EMP vs. SVS vs. Atlantic vs. Energy

[nball]

I need your help deciding which speakers to get. If you can point me to a shop that you respect on the SF peninsula that carries any of these brands, please let me know. I would like to meet them.

The system I am creating is for 50% music, 25% movies, 25% background. I'm trying to set up a foundation for a really solid system while in a long term rental, leading up to a owned/built HT space.

We entertain fairly regularly (lots of standing bodies), as well as watch movies (sitting down), and we each listen to widely disparate music. I guess I am looking for an all-around stomping badass system with a changing set of goal posts. Since this is impossible, I'm really just asking for your advice.

Strategy: begin with relatively compact, hopefully wall-mounted, speakers to avoid toddler curiosity and mitigate WAF. Move to 7.2 with towers in 3-4 years. Invest well at phase 1 to not have to replace at phase 2.

If you were me, what would you do? This is what I'm considering:

EMP Impression 5.1
Not wall mountable, but great price and excellent reviews. Seeking a local audition space now. Very much afraid of children damage.
= $1345

SVSound SCS 5.0 = $1108 shipped
+ Hsu STF-2 = $319
or SB12-NSD = $550
= $1650-1880

Atlantic 2400= $1675
+ Hsu STF-2 = $319
= $1994+ship

Energy V-Mini 5.1 = $1975+ship



Sub
Supplemental or core bass.

Hsu STF-2 = $319
Hsu VTF-2 MK 3 = $620
Epik Empire = $800

 

[GranteedEV]

If wall mouting is important, I'd look for specific on-wall speakers over bookshelves, as the baffle-step compensation on those is desigened for that specific usage.

 

[shadyJ]

If you are afraid of children damage, I would recommend you get a down-firing subwoofer. Children can punch holes in exposed cones very easily, and they will be tempted to do so, believe me. Also, I would go with wall mountable bookshelf speakers. In the price range you are looking at, I would turn to Ascend CBM170 bookshelf speakers, Hsu HB-1's, or Infinity Primus p162 speakers, along with their companion center speakers. For a decent down-firing sub, check out the Outlaw Audio LFM-1 EX. You will want a great sub to start with if you are going to be building up. The Hsu STF2 is a great sub for the price, but it certainly has its limits, especially in a large room. The VTF2 would be far more capable. You might want to get a second sub down the road, and it should match the first, so make sure the first is a real keeper. Deep powerful bass can really impress guests, so this is one area it may be worth it to splurge if you do lots of entertaining. Also look into getting the AM40 pinpoint speaker mounts, these are excellent speaker mounts, and one of the very few that can heavier speakers without having to drill holes in the speakers.

 

[sholling]

I agree with ShadyJ about the sub. Little fingers are going to be tempted to see if a pencil will poke holes in the driver. You'll also want to be careful of the port location. Little ones have been known to use them to hide dad's keys forever or share their milk with the bass port. What I would do is look for a down firing sub with bottom or rear ports, or a cylinder sub with ports out of reach. But before setting on a brand or model I'd have SVS, Hsu, eD, and Outlaw size it to your room and any attached spaces that are open to the room, then you will know how much you have left for speakers.

I haven't heard any of the speakers on your list so I can't really help there, but if you do decide to wall mount keep in mind the placement of the bass port (if any) because in most cases a rear port needs to be at least a 3-4 inches from the wall and a foot or more is better.

I also agree with GranteedEV about speakers designed for wall mounting. I'm not familiar with many in your price range that were designed specifically for wall mounting. Emotiva has one that's on sale but it's a 4ohm speaker (not all receivers can drive 4ohm speakers) and I haven't had the chance to hear them and can't speak for how they sound.

 

[jumpnblues]

I have and enthusiastically endorse SVS speakers. Tremendous bang for the buck. They perform as well as some speakers costing hundreds and even thousands more.
I own both 5.1 and 7.1 systems with the PB12 sub upgrade. The 7.1 system has the STS-02 slim towers for mains and the SSS-02 bipole side and SBS-02 back surrounds, while the 5.1 system has SBS-02s all around except for the SCS-02 mid channel speaker and PB12 sub. Both are superb sounding systems for music and HT. Extremely accurate and uncolored. SVS' customer service is second to none. I have no connection to SVS other than being an extremely satisfied customer. Highly recommend them.


Tom

 

[GranteedEV]

I also agree with GranteedEV about speakers designed for wall mounting. I'm not familiar with many in your price range that were designed specifically for wall mounting. Emotiva has one that's on sale but it's a 4ohm speaker (not all receivers can drive 4ohm speakers) and I haven't had the chance to hear them and can't speak for how they sound.

I'd like those emotivas

anyways in-price, 7 of any of these could be around that price range:

http://www.emptek.com/onwall.php

or

http://www.axiomaudio.com/wallspeakerw22_main.html
+
http://www.axiomaudio.com/wallspeakerw150_main.html
+
http://www.axiomaudio.com/wallspeakerw2_main.html

 

[sholling]

I'd like those emotivas

anyways in-price, 7 of any of these could be around that price range:

A 5.0 set of ERM-6.2 bookshelves and the ERD-1 surrounds are on sale for $1100 shipped, and a $700 PB12-NSD and the budget works. But that assumes the OP has a 4ohm friendly receiver and likes them. I haven't heard them and not all that many people have 4ohm ready receivers.

 

[GranteedEV]

A 5.0 set of ERM-6.2 bookshelves and the ERD-1 surrounds are on sale for $1100 shipped, and a $700 PB12-NSD and the budget works. But that assumes the OP has a 4ohm friendly receiver and likes them. I haven't heard them and not all that many people have 4ohm ready receivers.

Totally agree. A 4 ohm speaker by a company that makes killer electronics might be designed for those killer electronics. I think they probably do sound nice, but your point about impedance is very significant.

 

[Dre325]

I have and enthusiastically endorse SVS speakers. Tremendous bang for the buck. They perform as well as some speakers costing hundreds and even thousands more.
I own both 5.1 and 7.1 systems with the PB12 sub upgrade. The 7.1 system has the STS-02 slim towers for mains and the SSS-02 bipole side and SBS-02 back surrounds, while the 5.1 system has SBS-02s all around except for the SCS-02 mid channel speaker and PB12 sub. Both are superb sounding systems for music and HT. Extremely accurate and uncolored. SVS' customer service is second to none. I have no connection to SVS other than being an extremely satisfied customer. Highly recommend them.


Tom

These seem like great bang for the buck from my research as well. They are very high on my list.

Jumpnblues, if you had one 5.1 system to put together and had to wall mount your rears, what SVS combo would you recommend (SBS with SCS or STS up front and SBS or SSS in the rear?) I'd PM you, but I don't have enough posts yet .

 

[zieglj01]

I like the Atlantic Technology - They are sealed and sound real good.

 

[nball]

Totally agree. A 4 ohm speaker by a company that makes killer electronics might be designed for those killer electronics. I think they probably do sound nice, but your point about impedance is very significant.

A 5.0 set of ERM-6.2 bookshelves and the ERD-1 surrounds are on sale for $1100 shipped, and a $700 PB12-NSD and the budget works. But that assumes the OP has a 4ohm friendly receiver and likes them. I haven't heard them and not all that many people have 4ohm ready receivers.

Quite so! Emotiva is on my short list for power, although not for Pre/DSP. I am thinking separate, clean power and whatever sexy AVR with useful features is available every 3-5 years.

Hadn't considered their speakers, will take a closer look. Thank you!

 

[zieglj01]

Quite so! Emotiva is on my short list for power, although not for Pre/DSP. I am thinking separate, clean power and whatever sexy AVR with useful features is available every 3-5 years.

Hadn't considered their speakers, will take a closer look. Thank you!

The ERM-6.2 will not ship til late December.