First time AV system, need help

[ParadigmDawg]

Actually, I do. It's in my wife's G35 coupe. It actually sounds pretty darn good.

Yep; I have two. One in the Z and one in the PathFinder.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Actually, they are $500ea.

B&W 684 for $500ea. -6dB at 34Hz-50kHz
Monitor Audio RS6 for $500ea. FR 38Hz - 30KHz(only spec I could find)
Polk Audio RTi A5 for $475ea. -3dB 40Hz-26kHz
MB Quart QLS830 can be had for $500ea($849 retail ea). FR 33Hz-32kHz(only spec I could find)

I personally would choose any of the above over the DT.

I can get the BP10B for $400 each brand new. Who pays for MSRP these days? I got my CLR3000 for $700 & the MSRP is $1,000.
Bipolar speakers (DT) are very picky as far as placement. If you don't have the speaker placement right, they will sound TERRIBLE. I went to a DT certified dealer and they had the DTs placed 6 inches from the wall, 12 inches next to the other speakers (to Left & Right). They sounded terrible.

So unless you have 3 feet from the front wall and 4 feet from the side walls, I would NOT get DT Bipolar speakers. I would get the direct, front radiating speakers.

 

[zumbo]

I can get the BP10B for $400 each brand new. Who pays for MSRP these days? I got my CLR3000 for $700 & the MSRP is $1,000.
Bipolar speakers (DT) are very picky as far as placement. If you don't have the speaker placement right, they will sound TERRIBLE. I went to a DT certified dealer and they had the DTs placed 6 inches from the wall, 12 inches next to the other speakers (to Left & Right). They sounded terrible.

So unless you have 3 feet from the front wall and 4 feet from the side walls, I would NOT get DT Bipolar speakers. I would get the direct, front radiating speakers.

I was just posting retail for comparison. They are all direct competing products.

You spelled-out the issues for DT pretty good.

Along with your complaints about DT, I don't care for the use of particle board, or the cabinet design.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

BP10B can be had for $400ea ($500 retail ea). 20Hz-20kHz @-5dB per Julian Hirsch at Stereo Review Lab.

B&W 684 for $500ea. -6dB at 34Hz-50kHz

Monitor Audio RS6 for $500ea. FR 38Hz - 30KHz(only spec I could find)

Polk Audio RTi A5 for $475ea. -3dB 40Hz-26kHz

MB Quart QLS830 can be had for $500ea($849 retail ea). FR 33Hz-32kHz(only spec I could find).

MB Quart likes to quote you the OVERALL frequency response, like Def Tech.
You have to search for actual lab numbers. For example, the MB Quart Alexxa S-1 ($900 retail ea.) is MEASURED to have a low frequency response of 51 Hz @ -3dB. However, on their website, they quote as 33Hz-32kHz.

http://www.mbquart.com/all/downloads/testberichte/Stereoplay_11_06_AS_Sone_en.pdf

Another example: The DT BP7000SC is listed as 11 Hz - 30 kHz. But actual lab numbers are 20 Hz - 30 kHz -3dB (90dB reference).

So on paper, the BP10B blows all those speakers out of the water. On paper.
Now in some rooms, the BP10B may NOT sound as good as the MB Quart. In other rooms, the MB Quart may not sound as good as the BP10B. It goes the same with all speakers. That's why we all know how important audition is and how important acoustic room treatment is. But on paper, the BP10B blows them away.

My gut feeling is that if you take 20 speakers that cost $500, chances are they will all sound very similar and very good. It may differ only in personal preference. But on paper based on those mentioned specs, the BP10B blows them all away.

 

[yettitheman]

Don't forget about Klipsch or Defenitive Tech.... there are probably many other brands to list as well.

I think though, that your front two main channel speakers are the MOST important in a setup. You can always shut the other speakers off and have the two mains running...
And, a subwoofer of sorts would also do well (especially with smaller speakers).

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Don't forget about Klipsch or Defenitive Tech....

I agree with ya.

But for some reasons, a lot of people seem to either love them (Klipsch & DefTech) or totally hate them.

I can see how some people can hate DefTechs' Bipolars because most stores don't have enough space for good speaker placement.

 

[zumbo]

BP10B can be had for $400ea ($500 retail ea). 20Hz-20kHz @-5dB per Julian Hirsch at Stereo Review Lab.

B&W 684 for $500ea. -6dB at 34Hz-50kHz

Monitor Audio RS6 for $500ea. FR 38Hz - 30KHz(only spec I could find)

Polk Audio RTi A5 for $475ea. -3dB 40Hz-26kHz

MB Quart QLS830 can be had for $500ea($849 retail ea). FR 33Hz-32kHz(only spec I could find).

MB Quart likes to quote you the OVERALL frequency response, like Def Tech.
You have to search for actual lab numbers. For example, the MB Quart Alexxa S-1 ($900 retail ea.) is MEASURED to have a low frequency response of 51 Hz @ -3dB. However, on their website, they quote as 33Hz-32kHz.

http://www.mbquart.com/all/downloads/testberichte/Stereoplay_11_06_AS_Sone_en.pdf

Another example: The DT BP7000SC is listed as 11 Hz - 30 kHz. But actual lab numbers are 20 Hz - 30 kHz -3dB (90dB reference).

So on paper, the BP10B blows all those speakers out of the water. On paper.
Now in some rooms, the BP10B may NOT sound as good as the MB Quart. In other rooms, the MB Quart may not sound as good as the BP10B. It goes the same with all speakers. That's why we all know how important audition is and how important acoustic room treatment is. But on paper, the BP10B blows them away.

My gut feeling is that if you take 20 speakers that cost $500, chances are they will all sound very similar and very good. It may differ only in personal preference. But on paper based on those mentioned specs, the BP10B blows them all away.

B&W and Polk are the only two on the list that tell you where they are getting their FR. One is -3dB, and the other is -6dB. Your review gives a -5dB for the DT's, while their actual website doesn't specify. The lower FR does look better on paper, but as I mentioned, the 20Hz LF is not needed from the mains in a .1 system. One could argue that the others HF looks better on papaer. Doesn't really matter. What matters, is that they sound good.