husband's birthday - need advice for surround

[byHisgrace]

I'm looking to purchase rear speakers for hubby's birthday. My budget is $150-200 for the pair IF I buy rear speakers instead of moving our fronts to the rear. He currently has Polk M20s in the front - should we plan to move those to the rear and upgrade the fronts instead? If I do that, I'm willing to spend a bit more. He has a Velodyne VRP series sub, Polk center (can't get to the back to see which one), and an Onkyo TXSR303 receiver. He seems happy with the Polk M20s, even though I know he wants to upgrade them eventually. I've looked at the SVS SBS-01s, the Polk RTi4's, and the Infinity TSS-SAT450s and 750s as options, although I haven't heard the sound from any of those. Should I just focus on getting some rear speakers for him now and upgrade the fronts later? Any suggestions for the rear speakers? Oh, the room isn't huge and has a 10 foot ceiling, so we're not looking to fill a theater with sound. Thanks!

 

[BabelFish]

if you did go the route of upgrading the fronts, how much more are you willing to spend. Just curious. I am not an expert with these things but there is wisdom in the counsel of many so I would be curious to see what everyone else suggests. Depending on the amount I might be inclined to upgrade the fronts.

Also, I am a big fan of SVS and heard really good things about the SBS-01s..

Oh yeah.. Welcome to the site

 

[byHisgrace]

Well, not sure how much more I would spend. Not a huge amount more - we're not going high-end or anything. We just bought an LCD tv, so I'm not looking to break the bank. I was thinking maybe $300-400. I actually thought about getting 2 pairs of the SVS speakers, but I don't know whether they'd be better than the ones we already own.

 

[Swerd]

If I it was my birthday gift, I would want to choose new front speakers, and move the Polk M20s to the rear channels. I tried looking them up, but apparently Polk doesn't offer them anymore. Are they are smaller 2-way speakers, that could easily be used as rear channels, perhaps wall mounted?

The journey is part of the fun here, in the sense that choosing new front speakers will be as much fun as getting them.

 

[jinjuku]

I'm looking to purchase rear speakers for hubby's birthday. My budget is $150-200 for the pair IF I buy rear speakers instead of moving our fronts to the rear. He currently has Polk M20s in the front - should we plan to move those to the rear and upgrade the fronts instead? If I do that, I'm willing to spend a bit more. He has a Velodyne VRP series sub, Polk center (can't get to the back to see which one), and an Onkyo TXSR303 receiver. He seems happy with the Polk M20s, even though I know he wants to upgrade them eventually. I've looked at the SVS SBS-01s, the Polk RTi4's, and the Infinity TSS-SAT450s and 750s as options, although I haven't heard the sound from any of those. Should I just focus on getting some rear speakers for him now and upgrade the fronts later? Any suggestions for the rear speakers? Oh, the room isn't huge and has a 10 foot ceiling, so we're not looking to fill a theater with sound. Thanks!

If your husband is happy with the M20's, then I would simply get the rears.

The rears in the future can stay rears when the fronts are upgraded OR the fronts will replace the rears and someone in the house hold will have a nice 2.0 setup for the office/garage/kitchen etc with the RTi4's or the M20's, either way.


FWIW The RTi4 should match up both aesthetically and sound wise.

Hope this helps

 

[BabelFish]

If I it was my birthday gift, I would want to choose new front speakers, and move the Polk M20s to the rear channels.

That is what I would want to do but jinjuku does make a good point..

I tried looking them up, but apparently Polk doesn't offer them anymore. Are they are smaller 2-way speakers, that could easily be used as rear channels, perhaps wall mounted?

Here are the speakers I think.. They don't look like they can be wall mounted.

 

[byHisgrace]

They are tower speakers, so they cannot be wall mounted. I am concerned that the furniture would be in the way if they're moved to rears. I guess they would be on either side of the couch (next to the arms toward the back of the couch). We could try to put them up on something to raise them, but honesty we're not very diligent with home projects. We also have little kids, so the stability factor would be important.

If I replace both front and rear with two pairs of SBS-01s, we can move the M20s upstairs. But I'm wondering - are the SBS-01s really an upgrade from what we have?

Thank you for all of the advice I've received so far, by the way!

 

[Buckeye_Nut]

I'm looking to purchase rear speakers for hubby's birthday. My budget is $150-200 for the pair IF I buy rear speakers instead of moving our fronts to the rear. He has a Velodyne VRP series sub, Polk center (can't get to the back to see which one), and an Onkyo TXSR303 receiver. He seems happy with the Polk M20s, even though I know he wants to upgrade them eventually. Any suggestions for the rear speakers?

My 2 cents..... that's a glaring no-no gift idea. Your motives are great, but your efforts will surely miss the mark. In this situation......... you should forgo the surprise, tell him what you're doing, and take him shopping with you if you truly want to make him happy. There are some things a wife should never buy for her hubby, and the above is one of them.

For example, if your hubby is a serious golfer, surprising him with a new set of irons would be another example of a glaring no-no gift idea. (unless you knew in advance exactly which set he's been eying)
With all the good intent aside, the end result is they probably aren't the irons he would have chosen for himself.................. and maybe what he really wanted was the new Nike SasQuatch SUMO Driver!!

With that said.... I really love your intent!! Just tell him what you want to do, and the end result will be one happy hubby.

 

[mazersteven]

My 2 cents..... that's a glaring no-no gift idea. Your motives are great, but your efforts will surely miss the mark. In this situation......... you should forgo the surprise, tell him what you're doing, and take him shopping with you if you truly want to make him happy. There are some things a wife should never buy for her hubby, and the above is one of them.

I agree. JMO

And if you up-grade the mains you most likely will have to up-grade the center channel too.

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker upgrade

Check out the AV123 X-ls bookshelf speakers or possibly the X-sls floorstander version. Should be a good upgrade from the current Polk speakers. AV123 has a "risk free" trial on their bookshelf speakers in case it is not what he wants.

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=82.1

 

[darien87]

I agree. JMO

And if you up-grade the mains you most likely will have to up-grade the center channel too.

How about instead of buying the speakers, just getting him a $200 gift card for wherever he shops for speakers? Just put a little note on it, "To be used for speakers". That way he can get what he wants and you still show that you support his hobby.

 

[Adam]

How about instead of buying the speakers, just getting him a $200 gift card for wherever he shops for speakers? Just put a little note on it, "To be used for speakers". That way he can get what he wants and you still show that you support his hobby.

I'd go with what Buckeye_Nut suggested. A store gift card would lock him into buying at a certain location.

 

[jinjuku]

I understand the premise of a no-no gift of speakers. I could understand it if it was my wife, I doubt she would come to audioholics and post.

The amount of information coming through the rear speakers compared to front L/R and center is so little a percentage, that I wouldn't be too concerned with getting rear speaker, especially when they are going to match up with something that already satisfies.

On the other hand, if it was an upgrade of the fronts/center, then yes, you would want to involve your husband.

I think you could very much happily surprise him with a researched gift choice of rears though.

I understand where the other members are coming from, just wanted to throw out an alternative that you could ponder.

 

[dem beats]

WOW

What a great wife. If he is a super audio nut... and spends hours online and has home theater mags I say don't buy for him... Buy him a blockbuster action movie to be played with (spoken in price is right voice) THE BRAND NEW SPEAKERS HE CHOOSES THAT YOU HAVE A GIFT CARD FOR OR WILL JUST BUY FOR HIM!

If he isn't, that guy who is always into it and you never caught him bass crawling.. Buy him some rears. He will be a super happy hubbby.

I'm just so proud you didn't go get him a bose system in a box because the speakers are cute and little and match the end table... I seriously have a tear in my eye. My Girlfriend got me TV shows to be watched on the HT after I got my set up, as she knew I was in over my head and she specificaly heard me say what movies/shows I wanted. Usualy when it comes to buying speakers we have issues and spend forever auditioning and trying it all out... etc.

Really what a great woman!

 

[BabelFish]

I understand the concerns of everyone else and it does have some merit. It would depend on how well you "know" your husband's taste. Speakers are very subjective. If you and him have gone before and have auditioned some speakers and have come to the same conclusion as per taste then you might be okay.

But then again, It might be safer to just have a nice card that says "IOU one pair of speakers"..

you can make it a scavenger hunt and have it end at your current speakers and have the card located behind the grills.. lol (just an idea..) ( I have done that with my wife.. minus the speaker part lol )

As for me and my wife, we were very close in taste but there were some differences. If she were to have bought the speakers without me having been there I am not sure we would have come to the same speaker conclusion. We bought checked them out and talked about each speaker we listened to (likes and dislikes).

Being that you have included SVS in your list, you might want to email them and ask them if their speakers would be considered an upgrade or not from the M20s that you currently have. They are a great and honest company. They will tell you if your M20s would be considered "higher/better/etc" then the ones you are considering.

I do applaud your efforts in researching all of this. Whether you buy them yourself or with him, the research you are doing will come in handy and will really show him that you care.

 

[dem beats]

I think we have a room full of jelous men that are super romantics lol.

 

[byHisgrace]

OK, he is actually an audio nut, and he can be very particular, despite what it seems from the speakers we currently own. He was trying to be price conscious at the time he bought them. He also got itchy and wanted them NOW so he bought the best he could find at Circuit City. (Yes, he knows better, but what can I say?) I honestly don't know what he would do now. I asked him today if he would object to helping choose his own gift, and he said no. I did get him another item that will be a complete surprise, so at least his whole birthday gift won't be something he has to pick. He's not a huge fan of that. He won't even give hints anymore. To be honest, my mind is spinning from reading about all of the options on the market and letting him choose would be a HUGE relief! The down side to letting him choose is that I might actually splurge and spend more than he would. (shocking, I know) But I like the idea of getting an action film as a way of telling him we're going to pick out speakers. Thanks for the tip! I will also be sure to pass along the helpful advice you guys gave to me. Thanks again!