$1300 home theater speaker build recommendations.

[Mavi]

So I'm absorbing a lot of information over the last 2 days and almost got my budget, and picks down. I need your help to go further.
Choices:
A) emptek r55ti x 2, R5Bi x 2, center is R56Ci ($300) or R5Ci ($146) $950 total or $800 if i go with smaller center.
B) 4 x r5Bi with 1 r5ci which totals to ~480. (I like empteks in general due to their looks with the red burl finish)
C) chane ar3x-c x 2, a2rx-c, and 2x a1rx for surround.(950 total)
Subs are svs pc2000 or pc1000 depends on used market. (~300 goal is doable.) I already got my reciever which can handle all of these fine.

This is for a 12 x 14 room with 8' ceilings but i'll be eventually using these for my new home which should be 20 x 17 same ceilings. Primary use: Movies, games, and tv shows. I don't listen to music except within movies.
Can anyone steer me towards a certain direction? I don't want to pay return shipping to test one over the other out.
Thanks!

 

[j_garcia]

Hard to recommend speakers to you that you haven't heard. I'd say the EMPs are a safe bet though. Unless you listen to a LOT of music, I'd say option B gets my nod as putting more toward a better sub will benefit more than the towers. If you DO listen to a lot of music more critically, option A.

I've heard the Chane bookshelf and I liked it - excellent mids, highs could have been implemented better though to my ears (tweeter is nice, but x-over makes them sound a little soft). Probably wouldn't be my first choice.

 

[XEagleDriver]

Mavi,
I do not know about Chane's (but have read many good things about them), however between the two Emptek options (front R5Bi vs R55Ti) that is a merely your preference for towers or bookshelves.
- Even in your anticipated larger room, the R5Bi bookshelves will do great ICW the subs you are looking at.

In either case, I would opt for the larger, more capable center, since movies are listed first in your primary use comment.
- If budget becomes a factor, I would opt for the less expensive 4xR5Bi and get both the larger center and larger sub, YMMV.

I also took a long look at Empteks in red burl finish due to solid reviews on SQ, reasonable cost, and outstanding looks.

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

 

[Mavi]

Interesting, I don't listen to music much except within movies. I h

Mavi,
I do not know about Chane's (but have read many good things about them), however between the two Emptek options (front R5Bi vs R55Ti) that is a merely your preference for towers or bookshelves.
- Even in your anticipated larger room, the R5Bi bookshelves will do great ICW the subs you are looking at.

In either case, I would opt for the larger, more capable center, since movies are listed first in your primary use comment.
- If budget becomes a factor, I would opt for the less expensive 4xR5Bi and get both the larger center and larger sub, YMMV.

I also took a long look at Empteks in red burl finish due to solid reviews on SQ, reasonable cost, and outstanding looks.

Cheers,
XEagleDriver

Interesting take. As far as the subs go I feel like the pb1000 is quite a lot for my room. It's the same as your SVS PB-10 NSD, do you feel that yours are too small? I also have a choice between the pb20 nsd for the same price $300 but they are older and more used. Would you go for those over the pb1000?
As for the centers, did you look into whether to go into the r56ci or the r5ci? Thanks!

 

[j_garcia]

I'd buy the sub based on your new room, not the current one.

 

[XEagleDriver]

Interesting take. As far as the subs go I feel like the pb1000 is quite a lot for my room. It's the same as your SVS PB-10 NSD, do you feel that yours are too small? I also have a choice between the pb20 nsd for the same price $300 but they are older and more used. Would you go for those over the pb1000?
As for the centers, did you look into whether to go into the r56ci or the r5ci? Thanks!

To get on same sheet of music; in SVS vernacular PC are ported cylinder, PB are ported box and SB are sealed box.

The PB10-NSD is not too much for my room, which better approximates your anticipated new room than your current room.
I have a SB12-NSD in a different room about the same size as your current room for 2 channel music-only duty.
I am more interested in music performance than movie LF effects and have zero regrets on the PB10 in my HT.
That said, if I was to do things over knowing what I now know. I would opt for a PB12-NSD over the PB10 or PB1000 to improve movie LF punch just a bit.
Therefore, if by "PB20 NSD", you meant PB12-NSD, that is the one I would recommend to best support movies in your new room, cost/condition being ~equal.

Concerning centers, IIRC the 56ci is larger and more capable than the 5ci and that is where I would go in the Emptek line. FWIW, having had both horizontal (PSB) and now vertical centers (Ascend), vertical is much better if your room/furniture setup allows it.
Cheers,
XEagleDriver

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

 

[agarwalro]

Since you're primarily looking for movies, pick ported subs. The bigger (output) the better.

 

[Mavi]

To get on same sheet of music; in SVS vernacular PC are ported cylinder, PB are ported box and SB are sealed box.

The PB10-NSD is not too much for my room, which better approximates your anticipated new room than your current room.
I have a SB12-NSD in a different room about the same size as your current room for 2 channel music-only duty.
I am more interested in music performance than movie LF effects and have zero regrets on the PB10 in my HT.
That said, if I was to do things over knowing what I now know. I would opt for a PB12-NSD over the PB10 or PB1000 to improve movie LF punch just a bit.
Therefore, if by "PB20 NSD", you meant PB12-NSD, that is the one I would recommend to best support movies in your new room, cost/condition being ~equal.

Concerning centers, IIRC the 56ci is larger and more capable than the 5ci and that is where I would go in the Emptek line. FWIW, having had both horizontal (PSB) and now vertical centers (Ascend), vertical is much better if your room/furniture setup allows it.
Cheers,
XEagleDriver

Sent from my SM-G860P using Tapatalk

Thanks, I'll look for those then. I was looking at the pb12-nsd used and they were around $300 after negotiation same as the pb1000 which are newer after negotiation. Do these subs lose anything as they age (2 years old vs 2 months old?)

 

[shadyJ]

Thanks, I'll look for those then. I was looking at the pb12-nsd used and they were around $300 after negotiation same as the pb1000 which are newer after negotiation. Do these subs lose anything as they age (2 years old vs 2 months old?)

Performance wise, they shouldn't lose anything with age. Since the driver suspension may be a bit looser than when they were new, they may even have a tiny bit more extension and sensitivity then when they were new.