# Budding Audiophile Seeks Speaker Guidance--Details Inside



## kryptonian (Jul 5, 2011)

Hello and thank you for taking the time to read this thread. I am new to the world of quality home theater audio and am currently trying to decide on a speaker brand. I have demoed several brands so far and, thankfully, have been able to rule a few out. I have spent many weeks learning what I can on my own, but am now at the point where I need the advice of more experienced audiophiles to guide me.

I have a 12x12 living room with a 54" Panasonic VT25. The system will be used for somewhere around 70% movies and 30% music. Movies are my primary concern, but I would like for it to sound good on music as well. After all, the music in film soundtracks is an essential element of the viewing experience. The system will start as a 5.1, due to limited space at this time, but will eventually become a 7.1 when we move in a few months. I will have a separate, powered sub, and have not determined which brand it will be yet, although I'm looking at the $500 price range for it. Additionally, again, due to space limitations, I will need to go with bookshelf speakers for the fronts. As for the two rear channels, my couch is up against the wall in the back of the room and really cannot be moved, so I'm unsure of the speaker type and placement that I should go with. Everything will be powered by the Onkyo 3008. 

From Magnolia's offerings, I was able to narrow things down to B&W and MartinLogan. As for the B&W, I listened to the 685B fronts with an HTM61B center channel. For the MartinLogans, I listened to the Motion 4s in front with a Motion 8 center channel. My findings may give you an idea of my personal preference and help you steer me in the right direction. I found the B&W to give a pretty good sound, with dialogue quality being its high point for me. The dialogue was clear, though just a little unnatural-sounding. As for the MartinLogans, the dialogue was good, but not as clear as the B&W. Dialogue clarity is very important to me because, due to a minor hearing problem, I sometimes have trouble understanding the occasional word or words when there is an ambient sound of some sort playing at the same time.

The MartinLogans actually offered something important to me as well, which was emphasized during a particular sound effect. The demo being used was Tron: Legacy, and there is a part in the first bike scene when one bike jumps over the other in slow motion. With the B&Ws, I heard the sound of the bike, and it was fine. With the MartinLogans, however, I could not only hear the sound as part of the film, I could "feel" it, as if the bike actually was nearby. It was a very natural sound for a bike, though, and not overdone at all. 

What I really need is the best of both worlds here--a system that will give me very natural and clear dialogue, as well as giving me a balanced and as-intended punch on sound effects that call for it. I would like to stress that, just as I'm not interested in anything underdone or overly-restrained, I also don't want anything overdone or unnatural. Budget-wise, I'm looking to stay in the range of the aforementioned speakers, so basically around $1500 total for the fronts, center, and two surrounds. I could probably manage just a bit more if necessary. 

The other brands that are available for me to demo within a "fairly reasonable" driving distance are NHT, Paradigm, KEF, Boston Acoustics, PSB, and Monitor Audio. Would any of these brands be good choices for my personal preferences and requirements? Would any of them absolutely not be? Any that I could exclude would be helpful since I live in the middle of nowhere and am looking at a 300-mile trip to several cities just to demo these few brands. 

Thank you so much for any help and advice you can give. I'm holding off on watching many of my favorite films until I get the system installed and I'm so excited to be closing in on the final steps!!


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## robbo266317 (Sep 22, 2008)

Welcome to Home Theater Shack. I am sure there are people here who can help you choose a setup.

Cheers,
Bill.


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## Superior Audio (Feb 27, 2008)

I suggest you move up from the motion 4 as those are more for surround speakers, regardless of claims of good for front speakers. I suggest as a MINIMUM the Motion 10's, but the 12's would be better yet and the ESL's being better yet. I personally feel the Martin Logans are the best one can get for the money, as you can see in my signature.  I feel they are the most realistic and natural sounding speakers I have ever heard. The ESL panels are just outstanding, but they come with a price, and the price reflects the quality of the sound.

Sound is VERY subjective, so go for what sounds best to YOU as YOU are the one that has to live with them. I will say to spend more than what you first want or expected to and get something a bit better. You will be MUCH happier and save money in the long run.

Good luck and enjoy the journey! Don't dwell too much. Once you find something YOU like, take it home and listen to them in YOUR environment to see if they are still what you like. This is of MAJOR importance. You may buy/return 5 pairs of speakers before you find the 'right' ones, so don't rush it. Take them home, listen for a few days and make your decision. Don't believe the 'break-in' hype. It is just that, hype. What you are really doing is becoming accustomed to the sound, nothing more, nothing less. But I digress.

*EDIT* And don't buy the speakers for the space you have now, but rather the space you are moving to in a couple months. Otherwise you will be doing this all over again.


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## Almadacr (May 5, 2011)

I`m going to answer to the OP what i answered him in the HDD forums 
Quoteepending on your budget , you already have great choices there B&W and Martin Logan , if your idea is to keep on the bookshelve as your mais you should also consider Dynaudio and Totem . If you would like to have those big speakers and center channel with also great quality and more affordable you also have Axiom , but for 1500$ its going to be very thin ????? Don`t forget 1 great sub or 2 and also something to take the stress out of your Onkyo like a amp . You have a good start and most important you audition already several speakers .


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## Andre (Feb 15, 2010)

I will reiterate the last two paragraphs of Superior Audio. If a speaker sounds a certain way at the store it WILL sound different in your home using your equipment. I personnaly went through 4 brands until I found one I liked in my theater.

From what I am reading it seems to me you like projected sound (lack of a better term), have you auditioned any horn speakers?


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
The Heil Transducer that forms the basis of the MartinLogan Motion Series is a solid one. This is actually a Design from around 30 Years ago whose Patents have since expired.

If at all possible, going with at least the 2000 Dollar EM-ESL's for your Mains would give you the true MartinLogan experience. Or at least what it was for over 2 Decades before ML's was Sold to ShoreView and wholesale changes were made.

The EM-ESL uses the current generation Xstat Electrostatic Panel and the Aluminum Airframe that previously was only available in the 4300 Dollar Vistas on up. The only real thing lost aside from a slightly smaller Panel than the Vista is that the EM uses a Doped Paper 8" Woofer and not the Aluminum Cone Woofers used in the much more expensive ESL and Reserve ESL Series. The EM-ESL is the most groundbreaking MartinLogan release since the similarly priced Aerius from over 15 Years ago that were priced identically. Given inflation, this really is an amazing thing as previous lower priced Electrostatic Hybrids of the past 5 Years used the much older Gen.2 Panel and used MDF for the Frame of the Panel.

While more expensive, the Reviews have been quite positive and truth be told had they been available when I put my ML 5.2 HT together, I would have most definitely used them for Surrounds.
Cheers,
JJ


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## kryptonian (Jul 5, 2011)

Thank you for the welcome and thank you all for your input. Almadacr, sorry you had to see this on two forums, but I was looking for lots of input! ;-) As for other speakers I have listened to, I also heard Definitive Technology, Mirage, and Energy at Magnolia, but felt the B&Ws and MartinLogans, at least the ones I listened to, were better for my tastes. I also saw the ML electrostats, which is the first time I had ever seen any of those. Unfortunately, they're a bit out of my price range at this time.


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## Jungle Jack (Jul 28, 2009)

Hello,
Many of us believe it best to start out with the best single pair of Speakers to start with if working with a fairly tight budget. More often than not, many have a pair of preexisting Speakers that can be used as Surrounds. 

If the EM-ESL was not so special, I would not be so inclined to do something like this. I realize it is quite tempting to do it all at once, but most keep Speakers for many years and to have an amazing pair of Mains would be definitely in the juice is worth the squeeze category. Also, Best Buy offers some great Same as Cash Financing Offers.

I completely understand starting the same Thread at different Forums as some will completely ignore you.
AVSForum can be pretty unwelcoming to New Members. The polar opposite of us.
Cheers,
JJ


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