New and Need help and advice

C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
Hello to everyone who reading this.

I want to get a home theater going that's going to be used for movies, tv shows, Xbox one gaming and music ( hip-hop and r&b mostly)

I have currently a Yamaha rxv659 av, a Polk cs1, and a couple of Phillips bookshelf speakers.

I'm hoping I can keep my av for a while and I'm looking to get a 2.1 speaker and sub. Then use current center and Phillips as surround in 5.1 on occasions.

I have a current budget of about 700-1000 and have been reading reviews and watching videos that my head is spinning.

So I came across the fluance sig series towers and I like them. Seems they would have good bass with the dual 8 inch and reviews are up and down but seem better since upgrade.

Found a used pair on amazon for 500 shipped. And a svs pb 1000 used on there for 450.

Would these two be nice or would the bass just be too much. I tried to read the marriage of towers and subs in the need help section but honestly didn't fully understand most of it.

Any other suggestions would be great too.
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
One thing sticks out to me. You can get a brand new PB1000 direct from SVS for $499 with a full 5 year warranty. Also, they pop up fairly often on their outlet for the same price as the one you found on Amazon. Sometimes even a little less. They're factory inspected and come with full warranties also.

Another consideration, depending on your room size (we could provide better suggestions knowing this), would be the RSL Speedwoofer for 399. It got a very positive review here on audioholics, earning their medium room rating. Then you could put some cash into better speakers.

I don't really know much about Fluance other than they messed up, but are trying to make amends.
 
C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
My room is 12x25 in a living room/dining with 2 2 foot walls splitting rooms. Living room is 13 1/2.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
The revised Fluance Signature towers are quite good. If you are going to add a subwoofer to them, it had better be a very capable subwoofer, or else the sub wouldn't be doing much that those speakers cannot already do. I wouldn't bother adding a 10" sub to the Fluance towers, I would get a high powered 12" or 15".

My advice is, if you want the Fluance Signatures, get them and then save up for a more powerful subwoofer. On the other hand, you can get a 10" sub now and then get some speakers that would really benefit from them like bookshelf speakers.

Also, get the Fluance new from Fluance.com. Do not get a used pair, since it will likely be the older model with the subpar crossover.
 
C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
Ok do you have any suggestions for 12 or 15 inch subs that would be worth it for under 500.

Also the used pair from amazon is sold by fluance and the questions on there say that there the new crossovers. I was figuring that they are returned item from there 45 day free return policy maybe I should contact them and make sure. It's just that there $200 cheaper then the fluance website
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Sounds like that Signature tower is Fluance B-stock, so it might be OK. Might not be in perfect shape though. With the Fluance speakers, you will want a bit of distance from them for them to sound best. Don't use the Signature towers if you are going to be sitting closer than 9 or 10 feet from them. If you have that, then they are a great bargain.

As for subs, not many $500 subs could make a meaningful contribution to the bass of the Signature towers. There are $500 subs that can dig deeper in frequency, like the PB1000, but they don't get very loud. There are $500 subs that get loud, like this PA-150, but it won't dig substantially deeper than the Signature towers. For the subwoofer to be worth the purchase, it should exceed the Signature towers in both dynamic range and low-frequency extension. I would bump your budget up a bit, and use the subs listed in this article as a start. I wouldn't get anything lesser performing than you see in that article, because I don't think the expenditure can be justified, since the bass from the Fluance Signatures is already very good.
 
zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
Ok do you have any suggestions for 12 or 15 inch subs that would be worth it for under 500.
There is only one 12" sub under $500 that I would look at -- however, no reviews yet -- but it still looks good for the price to me. A new engineer came in to work on them

Emotiva BasX 12
https://emotiva.com/products/subwoofers/basx-s12

You can always upgrade the sub later

Some info here
http://www.avsforum.com/forum/113-subwoofers-bass-transducers/2666113-emotiva-basx-s12-s10-ported-subwoofers.html#post48772953

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/113-subwoofers-bass-transducers/2666113-emotiva-basx-s12-s10-ported-subwoofers.html#post48721393

If your set on towers, then you are set on towers -- however, I would still think about some good bookshelf speakers.
 
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C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
I would bump your budget up a bit, and use the subs listed in this article as a start. I wouldn't get anything lesser performing than you see in that article, because I don't think the expenditure can be justified, since the bass from the Fluance Signatures is already very good.
I checked out that article and the hsu mk-5 review stated

"Equipment used was a Pioneer Elite SC-55 receiver and Fluance Signature Series H-Fi floor-standing speakers"

The hsu is only $100 over budget and maybe this would be a good pairing then.
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
I checked out that article and the hsu mk-5 review stated

"Equipment used was a Pioneer Elite SC-55 receiver and Fluance Signature Series H-Fi floor-standing speakers"

The hsu is only $100 over budget and maybe this would be a good pairing then.
Yes, they do make a good pair. It looks like you stumbled on to my review, btw.
 
C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
Also for $500 is there a better pair of speakers for my needs?
 
Pogre

Pogre

Audioholic Slumlord
There are a lot of other options if you want to consider bookhelf/stand mount speakers. I prefer bookshelves and a sub because if I had towers I'd still want a sub anyway and you can usually get better quality with a bookshelf for the same money you'd spend on towers.

The cost of building a tower is wrapped up in adding more drivers and cabinetry, whereas with a bookshelf some of that money can be put into better build quality, engineering, better drivers, better crossovers, etc. If you get a sub, imo, you're not missing much and your speakers will be of better quality.

Maybe instead of getting the "gold" tier towers, you could get the "platinum" tier from the same company in a bookshelf.
 
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C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
No does not include sub. I'm thinking Ima get the hsu vtf-2 mk5 and I'll have budget of about 500 for speakers

Also sorry for all the questions I am new and have no idea what's good or really what I want.

I like to listen to music loud and love bass that I can really feel. Like rattle the house. so that's what originally attracted me to fluance speaker as they look and review sounded like they could really rock out.

That said I don't want muddy or distorted bass or bass that's gonna drown everything else out

So thank you for your continued help
 
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S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Well tell me how did they mesh together. Does the sig benefit from the hsu sub
Yes, the Hsu subs does have a significant advantage over the Signature towers in bass performance. They would make a good pairing.

You say you like loud music, well the Signature speakers can do that. Like I said in the Fluance review, you will want some space between the Signature towers and listening position. The sound doesn't really come together when you sit close to it, but, at 10 ft or so, the sound comes together, and it is a solid speaker.

However, if you have to sit close to the speakers, there are better choices. The Hsu HB-1s are quite good. I see some Klipsch RB-81s left at Amazon for a good deal, those would be very powerful for bookshelf speakers! Here are some RB-61s, that would also have some very good dynamic range for the price. If your receiver has pre-outs, some JBL LSR308s would be a fantastic choice. Here are some Klipsch RP-160s for something a bit more updated over the RF speakers, I think those would hit very hard. Another good powered Monitor choice would be these Mackies, but, like the JBLs, you would need a AVR with pre-outs to use those. Also, I had the chance to hear some Hsu CCB-8s today finally, they have spectacular dynamic range, although they would be a bit over your budget.
 
C

Chrisipod4s

Enthusiast
Thanks to everyone who's chimed in so far.

So I've been saving a little more but should be ready to buy next week. Can't wait!!

So I've looked into all the suggestions so far and looking on my own and I'm pretty locked in on the hsu sub ( after a few day look into the parts express diy Dayton 15 ultimax. but maybe down the line. Lol)

So I've narrowed my search down some and would like input on choices please.

1. Svs ultra bookshelfs b stock bout $800(would have to save more and have scratches or chunks in them)

2. Klipsch Rf-82 ii $718 on amazon

3. Fluance signature series. Now $700 (b stock unavailable ATM $500 if I wait)

4. Hsu ccb-8 $1380 package with sub

5. Hsu hb-1 with matching center for 540.

All seems like good choices and after really reviewing my needs its mostly tv/movies 60% at normal listening volumes. 20% video games and 20% music which I do listen to loud but only on occasions but I would like my choice to be able handle also.

A couple concerns I have is bookshelfs in general have never really heard any good ones in person I am going to a Best Buy near me with the "magnolia" to listen to some.

The rf-82s have no mid bass driver ( not sure if matters) just seems mids could be muddy.

Fluance is I'd be at 7-8 ft from them so could rule them out.
 
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zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
The Hsu ccb-8 $1380 package with sub, looks interesting to me.
 

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