrate this, but you'll see it in AMC's new Dolby Cinema theaters. Depending on the slope of your ceiling and the proximity of the speakers to the couch, it might not be ideal, but it's rare to have a 100% ideal theater room.
I read earlier today on this sub about Speakercraft's AIM series. If you have the money for it, then it might make sense to replace the JBLs with those. As far as alternatives for the other speakers, I'm not really sure. BIC America's Acoustec speakers are approximately the same color if you decide to run them without a grille (of that's really important to you), but they use horn tweeters, so they likely have the same level of brightness as Klipsch. I'll check the buying guide for another one that I don't remember the name of and report back.
Edit: Checked the guide.
On the slightly cheaper end, there's the Pioneer Andrew Jones series. Pioneer makes good speakers, but stay away from their receivers; Pioneer is owned by Onkyo now, and that brings Onkyo's build quality issues with it. Denon, Marantz, Yamaha, and Harman/Kardon are the companies that you should look at for receivers.
Bookshelf, Center, Tower
On the slightly more expensive end, there's the aforementioned BIC America speakers. Bookshelf, LCR (Left/Center/Right), Tower
and http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008NCD2S4
Would definitely recommend trying to demo speakers, though that is often dependent on your location.
I'm a fan of Emotiva stuff, so I'd take a look at their Airmotiv T1. The KEF Q500 is pretty popular and the same price, though I believe is being discontinued. If you're not 100% set on Floorstanders, SVS Ultras, Philharmonics Philharmonitor, and Acsend Acoustics Sierra 2 are all worth a look.
If separates are fine, I'd look at a power amp like the Emotiva A-300 or Onkyo M5010 + a DAC / Preamp such as an Emotiva PT-100 or something from Schitt.
If you'd prefer an all in one package, the Onkyo A9050 is a great piece of kit, and you can add a power amp later in the future anyway.
> Get a pair of kef q500 for 550
They look like $550 each (single). Am I looking at the wrong thing? (example)
Don't know how loud you need, but you might be able to get a mini amp like this. These speakers are cheap and have built in subs. You'd probably be better off just buying some used stuff off craigslist if you don't care about sound quality though.
How do you guys feel about Dayton Audio tower speakers and bookshelf speskers? For a first time purchaser wanting to get into a home theatre system these have caught my attention:
Dayton Audio T652 Dual 6-1/2" 2-Way Tower Speaker Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q3MG05S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_TgExDbW5T137X
http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-2-Way-Tower-Speaker/dp/B00Q3MG05S
Dayton is a respected brand among audiophile cheapskates, but I'd go for something used
http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/for/4911460490.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/wch/msg/4925596138.html
http://newyork.craigslist.org/fct/ele/4911553753.html
You're going to need one of these too:
http://newyork.craigslist.org/lgi/ele/4934164650.html
These have been reviewed pretty well in the past as absolute budget speakers. I have their older brother with the air tweeters and I like them a lot for the price.
Dayton Audio T652 Dual 6-1/2" 2-Way Tower Speaker Pair https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00Q3MG05S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_KXjbBb1HM7HMC
I am new to the home theater/audio hobby. I am looking to start simple with my new HT setup. I have a receiver, but am looking for new speakers. Can I start with just a front left/right? Are these viable options?
or
Any insight would be much appreciated!
Thanks.
I'm leaning towards the following:
Towers
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/dp/B013LIN5W2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1464921420&sr=8-1&keywords=polk+t50
Center
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Center-Channel-Speaker/dp/B0018QROM2/ref=pd_sim_23_4?ie=UTF8&dpID=310-vc0k7EL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL320_SR320%2C320_&refRID=0KEK71K2FCKEXECZ3QJS
Sub
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-10-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B0002KVQBA/ref=pd_bxgy_23_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=05VHEM90X8A7PTNZZT4K
While 2 of 3 of these tops Amazon's #1 list on those categories I wanted to get more input.
How about this? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013LIN5W2/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_15hBDbR06QH7E
I dont see these mentioned.
Sony SSCS3 $159 each but can find sales for $99 each
Polk T50 $99 Each
If I had $300 to spend on floorstanders that I'm worried about bass, I'd probably go the bookshelf and stand route.
Is this any good? https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/dp/B013LIN5W2 (Polk t50)
Hi,
I've posted in this thread before but got no replies. I'll try again.
Looking for a budget setup for my friends wedding present.
Looking for a 2.1 system with tower speakers.
Currently have my eye on the polk T50's
https://www.amazon.ca/Polk-Audio-T50-Speaker-Single/dp/B013LIN5W2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1522449823&sr=8-1&keywords=polk+t50
Total budget is 750$ CAD.
Anyone have a better set of tower speakers to buy? What kind of receiver/sub should i pair with these to keep it in budget?
Thanks!
Too. Many. Different. Ways. To. Do. This.....
Ok lets get a few options and then decide what to go for...
I guess I will do one of these... I would love to have more options for different speakers but there aren't that many quality speakers for a good price on Amazon.
That tower options sounds really good but then again a lot of people write that you should get bookshelf speakers and add a subwoofer later instead. Could you do me a favor and try to find a good powered subwoofer for under 100€ on amazon.de ? I still got 0 recommendations about that...
edit: nvm seems to be each and not for a pair
Do you think these are a great buy on sale or comparable? https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B013LIN5W2/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?tag=slickappfp-20&ascsubtag=5e6aed66dea811e681d2f2c25c54a6070INT&ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
I don;t know much about them, but the polk audio t50 towers are $75 on amazon now. They are normally $120 a piece.
Maybe those and a $50 craigslist receiver. Curios if something like the smsl 60 can power them....
http://camelcamelcamel.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/product/B013LIN5W2?context=browse
These would blow you away. https://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8#customerReviews
You can get a pair for $270 if you don't need two-day shipping. I second this suggestion: I have the bookshelf version of these and they sound great.
Hello, I recently acquired a Kenwood KR-6600 and Technic SL-1500. I purchased [these](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0798YNCQ1/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1) speakers to go along with the setup for now. When I use the radio, sound quality is great. When I try to use the SL-1500, the sound makes it seem like you're in a very large room and the speakers and you are as far apart as possible.
You can also hear a humming noise and the sound is almost not able to be heard until 8 or 9 on the volume wheel while the radio is almost too loud at 3. I have a new cartridge but don't know if this will fix it. I've tried both phono ports and they both react the same. Is this likely an internal wire issue within the SL-1500? I know there's no guarantee but the sound that I can hear has no static or screeching so I don't think this is a cartridge issue and would rather not expend one when to me it sounds like a wiring issue inside either the amp or SL. A
Any thoughts or suggestions would be appreciated.
Thank you for your suggestions. This is awesome! I had been considering ELACs as well as the polks as they seem to have a great ratio of price to reviews/ratings. Now I'm leaning towards them. Good to hear that they've got a recommendation. I did have a question though, since you're recommending a sub would you recommend not going for towers like the ELAC F6? They're much more expensive compared to the bookshelf speakers but admittedly I've always been a bit nervous of bookshelf speakers not driving enough sound.
I'm not sure $800 is enough budget for tower speakers unless you would buy Klipsch or Andrew Jones Pioneer. Most good tower speakers which wouldn't really need a sub and would be audiophile quality are something like $550 each.
I would get bookshelves and a subwoofer, and you can upgrade them in the future if you wish. For the bookshelves, do something like this:
KEF Q300B Bookshelf Loudspeakers - Black Ash (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CE3LG9U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xwLDzbT9SB2WF
Or, slightly cheaper:
Klipsch RP-150M Bookshelf Speaker - Cherry (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00RXHEH8Y/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LHLDzb4SG7WJF
Wharfedale - Diamond 220 (Walnut) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00P15KDCO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_9RLDzbZ86871K
DALI - ZENSOR 1 - Bookshelf Speakers in Light Walnut (Pair) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0057X8796/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_VSLDzbP0MK16M
And for the sub:
SVS SB-1000 – 12”, 300 Watt DSP Controlled, Sealed Box Subwoofer (Black Ash) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AF88C0M/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LDLDzbRASPMQT
This puts you over budget by $100 if you go with the KEFs and $35 if you go Klipsch (which would be significantly louder, more V shaped sound (bass and treble, less mids), but less detailed). I haven't heard the wharfedales or dalis in person so I can't comment on their sound. So, I would start with just the speakers and then decide if you want a sub or not, if you do, continue saving.
Edit: some tower options that are less than $800:
Klipsch RP-250F Floorstanding Speaker - Ebony (Each) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00S2N4BDO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_.LLDzbFH56BVV
Monitor Audio Bronze Series 5 2 1/2 Way Floorstanding Speaker - Each - Black Oak https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00XW22VY6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_cQLDzb7WQ7KE9
ELAC - Debut F5 Tower Speakers (Each) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B014GSEPY8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_TQLDzbEY4CHAQ
I'm looking to build a semi-affordable home audio system this year. I'm gonna start buying components with my tax money, so it's time to seek some quick suggestions. I am pretty much set on the turntable and receiver. And I have narrowed my speaker options down to 3 final contenders. Basically I need help deciding which of these 3 speaker setups will sound the best for my personal taste (music only, no movies. Mostly stoner rock, doom, classic rock, hard rock, blues, reggae, funk... you know, mostly bass heavy rock).
The turntable I chose is the U-Turn Orbit Custom with acrylic platter and Ortofon 2M Red cartridge.
The receiver I chose to go with this turntable is the Onkyo A-9050. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009JBZFVK/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_RsWMybSP4ZYZR
Now onto the speakers. My budget is $500 but I can go over a little bit. This setup will be in my living room which is smallish to regular in size. Also, I have hardwood floors if that matters. Sooooo... Which of these 3 setups will sound best with this turntable/receiver???
Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks everyone!
These are a great deal right now: https://www.amazon.ca/Elac-Debut-Floorstanding-Loudspeaker-Single/dp/B014GSEPY8/ will cost $550 for the pair though. You could pair it with a this receiver https://gibbyselectronicsupermarket.ca/product/denon-avr-s720w-7-2-4k-ultra-hd-av-receiver-b-stock/ for 349 and come in pretty much at your budget. This would be the best way to spend $1000 and get a future proof system you can build into a great home theater later. Keep in mind that receiver is refurbished (but should be fine) and only on sale tonight.
Don't get down you have a bunch of great choices available at your price point!
Wharfedale Diamond 10.7 speakers on sale at MusicDirect for $799
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-15494-wharfedale-diamond-107-tower-speakers-pr.aspx
ELAC Debut F5 speakers for $279.99 each
http://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452716607&sr=8-1&keywords=elac+debut+f5
Or ....
PSB Imagine T speakers for $1099!
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PBIMGT&variation=EBLK&gclid=CJiV9r3Pp8oCFYIfHwod19IMIA
Known I believe for being a bit bass heavy per this review.
http://www.psbspeakers.com/articles/Stereophile-Imagine-T-Review
These are just examples and if you live in a large city area I would do some research and try and figure out what sounds good to your ears. But all these are made by respected companies with good reviews.
Elac F5 is $279/each: http://www.amazon.com/ELAC-Debut-Tower-Speakers-Each/dp/B014GSEPY8
Great reviews: http://www.cnet.com/products/elac-debut-f5/
Well, I was going to recommend the Chane A5rx-c, but it looks like it's out of stock... If you can find a set still in stock somewhere, I found them very enjoyable to listen to, though not the most detailed.
The ELAC Debut F5 comes highly recommended, but it wasn't for me. I found it to be too flat, but you might like that.
Nothing else really jumps to mind as far as floor standers for that price. I can't speak to the Polks, I've not heard them.
Right now this is what I am leaning toward. Thoughts?
Long story short, my front left tower has a damaged tweeter and my google skills cannot find the replacement available for sale.
1. What is your budget?
I am open to spending up to $1500.
2. What are you looking for?
I want a new LCR and I think I am leaning towards floor speakers sa I have kids and bookshelves on stands seem WAY more likely to get knocked over. I COULD mount some speakers on the wall, but again... they might be likely to hang on to them. (Kids. Not Even Once.) Also I am NOT interested in ATMOS at this time.
All in I think I prefer the ease of use with the towers but I dont know if they are the best bang for the buck for me as my subwoofer handles the bottom end pretty well.
3. How will you typically be using the gear?
I use it for home theater (Movies and Games) 50% and music the other 50%.
4. What gear do you own?
5. What do you intend on using for a source?
I stream Spotify Premium or use my PS4 for BlueRay, Games, Netflix and Youtube (mostly kids).
6. What material will you be using your gear for?
In order of importance I think I want movies, music and gaming. Lately I have been listening to a lot of
7. Are you willing to buy used?
Yes. My problem with used research is there are SOOOO many brands and models for me to lookup on a price/sound ratio that I quickly get inundated.
All in I have been thinking about updating my setup for a while, and this tweeter issue is a perfect excuse.
I have a buddy using the HSU 5.1 and it sounds great. Otherwise I don't have much exposure to a lot of other brands (and there seem to be a LOT of them).
As of right now the following combinations have caught my attention:
What other speakers should I consider? Or is there a clear winner?
I’m thinking about it being a bit closer. Just moved in last weekend so a couch is on the wishlist for now. I do have a recliner in there for now.
I think I’m going to get this receiver
Pioneer Elite Audio & Video Component Receiver Black (VSX-LX102)
And these speakers first
Pioneer Andrew Jones Designed Floorstanding Loudspeaker Audio Bundle (2-Pack)
Then I plan on going with the matching center, sub, and l/r rear later.
Thoughts?
OK well let's start with the basics - you will absolutely need an amplifier if you don't have one - the speakers you have selected (more on those later) are passive speakers.
Do you have a 4K TV? Do you have a TV at all? If not that definitely changes things. I for one have a 1080p TV and I'm not going to upgrade to 4K until adaptive frame rate and HDR specifications are finalized. Because of that, I decided to buy a used Marantz SR8002. I was able to pick up an amp that retailed at $2500 for $350 on eBay - and it's an absolute monster. Do I miss having new features like IP control and Audessey XT32? Of course. But since I don't have a 4K TV I can manage. Anyway...off topic. If you want a good 4K receiver I'm a huge fan of the Marantz SR6011 or SR6010. They both have Audessey XT32 and independent DSP-controlled subwoofer outs (i.e. the receiver doesn't send the same signal to both sub outs - it can adjust them to correct for room response - which should make a significant difference).
Back to speakers - I'm personally not a huge fan of the Klipsch sound - it's pretty harsh in my opinion. However, I am a huge fan of the new ELAC Uni-Fi line. You can get the UF5 Towers for $1000/pair and the UC5 Center for $350. But audition before you buy!
For 1000 you can do a lot better on the subs, in my opinion. You could do two SB-1000s (sealed) or two PB-1000s (ported). You could also do a single SB-2000 (sealed) or PB-2000 (ported) and still have some change left over.
Do you have a sonos system in the rest of the house? If you want streaming audio, you could use a Chromecast - it works with Spotify and other streaming services and costs $30 (instead of the $350 for the Sonos Connect).
Elac UF5. Let me explain..
You're going to want floor standers for hip-hop because of the bass extension requirements. If you had a greater budget I would recommend bookshelf on stands with a sub. But with the UF5 you get the best of both worlds (bass and low cost), the cabinet will be noisy compared to bookshelf and a heavily reinforced sub cabinet.
https://www.amazon.com/Uni-fi-Floorstanding-Speaker-Black-Single/dp/B01CRYWVLM
$503.37 now.
ELAC Surround Floorstanding Home Speaker, Set of 1, Black (UF51-BK) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01CRYWVLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_wW8RDb4H6BDEK
Satin white for $627.84
ELAC Uni-fi UF5 Floorstanding Speaker (Finished Satin White Cabinet, Single) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B01M01B9XW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_cX8RDbA5XX2K8
https://www.svsound.com/products/ultra-tower?variant=9532245379&gclid=CjwKCAjwzYDMBRA1EiwAwCv6Jma2BzDEPHKy_88HuR9KrgZhPbOkWly7Lr1VsicFaJ3KkVFCvXTOfBoCXqQQAvD_BwE
ELAC Uni-fi UF5 Floorstanding Speaker (Black, Single) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CRYWVLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_LouGzb5ZMYXN1
Definitive Technology Mythos ST-L SuperTower with Built-In Powered Subwoofer - Each (Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00G5GJWQ6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xruGzb00KBFVC
Get a pair of the ELAC Unifi UF5. They are another Andrew Jones design. ELAC Uni-fi UF5 Floorstanding Speaker (Black, Single) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CRYWVLM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_n5oPCbZP6ZGF3
Having a Sony TV has zero impact on whether you get Sony speakers.
For Pioneer, the left, right, and center speakers combine will cost you $192:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2EI/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2LG/
For Sony, the left, right, and center speakers combine will cost you $296:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8YLNRS/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8YLMVA/
For reference, if you wanted the floor standing options for either it will be an extra $100-150 in either case.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00O8YLL8E/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0798YNCQ1/
I will assume you will go with bookshelf speakers for now and the Sonys. That means that your AVR, speaker cable, left, right, and center channels combined come to about $500.
That leaves about $500 for a subwoofer. That is a nice chunk of change for a really nice subwoofer.
First, are you certain you want a premium subwoofer like that? Second, are you concerned that you may disturb your neighbors in an apartment building with a subwoofer?
Personally, I would save my money and get the BIC America F12. It is an absolutely excellent subwoofer for $200 and is likely already overkill for your needs:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015A8Y5M/
You'd probably be better off going for a 2.0 system if you want power and sound quality. Save some money by buying fewer speakers. Even that is gonna be hard to do though. A decent amp is gonna cost you at least $100 and that leaves $150 for speakers. You pretty much cannot get speakers for $150 bucks that will sound good at high volumes, at least in my experience.
Maybe get a couple of these and find a cheap amp on craigslist? That's about the best I can figure.
Bic Acoustech PL-200 Subwoofer - Black https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OFXV5IO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_p43azb6KPQWXD.
Add these...
BIC America Venturi DV64 2-Way Tower Speaker, Black (Single) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00011KLOI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_H83azbPJTWW6M
And these...
BIC America DV62si Bookshelf Speakers (Pair, Black) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00006JPDI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_m93azbQ5KSMEM
Can't find the center channel model right now, will post later. Edit found it! BIC America DV-62CLRS 6-Inch 2-Way Center Channel Speaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009WBYL/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_k79azbVHSM7VV
They sound incredible!!
See if you can get some BIC America Venturi DV64's. For the price, they simply can't be beat, and if you want a sub to go with them get a BIC America F12 12-Inch 475-Watt Front Firing Powered Subwoofer. BIC is one of the best kept secrets in the audio world. Oh, and if you're the least bit savy, you'll power everything with a dirt cheap, Tripath t-amp (Topping TP60 or TP41), processed by a Topping D2 DAC. It's the perfect PC/TV/MP3 player setup.
http://www.parts-express.com/wizards/searchResults.cfm?srchExt=Mfg&srchMfg=470
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-Venturi-DV64-Speaker/dp/B00011KLOI/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1345444480&sr=8-9&keywords=BIC+AMERICA
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1345444480&sr=8-2&keywords=BIC+AMERICA
I think a set of these could be exactly what you're looking for.
Budget:
About $500 total, could go up to $600 for a receiver and a pair of speakers. Will add sub woofer and anything else wished for later. Located in US.
Looking for:
Receiver and 2 floor standing speakers as a budget starter kit for music listening and movies.
Usage space:
In a 20 x 25 room, speakers near one wall (will have clearance behind them) on either side of 54" TV.
Owned now:
I currently have nothing. A nice big TV (and a few input devices such as PS4 and Apple TV) but that's it. Small Logitechs in the kitchen for iPod music playing. I want to bring it all together in a nicer package in the living room for music to start.
Source:
iPhones, PC, PS4, Apple TV. I can play music, etc.. wireless through the Apple TV, so wireless would not be a sticking point in receiver options.
Source material type:
A wide range. From Mozart to Metallica, and from gaming to movies.
Buy used?
I generally wouldn't, but I am open to all arguments otherwise.
To give you an idea, this is what I had in my Amazon cart before I stopped myself and came here:
Receiver
Yamaha RX-V379BL
Speakers
BIC America Venturi DV64
Help! I like to help in the PC building department, but audio is dark magic to me. Thank you so much for any assistance!
Thanks again for the advice. What do you think of this setup? It's only about $50 more but it seems like a lot of people are recommending BIC in this sub.
BIC America Venturi DV84 2-Way Tower Speaker -
(2x) $155 - https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-Venturi-Speaker-Single/dp/B00012F7CI/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1506711455&sr=1-1&keywords=dv84
BIC America DV-62CLRS 6-Inch 2-Way Center Channel Speaker -
$115 - https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-DV-62CLRS-Channel-Speaker/dp/B00009WBYL
BIC America F12 12-Inch 475-Watt Front Firing Powered Subwoofer - $212 - https://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1506711817&sr=1-1&keywords=bic+powered+subwoofer
Thanks, very helpful. I may add a tv, not sure we of yet. The ta 100 looks like it could be perfect.
Here are the speakers (but I'm willing to upgrade if they don't sound great, they were primarily used for home theater before and this system will focus on music)
BIC Amercia Acoustech Platinum Series PL-89 tower speaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001VIXH7I/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_7qsEDbQT2E8GH
Hey Zeos! Great guide! I built my 5.1 from this last year and have been very happy with it.
Quick question: I went with the BICs and just blew a front speaker. Thinking about going with towers in the living room. About to pick up some BIC FT-6T towers for $300, but I may be able to do BIC PL-89 II's for $450. Waiting on an ebay seller to accept or counter-offer.
Might be nice to start upgrading, but I'm concerned about the PL-89's not matching the sound signature of the center. What do you think?
Use case: 70% listening to music. 30% home theater.
Up your budget by $50 and get 2 of these;
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001VIXH7I/ref=s9_dcacsd_dcoop_bw_c_x_1_w
Buuuut, the DV84's are supposed to sound quite good for the money. I've been interested in them for some years, but kind of jumped over them when there was the big Jamo sale earlier in the year. I'm still contemplating getting a pair just to see what they sound like.
And there was just a post by a mod around here that would say these are the best LOUDspeakers you can get at that price point, if you can get past the 1990 looks...surprisingly, the best price I found was on the Home Depot site for some reason...
https://www.homedepot.com/p/BIC-America-Eviction-Series-15-in-430-Watt-3-Way-Bi-Ampable-Floor-Speaker-RTR-EV15/204706680
ooops, didn't see you had the EV15's listed. Go for them!
ok cool then, I just bought two tower speakers and this sub
You may want to check out BIC America RTR series
and Eviction series.
Links:
Speakers:
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-RTR-EV15-Eviction-Bi-Ampable-High-Efficiency/dp/B003H3L76I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376599053&sr=8-1&keywords=bic+america+rtr+ev15
Pro Amp: http://www.amazon.com/Crown-XLS1000-Power-Amplifier/dp/B003HZPKSM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376599081&sr=8-1&keywords=crown+xls+1000
Pre Amp: http://www.amazon.com/TC-780LC-Stereo-Booster-BLACK-VERSION/dp/B000RZXAHI/ref=sr_1_8?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1375640834&sr=1-8&keywords=stereo+preamplifier
Is this a somewhat logical set up? Will these components put together actually make a working system?
This is a good idea. Looks like amazon has them for $200 per pair! Get 2 pairs (is the receiver 5.1?) and put the receiver on “music mode” or “surround music” so it splits the audio to all channels not just two
https://www.amazon.com/BIC-RTR-EV15-Eviction-Bi-Ampable-High-Efficiency/dp/B003H3L76I
Suggested 5.1 setup:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLGUKEI/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AF88C0M/
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-P363-Three-way-Floorstanding/dp/B0046A8R3M/
(plus the matching bookshelf and center)
However, I prefer stereo to surround. I'd much rather have two fantastic speakers than 5 cheap ones. Your front speakers are the most important aspects of any system (surround or not), so going stereo and adding surround to it guarantees you have a great base to build around. I'd recommend:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLGUKEI/
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AF88C0M/
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/bowers-and-wilkins-6-1-2-2-1-2-way-floorstanding-speaker-each-black-ash-vinyl/1290564.p
Or, if you really want high quality sound (with potential to add sub):
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00BLGUKEI/
http://www.amazon.com/KEF-LS50-Mini-Monitor-Gloss/dp/B00EPDMDZ8
These guys? What makes you suggest them over the BICs?
Well I recent (about a year and a half ago) ditched all my cruddy three-ways and upgraded to a pair of Infinity Primus P363s. These speakers are phenomenal for the price and have been regarded by various communities as competitive with $1000 range speakers. They are currently on sale at Amazon ($100 off). Check around AudioKarma or other similar websites to see what people are raving about. I know I love mine like crazy.
I agree, make this a project that you save up for over time.
I started with the Infinity Primus which often go on sale for $107 and for that price I dont think they can be beat.
If you just want a pair of speaker's for "everything", those Sony's should be adequate enough. If you have the patience, these sometimes go for about $105 on Amazon from time to time. The last time i saw them like that was about a month ago. Keep in mind it's for one speaker, so two will be just about $210.
That will net you a good stereo 2.0 set up. In fact, the SR805 was quite well regarded back when it came out. Unfortunately, its prone to breaking down from it's own heat. So either sell it if you don't want it, or keep a running fan on top of it to cool it down. Just to be safe.
Getting a good 5.1 setup under $300 is a bit tricky. You could get four $50 speakers an a $100 center, but not only is that lacking a subwoofer its also not going to be as good sounding as a 2.0 system i described above. ymmv.
Okay..so no sound bar. I was also thinking about standing speakers like these:http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M/ref=sr_1_1?s=aht&ie=UTF8&qid=1417160145&sr=1-1
But what do you recommend? I'm on a tight budget and that vizio setup just seemed the cheapest and simplest.
Ok Zeos, I have a Yamaha RX-V373-R Factory Refurbished 5.1-Channel AV Receiver and 2 Infinity Primus 363 Three-way dual 6-1/2-Inch Floorstanding Speaker. From what I was reading, my receiver prefers 8 ohm or 6 ohm speakers, but one of the reviews I was reading says these towers are truly 4 ohms. What is this going to do to my receiver? Should I be worried and is there anything I can do to prevent any damage.
Secondly, a friend of mine had a HTiB, but the receiver died, can I use some of his old satellites/center till I can buy new speakers for my center/rears?
Thirdly, is it ok if I buy a different brand of bookshelfs for my rear speakers? The p363s were 75$ each when I bought them, so a great deal, but now all the different pats seem to have increased quite a bit.
Which models are these? http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M
On the left
Yamaha RX-V377
On top of the Yamaha is a Behringer UMC202HD
The mic is a Shure SM7B
On the right side of the desk is my HP docking station for my work laptop. I work from home a lot so it's nice to have a dock.
In the middle there is an Infinity center channel
I've got 4 of these, front left and right and rear left and right
Using a spdif connection from my motherboard to the receiver.
The subs are two of these.
Keyboard is this
As of tomorrow, mouse will be this
And this huge ass mouse mat
The TSi will outperform the monitor series. And I'm not a fan of Bostons entry level at this point either. I would stick to the TSis for now. As for recommendations you will probably receive from other people are the Infinity Primus 363s and the Pioneer SP-FS51-LR
If you are looking to go cheaper and stick with Polk, you could get the Monitor 70 series which will bump up the bass response a bit more, but if you are fine paying the price for the 400s I would go for those.
Okay, are these infinity primus towers better?
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS51-LR-Floorstanding-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B004H1M4NO/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1333121519&sr=1-1
these pioneer speakers are great for the price.
It's a Polk Audio CS10 with an Onkyo TX-NR515 receiver.
I think I'll stick with tower speakers unless there's a good reason not to.
Okay, here's the three Polk Towers that I'm looking at. Is there a clear winner here?
Polk Audio TSi500 Floorstanding Speaker
Polk Audio Signature S55 American HiFi Home Theater Tower Speaker
Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series II Floorstanding Speaker
I've been looking for a set of floor standing speakers for a 2.0 setup. I was considering the Polk Audio Monitor 70 series, but they are no longer on sale. Does anyone know how the T50 speakers would compare? Are these 3 way speakers?
A couple years back I bought a bunch of speakers when I was living in a house and had freedom, hooked them up to some junky receivers from the thrift shop and was happy enough.
I'd like to give them a bit better treatment and see just how much I like them after giving them a fair shot though and could really use some advice on the best solution to power them adequately enough for a fair trial, here's what I have, a bunch of Polk stuff:
Monitor 70:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00631YX62/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1517939899&sr=8-3&keywords=monitor+70
Monitor 40:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-AM4095-Monitor-Bookshelf/dp/B0071MSYEE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517939826&sr=8-1&keywords=Polk+Monitor+40
PSW505:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-12-Inch-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000092TT0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1517940032&sr=8-1&keywords=psw505
I was thinking maybe something like this?:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MXUCN0A/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER
My source is 99% high quality digital files straight from my PC (2011 MacBook Pro 15").
I'm not in any big rush so would be happy to hunt for smarter used prices, etc. just really looking for guidance. Does it make sense to connect both sets of speakers to the same amp?
Is a subwoofer redundant/unnecessary/harmful for music listening with this set up?
Side question: the Monitor 70s come prepared for bi-amping with little removable metal connectors between the two sets of connectors on the back of each speaker. Am I in any trouble if I remove these connectors and DON'T bi-amp?
Thanks a lot for any help.
Looking to get an entry level setup for listening to music, don't have a huge budget or much expertise with speakers. Would the following setup work together? Receiver, 2xFloorstanding, and Sub The two questions I have is can I plug all 3 (specifically the sub) of those into that receiver and does that receiver have a high enough wattage output for the T70's? Or would I be better off spending a little more money and getting this
Thanks for the help!
Any reason not to get these? I plan to use them for my bedroom for my vinyl and possibly phone. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00631YX62/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_gzgsybZNJTG5F
If so recommendations are welcome.
You can still get the other Polk Audio Monitor 70 Series 2 on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B00631YX62
No its not. Two beautiful mid range floor-standing 60 series II speakers are only $240.
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B006QL0XXQ/
Or you could go for some nice mid range bookshelf speakers for only $70 a par
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T15-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B002RJLHB8/
Or if you want top end bookshelf speakers how about $200 a pair:
https://smile.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-TSi200-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B0018QRO9A/
Every one of these will offer better sound than some apple tin can pumping out compressed streamed shit quality iTunes music.
I'm quite satisfied with my Polk Audio Monito60 Series II floorstanding speakers. They're not top of the line, of course, but they are excellent for the money. Filled the room much better than my bookshelf speakers I was using as front L/R did.
Two of these should suffice:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B006QL0XXQ
I wanted a pair of speakers to put on my living room, for listening purposes only (vinyl/CDs). I stumbled upon these, are they okay? The JBL one at the top seems to be geared towards studio mixing and not home enjoyment.
~$500 tower speaker recommendations
Background: I am doing research for a family member who is appreciates good speakers but is not an audiophile (ie, listening to a lower-quality system doesn't pain them). Lost a pair of good 30 year-old speakers a few years back, and they're looking to get a new sound system to last the next 30. So this is an interesting balance where pretty much anything will be acceptable, but they're also somewhat willing to spend on quality.
Based on this, my thoughts so far are that:
Models that I've seen that look like reasonable options:
I'd definitely do two bookshelves and a sub instead of two towers. For a receiver, an Onkyo NR-636 is probably the cheapest new receiver that'll do everything you want. Better to apply as much budget to speakers as possible. Get a Bic America F12 for a sub, and some Chane Loudspeakers. Depending on whether you get towers or bookshelves, you're either at $800 or $1050. Fluance XL7F Towers and HTD Level 3 bookshelves are within your budget as well.
I'm a headphones guy. Thoughts on Fluance? These are less-known, according to some people I've asked, but I saw someone in this sub recommend them and they seem like they'd have what I'm currently looking for. Feedback?
Link:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IWKX14/ref=s9_simh_gw_g23_i1_r?pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=desktop-1&pf_rd_r=1YMVQG6G4RZSA4VE9NAG&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=2079475242&pf_rd_i=desktop
Whoops, you're right! I just fixed it. The model is this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007IWKX14/
Uh, those speakers you linked to are $329 EACH. A pair of the following at $129 each is more in-line with your stated budget. also, given your budget, if you plan to spend a lot of time listening to music, I'd suggest you consider getting a higher quality stereo 2.1 receiver instead of a cheap 5.1 unit. You'd be surprised how well a simple stereo system with added subwoofer performs in a theatre listening setting.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1484887261&sr=1-2&keywords=andrew+jones+speakers
I am looking at purchasing this speaker with a Bluetooth receiver to play music wirelessly in my room. Thoughts? Would that even work? Better options?
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B008NCD2S4?ref=emc_b_5_t
Andrew jones is a great deal for the quality. Start with just a pair of the floor standing FS52’s for $129.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
When you’re ready to spend more at some point down the line you can get the center speaker, bookshelf rears, or a quality sub like an SVS PB1000. No more replacing stuff, just add on when you have the money and you’ll have a pretty killer system.
Source: I did this exact thing over a couple years and now have a house rattling 5.1.2 Atmos setup that I’m really happy with. Total cost was about $1200.
I personally have these towers: https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
Absolutely love them. Depending on your preference, you might even wanna get the bookshelves for now - can be better suited for rear channels in the future if/when you upgrade your fronts. that's what I kinda wish I did originally.
Hey yo, I've been doing my fair share of research these past couple of days and this sub as well as /r/Zeos have been a huge help. That budget can definitely get you started with something nice.
These suggestions are all from reading this sub, avsforums, amazon reviews, you name it.. I really have no on-hand experience as I'm saving up for a build myself. (Here is my post in case you're interested)
That should keep you around your budget and have some spare for cables and any other expenses that might come up along the way. Maybe some cable management or whatever.
Good luck
I was going to get those ELAC bookshelves because of the unanimous great reviews and low price, and I probably should have waited for them to come back in stock. I ended up heading off to Best Buy for something else but when browsing around I saw they had some Andrew Jones Pioneer speakers for cheap, so I bought a pair. I thought they were nice for what I use them for, but lacked bass. So I went back the next day for the subwoofer. So far I enjoy them. Without having tried the ELAC speakers I wouldn't necessarily recommend these over them, but for budget towers I'm happy with what I bought. No room for surround sound at the moment, but when I can I'd like to finish off the set
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
not a lot of money to work with, but that's fine.
I'd look at your local classifieds/craigslist for a turntable. I personally found an old used Technics SL 1700 for free on craigslist because it wouldn't turn on. fixed it in about 15 minutes. Got a new needle for $50 and its been great for years.
assuming you already have a power amp, Andrew Jone's Pioneer speakers are known to be inexpensive and very good: http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4
However, you might be able to find good speakers for ~$100 on craigslist/etc. For example, I found some Klipsch KG 3.5s for ~$150.
If you have a Frys near you I would recommend this at $99 each (when they are on sale in-store only):
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Three-way-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0046A8R3M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425357232&sr=8-1&keywords=infinity+primus
If you don't live near a Frys, Amazon sometimes will pricematch it with free shipping so you can look out for that.
There is also a list here for speakers if your on a budget.
http://www.reddit.com/r/AverageJoeAudiophile/
I'm not crazy about them. Horn speakers are prone to have have a resonance peaks, I heard a pair that squekked really badly every time the trumpets played in the monster and men's sound track.
At around that price range there are many good options. I wish we had some M200MKIII's in stock, they sound amazing.
Actually, what I suggest would actually to buy an amplifier+floor standing. Alot of people talk about sound accuracy, but there's nothing like having a wall of soft delicate music just flowing out from you.
Here's an Decent 2.0 amplifier
https://www.amazon.com/Audio-Source-AMP100VS-Channel-Amplifier/dp/B00ZSEFU94/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482868449&sr=1-11&keywords=stereo+amplifier
Here's a decent floorstanding speakers.
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482868539&sr=1-3&keywords=floorstanding+speakers
Here's a combo reciever+amplifier with the floorstanders
https://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B01MZZTZQU/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1482868539&sr=1-3&keywords=floorstanding%2Bspeakers&th=1
I don't care for Cerwin Vega. Do love that amp thought. Maybe check out some Pioneer speakers and maybe a BIC 12" subwoofer.
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS52-LR-Designed-standing-Loudspeaker/dp/B008NCD2S4/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1374675193&sr=8-2&keywords=pioneer+andrew+jones
http://www.amazon.com/BIC-America-F12-475-Watt-Subwoofer/dp/B0015A8Y5M/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1374675235&sr=1-2&keywords=bic
I hope you don't mind I found some examples. Onkyo TX-SR444 $319. Monoprice 5.1 speaker set $150. Logitech Harmony Smart Control $70. This will get you something to setup and learn with and it should sound better than what you've had before with a ton more options. The Onkyo has great built in software and a mic to help do some automatic speaker calibration. You can also tweak it manually when you learn more. You can add rear speakers later if you want 7.1. If after a while you find the fronts/center aren't "full" enough you can add something like this and this. When I got started this really helped me out. Reading and research and asking questions helps a ton! Enjoy.
Well, a pair of these bad boys will run you about $150: https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-T50-Theater-Standing/dp/B013LIN5W2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1480097255&sr=8-1&keywords=standing+floor+speaker
From there you just need to pick up an audio receiver to run them. That's a more personal decision. You can find a 2.0 or 2.1 model for a bit cheaper, or you can plan for the future and get a 5.1 or 7.1 that can handle surround sound.
All in all you can give yourself a really nice setup for about $250 that is going to be a gigantic jump in quality from what you get out of a soundbar or tv speakers.