Hi there, LitoGeorge.
Got your PM. Thanks for getting in touch! Sorry I've not replied sooner. Busy time of year. I'm sure you understand
So, $1500 budget, L-shaped room, over 4000 cubic feet, meaning you've got a "very large" room, in terms of the sort of bass output you'll need.
With that in mind, because they're so good, and because you have to spend significantly more in order to get speakers that are genuinely "better", I'd have to recommend that you stick with the Pioneer 2nd Gen Andrew Jones speakers. Keeping those as your speakers of choice will allow you to put more money towards the subwoofer, which you're definitely going to need, and perhaps a bit more towards the Receiver as well - which would be more of a forward-looking thing vs. what you actually need right now.
You're looking at $480 for the 5 speaker set of the SP-FS52, SP-C22, and SP-BS22-LR. To me, the next clear step up in performance would be a system like the Ascend CMT-340SE Mains & Center with a pair of HTM-200SE for surrounds. That would set you back $1068 + shipping, so it pretty much destroys your budget cap, and wouldn't allow you to complete your system with a sub and receiver.
So I really think the Pioneer speakers make the most sense. They're what I'd buy with a $1500 budget and a large room, that's for sure
With around $500 allocated to the speakers, you've got a couple of choices for how you want to complete the system here.
Option #1: would be the
Outlaw LFM-1 Plus subwoofer - which is a great deal on sale right now for $499 with free shipping!
The LFM-1 Plus is basically a clone of the old HSU VTF-3 MK2. It doesn't have all the tuning and filter options of the newer HSU VTF-2 MK4 - which is its closest price competitor - but it's got a slightly more powerful amp. For a room your size, this is sort of a "bare minimum", IMO. I certainly wouldn't want to go with less output and extension than the LFM-1 Plus in a room like yours.
So you could combine the Pioneer speakers, and the Outlaw LFM-1 Plus sub with the
Onkyo TX-NR709 Receiver . If you can't stand the idea of the "refurbished" label from accessories4less, getting the
TX-NR709 from OneCall would just barely put you over budget.
My reason for suggesting the TX-NR709 is simple: speaker pre-outs. If you ever want to connect a separate amplifier for your speakers in the future, you're going to need pre-outs, and the TX-NR709 is the least expensive receiver out there that has them!
It's also a great Receiver all around. I know several owners have had their issues with the HDMI board, but Onkyo WILL fix it if you happen to get an old stock, bad unit. Just a case of a bad batch of parts, unfortunately. It happens sometimes, and warranty repairs can take a few weeks, so it hurt Onkyo's reputation. A shame. But I still stand behind the recommendation. In terms of features for the price, there's no better deal
So that's a really nicely balanced $1500 budget system. Spending equal parts in measure, and giving yourself lots of opportunity to expand if you want to in the future.
Option #2: If you're dead certain that you'll never want a separate amplifier though, then you can save a bit on the Receiver, and put that money towards a bigger sub!
And that ain't a bad idea at all! Like I say, the LFM-1 Plus is something of a "bare minimum" for your room size.
The next step up in price and output for subs are going to be your SVSound PB or PC12-NSD, your HSU VTF-3 MK4, your Outlaw Audio LFM-1 EX, your Power Sound XV15, and at the extreme end of the budget, your HSU VTF-15H
Truth be told, I'd be perfectly happy with any of those. You're kinda splitting hairs between them. So looks and physical size are perfectly good reasons for picking any one of those over the others.
Combine the bigger sub with one of the less expensive Denon Receivers, like the AVR-1712 you've suggested, or the AVR-1912 if the AVR-1712 is unavailable.
In this price range, with your room size, I don't think it makes sense to spend more on the speakers at the expense of the subwoofer. The sub is your audio's foundation. That's where you want to really avoid any sort of skimping!
I'd love to recommend a pair of subs, but it just won't fit in the budget. That said, if you have more money available in the future, definitely keep a second identical sub in mind as your first upgarde
The Pioneer speakers are so good for their price that they easily make the most sense to me. Getting the way better sub as a result is absolutely the way to go here. And then the choice of AV Receiver will simply depend on whether you want more options for expansion in the future, or if you just want to meet the needs you have right now.
Hope that helps!
