Speaker opinions!

[zieglj01]

Klipsch is not my preference for music - however, they may
float your boat and not spill your tea. However, I do agree
with raising the driver size > and holding on the surrounds
for now. Also, check some other sub options.

 

[Belaflek73]

My room is about 20ft by 14ft...open room no doors. And no I don't have to get klipsch. The only thing I'm married to at this point is the receiver since its already purchased. What should I get? I assumed surrounds make a huge difference in the movie audio experience so I feel like those may be important to get right away. However, I listen to music more often than watch movies and I do want to be blown away by the sound. I'm ok with getting fewer, albiet better speakers.

I have about $1500 to work with.

 

[Belaflek73]

I think I'm looking for someone to tell me what to buy. Anyone out there have speakers they love that are still being produced please let me know.

 

[zieglj01]

I think I'm looking for someone to tell me what to buy. Anyone out there have speakers they love that are still being produced please let me know.

I will not use the word love, however I do prefer the HTD Level Three
speakers over Klipsch for both, Music and Movies > they are nice.
HTD Level THREE Speakers

 

[zieglj01]

Also NHT Classic Two speakers
NHT Black Friday Secret Sale Page

 

[Belaflek73]

I'm surprised how cheap the HTD Level 3 speakers are. They get good reviews, looks like they have good frequency response.

 

[zieglj01]

I'm surprised how cheap the HTD Level 3 speakers are. They get good reviews, looks like they have good frequency response.

There is no middle man, and they do not do heavy marketing.
Most of their sales is by word of mouth, and they have been
around a long time. They are well built and not cheap looking,
or sounding.

 

[Belaflek73]

I feel like I'm in college again and dumped a girl only to move onto someone new and better. These level 3's are looking pretty good...and I can't get over the price. Thanks for the advice.

 

[shadyJ]

The NHTs and HTDs both would be great. Ascend Acoustics would be good too, check out the Ascend CBM-170s. Hsu Research has good speakers as well, and terrific subs, you can get a $1500 5.1 package from which has a killer sub. I think the Arx speakers are well worth looking into as well. I would build a speaker system around one of the 12" Hsu subs, the VTF2 or VTF3, or one of the Power Sound Audio subs. I would also say don't spend a lot on the surround speakers if you can help it, they aren't nearly as important as any other channel. Here are some inexpensive bookshelf speakers that would serve well as surround speakers, priced in pairs:
Infinity Primus p163: $170
Pioneer SP-BS21 LR80: $85
BIC America FH-65B: $200
Polk Audio Monitor 30: $100
Infinity Primus p153: $150
Infinity Primus p143: $118
NHT SuperOne: $120

Any of these would do well for surround channels in ordinary system, and none of them are very expensive.

 

[ski2xblack]

If I stick with the same brand..say Klipsch...is that enough to keep the timbre the same?

Ideally, you would go with three identical speakers across the front.

Have you auditioned the Klipsch? Since you asked for opinions, I'll give you mine regarding Klipsch. I like the ones designed by the man himself (heritage models, Jubs). That's all I have to say.

I think a setup as described in this recent gathering of the tribe would be something for you to look into. Five of those HB-1 MKII and a VTF-15H is just $160 over your stated budget, hmm?

 

[psbfan9]

I've owned these (SM 450) in the past, and liked them so much I ordered another pair.

Get two pair. One pair for front L/R and the other pair for surrounds.

Newegg.com - Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 450 Bookshelf Speaker (Black) Pair

Add this center;

Newegg.com - Definitive Technology CS-8040HD High Dispersion Center Channel Speaker Each

Add this sub;

Newegg.com - Definitive Technology ProSub 800 8" Subwoofer with 300W Amp (Black) Each

Plus, if you do Bill Me Later or apply for a New Egg preferred member card, you'll get no payments no interest for 6 months.

 

[Belaflek73]

I have not auditioned anything. I don't have the option to audition the HTD's and it would be hard for me to audition others. Plus until it's in my room it would be hard to tell. I don't think I will be that hard to please.

Just for clarification though, I'm comparing frequency response for the HTD bookshelf and the HSU research bookshelf.

HTD bookshelf: 47 Hz - 40 kHz
HSU bookshelf: 60 Hz - 20 kHz

Now if this were the only spec I were looking at the HTD's would be better since they have a larger frequency range and I would hear more bass. Is that correct?

I'm close now...I think I'm sold on the HTD's....for the woofer any good suggestions? Should I just keep it all HTD?

 

[monkish54]

I will answer your question in just a sec. Before I do, are you still looking for 5.1, or are you looking for just 2.1, until later? Would the HTD be surrounds or left and right?

 

[ski2xblack]

Just for clarification though, I'm comparing frequency response for the HTD bookshelf and the HSU research bookshelf.

HTD bookshelf: 47 Hz - 40 kHz
HSU bookshelf: 60 Hz - 20 kHz

Now if this were the only spec I were looking at the HTD's would be better since they have a larger frequency range and I would hear more bass. Is that correct?

Only if you were using them by themselves and using bass extension as your sole criteria. Assuming you go with a sub, you would use your Denon AVR's bass management capabilities to filter out the lower frequencies to your mains, so it would be more a choice on how they perform above that point. (I think that holds even if using them full range, as the meat of the music is in the midrange.) The larger HTD may have higher ultimate spl capabilities, but I wouldn't advise listening at levels that would tax either speaker.

I'm close now...I think I'm sold on the HTD's....for the woofer any good suggestions? Should I just keep it all HTD?

Maybe, I really don't know anything about HTD's subs. There is nothing wrong with going with another brand for subs, however, so do check out the offerings from Hsu, SVS, PSA, etc.

 

[zieglj01]

I'm close now...I think I'm sold on the HTD's....for the woofer any good suggestions? Should I just keep it all HTD?

Do not pay attention to a lot of specs - however, they do give
some insight. >>> The HTD speakers do have good frequency
response, with good bass and can easily crossover to a sub.

The HTD speakers are not easy to trump sound wise, and they
will not easily faint - the Level Three's up front, with the Level
Two as surrounds - will make a nice system.

The HTD sub will not be a wimp, and one neat thing is the amp is
not built-in, and you can place that amp anywhere, or upgrade the
subwoofer amp. However, with that said > I would still look at the
HSU VTF-2 subwoofer.
VTF-2 MK4 Subwoofer

 

[Belaflek73]

Ok guys thanks for the responses. I'm going to get bookshelf left and right, a center, 2 surrounds, and a sub. 6 speakers total. I might get those HTD towers in the future. I can see how this can be addicting. I think I'm sold on the HTDs. I've already called them and the guy was really nice and knowledgable. I will seriously consider the HSU sub mentioned.

 

[shadyJ]

Just for clarification though, I'm comparing frequency response for the HTD bookshelf and the HSU research bookshelf.

HTD bookshelf: 47 Hz - 40 kHz
HSU bookshelf: 60 Hz - 20 kHz

Now if this were the only spec I were looking at the HTD's would be better since they have a larger frequency range and I would hear more bass. Is that correct?

I'm close now...I think I'm sold on the HTD's....for the woofer any good suggestions? Should I just keep it all HTD?

Like Zieg said, those specs don't mean anything unless you have a window for reference. For example, Hsu gives you a window: 60Hz – 20kHz +/- 2 dB, this means the frequency response is going to be within 2 db of a baseline. HTD doesn't state theirs, so that window could be anything, a lot of times when it isn't stated, it is quite a bit larger than the standard +/- 3 db, like 6 db and so on. This is spec inflation. Also, since you won't be able to hear anything over 20 kHz (realistically your hearing doesn't even extend that high), anything over 20 kHz is useless. This is hardly any recorded material with frequencies over 20 kHz anyway.

 

[Belaflek73]

Ok I see so their baseline could be anything, it could even be a boat (family guy reference). I won't put too much weight on any stat yet I have another stat question. Is there a spec that indicates how loud and still clear I can listen to something.

I purchased the demon 3313, it gives out 125 watts per channel into 8 Ohms.

The HTD level 3s (bookshelf) have a max power of 120 watts.
The HSU HB-1 MK2 (bookshelf) have a recommended power of 10-250 watt RMS per channel....

Does that mean the HSU will be less apt to have distortion at high volume?

 

[zieglj01]

A speaker will let you know if it is being abused, the key
is to use common sense. Do not worry too much. Do not
really fear, the speakers or the receiver.

It will take a lot to distort the HTD speakers - they are
not wimpy, and will not easily faint >> Overall, speaker
wattage does not mean a whole lot to me.

The HTD speakers can even be driven with a higher watt
receiver than the Denon receiver. > Most people do not
use, or need all the power that the receiver has.

The HTD Level Three speakers can play seriously loud for
their size, I can play them loud in a 20 X 30 open room,
and play them louder than I care to listen. They also, do
put out a lot of bass, and can/do go lower than 60 hz. HTD
even recommends a 60hz crossover for the Level Three, to
your subwoofer. >>> However most of us, would do 80 hz
to begin with.

The Level Two also has good bass response, and will go
down nicely, to crossover to a sub. They are not a wimp.

 

[shadyJ]

The HTD are probably capable of getting pretty loud, but they do have ribbon tweeters, and ribbon tweeters have a reputation of being a more fragile than typical tweeters. The Hsu's have horn-loaded aluminum done tweeters, they will almost certainly be able to take more power. Something else to look at in this respect is the sensitivity spec, which is typically how loud a speaker gets at 1 meter with 1 watt of power. Again Hsu is more specific in this spec, at 92 dB / 1m / 2.83V in Half Space, where HTD simply lists 88dB. I would guess they would get roughly as loud for the same amount of power, with a very slight edge to the Hsu if the HTD's rating is for an anechoic environment, or perhaps a larger edge if the HTD spec is for in-room or half space.