Change Receiver or Change Speakers

[middleton]

Greetings all you like minded people,

I hope no one minds me posting a question or two. I did read over the sticky about new posts, and tried to read up a little on my subject and did not find anything to specific about my question. If my post is too generic or repeatitive of old posts, i will apologize now.

I currently own a HK 146 with the HK15 middle/rears and sub and a pair of plain jane nothing fancy front speakers, think they are called KLH model T-5AW.

I am in the mood to change something, and I wanted an opinion or two from more experienced minds then the local Futureshop or BB people.

Would I get a better experience/notice the difference if I changed the receiver to something like a more powerful HK (used 354 or new 2600) or would dumping the stock speakers and going to something more classy be a more effcient use of my money?

I am using a Bell Satellite/PS3 and Computer with HD/Optical audio for my sources, if that does matter. I do like things loud, the room is 14 x20 and i often have large groups over to play Guitar Hero and other likewise stuff.

I hope I have not been to vague and that perhaps someone might be able to point me in the right direction.

Thanks again

Mike

 

[sholling]

I can't comment on your specific situation but my philosophy is to buy new speakers to improve sound quality, and receivers to support my chosen speakers and give me the features that I want.

 

[anamorphic96]

We need a budget to work with ?

However I can say with dead certainty that speakers make the biggest difference in the sound you hear. So updating speakers would probably be the best choice in your case. However if you have the budget you might be able to do both.

 

[m_vanmeter]

+1 upgrade speakers first unless something is actually wrong with the receiver.

 

[middleton]

That was Quick

Thank you very much all for the quick replies.

I guess I should of talked about money. I was gonna spend 600 or 700 on a newer receiver, so I guess I could also invest that amount on speakers instead.

After looking online, i guess thats not really a big amount of money, but its what I have to work with. That or no food for the dog for a few months, and that'd make her pretty cranky.

 

[Alex2507]

You should probably spend everything on Infinity Primus speakers and a sub (maybe a duplicate of what you have-not sure on this). Bang for the buck they are known to be good performers and their sensitivity will make your H/K AVR 146 sound like it's playing way louder.

Save the rec'r shopping for another time.

 

[caper26]

+1 on speakers...

 

[middleton]

Hmmmm

You should probably spend everything on Infinity Primus speakers and a sub (maybe a duplicate of what you have-not sure on this). Bang for the buck they are known to be good performers and their sensitivity will make your H/K AVR 146 sound like it's playing way louder.

Save the rec'r shopping for another time.

Ya know, my friend does have an older HK with large infinity speakers and his system does shake the short hairs, if I am not being too rude.

I just ran Inifinity Primus through Ebay and got ads for 252's and 362's. Are those any good to your knowledge?

 

[Alex2507]

Ya know, my friend does have an older HK with large infinity speakers and his system does shake the short hairs, if I am not being too rude.

I just ran Inifinity Primus through Ebay and got ads for 252's and 362's. Are those any good to your knowledge?

Yep.

This is a good place to get them:

http://www.theaudiovideosource.com/InfinityPrimus.html

I would get the 362's, 152's and a PC250. I think the PC350 and 162's are not necessary. Do your searching for Infinity, Primus, 362, 360 here at AH ... or just take my word for it.

 

[middleton]

Other Speaker Options

Well,

Those Infinity's do look pretty good, and at a good price.

Mind U I do live in Canada, and I think the shipping might cost me as much as the speakers.

Now on the other hand, the local Best Buy is selling something called
Precision Acoustic 45's for 200 a piece. The BB reviews are nice, but then they might be a little bias'd.

I could probably get 2 towers and a center channel for 600 and I'd just drive to pick them up, no shipping involved.

I cannot post the links to the speakers as I am still too new of a member but it was the Precision Acoustic H45's and HD-C center channel

Thought I'd keep the 10" Harman Kardon sub for the time being.

 

[adwilk]

....... does shake the short hairs, if I am not being too rude.

I, for one, am extremely offended. These forums are no place for nonsense...







The infinities are an incredible value, but if shipping is that high, certainly the value goes down on you (if I am not being too rude).

Go to BB and have a listen and see what you like in your budget. If you get something home and you don't like them, take em back...

 

[Alex2507]

Mind U I do live in Canada ...

Oh ... forget it then. You can't have good audio.

j/k

Where in Canada do you live? There are members here that live up there and can direct you to better places than Best Buy to audition speakers ... but then again I did hear some really impressive Definitive Technology 7002's in a Magnolia but couldn't afford them anyway so ... *shrug*

 

[PENG]

Well,

Those Infinity's do look pretty good, and at a good price.

Mind U I do live in Canada, and I think the shipping might cost me as much as the speakers.

You can buy a pair from BB for $599 and they are not even on sale.

http://www.bestbuy.ca/en-CA/product/infinity-tower-speaker-p362-each/10079847.aspx?path=89c92c63cbff4333ce15420213cfa737en02

 

[caper26]

I am in Canada. Hard to audition unless you live in a city. I bought my speakers on advise, specs, reviews, since it was really my first non-HTiB...I couldnt really go wrong anyway. Didn't really have time to 'audition', but more like 'make sure the speakers worked' at the guy's house...Best places for auditioning are non-chain places, like around here: videoworld or Glubes in Halifax.

 

[A/HTArchitect]

Reproduction vs playing music

The term sound reproduction is what we are all literally striving for even if we can't articulate what we want. Speaker reproduce sound and music (some do this better than others obviously) everything else reproduces a signal. BIG difference. for the money nothing touches reproduction of the human voice like an electrostatic panel and the human voice is the ultimate instrument and should be the cornerstone when when shopping for speakers. for the money I suggest you look for a well cared for pair of Martin Logan Aeon Is. I use a pair for my rears but I have rarely found anything as breathtaking for the money in 1 square foot of floor space. You should be able to pick up a good pair for about $1000-1200 plus shipping and I HIGHLY suggest you secure original cartons if the seller doesn't have them. Contact Jim Powers at ML and he can hook you up. He's the best. If you have issues with cartons let me know i have a contact at a custom box company that has done great work for me and produced the base cartons for my Prodigies, for next to nothing and STILL treated me like i was ordering a 1000 units. I was in the custom business for 12 years and have a consulting business on the side now that I have returned to the military. i'm happy to help you find something, no charge, if you would like a hand. i do this stuff every day.
Your friend in audio,
Paul

 

[middleton]

Infinity P362's

Ok Ok,

Due to peer pressure and being born with no sense of saving money, I think I have made my decision. Barring me from going to the store and having the speakers I have picked sound like crap, which I highly doubt from all the positive reviews online at various forums, I am ready. I think.

The local BB (local, ha 140 KMS round trip) has the Infinity 362's for $225, the middle channel C250 for $300 and the PS-212 for $300 also.

Anyone see a flaw in this? Will my bargin brand HK avr146 power them adequately?

I could use the money for food and clothing, perhaps replace the duct tape/plastic covering the broken front room window, but why do something responsible like that.

Thank you again for all your advice.

Mike

 

[Nugu]

That's a pretty good price on the 362s, I'd wait on the subwoofer and get something else later though. Maybe get the window fixed and start saving for a SVS or eD sub?

 

[Alex2507]

Will my bargin brand HK avr146 power them adequately?

Yes ... but at the risk of irking Swerd I'll say that the 362's can easily do with more. I had an H/K AVR 430 and went back and forth a few times with an external amp. The 362's are the same as the 360's and here's the Measurements Section of a review.

Even without an amp I had no trouble making my 360's crank but sort of feel that they might do a little better at that 93Hz point with a little extra help. It's one small area IMO ... and as TLS once said, "Sins of omission are much more forgivable than sins of commission." (paraphrased and stolen)

So ... like I said earlier, save the rec'r shopping for later.

That 12" Infinity sub was part of a comparison done by Wayne Alphabetsoup over at HTS and it held it's own. My pick of the 250 center over the 350 is a little complicated but give them both a listen if you can but don't be fooled by size and number of drivers. It's a lot easier to get a 2-way to act right than a 3-way (think sex with 2 guys and one girl).

Where do you live that a BB is 140K? Estevan ?!?

 

[middleton]

Ha Ha

Estavan?

funny thin is, I have even been there once, but no, I do not live in sask.

I live in Eastern Ontario, halfway between Toronto/Montreal. Kingston is the nearest big city and yep, its 70KM one way to the store.

 

[Edmonton]

The local BB (local, ha 140 KMS round trip) has the Infinity 362's for $225

compare the cost of buying from the closest Best Buy, and the cost of buying online plus the shipping costs.

i bought Infinity P162's from B&H Photo Video online and it added 90 bucks to ship, but it was on my doorstep in 2 days from New York to Edmonton. My sub on the other hand was on sale and i could get for the same price as in the States and i saved the shipping costs.