Replacing old as hell floor standing speakers

[OutHouse]

ok, i have 2 floor stading kenwood speakers that i bought back in 1986. The left one has developed an annoying buzzing sound so im guessing its time to replace them.

ive looked through the AV threads and it looks like the main manufactures that people like are Polk, Klipsch and Axiom

sorry but i just cant buy polk, i remember when they are the cheap of the cheap...

so of these two which ones would work for a home theater?

http://www.ultimateelectronics.com/product.php?id=KLIRF82BLK

http://axiomaudio.com/m50.html

 

[vi edit]

Others to look at:
Polk RTiA7
http://cgi.ebay.com/PAIR-RTi-A7-BLK...mQQptZSpeakers_Subwoofers?hash=item53df1f3ab7

HTD Level 3
http://www.htd.com/cabinet-speakers/level-three-speakers/Level-THREE-Tower-Speakers

PSB T65
http://www.saturdayaudio.com/picturepages/image_specials_07-29-2009.htm

Wait for a half price Rocket sale:
http://www.av123.com/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=19&Itemid=37

And dozens of others...just all in what you want for sound.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

There are a ton of opinions out there on what's best.

If you have $800 to spend on 2 speakers, you have dozens of great options. You should really try to demo some of these in person. Klipsch and Axiom didn't really appeal to me personally when I was demo-ing them, but they might be right up your alley.

In my really crappy formatted general audio thread sticky (at least the part that's still there and not cut off) has some info about demo-ing different options.

Some other likely candidates for retail brands are
Paradigm
B&W
Definitive Technology
Monitor Audio
...
there are a bunch actually, so it kind of depends on what you have locally.

If you're open to Internet Direct (which it seems you are with the Axioms), some other options include AV123, Ascend Acoustics, HSU, and SVS

Coming from some big beefy 2.0 speakers from yesteryear, you may find that a lot of options don't have the amount of bass you want. This may mean going with a 2.1 system.

Is this just for Home Theater, or for music too?

What's your budget for this?

Is your receiver still in good shape?

 

[OutHouse]

There are a ton of opinions out there on what's best.

If you have $800 to spend on 2 speakers, you have dozens of great options. You should really try to demo some of these in person. Klipsch and Axiom didn't really appeal to me personally when I was demo-ing them, but they might be right up your alley.

In my really crappy formatted general audio thread sticky (at least the part that's still there and not cut off) has some info about demo-ing different options.

Some other likely candidates for retail brands are
Paradigm
B&W
Definitive Technology
Monitor Audio
...
there are a bunch actually, so it kind of depends on what you have locally.

If you're open to Internet Direct (which it seems you are with the Axioms), some other options include AV123, Ascend Acoustics, HSU, and SVS

Coming from some big beefy 2.0 speakers from yesteryear, you may find that a lot of options don't have the amount of bass you want. This may mean going with a 2.1 system.

Is this just for Home Theater, or for music too?

What's your budget for this?

Is your receiver still in good shape?

you are right, the kenwoods do have a lot of bass so down the road ill prob get a sub to make up for it. 800 is about as high as i will go. I do have two Bose 301 bookshelf speakers for my front and i had the kenwoods in the back. dont bash me on the bose i think they sound good and i got them before had more unbiased info about Bose. I have a 2 year old Yamaha receiver so i can add a center and sub with no problem.

the kenwoods have served me well and until now i really didnt have any issue on their sound. they would rock the house. i cant wait hear what newer technology will sound like in my house. they will mostly be used for home theater and some music every now and then.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

So that means $800 or less for two speakers and a sub then?

Also keeping in mind the desire to make a full system in the future at some point?

How much do you want to spend on this stuff in the long run? Are you thinking you'd want to get a full system for $800 now and be done with it, or would you like to just get a 2.0 or 2.1 system for now and leave the rest for later? (Better components for now, and adding more money later)

 

[Exterous]

Have you demoed anything? People can tell you what they like but different people like different things. For example I love the PSB T55s I have so I would heartily recommend the T65s (and I had a very positive experience with Saturday Audio). I really dont like Klipsch. But a lot of people love and swear by them

I would see if there are some places around where you can listen to speakers as this will help you narrow the field down (There are a ton of options in the $800 range)

 

[vi edit]

A lot of speakers are trending to smaller drivers, just more of them. You aren't going to get the same kind of bass out of them that your old big box speakers probably had.

You might want to look at the Definitive Technology BP70XX line up with the built in powered subwoofer. But I think the cheapest I've seen them is around $1200 a pair for the BP 7006.

 

[vi edit]

Honestly for $800 it's hard to beat a couple X-CS and an an MFW from AV123. They have the X-CS open box for $89 and a Diamond finish Moho MFW-15 for $399.

 

[Exterous]

Honestly for $800 it's hard to beat a couple X-CS and an an MFW from AV123. They have the X-CS open box for $89 and a Diamond finish Moho MFW-15 for $399.

I was under the impression that there were issues ordering from AV123 from what I have read at Audioholics and AVS

 

[OutHouse]

So that means $800 or less for two speakers and a sub then?

Also keeping in mind the desire to make a full system in the future at some point?

How much do you want to spend on this stuff in the long run? Are you thinking you'd want to get a full system for $800 now and be done with it, or would you like to just get a 2.0 or 2.1 system for now and leave the rest for later? (Better components for now, and adding more money later)

800 for the two floors, ill keep my Bose for the two front for now, they still sound and work very well.

ill get a sub and center at a later date.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I was under the impression that there were issues ordering from AV123 from what I have read at Audioholics and AVS

There are certainly some very vocal people. The company has always taken very good care of me (I've had a couple issues that were resolved).

I don't know if the amount of talk is really representative of reality. There were some "scandals" from a few quality control issues and also some customer service issues. There are also some people who have never owned an AV123 product that are being very vocal about the situation.

The AV123 forums are back up, and I think overall things are looking better over there.

I would be hesitant to place a large order for something that wasn't currently in stock, since that seems to be where several of the issues seem to arise.

This is all something to consider when placing an order though. There are several alternatives that still seem to have a spotless track record for quality control and customer service.

 

[vi edit]

I was under the impression that there were issues ordering from AV123 from what I have read at Audioholics and AVS

There are some people that have made it their online career to bash av123 and the owner. The company isn't perfect. They had a bad run of parts on the MFW release. They also got crucified for their billing practices on products that weren't in stock.

If you order in stock stuff, they are fine. Their CS is top from my own experience and from what I've seen from many others online.

Outside of the MFW issues, their speakers are very well made and have veneers that others can't come within hundreds of dollars of touching. They also have a great aftermarket support for crossover and cabinet upgrades.

I'm not saying to ignore the issues, I'm just saying that if you really dig into the different forums, the same outspoken group of people really stir the pot.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

800 for the two floors, ill keep my Bose for the two front for now, they still sound and work very well.

ill get a sub and center at a later date.

I think you'll find that $800 for two speakers will get you better ones than the current Bose speakers, so the Bose should probably get demoted to surround duty while the new speakers get a chance to shine up front.

 

[OutHouse]

Have you demoed anything? People can tell you what they like but different people like different things. For example I love the PSB T55s I have so I would heartily recommend the T65s (and I had a very positive experience with Saturday Audio). I really dont like Klipsch. But a lot of people love and swear by them

I would see if there are some places around where you can listen to speakers as this will help you narrow the field down (There are a ton of options in the $800 range)

not lately. the Ultimate Electronics store does have several demo rooms and 2 years ago when i bought my amplifier i listened to a few speakers and i really liked the sound of the Bostons. but they no longer carry Boston speakers.

 

[OutHouse]

I think you'll find that $800 for two speakers will get you better ones than the current Bose speakers, so the Bose should probably get demoted to surround duty while the new speakers get a chance to shine up front.

i figured as much but due to the layout of my living room i cant put the floors up front.

 

[vi edit]

i figured as much but due to the layout of my living room i cant put the floors up front.

Woah. I just caught this part? You want to spend $800 on rears and leave an old pair of Bose up front because you are space limited?

That makes my head hurt.

Get a good set of monitors/bookshelves and a sub then.

Seriously...I think you are throwing away money on $800 "surround" speakers.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

i figured as much but due to the layout of my living room i cant put the floors up front.

Well to put this in perspective... from the Home Theater end of things, something like 70% of the sound from a typical DVD movie is on the center track. In a 4.0 or 4.1 system, it's going to be the front two speakers that handle that.

For $800, you could get a killer set of bookshelf speakers to put up front.

Like

Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html

SVS MBS-01
http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-mts01.cfm

oh, there are a whole bunch of them...

In my opinion, paying $800 for two speakers and putting them in the back of the room with the Bose up front is going to be a waste.

I'd say either get a great pair of bookshelf speakers up front, or split the budget between a good pair of bookshelf speakers + a subwoofer.

 

[OutHouse]

Well to put this in perspective... from the Home Theater end of things, something like 70% of the sound from a typical DVD movie is on the center track. In a 4.0 or 4.1 system, it's going to be the front two speakers that handle that.

For $800, you could get a killer set of bookshelf speakers to put up front.

Like

Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html

SVS MBS-01
http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-mts01.cfm

oh, there are a whole bunch of them...

In my opinion, paying $800 for two speakers and putting them in the back of the room with the Bose up front is going to be a waste.

I'd say either get a great pair of bookshelf speakers up front, or split the budget between a good pair of bookshelf speakers + a subwoofer.

humm you have given me something to chew on.

 

[OutHouse]

Woah. I just caught this part? You want to spend $800 on rears and leave an old pair of Bose up front because you are space limited?

That makes my head hurt.

Get a good set of monitors/bookshelves and a sub then.

Seriously...I think you are throwing away money on $800 "surround" speakers.

point taken.

 

[Exterous]

Seriously...I think you are throwing away money on $800 "surround" speakers.

Seconded. There are some really great speakers out there in bookshelf size that will sound better than the Bose (Pay attention to dimensions as some companies make some pretty large and bulky bookshelf speakers)

Were you using your floorstanding speakers as rears before?

 

[OutHouse]

Seconded. There are some really great speakers out there in bookshelf size that will sound better than the Bose (Pay attention to dimensions as some companies make some pretty large and bulky bookshelf speakers)

Were you using your floorstanding speakers as rears before?

Yes.

the two Bose 301 are mounted on the wall to the left and right of my tv. my two floor standing kenwoods are on each side of my couch. the distance between my couch which is against the wall and the tv is about 15 feet.

 

[tyanni]

I'm going to have to second (or is it third?) the PSB T65. The T55 are considered by some to be too "boomy" (no offense to the poster above who loves them), but its hard to find a bad word about the T65s. And when you consider that they've been replaced by a new line and are available for pretty cheap now (from saturdayaudio, as posted above), they are an amazing option. I plan on getting a pair of T6s (the replacement) in a month or two.

Tim

 

[Exterous]

(no offense to the poster above who loves them),

Hey no worries - to each their own.