Buying some speakers for my Yamaha RX-V861 7.2 channel Receiver

[Pitman]

Hello folks. Newbie here. I'm not super smart when it comes to home theater systems so please bear with me. I just bought this receiver for $100 locally and now I just need to get 2 floor speakers and 1 sub. My question is, what kind of speakers as far as specs (wattage, impedance, etc) should I get for this receiver? Anything you would recommend somewhere between $400-$700 new/used? I see a lot on bestbuy but I am not exactly sure which ones have great reputation and real reviews from the experts here. I will be using the system for music streaming from my phone/ipad (bought a bluetooth adapter) and also for movies (4k Visio TV). Thank you folks in advance!

Here are the specs online for my receiver:
POWER OUTPUT:
100 W (20 Hz - 20 kHz, 2 channels driven @ 8 ohms, 0.09% THD)
110 W (1 kHz, 2 channels driven @ 8 ohms, 0.9% THD)

DYNAMIC POWER:
140 W @ 8 ohms
180 W @ 6 ohms
210 W @ 4 ohms
250 W @ 2 ohms

 

[lovinthehd]

Don't get too hung up on the watts. Max wattage in a speaker spec isn't all that useful, sensitivity is a much more useful spec to approximate your amp needs for a particular speaker/spl desired. That's a relatively old receiver tech wise, particularly for 4k needs. Bluetooth isn't as good as wifi/airplay....some avrs have those built in, not sure about the one you got....

Hard to recommend what you might be able to get for your budget....if you're in a good sized metro area your chances are better than living out in the boonies like me. Where are you? Maybe some of us can help look at craigslist etc to help out. I'd at least try and find used before shopping at BB. Or if you've spotted some speakers/subs within your budget you want comments on, post 'em up.

Good luck on the hunt!

 

[Eppie]

There are some recommendations on the Audioholics web site:
Under $700 https://www.audioholics.com/how-to-shop/700-bookshelf-speakers-2021
Under $500 https://www.audioholics.com/bookshelf-speaker-reviews/bookshelf-2020
The prices have likely gone up since then.
The Hsu CCB-8 is great if your room is not too large and because it has a concentric driver you can add a third one later on as a centre channel speaker for home theatre. With bookshelf speakers you will likely want to add a subwoofer later. Will be a challenge to find decent tower speakers under $700 but there may be some options or look in the used market. Besides Craigslist, USAudioMart is a good source.

 

[Pitman]

Don't get too hung up on the watts. Max wattage in a speaker spec isn't all that useful, sensitivity is a much more useful spec to approximate your amp needs for a particular speaker/spl desired. That's a relatively old receiver tech wise, particularly for 4k needs. Bluetooth isn't as good as wifi/airplay....some avrs have those built in, not sure about the one you got....

Hard to recommend what you might be able to get for your budget....if you're in a good sized metro area your chances are better than living out in the boonies like me. Where are you? Maybe some of us can help look at craigslist etc to help out. I'd at least try and find used before shopping at BB. Or if you've spotted some speakers/subs within your budget you want comments on, post 'em up.

Good luck on the hunt!

Thank you for helping me out. Really appreciate it. So I went to bestbuy last night and my choices are these:

After discount:
Polk XT60 ($150 each) or XT70 (230 each)
Definitive Technology BP9020 ($350 each pair)

I only got to hear the BP9020 coz the polks are not available for demo. I liked it. But it would be nice to hear the Polk also first. What do you guys think of these models? Anything I should know about them? Thank you!

 

[Pitman]

There are some recommendations on the Audioholics web site:
Under $700 https://www.audioholics.com/how-to-shop/700-bookshelf-speakers-2021
Under $500 https://www.audioholics.com/bookshelf-speaker-reviews/bookshelf-2020
The prices have likely gone up since then.
The Hsu CCB-8 is great if your room is not too large and because it has a concentric driver you can add a third one later on as a centre channel speaker for home theatre. With bookshelf speakers you will likely want to add a subwoofer later. Will be a challenge to find decent tower speakers under $700 but there may be some options or look in the used market. Besides Craigslist, USAudioMart is a good source.

Thank you so much for helping out and recommending those. I will check them out too.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thank you for helping me out. Really appreciate it. So I went to bestbuy last night and my choices are these:

After discount:
Polk XT60 ($150 each) or XT70 (230 each)
Definitive Technology BP9020 ($350 each pair)

I only got to hear the BP9020 coz the polks are not available for demo. I liked it. But it would be nice to hear the Polk also first. What do you guys think of these models? Anything I should know about them? Thank you!

Neither would be my choice, at least at that level for these brands. Where are you located?

 

[Pitman]

Neither would be my choice, at least at that level for these brands. Where are you located?

I am in Anchorage Alaska. Very limited as far as stores, I actually think it's only bestbuy that sells them in town. Those are the ones I saw in stores and also the Klitch speakers but they are passive. $599 each or something. If I were to just get the sub later when funds become available, what would you recommend for towers for the range? Bestbuy has some more online but I haven't really looked yet thoroughly. Thank you!

 

[lovinthehd]

I am in Anchorage Alaska. Very limited as far as stores, I actually think it's only bestbuy that sells them in town. Those are the ones I saw in stores and also the Klitch speakers but they are passive. $599 each or something. If I were to just get the sub later when funds become available, what would you recommend for towers for the range? Bestbuy has some more online but I haven't really looked yet thoroughly. Thank you!

Yow, Anchorage may not have a lot of options....this caught my eye, my brother has original RSLs from that era, they're very good. https://anchorage.craigslist.org/ele/d/anchorage-rsl-3600-studio-monitors/7564072245.html

You don't want passive speakers to use with your amp? I wasn't even thinking about active speakers (but your avr has pre-outs, so you can use active/powered speakers...)

 

[Pitman]

Yow, Anchorage may not have a lot of options....this caught my eye, my brother has original RSLs from that era, they're very good. https://anchorage.craigslist.org/ele/d/anchorage-rsl-3600-studio-monitors/7564072245.html

You don't want passive speakers to use with your amp? I wasn't even thinking about active speakers (but your avr has pre-outs, so you can use active/powered speakers...)

Wow obviously I don't know what I'm talking about passive and active lol sorry about that. So passive works for me nice! So the RSLs, is he selling all 4 for $750? I should contact him. But I only need 2 to fit my living room. Thanks for pointing out my receiver is capable of passive speakers

 

[lovinthehd]

Wow obviously I don't know what I'm talking about passive and active lol sorry about that. So passive works for me nice! So the RSLs, is he selling all 4 for $750? I should contact him. But I only need 2 to fit my living room. Thanks for pointing out my receiver is capable of passive speakers

Well hopefully you can listen to/test each speaker but yeah I'd get 'em. You can always sell two if you don't go multich....but you have a multich receiver and can at least do a L/R and surrounds setup....

ps looking at the ad again, it's not clear but seems it's all four....and that DefTech speaker only has a powered woofer....

 

[Pitman]

Well hopefully you can listen to/test each speaker but yeah I'd get 'em. You can always sell two if you don't go multich....but you have a multich receiver and can at least do a L/R and surrounds setup....

ps looking at the ad again, it's not clear but seems it's all four....and that DefTech speaker only has a powered woofer....

These will sound way better than those Polk and Deftech at bestbuy I assume? I texted him. Hopefully I can check it out. So the Deftech has passive speakers except the woofer? If the RSLs are not available anymore, anything else you would recommend even online for a $700 budget for floors? I can add the sub later on when funds becomes available.

 

[lovinthehd]

These will sound way better than those Polk and Deftech at bestbuy I assume? I texted him. Hopefully I can check it out. So the Deftech has passive speakers except the woofer? If the RSLs are not available anymore, anything else you would recommend even online for a $700 budget for floors? I can add the sub later on when funds becomes available.

I'd say they would sound a lot better than those Polk/DT speakers. Yes, while they call the DT's powered woofer a "subwoofer" it's more just a powered woofer, not a true sub. Four of those around the room might be pretty good bass, too. I stopped looking at speakers when I ran across the RSLs with a recent post date, but if they're not available....but I'd definitely go take a listen....

 

[Pitman]

I'd say they would sound a lot better than those Polk/DT speakers. Yes, while they call the DT's powered woofer a "subwoofer" it's more just a powered woofer, not a true sub. Four of those around the room might be pretty good bass, too. I stopped looking at speakers when I ran across the RSLs with a recent post date, but if they're not available....but I'd definitely go take a listen....

Thank you very much! I appreciate it.

 

[Pitman]

What do you guys think of this?

B&W DM603 S3 Bowers and Wilkins 150W Speakers

 

[lovinthehd]

I'd much rather have the RSLs. I'm not much of a fan of the B&Ws, particularly the 6 series....YMMV

 

[lovinthehd]

If those four RSLs were available for $750 here I'd snatch 'em up in a heartbeat if they were functional as they look in the pics. Even a pair for $750 would be tempting.

 

[Pitman]

If those four RSLs were available for $750 here I'd snatch 'em up in a heartbeat if they were functional as they look in the pics. Even a pair for $750 would be tempting.

The guy isn't responding I'm going to checkout this B&W 603 S3 later and hopefully it's a good one. If not, I might just use my 2 year no interest at bestbuy and pick up a decent one there. Not sure what yet though...

 

[lovinthehd]

The guy isn't responding I'm going to checkout this B&W 603 S3 later and hopefully it's a good one. If not, I might just use my 2 year no interest at bestbuy and pick up a decent one there. Not sure what yet though...

Well he said he might have second thoughts....

 

[Pitman]

Well he said he might have second thoughts....

What do you think of these speakers? Someone is selling it locally also on marketplace. thanks

Boston Acoustic CR95 Floor speakers

 

[lovinthehd]

No experience with BA, but they generally have a good reputation....I think one of the guys who writes articles here occasionally used to work there?....going blank on his name....think he's got a book for sale there was a recent article about....