Another stinking help the noob thread

[g_hause]

I'm building a basement theater from scratch. I have a decent amp/pre a and dvd player and a Totem Dreamcatcher center and sub that I may or may not repurpose. Right now my basement is filled with dirt, and the only dimension that is fixed is a width of around 14' and a 9' ceiling.

I'd like to spend no more than 5k on speakers. My short list is B&W 7 series, Totem and Focal. Am I missing any key players? I also am of the mind that dipoles are snake oil.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[MDS]

Why an arbitary price point? It's fine to pick an upper limit but what if you could get what you want for a lot less than 5k? You will get numerous suggestions for speakers to audition but don't let price be the main factor - more expensive doesn't always mean better performance.

Dipoles are not snake-oil. They are a particular design meant to address particular problems and can be ideal in many situations. Some prefer normal monopole speakers for multi-channel music but the enveloping effect of bi/dipoles is very powerful for movies. For my room, dipoles are practically a requirement, although I still haven't decided on which ones. Just keep an open mind and audition as many as you can before deciding.

[zumbo]

Key players? You bet.;)
A place to demo? I doubt it.:(

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/105-2512040-5351637?initialSearch=1&url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=mb+quart+alexxa&Go.x=8&Go.y=8

[zumbo]

I have the old models. They are still available.

I have four of these:
http://www.yawaonline.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YO&Product_Code=MBQ_QLS830&Category_Code=MBQ

One of these:
http://www.yawaonline.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YO&Product_Code=MBQ_QLS330&Category_Code=MBQ

And one of these:
http://www.yawaonline.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=YO&Product_Code=NHT_12&Category_Code=NHT

Total is $4797.99

[Adam]

I'd like to spend no more than 5k on speakers.

Why an arbitary price point? It's fine to pick an upper limit but what if you could get what you want for a lot less than 5k?

MDS, I think that his was an upper limit. ;)

[g_hause]

5k is my limit. I'd happily spend less.

Not being able to auditon is a showstopper.

I just read an argument against dipoles that made sense to me. That is, the engineer who mixed the audio was using traditional speakers to create the soundtrack. To get reproduction closest to the original mimic the studio. Dipoles simply muddy the recording.

Yes I'm a noob and we can be a bit irritating. I've never auditoned dipoles and I'm going to have a hard time doing so. It is fairly likely that I will buy my surrounds based on the opinions of others, professional reviews, and price.

Cheers.

[gus6464]

Are you going to be listening to music as well or is it going to be all movies?

PSB G Design
http://www.psbspeakers.com/series.php?sId=2

Dali Ikon
http://www.dali.dk/us/page245.aspx?sub=214&grp=58

Paradigm Studio
http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/fronts-studio-series-2-2-13.paradigm

There are of course plenty more to choose from but these are the ones I have heard. If you will also be listening to music I would recommend you check out the Dali Ikons out of the three.

[Adam]

I won't even pretend to speak on the universal characteristics of dipoles and when they should/should not be used. I'll just mention my personal experience. I auditioned a pair of Definitive Technology dipole speakers about ten years ago in a dedicated listening room in an audio/video store. They seemed to know what they were doing, so I don't think that it was set up wrong. Anyway, I listened to a selection of music that I had brought with me. The music seemed to be coming from the room that I was in, but the vocalists sounded like they were singing from a room behind the front wall. Probably a bad description, so try this one...it sounded weird. I did not like them at all. I thought that I would. I even went to the store expecting to buy them. However, after listening to them, there was no way that I was going to buy those.

Just my experience.

[mtrycrafts]

I'm building a basement theater from scratch. ...Right now my basement is filled with dirt, and the only dimension that is fixed is a width of around 14' and a 9' ceiling.
.

You mean you have dirt for floor now? Are you placing concrete down there? That will eat up a good bit of $$. How about the rest of the walls and ceiling, are they finished or more $$$?

[g_hause]

You mean you have dirt for floor now? Are you placing concrete down there? That will eat up a good bit of $$. How about the rest of the walls and ceiling, are they finished or more $$$?

- Poorly executed Cool Hand Luke reference.
The hole for the basement is not dug yet. I'm breaking ground at the end of the month.

[Vanhoecke]

Not being able to auditon is a showstopper.


At the end of the day remember the only audtion that really matters is how they sound in your HT. Whichever setup you decide on make sure you can return them after you tried them out in your HT for a few days. I've audtioned several speakers in many high-end retail stores, the room accoustics can significantly change the sound of a speaker.

I have a similar speaker budget for the HT I'm currently building. I'm leaning heavily toward Axiom speakers. I'm planning to audition the Axiom speakers inside my HT once it complete. Axiom gives you 30 days to do a home audition and will provide a full refund or exchange to a different set of speakers during that time -- they'll even refund the original shipping. The way they price their speakers the initial shipping is already included in the price. So you will only be out the shipping to return them back --assuming you don't like them.

The Axiom QS8 surrounds are bi-pole not di-pole (Axiom actually calls them quad-pole becuase they have drivers pointing in four directions). From everything I've read they provide an enhanced surround envelope. Check out the Audioholics' review on Axiom. http://www.audioholics.com/reviews/speakers/floorstanding/axiom-audio-epic-80-600

In fact, the Audiohloics' Reference System 3 uses Axiom QS8 surrounds and an Axiom EP500 sub. http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/reference-systems/reference-system-3?searchterm=axiom

Here is a link to the Axiom site http://www.axiomaudio.com/products.html

Axiom has recently started a pilot program for speaker upgrades. You can find a discussion and a link for it in their forum. Basically this would enable you to upgrade in the future for a of the cost of buying new speakers. You have to like a company that offers that kind of service.

[zumbo]

Axiom can't touch B&W, Focal/JMlab, or MB Quart.

Two other key players are Dynaudio, and Sonus Faber.

http://www.dynaudio.com/

http://www.sonusfaber.com/index.html

I would say that the five companies listed above are of the best you can buy. I put Axiom in with mid-fi, such as Polk Audio, Paradigm, Boston Acoustic, Mordaunt Short, and Monitor Audio. I consider Monitor Audio to be the best of that bunch.

[mazersteven]

Axiom can't touch B&W, Focal/JMlab, or MB Quart.

Two other key players are Dynaudio, and Sonus Faber.



Wow that's some good company MB Quart is in. How come they don't get that much attention and talk?

[Vanhoecke]

Zumbo,

What specific speakers are you recommending from the vendors you listed? G_hause has a $5k limit and wants a 5.1 system. :confused:

[zumbo]

Wow that's some good company MB Quart is in. How come they don't get that much attention and talk?


Because they have had some marketing problems. It's hard to market a quality product in a world that wants to shop at wal-mart.

How come Bose is so popular? HUH? I auditioned many top brands before I chose Quart. Many! In the car audio world, Quart is king.

How do you think they plan to stay in business selling a floorstander with 5.25" drivers for $1295.99 each? Trust me, it's because they kick @$$!

How do you think I know of the other top brands? Do you think I just picked them out of all the other brands mentioned on this site? They are my favorite brands.

And, as I mentioned, Monitor Audio is at the top of the mid-fi brands I listed.

[zumbo]

Zumbo,

What specific speakers are you recommending from the vendors you listed? G_hause has a $5k limit and wants a 5.1 system. :confused:

5k will get a variety of systems from any of the vendors listed. I have posted a link for a system such as mine. Did you happen to miss it?:confused:

[mazersteven]

How do you think they plan to stay in business selling a floorstander with 5.25" drivers for $1295.99 each? Trust me, it's because they kick @$$!



And that goes against your statement about 6.5" drivers. :eek:

[zumbo]

And that goes against your statement about 6.5" drivers. :eek:


Tis why I recommended the older models, such as mine, with the 6.5". The new ones are suppose to blow mine away. My statement also mentioned a 6.5" compared to a 4".

BTW, I prefer my Quarts over B&W 700 series. I do prefer 800 series over mine.

[zumbo]

Oops! Looks as though the new model floor stander, and bookshelf, has 6.5" drivers. Sweet!

http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/home/alexxa/produkt.php?nr=s-one

http://www.mbquart.com/en/produkte/home/alexxa/produkt.php?nr=b-one

I don't know where I read they were 5.25". My bad.

[mazersteven]

Oops! Looks as though the new model floor stander has 6.5" drivers. Sweet!



SWEET??? "No Paper Drivers" Are you pulling a fast one around here? LOL :D

[gus6464]

Axiom can't touch B&W, Focal/JMlab, or MB Quart.

Two other key players are Dynaudio, and Sonus Faber.

http://www.dynaudio.com/

http://www.sonusfaber.com/index.html

I would say that the five companies listed above are of the best you can buy. I put Axiom in with mid-fi, such as Polk Audio, Paradigm, Boston Acoustic, Mordaunt Short, and Monitor Audio. I consider Monitor Audio to be the best of that bunch.

What about Martin Logan, PSB, Vienna Acoustics, Dali, Usher, Revel, Aerial Acoustics just to name a few. Also other brands like JBL and Klipsch which are known for their mid-fi stuff do have higher end lines like the K2 and THX Ultra which are some very expensive speakers. There are just too many good brands out there especially when it comes to the OP's budget that he can try out.

I have heard the B&W 805S and I found two speakers that IMO blows them out of the water and also happen to be less expensive. They were the PSB M2 and Dali Mentor 2. I am sure there are many others out there which are better than the B&W but I am just going from what is available in my area.

[zumbo]

What about Martin Logan
I have never heard them. I have heard good things.
PSB
Never heard. I have heard mixed emotions.
Vienna Acoustics
Never heard.
Dali
Heard several models run by Denon. I think they suck
Usher
Never heard.
Revel
Never heard. I have read mixed feelings on different models.
Aerial Acoustics
Never heard of. Might need to check them out.:confused:
JBL
Lost their way years ago.
Klipsch
Not in a million years.

I have heard the B&W 805S
IMO, the 805S bookshelf is a close as it gets to the original sound of the band in the room as a bookshelf can get.

[mazersteven]

IMO, the 805S bookshelf is a close as it gets to the original sound of the band in the room as a bookshelf can get.

You can do that with a pair of these for much less. Might even sound better. Only I guess they aren't as cool as owning 805's.

http://www.mackie.com//products/hr824/images/ZOOMED_HR824.jpg

[gus6464]

You can do that with a pair of these for much less. Might even sound better. Only I guess they aren't as cool as owning 805's.

http://www.mackie.com//products/hr824/images/ZOOMED_HR824.jpg

Wow I just remembered Guitar Center had their yearly anniversary sale last week in Austin and they had those babies for $500.

[mazersteven]

Wow I just remembered Guitar Center had their yearly anniversary sale last week in Austin and they had those babies for $500.

$500 a pair? http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/raped.gif Run as fast as you can to purchase these. http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/run2.gif One of the best sounding speakers you will hear. http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/banana.gif

[gus6464]

$500 a pair? http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/raped.gif Run as fast as you can to purchase these. http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/run2.gif One of the best sounding speakers you will hear. http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/images/smilies/banana.gif

Sale is over. I saw it on last sunday's newspaper.