So how'd I do?

[Mutilator]

I could make this a very long post but I'll try to keep it short, sweet, and to the point.

Wanted:
Onkyo TX-SR606B Receiver
Polk M60 fronts, M30 rears, CSR center, Sub10 subwoofer.

Since the store didn't have the subwoofer in stock at the time they worked up a Klipsch package for about $200 more.

What I ended up with:
Onkyo TX-SR606B Receiver
Klipsch F2 fronts, Quintet III center + rears, 420W subwoofer.
This leaves me with 2 speakers unused in case I want to go 7.1 later.
(The store actually messed up and also gave me a Quintet SL speaker set but being the honest guy that I am I returned that to the store today. )

Even though they were slightly more expensive I think they're also more powerful and probably just as good if not better than the Polk setup would have been. Since I'm not audiophile and hadn't heard either before going to the store plus with the size of my room I doubt I'd notice the difference anyway.

Next up is 1 or 2 nice Encore Decibel recliners that they had for about $475-500 each.

 

[Mutilator]

On a side note - when using these Quintet III and F2 speakers, what should I set my subwoofer to?

""LOW PASS" (LP) Crossover - The crossover allows the user to select the upper-frequency cutoff of the subwoofer. The frequency is selectable from 40-120Hz. Frequencies above the set level are filtered out, allowing you to blend the subwoofer's output with that of your main speakers."

Links for those who know what to look for:
Klipsch F-2 Speakers
Klipsch Quintet III System
Klipsch Sub-10 Subwoofer

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Well that's a little odd that the package didn't come with the matching C-2 center...

Klipsch has a rather distinct sound. Make sure you listen to them for an extended listening session to make sure you really think they're right for you. Evaluating them for a short period of time in the store might not have given you the full picture and the effect your room has is going to be important as well.

Set the LP on the subwoofer all the way up (120). You want your Onkyo to handle the bass management. So by turning it all the way up on the sub you're trying to have that setting not do anything to the signal. If it allows you to bypass that filter, that would be even better.

Make sure you run the audyssey setup through the Onkyo.

 

[biggestmuff]

You should probably set the LP in the Onkyo to 120 Hz as well vice the typical 80 Hz due to the Quintet IIIs cutting off at 120 Hz and 125 Hz. If not, you'll get a nice 40 Hz wide gap.

 

[Mutilator]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Well that's a little odd that the package didn't come with the matching C-2 center...

Klipsch has a rather distinct sound. Make sure you listen to them for an extended listening session to make sure you really think they're right for you. Evaluating them for a short period of time in the store might not have given you the full picture and the effect your room has is going to be important as well.

Set the LP on the subwoofer all the way up (120). You want your Onkyo to handle the bass management. So by turning it all the way up on the sub you're trying to have that setting not do anything to the signal. If it allows you to bypass that filter, that would be even better.

Make sure you run the audyssey setup through the Onkyo.

The Quintet III package is 5 speakers - 4 satellites and the matching center channel. I'm just not using the front left/right satellites since I decided to go with the F-2s instead. This was mainly an aesthetic choice to have the floor standing speakers on each side of my projection screen.

As far as I can tell they sound great so far... especially for true Dolby 5.1 surround movies like Transformers and Fantastic 4 Rise of the Silver Surfer which are the 2 I've watched so far. Definitely significantly better than my Promedias were able to do. Guess that's the difference between "real" speakers and PC speakers.

Thanks for the sub setting - I'll change that tonight and see what happens. Might run the Onkyo auto config again now that I'm using the different center channel speaker and changing the sub settings.

 

[vi edit]

Ouch. $400 MSRP on the Sub-10? How much did you actually end up paying for it? That's pretty lofty price. You are easily into some legitimate internet direct subs at that price that will run circles around it.

I think I saw a post somewhere that you could get the Sub 10 from Costco for around $180 or so.

 

[Mutilator]

I believe the prices broke down like this:
Klipsch Quintet III + Sub10 package = $650
Klipsch F-2 = $220 each
Onkyo 606 = $400

 

[vi edit]

Wow $400 on the 606? That's a steal!

If you are space limited the Quintets are nice, but I personally would gone for the much more full sounding Monitor 60's. There's a certain richness that a tower speaker can provide that a very small bookshelf can't. But the sub will definitely help round that out.

Looks like a decent price on things, and if you are happy that's all that matters.

 

[Mutilator]

Originally posted by: vi edit
Wow $400 on the 606? That's a steal!

If you are space limited the Quintets are nice, but I personally would gone for the much more full sounding Monitor 60's. There's a certain richness that a tower speaker can provide that a very small bookshelf can't. But the sub will definitely help round that out.

Looks like a decent price on things, and if you are happy that's all that matters.

Keep in mind the F-2s are tower speakers like the M60s. And yeah the room isn't that big at about 9 x 13 or so... give or take a few inches. So these speakers + 92" screen in a small room isn't too shabby.

 

[underlineman]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Set the LP on the subwoofer all the way up (120). You want your Onkyo to handle the bass management. So by turning it all the way up on the sub you're trying to have that setting not do anything to the signal. If it allows you to bypass that filter, that would be even better.

Make sure you run the audyssey setup through the Onkyo.

I was curious as how to calibrate my sub as well.

I have the onkyo 705 and a HSU VTF-2 MK 3 Sub. so i should set the sub to 120 and is there any settings on the receiver i should set?

I will be running the audyssey when I get my 2 surrounds in a about a week.

 

[vi edit]

Originally posted by: underlineman

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Set the LP on the subwoofer all the way up (120). You want your Onkyo to handle the bass management. So by turning it all the way up on the sub you're trying to have that setting not do anything to the signal. If it allows you to bypass that filter, that would be even better.

Make sure you run the audyssey setup through the Onkyo.

I was curious as how to calibrate my sub as well.

I have the onkyo 705 and a HSU VTF-2 MK 3 Sub. so i should set the sub to 120 and is there any settings on the receiver i should set?

I will be running the audyssey when I get my 2 surrounds in a about a week.

So long as you are running it on the LFE channel from the receiver, there isn't much to it. It only sends stuff at around 80hz and under over that channel. So as long as you have the crossover set at 80 or above on the sub you are good to go.

Where sub setup gets really tricky is if you introduce room modeling into either the sub amp or as a device between your receiver and the sub. Using that you can set a filter that blocks frequencies under a certain tuning as well as increasing or decreasing output at certain frequencies to make for a flatter response curve. Som subs tend to be overly strong at some areas than other so you can artificially limit them to even things out.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: underlineman

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Set the LP on the subwoofer all the way up (120). You want your Onkyo to handle the bass management. So by turning it all the way up on the sub you're trying to have that setting not do anything to the signal. If it allows you to bypass that filter, that would be even better.

Make sure you run the audyssey setup through the Onkyo.

I was curious as how to calibrate my sub as well.

I have the onkyo 705 and a HSU VTF-2 MK 3 Sub. so i should set the sub to 120 and is there any settings on the receiver i should set?

I will be running the audyssey when I get my 2 surrounds in a about a week.

Set the sub's low pass setting to as high as it will go.

The crossover should be set with your receiver. Depending on your speakers, you're going to have to adjust this.

You also have to find the best phase setting for the subwoofer.

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2099593&enterthread=y
Section 3.2 has info on setting up your speakers and subwoofer.