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New member Username: RkmcdonPost Number: 1 Registered: Jun-08 | I have a home theater set up with a denon 3802 reciever and i'm looking to buy new front towers and center channel. My surround speakers are in wall Klipsch reference series, but i'm willing to have my front speakers not timbre matched to my surrounds if it allows me to get better fronts. I also have a 10" powered sub to pick up the low end. The system is almost exclusively for movies. The 3 speakers HAVE TO BE less than $1500 total and preferably less than $1400. I'm far from a speaker expert so i did some searching and discovered 2 sets of speakers that seem to fit the bill. Unfortunately, neither are speakers that I can audition and in fact, my local store options for auditioning speakers is limited to Best Buy or one "boutique" store with a very limited selection. The current candidates are: Wharfedale Diamond Series (wildwestelectronics is the only place i could find to purchase these) 9.6 floor speaker - http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/wharfedale-9-6-speakers.html 9.cm center channel - http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/wharfedale-9-cm-speaker.html Total price $1080 or Aperion Intimus 5 Series 5T tower - http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/NEW-Intimus-5T-Tower-Speaker,107,28,247.aspx 5C center channel - http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/NEW-Intimus-5C-Center-Channel-Speaker,109,29 ,253.aspx Total price $1340 I'm mostly interested in getting the best sounding speakers. If you have any knowledge of or opinion on either sets, or if you have another set in this price range you think I should look at, your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks |
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Gold Member Username: Frank_abelaBerkshire UK Post Number: 3032 Registered: Sep-04 | Rodney, That's crazy talk. You say the system is used almost purely for home theatre, and yet you say you don't mind the speakers not being timbre matched if it gets you better fonts. That is pure madness. The most successful home theatre installations are the ones which build a seamless surround soundfield. The best way to build such a soundfield is to use exactly the same speakers all the way around or, failing that, timbre matched speakers, which is most usually done by using the same brand all the way around. If you introducebetter speakers which aren't timbre matched, the most obvious change in soundscape happens in the crossover to the centre speaker. Somehwat counter-intuitively, if your centre is worse than the main fronts, this works better than the other way around in my experience, but it's still fairly obvious. I use just such a system, in part because of the 2-channel bias of my system and in part due to space restrictions. But for a system whose main purpose is home theatre, this is definitely a no-no. Sorry, but that's how I see it. Frank. |
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New member Username: RkmcdonPost Number: 2 Registered: Jun-08 | I think we may have a misunderstanding. I fully intend to purchase fronts with a timbre matched center, but i don't necessarily need my fronts/center to timbre match my surround speakers which would lock me into Klipsch Reference series. I have nothing against Klipsch, but if I can get better fronts and center for the price, i'm willing for my timbre matched fronts/center to not timbre match my surrounds. That being said, the Klipsch speakers I would be looking at would be: http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/rf-82.aspx http://www.klipsch.com/products/details/rc-62.aspx For a total of $1450 I'm not sure how these compare to the other speakers mentioned above. Also, i discovered a local store is supposed to be carrying paradigm now. I'm going to see what they have in my price range. I'm hoping maybe: http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/fronts-monitor-monitor9-model-2-4-1-18.parad igm http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/centers-monitor-cc290-model-3-4-1-7.paradigm Any thoughts? |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithCanada Post Number: 2179 Registered: Feb-04 | Klipsch have the dynamics required for great HT. I just purchased a pair of Heresy II off ebay last night! |
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Gold Member Username: ArtkAlbany, Oregon USA Post Number: 7053 Registered: Feb-05 | Congrats on the Heresy's Peter. |
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New member Username: RkmcdonPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-08 | Grats Peter and thanks for the input. I'll admit, i have been a little nervous about the two way design of the Klipsch. I wasn't sure how well a 2 way center channel would hold up. |
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Platinum Member Username: NuckPost Number: 10366 Registered: Dec-04 | Klipch do HT very well. Which 3-way center are you looking at? |
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Gold Member Username: PetergalbraithCanada Post Number: 2180 Registered: Feb-04 | Thanks Art. I will try them out in stereo (with and without a sub) for a while to get a feel for them and what they can do. But they will serve duty as surround speakers in real life. Thanks Rodney. I'll admit that I'm not very familiar with the models that you are considering, but as I recall the RF-82 is considered to be the sweet spot in the lineup, is also a two-way and has the RC-62 as matching center. I don't really see two-way as being a negative. Heck, even the Klipsch Jubilee is a two-way in home applications. |
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Bronze Member Username: KothrushPost Number: 24 Registered: Feb-05 | For movies consider PSBs or Paradigm. You can get front floor standing+center channel around $1500 for sure. I also suggest that you look for JMLabs Focal 700 series and Canton GLE series if you ever going to use the system for more music. They are little high end than PSBs and Paradigms (around $1700 for three speakers) , but if you are lucky then you might find a deal for fronts+center for $1500. For movies only, paradigm/PSBs do fine and they are great for occasional music listening too. Good speakers overall. |
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New member Username: RkmcdonPost Number: 4 Registered: Jun-08 | Thanks Kothrush. What model on the paradigms are you referring too? I've had no luck getting prices locally. We have one store locally that can order paradigm speakers, but they don't carry them. After 3 calls, I still can't get any prices. Given that Paradigms site states there are no authorized online dealers, I'm beginning to stear away from the paradigms, though i've not counted them out. |