Want a New Surround System

[PottyTrained]

I need some GOOD suggestions for a Receiver and 5.1 surround system, My 20 year old Mitsubishi system is getting very hard to understand, I no we are old (60+) but I'm tired of running the CC so we can read what we miss. I have a 300$ Yamaha AVR but it doesn't help. I can post the specs for my speakers I have now it you like.
I don't want to hang speakers on the wall since we may move in the next year.
I would like to keep the system under $5000.oo Free standing Fronts and I can build a couple pedestals for the back 2.
Thanks Everyone

 

[NINaudio]

What speakers are you running right now? I'd suggest checking out the SVS ultra line. A 5 speaker setup from them is under $4k, which leaves you plenty leftover for something else you might want.

 

[lovinthehd]

Speakers are more likely the issue than the electronics, as you seem to have found out. Could just be hearing (am also over 60) or the way you're positioning speakers/seats, too. Got a pic of your setup? For speakers also check, aside from SVS (who have a terrific free in home trial even if you send 'em back), Ascend Acoustics, Philharmonic Audio, RBH/Emptek.

 

[PottyTrained]

Here are the speakers I got in 1997 and there is a center I don't have the data on. the rear speakers are on the wall 8' high angled down to the middle of the room. The room is 26 x 16 ft.

 

[NINaudio]

I'd be willing to bet that it's the speakers that are the issue for you. I'm not sure where you are in Florida, but there are two stores called IntegritySound in the Saratoga area that have the entry level SVS Prime series on hand. If they aren't too far away, you can always go check them out.

If you are also looking to upgrade your receiver, Denon, Marantz, and Yamaha are all known for making some quality units.

 

[lovinthehd]

The placement in a corner thing isn't doing you any favors. I didn't want pics of your speakers but more the one pic that shows where you've placed them in your room as that counts more. That "sub" needs to go....

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The placement in a corner thing isn't doing you any favors. I didn't want pics of your speakers but more the one pic that shows where you've placed them in your room as that counts more. That "sub" needs to go....

Exactly what I was thinking. Move the system to the long wall, and make SURE there's money for a subwoofer.

 

[shadyJ]

That looks like an acoustically problematic room, which may be a contributing factor to poor dialogue intelligibility. That center speaker design is awful, and that is almost certainly a part of the problem too, and is exacerbated by the room acoustics. Its off axis response is guaranteed to be horrendous, and you will be hearing a lot of that horrendous off axis response thanks to the high acoustic reflectivity of that room. You will want a center speaker with no off axis problems.

Also, is that center speaker placed on the floor? Its hard to see from that picture. If so, try to get it off the floor, that is not a good place for it. Another thing I would think about doing is placing the rug in front of the entertainment system. You might just think about getting a nice thick shag rug and placing it there, this will help reduce acoustic reflections off of the floor. That can make a difference.

The SVS Ultra center speaker looks good for this. I would also think about getting a bookshelf speaker front stage rather than just floor standers. With a good subwoofer, floorstanding speakers do not offer much of an advantage. Here is one system that can do a lot to solve your dialogue intelligibility issues: a KEF LS50 pair and LS50 center. That will have none of the problems of traditional center speakers and should offer a major improvement for dialogue intelligibility. Another option that can likely get louder, but is larger, although less costly is a Hsu CCB-8 set. That will also have good dialogue intelligibility.

You will want to replace that receiver, and I would be looking at models from Denon, Marantz, or Yamaha. I would be looking at receivers in the $1,000 range.

That subwoofer is a junker, and it is also in a bad spot. Replace it with a sub from Hsu, SVS, or Rythmik. One thing you might think about doing is getting one of SVS's cylinder subwoofers like this guy and seeing if it will fit in the corner behind the entertainment system. The nice thing about that sub is it is relatively light and easy to move around, and it also has a small footprint and may well fit in that corner without having to move the entertainment system too much. It also has a couple of big brothers if you want something more powerful: the PC12-Plus and PC13-Ultra.

 

[PottyTrained]

I'm running the Yamaha RX-V567 receiver, I also have a Denon AVR-684 that started screwing up so I put it in my Office hooked to my Samsung 40" HDTV.
I'm not a Denon fan because of there poor customer service, So I guess I'll go with a bigger Yamaha with the Atmos Sound.
I have DirecTV, a new Samsung 65" 7100 HDTV In the living room.
Can I run 4 RBH R55ti Towers, R56ci Center and i-12/e Sub. ?

 

[lovinthehd]

Can I run 4 RBH R55ti Towers, R56ci Center and i-12/e Sub. ?

Only if you promise not to set them up like the other speakers. That center is on the floor why?

 

[zieglj01]

Here are the speakers I got in 1997 and there is a center I don't have the data on. the rear speakers are on the wall 8' high angled down to the middle of the room. The room is 26 x 16 ft.

I remember them -- it is time for a change -- I use to own the bookshelf versions. There really are some good ear awakening options today, that will out-class the Mitsubishi speakers.

 

[zieglj01]

I have DirecTV, a new Samsung 65" 7100 HDTV In the living room.
Can I run 4 RBH R55ti Towers, R56ci Center and i-12/e Sub. ?

With a $5000 budget also get a new TV stand to properly place a center channel

 

[shadyJ]

I'm running the Yamaha RX-V567 receiver, I also have a Denon AVR-684 that started screwing up so I put it in my Office hooked to my Samsung 40" HDTV.
I'm not a Denon fan because of there poor customer service, So I guess I'll go with a bigger Yamaha with the Atmos Sound.
I have DirecTV, a new Samsung 65" 7100 HDTV In the living room.
Can I run 4 RBH R55ti Towers, R56ci Center and i-12/e Sub. ?

There is a lot to like about the RBH Impression series, but I would be looking at other speaker sets because of that center speaker design, which I do not think would be optimal for your situation.

 

[Pogre]

Do you normally have the smaller speakers on top of the towers or is that just for the pic? Some rearranging of your speakers would help quite a bit, maybe more than you know, though a speaker upgrade will definitely not hurt.

 

[zieglj01]

Also look at the Emotiva Airmotiv speakers
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-5ch-bundle

They also uograded the towers and center
Airmotiv T2
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-t2

Airmotiv C2
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-c2

all in all I would prefer the B1 bookshelf for surrounds
https://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1

 

[Pogre]

Also look at the Emotiva Airmotiv speakers
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-5ch-bundle

The also uograded the towers and center
Airmotiv T2
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-t2

Airmotiv C2
https://emotiva.com/products/loudspeakers/airmotiv-c2

all in all I would prefer the B1 bookshelf for surrounds
https://emotiva.com/products/speakers/airmotiv-b1

Those are some really cool looking speakers.

 

[zieglj01]

Those are some really cool looking speakers.

They draw my attention

 

[PottyTrained]

Our house was on the market till the end of June so I took down the surrounds and patched the holes and placed them on the front speakers and I have nowhere to put the center for now.
I have 250' of 14 gauge wire for the new set-up but not sure how to hide the wire after I place the speakers where you suggest. I live by the beach about 40 miles east of Panama City Beach in a area where you have to drive a hour to Sams Club if you get my drift. There isn't a place to test any speakers or hear them within a 200 mile area. So you can see my problem. What ever I order will be it , so I want to get it right. I have a pickup truck to haul the stuff but it gets 6 miles to the gallon and that's HIGH Octane....lol
I like the Emotiva Airmotiv speakers but have no way to ear them. Is there a problem with getting 4 Front speakers so I don't have to get stands?

 

[shadyJ]

Our house was on the market till the end of June so I took down the surrounds and patched the holes and placed them on the front speakers and I have nowhere to put the center for now.
I have 250' of 14 gauge wire for the new set-up but not sure how to hide the wire after I place the speakers where you suggest. I live by the beach about 40 miles east of Panama City Beach in a area where you have to drive a hour to Sams Club if you get my drift. There isn't a place to test any speakers or hear them within a 200 mile area. So you can see my problem. What ever I order will be it , so I want to get it right. I have a pickup truck to haul the stuff but it gets 6 miles to the gallon and that's HIGH Octane....lol
I like the Emotiva Airmotiv speakers but have no way to ear them. Is there a problem with getting 4 Front speakers so I don't have to get stands?

What you are calling 'front speakers' would be more known as tower speakers or floor-standing speakers. There is no problem using floor-standing speakers for surround channels.

 

[KEW]

I'd suggest you do a reality check and listen to a show or two over headphones.
This will eliminate all of the room interaction concerns and emulate decent speakers.
IOW, it is a quick way to get an idea of what to expect after you have bought new speakers and worked out room issues.
If you don't have headphones I can suggest these as easily good enough for this test and less than $30.:
https://www.amazon.com/Superlux-681-Dynamic-Semi-Open-Headphones/dp/B002GHIPYI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1500213999&sr=8-1&keywords=superlux+hd681
This will give you an idea of how much of your problem can be solved with better speakers & room setup and how much is your hearing.
Also, Costco gives free hearing tests which will give your wife and you an idea of which frequencies are problematic for each of you.

I just had a friend who realized she needed hearing aids because she had trouble hearing her grandchildren. She is only 51, but the doctor says it is hereditary and will get worse over time. On the one hand she is embarrassed/ashamed to wear hearing aids at her age, but they are tiny and under her hair.

On the other hand this is a good time to get hearing protection:
Early enough that she can develop the habit of wearing them and understand how to control them. At 75, I think it might be pretty hard to adapt habits to using hearing aids.
Late enough that the technology is amazing; she has a app on her iphone that allows her to focus her hearing in one direction (for example, if you are in a noisy restaurant and your wife is to your left, the app presents you a "clock face" and you tap at 9 o'clock). Also settings for live music and several other common situations. She says they all work pretty good and likes that it looks like she is just checking her phone instead of adjusting her hearing aids.

If you do need hearing aids, Costco has somehow eclipsed all other suppliers on quality and price of their gear (including Sam's Club). Easily worth a membership for what you will save (essentially 1/2 off, but the manufacturer puts a different name on the model for CostCo so as not to piss off other distributors).

Hopefully you can get what you want out of new speakers and attention to placement/room!