Upgrading Tower Speakers

J

john20182050

Audioholic
Looking for some suggestion for Upgrading Tower Speakers.

This is my current 5.1 setup
  • JBL Studio 570 front tower speakers
  • JBL Studio 530 Surround speakers
  • JBL Studio 520C centre speaker
  • Sub - VTF-3 MK5 HP
  • Denon x4000 receiver
It's not in a separate media room. My room is great room model with size about 26ft in length and 35ft in width. The left half of the room is where I have placed my 5.1 setup. In the right half, I have the kitchen. No walls in between. I really like extra bass either in movies or music. I mostly use 2.1 for most music, sometimes 5.1 when I listen to movie background music. So, now I want to upgrade my tower speakers only. What is your suggestion? Which speaker should I choose? I see JBL 590 refurbished selling for $500 each ($1000 a pair). Should I choose that or is there a better option?

Update 1:
I don't mind having a different brand/model of tower speakers along with my current JBL surround and centre. I see JBL 590 refurbished priced increased to $700 now.

What you think about Klipsch R-26FA or Klipsch R-26PF instead of JBL 590. Does Atmos worth for listening to music?

I have Denon x4000 receiver.

When I have VTF-3 MK5 HP and mostly I listen to music in 2.1. Does upgrading my 570 tower speakers to JBL 590 or anything which has bigger speaker really improve the sound? How? Why can't my VTF-3 MK5 HP do that if I have correct crossover set?

Update 2:
The reason I want to upgrade is I have just 2.1 setup in the workout room with JBL 530, and some really cheap Sony sub (about $50, for the sub, almost worthless crap). I see hear a very good difference between 530 and 570. So, I want to move my current 570 in the great (living) room to workout room and buy little bit better tower speaker than 570 for the living room. I may also buy a separate sub for my basement.

Basically, assume that I have to remove my JBL 570 from my great room (living room) and I need a replacement or a better speak. The max I want to spend the pair of new tower speaker is $2000
 
Last edited:
J

john20182050

Audioholic
Oh! I missed the chance. They increase the price of JBL 590 refurbished to $700 now.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Glad I got my new 590s for $900 delivered a few years ago, rarely see that kind of discount now. Still haven't compared them directly to the 580 surrounds I picked up for $500 last year, tho I think the 590 would be a clear upgrade. Did @Dennis Murphy sell his set yet?
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
Why do you want to upgrade those towers? Moving to the Klipsch or Studio 590s would only be a lateral move. You will gain very little in an 'upgrade' like that. If you want a really noticeable upgrade, you will have to spend way more than $1k.

If you want a more substantial improvement in sound, I would add another sub and use it somewhere on the other side of your listening area. I would consider moving up to a 7.1 system or Atmos. You might also think about getting a rig with Dirac Live room correction.
 
D

Dennis Murphy

Audioholic General
Glad I got my new 590s for $900 delivered a few years ago, rarely see that kind of discount now. Still haven't compared them directly to the 580 surrounds I picked up for $500 last year, tho I think the 590 would be a clear upgrade. Did @Dennis Murphy sell his set yet?
Yup--but it was hard. They're just too big and expensive to ship.
 
B

Beave

Audioholic Chief
I agree with shadyJ - you have a really big room and could benefit from having a 2nd subwoofer. That will take some of the strain off your one subwoofer while also giving smoother bass around the room. Your Denon x4000 can handle two subs and has Audyssey xt32 if I remember right.

Changing/upgrading your speakers will cost a lot for only small improvements/refinements, imo.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I was thinking he would move his 570s to surrounds and 530s to rear/height surrounds if he got the 590s. That's a huge room and certainly more subwoofage is in order as well as more speaker...depending.
 
zieglj01

zieglj01

Audioholic Spartan
Please check my update. Do you still say buy 590?
They are going to be better performers over the 570 -- as the 570 is small with only two 5-1/4 inch woofers -- so yes, it will be a nice step up difference with the 590 -- you should find the 590 more powerful with more punch and dynamics with a good soundstage presentation.

However, what you buy is up to you.
 
J

john20182050

Audioholic
Why do you want to upgrade those towers? Moving to the Klipsch or Studio 590s would only be a lateral move. You will gain very little in an 'upgrade' like that. If you want a really noticeable upgrade, you will have to spend way more than $1k.

If you want a more substantial improvement in sound, I would add another sub and use it somewhere on the other side of your listening area. I would consider moving up to a 7.1 system or Atmos. You might also think about getting a rig with Dirac Live room correction.

Sorry for the late reply. I was sick and in the hospital a few days. Back home. The reason I want to upgrade is I have just 2.1 setup in the workout room with JBL 530, and some really cheap Sony sub (about $50, for the sub, almost worthless crap). I see hear a very good difference between 530 and 570. So, I want to move my current 570 in the great (living) room to workout room and buy little bit better speaker than 570 for the living room.
 
S

snakeeyes

Audioholic Ninja
If 1000-ish is the budget I would vote for VTF15 or similar possibly in the main room depending on the cubic feet and moving the VTF3 to the other room. I don’t know how much better the VTF15 is but others have them on this forum. On the other hand, buying towers is fun too. :)
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
Looking for some suggestion for Upgrading Tower Speakers.

This is my current 5.1 setup
  • JBL Studio 570 front tower speakers
  • JBL Studio 530 Surround speakers
  • JBL Studio 520C centre speaker
  • Sub - VTF-3 MK5 HP
  • Denon x4000 receiver
What you think about Klipsch R-26FA or Klipsch R-26PF instead of JBL 590. Does Atmos worth for listening to music?
I don’t know if this was brought up, but why are you upgrading?

If I were buying Klipsch in this price , I think I would buy the RF-82 II Towers with Titanium tweeter and dual 8” Woofers for $800/pair from Amazon.
 
J

john20182050

Audioholic
I don’t know if this was brought up, but why are you upgrading?

If I were buying Klipsch in this price , I think I would buy the RF-82 II Towers with Titanium tweeter and dual 8” Woofers for $800/pair from Amazon.
The reason I want to upgrade is I have just 2.1 setup in the workout room with JBL 530, and some really cheap Sony sub (about $50, for the sub, almost worthless crap). I see hear a very good difference between 530 and 570. So, I want to move my current 570 in the great (living) room to workout room and buy little bit better tower speaker than 570 for the living room. I may also buy a separate sub for my basement.

Basically, assume that I have to remove my JBL 570 from my great room (living room) and I need a replacement or a better speak. The max I want to spend the pair of new tower speaker is $2000
 
AcuDefTechGuy

AcuDefTechGuy

Audioholic Jedi
The reason I want to upgrade is I have just 2.1 setup in the workout room with JBL 530, and some really cheap Sony sub (about $50, for the sub, almost worthless crap). I see hear a very good difference between 530 and 570. So, I want to move my current 570 in the great (living) room to workout room and buy little bit better tower speaker than 570 for the living room. I may also buy a separate sub for my basement.

Basically, assume that I have to remove my JBL 570 from my great room (living room) and I need a replacement or a better speak. The max I want to spend the pair of new tower speaker is $2000
So moving the current front towers into another room, but keeping the rest of the speakers (Center and Surrounds)?

I think the 590s would be fine, especially for $500.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
So moving the current front towers into another room, but keeping the rest of the speakers (Center and Surrounds)?

I think the 590s would be fine, especially for $500.
Cheapest I've seen on the 590 is 900/pr, the deal I got a couple years ago....only saw it again once. Usually 2k/pr.
 
J

john20182050

Audioholic
So moving the current front towers into another room, but keeping the rest of the speakers (Center and Surrounds)?

I think the 590s would be fine, especially for $500.
Yes, correct. JBL 590 $500 deal is gone. I missed it. Considering KEF R500 now.
 
J

john20182050

Audioholic
Okay, how about KEF R500 and SVS Ultra tower. Both are priced $1900 a pair right now. KEF R500 has a deal going on now.
 
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