Home Audio

Spoonman · April 28, 2008

Hey guys, I am looking to replace some old worn out Pioneer 3-way floor speakers with some "bookshelves". I liked some from PolK Audio, can't recall the model. I have not kept up much with what is out there and need some recommendations. I have a 150 watt sony surround sound receiver that works fine for me. I do not want to break the bank if I don't have to. I don't really "rock-out" anymore but occasionally enjoy music turned up in the house or a good movie on surround sound. I guess I want the best of both worlds; quality and value.

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

Hey guys, I am looking to replace some old worn out Pioneer 3-way floor speakers with some "bookshelves". I liked some from PolK Audio, can't recall the model. I have not kept up much with what is out there and need some recommendations. I have a 150 watt sony surround sound receiver that works fine for me. I do not want to break the bank if I don't have to. I don't really "rock-out" anymore but occasionally enjoy music turned up in the house or a good movie on surround sound. I guess I want the best of both worlds; quality and value.

What brand are your surround speakers?

You want to stay within brand, even within product lines if possible, due to varying tonal qualities across them.

VMAXNY · April 29, 2008

Klipsh are # 1

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

Klipsh are # 1

Klipsch are middle of the road...Great speakers (I've got a ton of their stuff, and my home theater is built on them), but they're pretty much love-em or hate-em, due to the horns. I've got some hearing loss, so I need the horns

Spoonman · April 29, 2008

Hey guys, I am looking to replace some old worn out Pioneer 3-way floor speakers with some "bookshelves". I liked some from PolK Audio, can't recall the model. I have not kept up much with what is out there and need some recommendations. I have a 150 watt sony surround sound receiver that works fine for me. I do not want to break the bank if I don't have to. I don't really "rock-out" anymore but occasionally enjoy music turned up in the house or a good movie on surround sound. I guess I want the best of both worlds; quality and value.

What brand are your surround speakers?

You want to stay within brand, even within product lines if possible, due to varying tonal qualities across them.

They are Sony as well, nothing special. I had the Pioneers hooked up with it and was quite pleased....... They probably drowned the rest out......

VMax2007 · April 29, 2008

My Home Theater is set up with a 700 watt Yamaha 7.1 Surround Receiver with Klipsch Reference Series front/center speakers, (4) Bose 301's for the rear-center and rear speakers and a Klipsch downfiring Subwoofer. My family room sounds like one of those demo rooms at your local Home Theater store.

TV sucks though. It's a 57" Toshiba Rear Projection. I need a PLASMA!!! Oh well, it sounds awesome and the picture is great with DVD's, but not-so-great for football/hockey or other fast moving sports.

Spoonman · April 29, 2008

Klipsh are # 1

Klipsch are middle of the road...Great speakers (I've got a ton of their stuff, and my home theater is built on them), but they're pretty much love-em or hate-em, due to the horns. I've got some hearing loss, so I need the horns

Feeling dumb here, "horns"? Are you refering to the highs or tweaters?

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

Klipsh are # 1

Klipsch are middle of the road...Great speakers (I've got a ton of their stuff, and my home theater is built on them), but they're pretty much love-em or hate-em, due to the horns. I've got some hearing loss, so I need the horns

Feeling dumb here, "horns"? Are you refering to the highs or tweaters?

Yeah, instead of using little tweeters, they have horns. Not like non-queer Texans, but like PA speakers

Look at the top of these speakers, that's what they look like...I'll see if I have a picture of my speakers.

Zembonez · April 29, 2008

Speakers are a hard thing to recommend. There are at least a million kinds and each person has different tastes and each listening room had different acoustics. Price range is another biggie. If you want to stick with something cost effective but pretty nice, try looking at Fluance. They make amazing speakers for the money. I have a pair in my computer room hooked up to an Onkyo receiver and my SoundBlaster Audigy in my PC. They absolutely rock! Good clean sound too.

Here is their site: FLUANCE of CANADA

If you want to step up a notch, look at the Paradigms. A little more $$$ and a real step up. You might have to move up in Electronics though to get the sound out of them that they are capable of.

PARADIGM SPEAKERS

If you have the place for some inwall surrounds, I highly recommend Sonance. They start around $600 per pair but MAN do they sound good.

SONANCE SPEAKERS

My biggest piece of advise is STAY OUT OF THE BIG BOX STORES. Best Buy , Circuit City, etc don'r have anything that is a step up.

I'm currently running a Denon AVR-3806 as a preamp with 3 Adcom amplifiers running my mains, center, and subs. The only speakers running off of the Denon are my Sonance surrounds which I have built in to the rear ceiling. We use a Sony 56" LCD for video.

I am almost pleased.

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

How much/where did you buy those Adcoms Jim? My 3806 just doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore.

Zembonez · April 29, 2008

How much/where did you buy those Adcoms Jim? My 3806 just doesn't seem to be cutting it anymore.

The larger amp (GFA-545II) I bought from a sound studio in Austin. I've had the 2 GFA-535IIs (bottom units) for a number of years.

Believe it or not the GFA 545IIs and 535IIs are on Ebay quite often for a good deal. Make sure you get the 545II and not the 545. It is a true dual amp design that blows away the previous model. They are getting to be vintage items now... but they sound awesome. Tons of balls!

I run my subs on the 545II and the center and fronts on the two 535IIs. It rocks.

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

So I'd be looking around 300 for a single two-channel?

Zembonez · April 29, 2008

So I'd be looking around 300 for a single two-channel?

You should be able to pick up a good clean one owner GFA-545II for 300 bucks easily. Damn things put out so much power you could arc weld with the speaker cable! (not recommended usage )

I'll email you the manual.

Wingnut · April 29, 2008

So two of those guys would do the mains and center...And I just leave the rears powered by the 3806 since they don't need much power?

Zembonez · April 29, 2008

So two of those guys would do the mains and center...And I just leave the rears powered by the 3806 since they don't need much power?

I would run the center off of the receiver along with the surrounds. That Denon has plenty of balls for that. Use the Adcom for the mains... and another Adcom for the subs (that you are going to build). I am running 2 12 inch DVC 2ohm Image Dynamics subs in a 3 layer MDF box behind the loveseat in my living room. I can rearrange the pictures on my neighbor's hallway wall.

THAT'S a great way to spend that 600 Uncle Sam is sending your way!

Hey Spoonman... Sorry for us hijacking your thread.

Back to you.