Best Friends HT

[mx416]

Hi-

Please forgive if I posted this in the wrong forum.

Now to the point. I am helping a friend with his upcoming home theater purchase. I have done a lot of research and have a good handle on the basics of home theater.

I am looking for some advice on the options listed below before i present them to my friend. Also I would like any input on possible brands I didn't not consider.

Here are the options. Would like to stick with all new equipment. Thanks for the help

Budget 1600-1900

Option 1

Front Left & Right: Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE $298/pair

Center Channel: Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 SE $298/each

Subwoofer: SVS PB-1000 $499 (also considering outlaw x-12)

Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-90 $399

Surround Left & Right: Polk RC80i $130 (or similar to timbre match; must be in ceiling)

Speaker stands: $175
Total 1799


Option 2

Front Left & Right: Ascend Acoustics HTM-200 SE $258/pair

Center Channel: Ascend Acoustics HTM-200 SE $158/each

Subwoofer: SVS PB-1000 $499

Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-90 $399

Surround Left & Right: Polk RC80i $130 (or similar to timbre match; must be in ceiling)

Speaker stands: $175
Total. 1619


Option 3

Front Left & Right: RHB Sound R5bi $225/pair

Center Channel: RHB Sound R5ci $195

Subwoofer: Outlaw audio X-12 $639

Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-90 $399

Surround Left & Right: Polk RC80i $130 (or similar to timbre match; must be in ceiling)

Speaker stands: $175
Total 1763


Option 4

Front Left & Right: RHB Sound R55ti $700/pair (Very good looking Tower speakers)

Center Channel: RHB Sound R5ci $195

Subwoofer: SVS PB-1000 $499

Receiver: Pioneer Elite VSX-90 $399

Surround Left & Right: Polk RC80i $130 (or similar to timbre match; must be in ceiling)

Speaker stands: -

Total: 1863

 

[rojo]

Firstly, let me say that the options you've chosen are all solid options. Nice job.

You know, Ascend offers a 5% break on the Rythmik LV12R subwoofer if he buys the LCR from them. I think the price / performance ratio is probably better on the Rythmik, and I'd be inclined to audition that before the SVS. Any clue what the cubic footage of his HT room is?

You might also consider WaveCrest Audio for the LCR, if you're looking for more options to confuse the situation. Or Hsu Research and XTZ Sound are both worth checking out within a similar price range as well.

Or as competition to the RBH (yep, it's RBH, not RHB) towers you chose, right now the JBL Studio 590's are on a steal of a sale for $450 each. Or you can bundle a pair with Harman Kardon AVR for a total of $1200. (source) But the JBL Studio center channel options are all more expensive, which might be a deal breaker unless your friend wouldn't mind getting a disposable center now to upgrade later -- or go phantom center for now.

For the surrounds, if there's no choice but to use in-ceiling, then you might consider the HTD HD-R65. It has +/- 3dB switches for both the tweeter and the woofer, which will offer a little more flexible timbre matching.

Just throwing out options you might not've seen.

 

[XEagleDriver]

mx416,
Concur with rojo on the quality of your intial research and narrowing to a few "solid options".

My two cents:
Between the two Ascend options, I would recommend Option 1 due to the larger woofer on CBM/CMT series (6.5"/~45Hz) vs. HTM (4"/~70Hz) as well as having a bit better sensitivity (~2db).
IMHO, the CBM/CMT will better integrate with a sub and enable a lower sub crossover freq (preferably at or below 100Hz), and support clearer movie dialogue due to a more capable center speaker.

RBH and rojo's suggestions are also viable, I do not know enough about them to compare/contrast.

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

btw: CMB170's SE matching center is CBM-170 SE center - which is honestly same speaker
pb1000 is nice and competent sub, but for larger room (over 3000 cuft) you'd want something more powerful like Outlaw audio X-12 or (for even larger space) http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/vtf-3mk5HP.html

 

[TLS Guy]

Good selection except for the receiver. Pioneer is not known for longevity due to a design problem in the power supplies which they have failed to address for some years now.

I would consider, Yamaha, Marantz or Denon, but not the lower end Denon units.

 

[mx416]

Thanks for the responses.

I do have a concern with the htm-200 as a center. The size however is a positive to my friend.

In terms of the LV12R. I have 2 myself and have really enjoyed them. To be honest I was hoping to convince my friend to get the outlaw x-12. Just due to the fact I want to hear it. (Little Self serving I know )

Do you place the CBM-170 center vertically like the L/R or do you place it horizontally?

Lastly the room calculated out to 3000CF with two 3' wide openings to two separate hallways.

Hope that helps

 

[mx416]

The receiver budget range is $400-$500. I am very limited in my receiver experience. I own a onkyo 636. I have liked my onkyo, but have ran in to a couple issues and was hoping I could get my friend something equal or better.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks for the responses.

I do have a concern with the htm-200 as a center. The size however is a positive to my friend.

In terms of the LV12R. I have 2 myself and have really enjoyed them. To be honest I was hoping to convince my friend to get the outlaw x-12. Just due to the fact I want to hear it. (Little Self serving I know )

Do you place the CBM-170 center vertically like the L/R or do you place it horizontally?

Lastly the room calculated out to 3000CF with to 3' wide openings to two separate hallways.

Hope that helps

I used a set of 200SEs as LCR at one point, too large a distance to seating not so hot (in a living room slightly larger than your friend's), worked much better in my bedroom (but are currently used as surrounds in my main room). The 170SE doesn't use a wave guide (think its just the terminals on the rear that are different?) so position it as you see fit, and is so squarish not much advantage to laying it on its side. I like the idea of the 170SEs with the 340SE center more than the set of 200SEs.

 

[Mark of Cenla]

I suggest a Yamaha audio-video receiver. Peace and goodwill.

 

[KenM10759]

I recently bought a pair of the CBM-170SE off Craigslist for cheap in my quest to assemble a $500 5.1 system. (I was nearly successful at $511.25)

Those speakers really surprise me with how good they are for the money. If I ever find a similar deal on CBM-340SE, I'll make them the front 3 and move the 170's to surround duty. Solid buy, and with the deal for the Rythmik sub it's even better.

 

[mx416]

So if I'm hearing this correctly.

Front L/R are all good choices
Center -try and not use the htm-200
Sub. All good choices


Sounds like I may need a little guidance with the receiver.

 

[mx416]

diamond wharfedale Any thoughts?
10.1 & 10.CM

 

[KenM10759]

Good speakers for the money. Any audio shops or Best Buy Magnolia near you that you could visit to see them in person or possibly hear them?

 

[mx416]

Oh yeah. About 15 minutes from a Best Buy

 

[mx416]

Would HTD level 3's compete with my other options?

 

[lovinthehd]

So if I'm hearing this correctly.

Front L/R are all good choices
Center -try and not use the htm-200
Sub. All good choices


Sounds like I may need a little guidance with the receiver.

FWIW I wouldn't use 200SEs with 170SEs in a combination up front, nor the 340SE with 200SEs.

Just what are the requirements for features in the avr?

 

[class a]

I would look into the ELAC F5 surround system. A totally matched system that's in your price range.

 

[rojo]

Would HTD level 3's compete with my other options?

I haven't heard them personally. They're generally fairly well regarded (example), but I think you can get some more neutral sounding speakers for the same amount of money (i.e. the WaveCrests or the Philharmonic Affordable Accuracy monitors). Or for something with a horizontal MTM center channel, the Hsu Hybrid 2 and Hybrid 3 3.1 packages are pretty good deals for LCR + capable subs. See this review for measurements.

For the AVR, consider a refurb from Accessories4Less. Mine came from there, and if I hadn't been the one who ordered it I probably never would've guessed it was refurbished. It's been going strong for about 2 years now with no issues. The Denon AVR-X2000 would be a solid choice, for example.

 

[mx416]

In terms of avr the requirements would be
5.1 + 2 channel zone 2
(Possibly 5.1.2 w/ 2 channel zone 2)
Networking
Bluetooth
iPhone/iPad App

I'm sure there is more technical stuff I'm missing

 

[mx416]

Never heard of ELAC before.