Any advice for first 5.1 system?

[CapnCam]

Hello everyone.

I recently bought a house and am looking for a good 5.1 speaker system for my living room for around $3k or so. I am a complete beginner and totally out of my element, but have tried to do a bit of internet research.

The living room is about 20.5 feet by 15.5 feet (12 feet of the 20.5 on the left is open into another room). The room is carpeted. We are mainly going to use this for video games and movies. We are mainly looking for sound clarity and quality over pure volume.

Currently, based only on internet articles, I am looking at the following:

Center/Satellites: Monitor Audio MASS 5.0 (I would go with the sub as well, but can't the full package for sale online currently)

Sub: Martin Logan Dynamo 700W

Receiver: Integra drx-4

Does anyone see a reason this would not be a good combo for the room as described? Are there any suggestions for upgrades at a similar price point?

I appreciate any feedback. Thanks in advance.

 

[lovinthehd]

So is the $3k budget just for 5.1 speaker set or does it include the receiver?

What appeals about the Integra receiver? What price are you getting?

I wouldn't bother with a Martin Logan sub generally; perhaps with a deep discount but there's much better available elsewhere. Many good sub specialists like Hsu Research, SVS, Rythmik, Power Sound Audio, etc...

Why that speaker set particularly? Something you really like the sound of? Form factor?

 

[sholling]

With a 3K budget I'd pick out my three front speakers based on best sounding rather than cosmetics, have Hsu Research, SVS and Rythmik size/suggest subwoofers for the space - choose one, and only then select a heavily discounted well regarded name brand (Denon, Yamaha, Onkyo etc.) receiver based on the speakers' requirements. The surrounds can easily be addressed later. What you don't want to skimp on are the front three speakers or the subwoofer - those are the pieces that make the difference between a meh system and an impressive system.

 

[shadyJ]

Are you in europe? That isn't a system I would recommend unless there is nothing better available. It is weighted to heavily on the side of the electronics over the speakers and sub. I would stay away from Integra unless you are getting a killer discount on it. I would be looking at Yamaha, Denon, or Marantz instead. Integra is the installer brand of Onkyo and is overpriced at MSRP.

I take it there are size restrictions on the speakers and sub? That is the only reason why I can see anyone would settle on those speakers and that subwoofer. If your size restrictions are more relaxed than that, you can get much higher performing speakers and subwoofers for the same money.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

$3k should get you some really good speaker system, definitely not those little speakers for $3K.

Get something like a Denon X3300. When it's on sale, it is $599 brand new on Amazon (normal price is $1K), unless you are not in the USA.

 

[CapnCam]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Full disclosure, I have not actually had the opportunity to listen to the Audio MASS speakers or the sub I mentioned. I was basing my decisions on these articles (which say the speakers and receiver are a good pair):

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-home-theater-systems

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-subwoofers

I also tried reading reviews, which were generally positive (although there aren't a lot of them). I can probably work with bigger speakers (girlfriend might take a bit of convincing), but just from those articles, it sounded like they were the best in the price range. Like I said, I'm a complete beginner

I honestly don't know where to go around me to listen to any of the speakers. There are a couple businesses that might sell higher-end speakers (by that I just mean better than what Best Buy sells), but they are a bit intimidating - they all appear to be by appointment only and appear to mostly be in the business of building home theaters (as in, the actual physical space) for the wealthy, haha.

The $3k is for both the receiver and the speakers.

I'm in the U.S., by the way.

Thanks again! I'll try looking into some of the options you guys have mentioned, but it just seems hard finding info on the internet.

 

[shadyJ]

Thanks for the replies everyone! Full disclosure, I have not actually had the opportunity to listen to the Audio MASS speakers or the sub I mentioned. I was basing my decisions on these articles (which say the speakers and receiver are a good pair):

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-home-theater-systems

https://www.themasterswitch.com/best-subwoofers

I also tried reading reviews, which were generally positive (although there aren't a lot of them). I can probably work with bigger speakers (girlfriend might take a bit of convincing), but just from those articles, it sounded like they were the best in the price range. Like I said, I'm a complete beginner

I honestly don't know where to go around me to listen to any of the speakers. There are a couple businesses that might sell higher-end speakers (by that I just mean better than what Best Buy sells), but they are a bit intimidating - they all appear to be by appointment only and appear to mostly be in the business of building home theaters (as in, the actual physical space) for the wealthy, haha.

The $3k is for both the receiver and the speakers.

I'm in the U.S., by the way.

Thanks again! I'll try looking into some of the options you guys have mentioned, but it just seems hard finding info on the internet.

Those articles that you linked to are just "everything soup" articles designed to get easy hits in a google search (notice how there is a whole bunch of "best of 2018" lists). Whoever wrote them does not have any experience with many of those systems that they are recommending, so don't give those system recommendations too much weight.

If you aren't able to demo many speakers where you live, the safest thing you can do is order speakers that are shown to be very linear by third-party testers. That means those speakers will just be accurate and won't have much personalized tonality by voicing. If you prefer to color the sound, its better to do that through equalization anyway, rather than having that color built into the speakers.

If I were you, I would look at the KEF Q series or the Polk LSiM series speakers at accessories4less. These are proven to be relatively neutral and accurate loudspeakers. Some other good manufacture direct speaker companies are Ascend Acoustics and Hsu Research.

 

[Montucky]

Well you're already off to a good start by not getting a "home-theater-in-a-box" from your local big box store! Although I don't have time to chime in too much, I will say that at least you have a very doable budget to get yourself into something you should be pretty happy with for sure.

I guess one of my key suggestions is at least select an AVR that has pre-amp outputs. That way in case you ever decide later down the road you'd like a bit more power, all you have to do is just toss in an external amp without having to throw away your receiver. And then later down the road when you DO want a new receiver or the latest processing, you can keep that amp! Lots of flexibility by going that route and a receiver with those outputs does not have to break the bank either. Lots of affordable options with that feature.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

For AVR, I would get a good-condition open-box Denon X3300 from Amazon Warehouse for $560 delivered (new price was $1,000).

That leaves you with $2440 for speakers and subs.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B01HL8KYAY/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Dear OP, What you have is pretty big open layout room and these tiny satellite speakers would sound not much different from glorified tweeters. You'll have MAJOR issues understanding human speech during movies/tv shows.
You already have a great suggestion for AVR and it's Denon x3300 above from ADTG, look no further - it's much better choice than Integra.
Articles you've linked to are, sorry for my French - are is simple merde. There's nothing useful there beside mentions of lots of different sub/speakers companies.

Pretty much you have to go with either much bigger speakers or go with In-wall if she has you by the balls.
In-walls are not the best choice but beat tiny satellites.

Brands I'd recommend to look at for subs are SVS, HSU, Rhythmic.
and for speakers: Ascend audio, HSU, Philharmonic Audio, maybe even Salk

 

[zieglj01]

If you like the neutral and more linear sound -- then look at Canton

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cantgle426mksra/canton-gle-426-6-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-zebra-wood-pair/1.html

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cantgle456mksra/canton-gle-456-6-3-way-center-channel-speaker-zebra-wood-each/1.html

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/cantcd310bga/canton-cd-310-4-2-way-on-wall-speaker-gloss-black-pair/1.html

Integra and Denon are good receivers

You have been given good recommendations on a sub

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

hmmm, not sure about Cantons. Couldn't find measurements for GLE 426, but two of its cousins GLE470 and 455 doesn't look that great:
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/canton-gle-speaker-system-measurements
I mean, especially 455, is decent, probably better suited for movies than accurate music playback.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

hmmm, not sure about Cantons. Couldn't find measurements for GLE 426, but two of its cousins GLE470 and 455 doesn't look that great:
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/canton-gle-speaker-system-measurements
I mean, especially 455, is decent, probably better suited for movies than accurate music playback.

Yeah, a lot easier recommending electronics than speakers for sure.

It's no wonder some companies don't want their speakers to be measured and tested by 3rd parties - some graphs might not look very pretty.

With that being said, the $600/pr GLE470's on-axis FR looks to be about -3dB to +2dB from 55Hz - 16kHz, so that doesn't seem very bad.

The $10,000/pr Paradigm 3F's on-axis FR looks to be about -3dB to +6.5dB from 55Hz - 13kHz.

https://www.soundandvision.com/content/paradigm-persona-3f-speaker-system-review-test-bench

These Ascend speaker's on-axis FR looks to be about -3dB to +4dB from 70Hz to 10kHz.

http://www.audioholics.com/bookshelf-speaker-reviews/ascend-acoustics-sierra-1/ascend.JPG/image_view_fullscreen

The SVS Ultra bookshelf measures about -3dB to +3dB from about 55Hz-15kHz.
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/svs-ultra-speaker-system-ht-labs-measures


So these speakers, including the Canton, may sound better than the graphs look.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Some of the systems you should consider are:
From Ascend/Rhythmic:
CMT-340SE Main/pr+Center
CBM-170SE surrounds
Add Stands for mains to make them look like tower speakers
Add a pair of Rythmik LVX12 subs
If you call them up - you're likely to drop price to $2400 (from retail $2536)

Another option is SVS:
Ultra Bookshelves and Ultra center, Prime Sats and PB2000 sub

Yes Another with HSU:
3.0 CCB-B Speakers package
pair of HB-1 MK2 Bookshelves
single VTF-15H MK2 sub
This option would give you best bass response

 

[CapnCam]

Thank you all so much! I really appreciate all the great suggestions. You've sold me on the Denon, and I'll look into each of the speakers you've suggested. I'll also dig around a bit more to see if I can demo anything that's been suggested here; I was basically just looking for Monitor retailers before, but now I have a few more brands to look into and hopefully find more stores nearby.

I still don't really understand how to tell if a receiver will be appropriate (or adequate?) for the speakers, so once I think I've made a decision, I'll post again just to make sure everything will play nicely together.

Thanks again!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I still don't really understand how to tell if a receiver will be appropriate (or adequate?) for the speakers, so once I think I've made a decision, I'll post again just to make sure everything will play nicely together.

Thanks again!

The great thing about the Denon X3300 is that if you should EVER need more power, you can always add an external amp and power the speakers with the external amp!

I've used the Denon X3000 series AVRs to power speakers costing $15,000/pr and speakers with minimum impedance below 4 ohms, which are supposed to be very difficult to power.

When you get the X3300, also get the AC Infinity dual 120mm fans for $20. Put these 2 fans atop the X3300 and blow the air UPWARD (suck out heat). Then you will be set. Make sure you have ventilation.

https://www.amazon.com/AC-Infinity-MULTIFAN-Receiver-Playstation/dp/B00JLV4BWC/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1518117972&sr=8-3&keywords=AC+Infinity+120mm+fan

 

[zieglj01]

well I am sure about the Cantons and my recommendation stands -- and the latest series are nice -- 200 to 10 khz is nice.
https://www.hifitest.de/test/lautsprecher_stereo/canton-gle_436_7968

Ascend is a decent recommendation -- however while the 170 was nice, they did not blow me away.

OP it is your call and no one can speak for your ears -- you have some nice recommendations to look into

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

well I am sure about the Cantons and my recommendation stands -- and the latest series are nice -- 200 to 10 kHz is nice.
https://www.hifitest.de/test/lautsprecher_stereo/canton-gle_436_7968

https://www.hifitest.de/test/lautsprecher_stereo/canton-gle_436_7968
From that article:

and here's cheaper Dennis's AA Monitor:

Do notice difference in scale as well, not huge difference, but it's there.

OP it is your call and no one can speak for your ears -- you have some nice recommendations to look into

Agreed

 

[sholling]

Some of the systems you should consider are:
From Ascend/Rhythmic:
CMT-340SE Main/pr+Center
CBM-170SE surrounds
Add Stands for mains to make them look like tower speakers
Add a pair of Rythmik LVX12 subs
If you call them up - you're likely to drop price to $2400 (from retail $2536)

I've owned the CMT-340s and they were quite good.

 

[Kai]

I recommend the Paradigm Monitor line...they are currently on sale at 25% off because the line name is changing.
They are a great speaker and now at a great price.