Smaller Speakers....Family man?

[Syrch]

I currently have a 5.1 set up with towers for my fronts and two 12in powered subs. As much as I love my set up I do admit it was less than nice to look at in the family room. So the fiancee (and I?) decided to get a wall unit to store the TV and to really clean the room up. Now the problem is my towers will not fit into the cabinets or along the sides. I know, im sorry!! So I sit here looking for bookshelf speakers and can't grasp that they will be any good compared to my towers. HELP! Anyone know a REALLY GOOD bookshelf speaker. Im looking at Definitive Technology or maybe Axiom.

So i ask you fellow HT enthusiasts, Please help!

 

[buck]

Not too long ago I did some research and from all the stuff I read (mostly at avs forums), Axiom was better across the board. YMMV.

That said, if I were you, av123 would be my choice if I were in your shoes.

 

[Syrch]

these buck? http://www.av123.com/

 

[s44]

I've read some pretty negative reviews of Axiom at AVS.

What's your price point? How much clearance will the speakers have from the wall? How big is the space? What's your amplification?

Properly chosen and set up, bookshelf+sub can sound just as just as good as a big tower.

edit -- I also wouldn't trust AV123 until their business troubles are sorted out -- and absolutely do not order anything they won't ship to you RIGHT NOW

 

[Syrch]

This is the Wall Unit that I am getting. The cabinets under the curio section have mesh inserts that you can put speakers in. The room inside is plentiful for a bookshelf speaker but I would not be able to get my basecubes in them. I have two of these next to the tv also that I will have to either retire one or get really creative.

I should note that these are my current towers.

As far as price point im not looking to spend 5k on two speakers. I'd be willing to get a complete set up, new, for 3-4k though

 

[s44]

So all the sound is going to come from the floor? And you're going to have to dump a sub? Looks sorta awful to me...

Entertainment centers are, as I've said, an outdated nightmare.

To speak practically, though, I'd suggest maybe getting one with a larger center space and mounting speakers around your tv. I think my dad got a very similar unit, and that's what I set up for him...

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: Syrch
these buck? http://www.av123.com/

I just ordered from them a little over a month ago, great service, fast shipping, and great product. I have not heard of anyone having issues with av123 for some time now.

 

[Syrch]

Well i can set the speakers wherever i'd like. I could easily take the glass off the curio and put them in there. Unfortunately the TV is 60in and that's all the unit will hold in the center.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Is that Wall Unit ordered already and set in stone?

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: Syrch
This is the Wall Unit that I am getting. The cabinets under the curio section have mesh inserts that you can put speakers in. The room inside is plentiful for a bookshelf speaker but I would not be able to get my basecubes in them. I have two of these next to the tv also that I will have to either retire one or get really creative.

I should note that these are my current towers.

As far as price point im not looking to spend 5k on two speakers. I'd be willing to get a complete set up, new, for 3-4k though

ouch.... gl sir

 

[Syrch]

Its on back order so i could technically cancel the order, we have something else in mind?

this is more or less how it looks now. As you can see, i have to do something

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: Syrch
Well i can set the speakers wherever i'd like. I could easily take the glass off the curio and put them in there.

OK, that's a much better choice. You'll have crazy boundary compensation issues, but Audyssey should help iron that out (what's your reciever/amp?).

What's the maximum dimensions of the center, though? (Will it be above or below?)

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: s44

Originally posted by: Syrch
Well i can set the speakers wherever i'd like. I could easily take the glass off the curio and put them in there.

OK, that's a much better choice. You'll have crazy boundary compensation issues, but Audyssey should help iron that out (what's your reciever/amp?).

What's the maximum dimensions of the center, though? (Will it be above or below?)

The receiver is a Onkyo SR-701 which I know needs to be updated but going to have to wait on that.

Receiver output.
Power Output* (8 ohm, 20 Hz-20 kHz, FTC) -
Front L/R 100 W/Ch
Center 100 W
Surround L/R 100 W/Ch
Surround Back 100 W
Power Output* (6 ohm, 1 kHz, FTC) -
Front L/R 125 W/Ch
Center 125 W
Surround L/R 125 W/Ch
Surround Back 125 W
Dynamic Power** (front) -
3 ohm 230 W/Ch
4 ohm 170 W/Ch
8 ohm 115 W/Ch


Was going to put the center above the TV.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Syrch
Its on back order so i could technically cancel the order, we have something else in mind?

this is more or less how it looks now. As you can see, i have to do something

Ok, so the goal is to get the room looking nicer because your SO thinks the current setup is very ugly?

What if the method you used was instead of getting a gigantic wall unit, you bought a nicer looking (but still modestly sized) TV stand and then bought some nicer looking speakers that appealed to your SO? If it's the "black box" look that she finds unattractive, there are certainly some nicer looking speakers that could take the place of those, still sound good, and might look more like nice pieces of furniture in your SO's eyes.

I think I turned buck on to AV123 since that's what I went with for my home system and my office system. I tried axiom too (an earlier version of their M22 / VP150 speakers) and they didn't really appeal to my own personal taste in sound.
Just to throw some options out there from speakers from AV123 (since I'm most familiar with them and they're in your pricerange) that don't look like black boxes, there's

The 5.1 X-statik / MFW-15 combo for $1999 + shipping
The 5.0 850/450/200 combo for $1999 + shipping

Both of those are representative examples of tower based setups that are a far cry from the black box speakers you're currently using. There are multiple options out there, but I would first ask about that route with your SO to see if you can just make the speakers look better to get approval vs. trying to hide them. If you can get better looking speakers, you wouldn't have to make the same level of compromises (especially on placement) that would be required by a full wall unit.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Syrch
Its on back order so i could technically cancel the order, we have something else in mind?

this is more or less how it looks now. As you can see, i have to do something

Ok, so the goal is to get the room looking nicer because your SO thinks the current setup is very ugly?

What if the method you used was instead of getting a gigantic wall unit, you bought a nicer looking (but still modestly sized) TV stand and then bought some nicer looking speakers that appealed to your SO? If it's the "black box" look that she finds unattractive, there are certainly some nicer looking speakers that could take the place of those, still sound good, and might look more like nice pieces of furniture in your SO's eyes.

I think I turned buck on to AV123 since that's what I went with for my home system and my office system. I tried axiom too (an earlier version of their M22 / VP150 speakers) and they didn't really appeal to my own personal taste in sound.
Just to throw some options out there from speakers from AV123 (since I'm most familiar with them and they're in your pricerange) that don't look like black boxes, there's

The 5.1 X-statik / MFW-15 combo for $1999 + shipping
The 5.0 850/450/200 combo for $1999 + shipping

Both of those are representative examples of tower based setups that are a far cry from the black box speakers you're currently using. There are multiple options out there, but I would first ask about that route with your SO to see if you can just make the speakers look better to get approval vs. trying to hide them. If you can get better looking speakers, you wouldn't have to make the same level of compromises (especially on placement) that would be required by a full wall unit.

I'd really have to see an example of TV stand in question. I should note that I have a spare bedroom in the house that i do have plans of making a dedicated theater. Those plans are future though and I need a way to clean up that room.

 

[s44]

OK, here's what I think. There are a lot of great choices in this price range, but you really want something that's not rear-ported and ideally has some sort of boundary compensation adjustment so the whole in-cabinet thing doesn't affect you as much as it could.

So call up Salk Sound and get two of their HTS MTM speakers and one HTS Center. Total = $2100. These are excellent sealed speakers with great drivers (a ribbon tweeter!) and your choice of three custom crossovers depending on the boundary issue. Ask them which would serve you best for your in-cabinet application.

Then spend the rest of your money on a Onkyo 876... And cooling fan

 

[s44]

It seems to me that getting a whole new 5.1 is pointless... You only look at the front 3.

 

[Syrch]

Originally posted by: s44
It seems to me that getting a whole new 5.1 is pointless... You only look at the front 3.

Yeah but i hate my rears

Would it make more sense to cancel the order of the very ends of the unit, which stores DVD's and put my towers there instead? This would allow me to upgrade my speakers at a later time to something i'd really want.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Syrch

I'd really have to see an example of TV stand in question. I should note that I have a spare bedroom in the house that i do have plans of making a dedicated theater. Those plans are future though and I need a way to clean up that room.

Well I'm no furniture expert since I decided to just build my own stand to fit my particular needs (still bare MDF until I decide where I'm living next and whether black is going to be the best choice).

Just for the look / size I was thinking about for your case, some examples of a short wide stand that would look like a good piece of furniture and hopefully leave room on the sides for speakers
http://www.sanus.com/us/en/pro...ons/av-woodbrook/WFV66
http://www.sanus.com/us/en/pro...ndations/av-java/JFBD1
http://www.salamanderdesigns.com/madrid/ma7022.jsp

 

[buck]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Syrch
Its on back order so i could technically cancel the order, we have something else in mind?

this is more or less how it looks now. As you can see, i have to do something

Ok, so the goal is to get the room looking nicer because your SO thinks the current setup is very ugly?

What if the method you used was instead of getting a gigantic wall unit, you bought a nicer looking (but still modestly sized) TV stand and then bought some nicer looking speakers that appealed to your SO? If it's the "black box" look that she finds unattractive, there are certainly some nicer looking speakers that could take the place of those, still sound good, and might look more like nice pieces of furniture in your SO's eyes.

I think I turned buck on to AV123 since that's what I went with for my home system and my office system. I tried axiom too (an earlier version of their M22 / VP150 speakers) and they didn't really appeal to my own personal taste in sound.
Just to throw some options out there from speakers from AV123 (since I'm most familiar with them and they're in your pricerange) that don't look like black boxes, there's

The 5.1 X-statik / MFW-15 combo for $1999 + shipping
The 5.0 850/450/200 combo for $1999 + shipping

Both of those are representative examples of tower based setups that are a far cry from the black box speakers you're currently using. There are multiple options out there, but I would first ask about that route with your SO to see if you can just make the speakers look better to get approval vs. trying to hide them. If you can get better looking speakers, you wouldn't have to make the same level of compromises (especially on placement) that would be required by a full wall unit.

My only regret was not ordering sooner when you recommended the av123's. The wife is not only pleased with how they look, she loves the way they sound, I mean really loves the way it sounds. Usually I am never satisfied and have an upgrade bug, but my home theater sound is perfect for me right now. Now I just need to get a mount and av stand....

 

[Syrch]

Okay i think im going to do this. Cancel the order for the two end pieces which holds DVD's. These will not store all my DVD's anyhow so there really is no need for them. This will save me room to put my towers on the sides of the wall unit and will still allow me to upgrade my speakers with nicer towers and center. Thoughts?

 

[s44]

Yup, but don't rush into buying speakers now. That setup will let you keep what you have.

Buy the 876 instead. And a Blu-Ray player, if you don't have one...

 

[Syrch]

Got the PS3 and a HD DVD player. Just lacking a better receiver. I know Onkyo was lacking for a little while and was wondering if they have turned things around?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I have the 876 and although I'm not using the amp section, it's working great for everything else I've used.