Looking to replace front 3 - updated OP

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A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
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Room is a living room in an apartment, roughly 8ftx8ft. Already have a sub and surrounds that I can live with, but I'm looking to upgrade the fronts on a budget. (Current system is a Klipsch ProMedia Ultra computer set if anyone cares) Main uses are Xbox 360 and movies. So far I've come up with 3 options:

Option 1:
Pair of Polk R50s from frys.com - $150-ish with shipping
Polk CS1 center - $116 shipped from Amazon
For a total of $266

Option 2:
Polk Monitor 30 pair - $155 shipped
Polk CS1 center - $116
For a total of $271

New options (accounting for used stuff and my newfound preference for bookshelves):
Option 3 (The baseline I guess, given the large used market for Polk):
Polk RTi 4/6/A1/A3 - $125-$200/pr
Polk CSi3 - ~$120

Option 4 (the instant gratification/value option):
Athena LS-100B
Athena LSC-100
$242 shipped

Option 5 (the no center option):
Onix X-LS - ~$250 shipped

I'd really prefer one of the options with a center, so if you can find someone silly enough to sell a X-LS/CS combo for $300, let me know

Also open to other options if anyone has any.
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
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Well now I'm looking for used RTi 6 and RTi 8 sets thanks to AVS - if anyone here knows of some other good used speakers I can look for, let me know!
 
L

LOUISSSSS

Diamond Member
Dec 5, 2005
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best out of the 3

Option 1:
Pair of Polk R50s from frys.com - $150-ish with shipping
Polk CSR center - ~$95 shipped
or
Polk CS1 center - $116 shipped from Amazon
For a total of $245 or $266
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
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Have you gotten a chance to go out and listen to any of these options or other manufacturers? If you liked your Klipsch, maybe something from them again would be to your liking?
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Have you gotten a chance to go out and listen to any of these options or other manufacturers? If you liked your Klipsch, maybe something from them again would be to your liking?
Click to expand...

I like my Klipsch just fine, but when I look at pictures of their bookshelves (especially the ones in my price range) I can't help but think that they look exactly like my ProMedias. I also don't really know what models to look for - they seem to change the numbers fairly often.

Haven't had a chance to audition anything, but I don't really know where to go for that kind of thing.

What do you think of the JBL L series? One guy on AVS suggested them but I don't know anything about them.

I also see a lot of Infinity Primus (wish they were Betas :p) speakers for decent prices on eBay, but there isn't much talk about those either...
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

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Tiamat linked to some Betas here that are close to your pricerange
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2149238&enterthread=y

I have some info in my sticky thread about auditioning but not so much about specific locations to go to.

As for Klipsch, the Quintet sets look a whole heck of a lot like the Promedias and the RSX series too I guess :p

I don't know much about the JBLs
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
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Right now the plan is to watch for some used RTi 6s and a center, and hope they fall into my pricerange...if not, I'll probably go with the Athenas just to get it over with :p
 
K

krotchy

Golden Member
Mar 29, 2006
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I gotta be honest, I just picked up Option 4 (along with a Bic H-100 Sub and 4x LS-50B rears) and I am loving the system so far. The Athenas are very nice quality, and at their current prices a true steal.
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: A5
Right now the plan is to watch for some used RTi 6s and a center, and hope they fall into my pricerange...if not, I'll probably go with the Athenas just to get it over with :p
Click to expand...

Have you looked at Polk's classified forum yet?
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=34
Click to expand...

Yeah - no RTi 4/6 there that haven't already sold though. I made a post in their WTB forum, but I don't think much will come of it. I'm watching a few eBay auctions for RTi 6 and A3's, but they don't end for another 3 days...if I don't get any of those, I'll probably go with the Athenas.
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
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Got a pair of RTi 6's for $195 shipped in response to my WTB post...a little higher than I had hoped, but still good. Does anyone know if the Polk CSi 25 is a decent center? It's a lot cheaper than the CSi 3...
 
G

gchanjam

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Apr 26, 2006
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If it were me, I would look at saturdayaudio.com and pick up a pair of the Monitor Audio B1/B2 or the PSB Image B15/B25 as they are all far superior to the Polks. Doesn't leave you much room for a center but I think they more than make up for it.
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
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Originally posted by: gchanjam
If it were me, I would look at saturdayaudio.com and pick up a pair of the Monitor Audio B1/B2 or the PSB Image B15/B25 as they are all far superior to the Polks. Doesn't leave you much room for a center but I think they more than make up for it.
Click to expand...

I looked there, but I couldn't really make myself spend the extra money...I just wish I had gone there before they ran out of PSB Alpha bookshelves though.
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

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A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: A5

I'd really prefer one of the options with a center, so if you can find someone silly enough to sell a X-LS/CS combo for $300, let me know
Click to expand...

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=29098

:p
Click to expand...

You've got to be kidding me...the day after I buy something :(
Click to expand...

Got any friends that need a pair of Polks? ;)
Click to expand...

I wish...all my friends are broke college students like me. :( My bro is kind of looking to start a HT though, maybe he'll want them :p
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,205
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Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: A5
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: A5

I'd really prefer one of the options with a center, so if you can find someone silly enough to sell a X-LS/CS combo for $300, let me know
Click to expand...

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=29098

:p
Click to expand...

You've got to be kidding me...the day after I buy something :(
Click to expand...

Got any friends that need a pair of Polks? ;)
Click to expand...

I wish...all my friends are broke college students like me. :( My bro is kind of looking to start a HT though, maybe he'll want them :p
Click to expand...

I see the CS center sold already so no 3.0 for you no matter what it seems ;)
Maybe they wouldn't have been your cup of tea anyway :D
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
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81
I got the RTi 6's in a few days ago, and they are a pretty amazing upgrade over what I had...there's a whole world of directional bass and mid-bass that I wasn't getting before, and it makes a huge difference! I also think I can get away without a center until I move out of here (~ a year), so hopefully the CSi 5 will be cheaper then. :)
 
YOyoYOhowsDAjello

YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Moderator<br>A/V & Home Theater<br>Elite member
Aug 6, 2001
31,205
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Originally posted by: Soundmanred
You have directional bass?
Uh-oh.
Click to expand...

I think he means he's getting more bass from the speakers than before (vs. from the subwoofer) which is a good thing.
 
A

A5

Diamond Member
Jun 9, 2000
4,902
5
81
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Originally posted by: Soundmanred
You have directional bass?
Uh-oh.
Click to expand...

I think he means he's getting more bass from the speakers than before (vs. from the subwoofer) which is a good thing.
Click to expand...

Yeah - more as in "any at all" :p
 
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