# Need help upgrading home theater system, basic to good!



## bomhower (Mar 5, 2016)

I have had my current set-up for a couple years and am ready for an upgrade. Current set-up is a pair of Polk 55's with a CS10 center, 35b's in the back and a BIC-F12 sub. While these are decent but far from desirable. I was on a strict budget and was the best I could do. But it is time to move on.

Room is fairly large, 16x25x9 with two large openings into the dining room/kitchen and the entryway into the home.
Usage is 90% TV/Movies, 10% music and a small amount of gaming. So the biggest concern is home theater. With that said I am mainly focused on a high quality center and will go with matching towers. Current surrounds and sub will be re-used. I know the sub is not up to task and will be replaced with an HSU VTF-3 MK5 HP down the road. With current performance speakers need replaced first. Towers are a requirement. Movie consumption is mainly action and horror with some high end kids stuff tossed in. Mundane drama stuff is on the back burner. Normal TV supplied by DirectTV is a big source as well.

I have been researching center reviews are spangly hard to come buy. Budget is $1k for the LCR. I am looking heavily at the Emptek R56Ci and R55Ti towers. With their B-stock pricing it is very attractive. The fact they are gorgeous is a bonus point but but that is not a selling point, performance is. But again, can't find much on the center.

I have considering SVS as well but the cost is above what I am really wanting to spend.
Looking at Chane as well. I am concerned about the center channel but their towers seen outstanding. With their prices I have a strong feeling i was always what could have been by getting the A3 instead of the A5's since the A5's are beyond the price range for the set. Another knock on Chane is their shipping cost, it's rather substantial. If they offered B-stock a reasonable shipping the decision would be a bit easier.

I am not locked into these choices but am certainly open to others.
While music is low on the list I really enjoy rocking out occasionally. My preferred rock out music is female power ballads, Alicia Key girl on fire, Christina Aguelara when she is on non pop mode and belting out the highs. So producing those are important. System will be fed currently by a Yamaha 473 but will be upward to a Denon X3200 next year when they drop in price.
Sorry for the long post but certainly appreciate the help. I hope I've supplied everything I can to help with suggestions. For the most part in home additions are out of the question.


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## chashint (Jan 12, 2011)

Take a look at this offer.
http://www.acousticsounddesign.com/core/view_BigProduct.cfm?pid=8934&sc=27


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## tonyvdb (Sep 5, 2007)

Well, it seems as though you have done your homework and are on the right track. I do highly recommend a new sub but as you say your mains should probably be first. SVS and Chane are great choices and so are the speakers mentioned by Charlie. Hard to beat those choices.


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## theJman (Mar 3, 2012)

bomhower said:


> Looking at Chane as well. I am concerned about the center channel but their towers seen outstanding. With their prices I have a strong feeling i was always what could have been by getting the A3 instead of the A5's since the A5's are beyond the price range for the set. Another knock on Chane is their shipping cost, it's rather substantial. If they offered B-stock a reasonable shipping the decision would be a bit easier.


Don't let the fact Chane exposes their shipping cost dissuade you from buying excellent speakers. _Every_ company charges for shipping; with some it's baked into the selling price while others choose to go a different route, but in the end he who makes the purchase pays for delivery. Chane doesn't generally have B stock because people don't return them, so they have nothing to resell. To be honest any company that perpetually has B stock available would be more of a concern to me than a company that rarely has any. That suggests to me they're getting a lot of returns, or perhaps have QC issues in their manufacturing.

Along with the suggestions you have already another one worth considering is the Elac Debut. Designed by the highly respected acoustic engineer Andrew Jones, those speakers are getting good reviews that belie their price.


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## witchdoctor (Feb 21, 2016)

I think you would love the JBL Studio 2 series which is based on their M2 monitors. Most of the music and movies we listen to are mastered on JBL's in the studio and played on JBL speakers in movie theaters and concert halls. I think using good JBL's in your home will come closer to what the engineer heard when he mixed it. I know you are leaving your surrounds but have you ever tried wide channels? They really make movies sound the way they do in the theater. Marantz and Denon receivers have options for wides. Use the JBL 270's as your towers, the 225C as your center and take the JBL 220 book shelves in this set and use them as wides instead of surrounds:

http://www.amazon.com/JBL-Studio-Th...e=UTF8&qid=1457217064&sr=8-2&keywords=jbl+270


Review
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/news/article/jbl-studio-2-51-speaker-system-review/19389


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