Hey MacMan, thanks for the advice. I haven't been in this long enough to really know much of a difference between what's "bright" sounding and what's not. In fact, I haven't listened to much at all. But that's why I'm asking for advice from people that have!
I've searched the forum for more info on the Acoustech speakers, and it sounds like they really are good bang for the buck! And if they do sound really great, I might be better off going that way first and saving some money to start piecing together a really nice system in the future (replacing one pair at a time).
Do you know of any places that have Acoustech speakers to audition? I would like to hear them and experience it for myself. Is there anything else I should know about them? How do they fare in terms of music? My wife and I listen to a lot of music, so I'd like our speakers to compliment that as well.
Costco stores, believe it or not.
Also, what about surround (middle) speakers? It looks like the Acoustech set is 5.1 and doesn't include middle surround (at least from what I've seen on the net). Does Acoustech make a good surround to go with this system? If not, what should I look for to make up the middle surrounds?
You can buy an individual center or two surrounds for a 6.1 or 7.1 setup.
One more thing, do you know of any places online where I can find the Acoustechs for the best price? I'll do some searching, but sometimes recommendations say more than searches.
Costco offers the best price, but if you don't have a Costco nearby, then there are a few ebay dealers that sell them with reasonable shipping. Just pull up Acoustech on ebay. All the ratings are solid with the Acoustech dealers.
Ok, and the last thing! (I almost forgot.) My area make-up. My house is fairly open floor plan. It's about 16x18, with a front wall (TV, fronts, etc), a side wall (exterior), other side half-wall (looking in dining), and open back (open to breakfast area and kitchen bar). The flooring is 100% ceramic tile (I'm sure we'll put a large rug down, though).
So what do you think about the sound in this type of room? Will the Acoustechs be enough to fill the room, or do I need to look at something with more power?
More than plenty to fill your room. You can spend more on Klipsch, but without going with their upper end lines, why would you?
Thanks so much for all the help! I really appreciate it!