# Home theater speakers



## kimbpc (Dec 22, 2012)

I also need to find speakers for my AV receiver. Please provide some recommendations - is it better to buy a speaker system IE 5.1 type paired group or to buy individual speaker components. Also we used to have outstanding advent floor speakers from years past. Today it seems there are a few floor speakers, but not as many. do you recommend floor speakers as part of the package? What tends to sound the best without costing an arm and a leg?


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## JQueen (Jan 11, 2012)

First off welcome to the Shack! what's your price range for speakers and receiever


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## kimbpc (Dec 22, 2012)

Thank you: For the speakers some place in the range of 800 to 1500h


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

Welcome to HTS :wave:

My suggestion is look at Martin Logan MOTION 10 . You could buy 4 of those for Left Right Left surround Right surround / and the MOTION C center channel / and the ML DYNAMO subwoofer for the budget you have....

http://www.amazon.com/MartinLogan-Motion-10-Floorstanding-Speaker/dp/B0035FZ142/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356454047&sr=1-6&keywords=martin+logan+speakers

http://www.amazon.com/MartinLogan-Motion-Center-Channel-Speaker/dp/B0041O5YHU/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356454247&sr=1-4&keywords=martin+logan+speakers

http://www.amazon.com/MartinLogan-Dynamo-300-Theater-Subwoofer/dp/B004LRPXAU/ref=sr_1_9?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1356454247&sr=1-9&keywords=martin+logan+speakers

They also have a 5.1 speaker package but the ones I mentioned are much better


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## JerryLove (Dec 5, 2009)

Matching the fronts to the surrounds (that is to say: using identical speakers) is likely a poor distribution of funds for a home-theater. If you are doing a good deal of surround-sound music (BD-Audio), then it makes more sense; but most music is 2-channel, and movies are designed to use the surrounds for effect rather than critical output.

The reason you are seeing fewer towers (Floor speakers) at lower price ranges has to do with cost-to-performance. You are unlikely to find towers in your price range that sound good and extend to 20Hz; and bookshelves can be perfectly capable of integrating with a subwoofer; so the added costs of a larger cabinet, shipping, reduced flexibility, and perceived need to design for lower-frequency response yield no auditory benefits when there's a subwoofer.

That said: Sometimes the best tool for the job happens to be a tower anyway.

If you went Infinity P363x2 ($250/pr), plus the matching center (FWIW: I don't run centers in my smaller setups; I prefer the sound without the center speaker) ($200), and Infinity P163x2 surrounds ($150/pr): you'll have $300-$900 to spend on subwoofers. Might I suggest a single Hsu VTF-15H ($900) or a pair of Hsu STF-2's ($330 ea)?

If the infinity doesn't appeal: The Pioneers are getting rave reviews right now.


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## 8086 (Aug 4, 2009)

JerryLove said:


> Matching the fronts to the surrounds (that is to say: using identical speakers) is likely a poor distribution of funds for a home-theater. If you are doing a good deal of surround-sound music (BD-Audio), then it makes more sense; but most music is 2-channel, and movies are designed to use the surrounds for effect rather than critical output.
> 
> The reason you are seeing fewer towers (Floor speakers) at lower price ranges has to do with cost-to-performance. You are unlikely to find towers in your price range that sound good and extend to 20Hz; and bookshelves can be perfectly capable of integrating with a subwoofer; so the added costs of a larger cabinet, shipping, reduced flexibility, and perceived need to design for lower-frequency response yield no auditory benefits when there's a subwoofer.
> 
> ...


If you refer to those bargain basement Pioneer speakers desinged by Andrew Jones, then I have heard them and feel that for the money they are probably best in Class. But as far as an overall experience is concerned, I have heard much better and feel the Poster will do much better buying last years model or something USED. My best value-performance suggestion would be a Paradigm Monitors (new or previous gen).


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## JerryLove (Dec 5, 2009)

8086 said:


> If you refer to those bargain basement Pioneer speakers desinged by Andrew Jones, then I have heard them and feel that for the money they are probably best in Class. But as far as an overall experience is concerned, I have heard much better and feel the Poster will do much better buying last years model or something USED. My best value-performance suggestion would be a Paradigm Monitors (new or previous gen).


Used is always a better bargain... if you can identify and purchase the right used gear. 

As to used Paradigms; the Studio 20v2's go for around $350/pr.


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## 8086 (Aug 4, 2009)

JerryLove said:


> Used is always a better bargain... if you can identify and purchase the right used gear.
> 
> As to used Paradigms; the Studio 20v2's go for around $350/pr.


The newer monitors (I think v5-ish) feature most of the Studio v2's speaker tech + warranty. Alternate suggestions would be the new Paradigm Millenia One 5.1 set up with the Millenia sub or Sub2 upgrade.


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## tekmodo (Dec 1, 2011)

Having owned monitors both current and last series, studio 60's, and millenia 5.0 the current monitor series are great value and for a smaller room the milenia are probably one of the best compact speakers you will find for the price or Evan double the price. Another critically acclaimed and criminally ignored speaker is Sunfires Crm2 bookshelf. This 400watt bookshelf with a ribbon driver and opposed side firing drivers gives a detailed soundstage that makes you sit up and listen the first time you hear them. Anyone I have ever demoed these to has been impressed ( my good friend has a pair of nautilus and he rates the crm2 highly ) they need decent power and careful placement as well as about 200+ hours to run in before critical listening. Check em out you won't be disappointed.


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## 8086 (Aug 4, 2009)

tekmodo said:


> Having owned monitors both current and last series, studio 60's, and millenia 5.0 the current monitor series are great value and for a smaller room the milenia are probably one of the best compact speakers you will find for the price or Evan double the price. Another critically acclaimed and criminally ignored speaker is Sunfires Crm2 bookshelf. This 400watt bookshelf with a ribbon driver and opposed side firing drivers gives a detailed soundstage that makes you sit up and listen the first time you hear them. Anyone I have ever demoed these to has been impressed ( my good friend has a pair of nautilus and he rates the crm2 highly ) they need decent power and careful placement as well as about 200+ hours to run in before critical listening. Check em out you won't be disappointed.



I have heard a Sunfire sub and those are simply amazing. I was wondering where it was located and completely fooled in to thinking it was much larger than the little box hidden behind the sofa.


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## RTS100x5 (Sep 12, 2009)

I can certainly vouch for the CRM2's having heard them at one of our main vendor showrooms...thats what got me started on the path to building my own planar magnetic 2 ways.... at a substantial savings to sunfires


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