Cheaper Surround Speakers to pair with Revel F208 and C208

[UnPossible]

I am in the process of setting up my HT/audio room and am looking for some speaker advice.
I currently have a pair of Revel F208s and will shortly be ordering the C208 center.

However, I am about at the end of my AV equipment budget for awhile. I'd love to add 2 pairs of the Revel M106s for side and rear surrounds, but the budget won't allow it at this time.
I am looking for a couple of pairs of cheaper bookshelf speakers that I can use for the next year or two as surrounds, before I purchase the matching Revels.... then I will repurpose the cheaper speakers out to my garage setup. Powering the speakers in my setup will be pair of older Acurus 100W/channel amplifiers.

A few options that have come to mind are
1) NHT C1s (if Amazon ever puts them on sale again)
2) NHT SuperOnes
3) Elac Unifi (now $300/pair)
4) Wharfdale 225s (now $300/pair)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on the options above and if there are any other speakers in the $300/pair range I should be looking at to best match with my Revels.

Thanks!

 

[lovinthehd]

Don't know how those brands particularly match your Revels....but for surrounds in movies/tv they won't really need to (I do prefer matching sets for multich music, tho). Thought about hitting craigslist up for some used speakers while you save up for the Revels you want? Lots of choices at the new $300 price point....might also consider SVS, Ascend, Canton, KEF, etc.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Couple things...
First, do you have a room that can do 7ch? Meaning is there enough room behind the LP to place them? And would it possibly be better to buy one pair of m106’s now, and the other later? Maybe a pair of 106’s now, and a cheap pair now(then the other 106’s later).
Rear surrounds are nice, but a good 5ch bed can be as good, especially if your waiting while you save up.

 

[lovinthehd]

Couple things...
First, do you have a room that can do 7ch? Meaning is there enough room behind the LP to place them? And would it possibly be better to buy one pair of m106’s now, and the other later? Maybe a pair of 106’s now, and a cheap pair now(then the other 106’s later).
Rear surrounds are nice, but a good 5ch bed can be as good, especially if your waiting while you save up.

Hmmm I didn't read 7ch into his post at all....

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Hmmm I didn't read 7ch into his post at all....

Yep. Said he wanted to add side surrounds and rear surrounds later...

 

[UnPossible]

Sorry I wasn't clear - the room is on the large size (21' wide x 27' deep x 9' high). I am expecting my listening position to be ~16-18 feet back, so there is plenty of room for rear surrounds.

I have it wired for 7.1 currently, and luckily I can get above the ceiling to add height speakers somewhere down the road.

 

[lovinthehd]

Yep. Said he wanted to add side surrounds and rear surrounds later...

LOL I'm blind

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

LOL I'm blind

I can see I’m goin blind...

Meh, that’s how it goes sometimes.

 

[lovinthehd]

I can see I’m goin blind...

Meh, that’s how it goes sometimes.

Well I have noticed I should use the damn reading glasses more when using my phone....and it is time for an eye exam/new prescription on the contacts


As to spending a bunch of money on 2 pairs of sat speakers temporarily....maybe 5ch for now wouldn't be so bad. Or hitting up the used market....

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

Lol!!! I often forget my cheaters too. Damn...never thought I’d need em but yep! I do.

 

[mazersteven]

Ascend Acoustic

CBM-170SE BOOKSHELF MONITOR PAIR

The Benchmark Bookshelf Loudspeaker Black Friday Sale! "The State Of The Art Of Budget Loudspeakers" -Jeff Van Dyne, GoodSound Setting new performance standards for affordable accurate sound reproduction for two channel stereo reproduction and multi-channel home theater. Signature Edition...

www.ascendacoustics.com

SVS

SVS Prime Elevation Speaker | Speakers for Dolby Atmos & Home Theater

Best sounding home audio elevation speaker for Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and Auro-3D. Endless versatility as front, surround, center and/or LCR home theater speaker.

www.svsound.com

 

[KEW]

The Revel M8's are $300/pr ($500/pr is MSRP). These are wall mount speakers (available in white or black):

Revel Concerta M8 (White)

On-wall or tabletop speaker

www.crutchfield.com

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

The Revel M8's are $300/pr ($500/pr is MSRP). These are wall mount speakers (available in white or black):

Revel Concerta M8 (White)

On-wall or tabletop speaker

www.crutchfield.com

Niiiiice!

 

[mazersteven]

^ I know they are for Surrounds, but those 3" drivers scare me.

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

^ I know they are for Surrounds, but those 3" drivers scare me.

Agreed. But there are two, and they’re ported. So imo they should be reasonably loud and efficient. Revel is quality, so these should work for most surround applications save for the most demanding. Mine have dual 5-1/4 and it’s been a compromise, but I’m a special case. As you’ve already discovered...lmao

 

[mazersteven]

I'm not worried about Loud. Clarity, and Detail is my concern

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I think the tweeter should handle most of that. Those 3’s would handle the mids. I’d be afraid of losing impact more than clarity with those.

 

[mazersteven]

I’d be afraid of losing impact more than clarity with those.

I think they would sound Thin. Is that a term?

 

[William Lemmerhirt]

I think they would sound Thin. Is that a term?

Lol. YeH I think it actually is. I’d say it would depend on the XO. Towers with big ol drivers can sound thin too.

 

[shadyJ]

I would stay away from those MTM on-walls. MTMs have a very narrow and rocky dispersion pattern along the line of the woofers. Unless you can aim those speakers directly at the listener, go with a more conventional design.