axiom, ascend, svs, pinnacle which to buy?

[lbolts20]

I just got done busting my butt and putting in a bunch of flower beds for my wife. We saved quite a bit of cash by doing it ourselves. Now I have the green light to spend the remaining cash on speaker upgrades.

My room is about 22x26 and the seating area for watching movies is about 16 wide x14 deep. The extra 6' on the left is where my computer is hooked up and the remaining 12' behind is the bar area. This will be almost 100% for home theater only and want to fill the viewing area with sound and I'm not worried about 26' away in the back corner. Looking for a 5.0 setup to go along with my sub. I have a Denon 788 receiver.

I have a custom sub by annunak. Here's the link to the build. http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45890

Here is what I have been researching and was wondering what people have heard and like better.

The first 2 options are really maxing out the budget.

Axiom m22 for the front, vp150 center, and qs4 surrounds.
Pinnacle Black diamond bd1000 towers, bd300 center, bd500 bookshelves
Ascend $1000 moving sale
SVS new STS-01 towers, scs-01 center, and sbs-01 surrounds. Or for $100 more is the scs-01(m) worth it? $1099 vs $1199.

Will this work since my sub will handle the bass?
SVS scs-01(m) fronts, center, and sbs-01 surrounds or 2 more of the scs-01(m) instead of the sbs-01 surrounds for $130 more. $689 vs $819

 

[lsiberian]

I just got done busting my butt and putting in a bunch of flower beds for my wife. We saved quite a bit of cash by doing it ourselves. Now I have the green light to spend the remaining cash on speaker upgrades.

My room is about 22x26 and the seating area for watching movies is about 16 wide x14 deep. The extra 6' on the left is where my computer is hooked up and the remaining 12' behind is the bar area. This will be almost 100% for home theater only and want to fill the viewing area with sound and I'm not worried about 26' away in the back corner. Looking for a 5.0 setup to go along with my sub. I have a Denon 788 receiver.

I have a custom sub by annunak. Here's the link to the build. http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=45890

Here is what I have been researching and was wondering what people have heard and like better.

The first 2 options are really maxing out the budget.

Axiom m22 for the front, vp150 center, and qs4 surrounds.
Pinnacle Black diamond bd1000 towers, bd300 center, bd500 bookshelves
Ascend $1000 moving sale
SVS new STS-01 towers, scs-01 center, and sbs-01 surrounds. Or for $100 more is the scs-01(m) worth it? $1099 vs $1199.

Will this work since my sub will handle the bass?
SVS scs-01(m) fronts, center, and sbs-01 surrounds or 2 more of the scs-01(m) instead of the sbs-01 surrounds for $130 more. $689 vs $819

You are using a single sub so you will need good extension to avoid localization. For that I suggest speakers capable of a comfortable extension to around 80hz.

The best budget deal on those is a Infinity Primus/ Beta front set. I will suggest only a 5.1 setup given your dimensions.

For the center can you mount a normal bookshelf above the TV?

This will avoid the nulls caused in a horizontal MTM type center.

If you must have a horizontal center then I suggest An Infinity Beta 40 front set with a 360 center or an KEF iQ5 front set with a iQ6 center.

for me the center channel is the 2nd most important piece to a home theater. I've found the 360 and iQ6 to be the best horizontal ones if that is required.

 

[lbolts20]

If I went with a bookshelf for a center it would sit on the shelf which is about 5' in the air. Is that too high?

 

[lsiberian]

If I went with a bookshelf for a center it would sit on the shelf which is about 5' in the air. Is that too high?

If you put the tweeter below the woofer it might work. What's your distance from the speaker.

 

[lbolts20]

the back of the couch is 14' away and I have a chair to the left and right of the couch slightly closer to the front wall.

 

[lsiberian]

the back of the couch is 14' away and I have a chair to the left and right of the couch slightly closer to the front wall.

You would likely need to angle the speaker downward. This may aesthetically eliminate the possibility. Is your center speaker going on the same shelf though? If so then a Bookshelf with the tweeter on the bottom and woofer on the top would yield a better sound distribution throughout your room. You will suffer significant loss in the higher frequency sounds, but many folks lack great hearing in the upper treble range anway. Ideally the tweeter would be aimed directly at your ears.

 

[adwilk]

Gotta be really honest, while I fully understand the dispersion limits of a "traditional" center channel, in an untreated room of (lets be honest) not extreme hi-fi equipment, I think a traditional center channel will be just fine. I bet 99.9 percent of people in this forum could not blindly walk into a room and pick out the "lacking" center channel application. I also don't think the infinity setup is the "end-all" approach.

This should be the typical speaker advice answer... ie, do you have the opportunity to actually listen to anything on your short list?

I like the SVS option you posted at $689. The surrounds, since your looking at almost exclusive HT work dont need to match the fronts like they would if you were looking at some hardcore multichannel music work.

 

[pzaur]

If you put the tweeter below the woofer it might work. What's your distance from the speaker.

Wouldn't that make everything seem upside down?!
Just like if you face the speaker backwards everything is spoken in reverse...

-pat

 

[adwilk]

I remember watching your Sub Build thread and still like your sub, how are you liking it?

 

[adwilk]

Wouldn't that make everything seem upside down?!
Just like if you face the speaker backwards everything is spoken in reverse...

-pat

You're feelin it today aren't ya, pat?

You should type slower so some of these guys can keep up...

 

[lbolts20]

the center speaker would go just below the tv.

At about the top of the tv behind it is a shelf that run most of the wall where the windows set in. I could set the bookshelf on that but by doing so it would height wise above the tv but behind the tv by the depth of the stand which is about 2' deep.


adwilk, I love the sub and now need some good speakers to complement it.

 

[fredk]

Well, you already know my opinion and I think you get a lot for your money even if the M22 option is at the top of your budget. I wish I had the opportunity to listen to some of the other options.

 

[lsiberian]

the center speaker would go just below the tv.

At about the top of the tv behind it is a shelf that run most of the wall where the windows set in. I could set the bookshelf on that but by doing so it would height wise above the tv but behind the tv by the depth of the stand which is about 2' deep.


adwilk, I love the sub and now need some good speakers to complement it.

Then I suggest a traditional center approach.

I'd use a Beta 360, but i've used one before and loved it. Considering it's only like 120 bucks of ebay direct from infinity I don't see a better deal on a center anywhere.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

Gotta be really honest, while I fully understand the dispersion limits of a "traditional" center channel, in an untreated room of (lets be honest) not extreme hi-fi equipment, I think a traditional center channel will be just fine. I bet 99.9 percent of people in this forum could not blindly walk into a room and pick out the "lacking" center channel application. I also don't think the infinity setup is the "end-all" approach.

This should be the typical speaker advice answer... ie, do you have the opportunity to actually listen to anything on your short list?

I like the SVS option you posted at $689. The surrounds, since your looking at almost exclusive HT work dont need to match the fronts like they would if you were looking at some hardcore multichannel music work.

I agree and I like the SVS or Ascend options myself. YMMV.

 

[SopRage]

I'll vouch for the Ascend set-up.

I'm relatively new to the game, but when I was looking around I couldn't find a negative review on Ascend's stuff. I'd certainly give them an audition at the least!

 

[lbolts20]

I'll vouch for the Ascend set-up.

I'm relatively new to the game, but when I was looking around I couldn't find a negative review on Ascend's stuff. I'd certainly give them an audition at the least!

how big of a room do you have them in? I'm also thinking if I go with that system maybe instead of the 170's for surrounds go 340's all around or would the 170's be fine?

 

[jostenmeat]

how big of a room do you have them in? I'm also thinking if I go with that system maybe instead of the 170's for surrounds go 340's all around or would the 170's be fine?

I wouldn't mind the extension of the 340 for surround use. The main issue for me, in my own setup, would be more difficult install/implementation. They might look more overbearing, but this is a much smaller issue, and of course they would cost more.

Otherwise, at the least, you get more extension, and you will be perfectly matched all around. Granted, these two things aren't going to matter to 99% of folks. IOW, the effect is subtle. . . but still there. How much more for the 340s?

 

[SopRage]

My listening area is about 16x12. Not massive, to be sure, but I bet you'd be fine with 170s as surrounds. I chose them because I wanted to wall-mount them, but if you felt you needed the extra driver I suppose you could go 340s all around.

Why not talk to the people at Ascend? If you drop an e-mail, you'll get an honest answer in a day or two. The customer service is absolutely incredible (I've placed two different orders). Dave, the designer, will most likely e-mail you back himself, and he won't try to sell you anything you don't need.

Perhaps the best experience I've ever had purchasing from a company!

 

[lbolts20]

I sent an email to Ascend and Dave responded promptly this morning at 4:42am cst.

He also said this

"Please note, our allocated inventory for our Moving Sale is very low and we don't expect this sale to last more than a few more days. I *strongly* recommend you get your order in soon if you wish to take advantage of our sale.

 

[ddawg1130]

I really like the SVS system I got. The STS-01s just got here monday. You can read my impressions and see pictures here:
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53392&page=2

I can't comment on Ascend and I've only heard good things about them. I wouldn't however rush your decision based on that message from him. There is always a sale or always a deal here or there. Wait till you find what you want and are happy with it since either way your spending a decent chunk of change. Don't ever let someone pressure you into buying their product. I'm not knocking Ascend or anything in saying this, it is a very common sales tactic. But think about how often you hear "this offer will only last a little longer so better buy now" and then a day after that offer expires they have a new one that is basically the same thing?

If you like the Ascend and have decided that's what you want then get em and let us know. Don't get pressed or feel rushed just because of that message though. Make your decision on your own.