Help me pick new fronts and center

[lestat0521]

Im looking to get the best bang for my buck on two fronts and a center. I would like to keep it under $400. I am not very speaker savvy so please help me out.

I was surfing newegg and thought this might be a good deal::

Center: Polk Audio CS1 Black Center Channel Loudspeaker Each $99
Fronts: Polk Audio Monitor 40 Black Two-way bookshelf loudspeaker Pair $139

Thanks
Chris

 

[lestat0521]

EDIT::

Just picked up a 46" Sony, and i dont have any room for book shelf style, need to go to floor standing.

Was looking at,

Fronts: Polk Audio Monitor 50 Black Two-way Floorstanding Loudspeaker Each $109

 

[lestat0521]

what about these guys,

BIC America DV-64 2-Way Tower Speaker Each $135

would this be a better buy when compared to the polks?

 

[Alex2507]

Do a search on Infinity Primus 362 to get the scoop on them and they can be bought from The Audio Video Source for pretty cheap and with a full warranty.

I own those speakers and have bought from that store.

 

[njedpx3]

Better Choice

Here are some choices that will blow awaythe other speakers you are considering

I would go with a pair of very good bookshelves: Cambridge Audio S-30s or Behringer 2030Ps for around $200 and than add a good inexpensvice subwoofer Dayton SUB-120 HT for about $155.

While both the Cambridge Audio and the Behrionger 2030Pare very good, I am biased towards the Cambridge Audio because that is the soundsystem I have in my National Woods Cabin

Here are some links to the above mentioned equipment:

Cambridge Audio S-30 $219/pair http://www.amazon.com/Cambridge-Audio-Bookshelf-Speakers-Black/dp/B00196SJOI


Behringher 2030P $131/pair http://www.pro-audio-warehouse.com/b2030p.html

Dayton Sub 120-HT $155 http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-SUB-120-Watt-Powered-Subwoofer/dp/B000C9NV78


Peace, Good Luck and Good Sound,

Forest Man

 

[njedpx3]

Bookshelf with stands

Reread you said you couldn't do bookshelf ...add these floor stands to the Cambridge Audio S30s i recommneded before.

Sanus BF31 for $49http://www.thetwistergroup.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=BF-31B D05685&source=fr

You probably willneed bigger Sanus with Behringer 2030ps , look at Sanus BF24 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/245620-REG/Sanus_BF24B_24_MDF_Construction_Speaker.html


Good Luck!

Foorest Man

 

[lestat0521]

thanks for the links,

What would make a bookshelf better then a floor stander, dont the floor standers have more speakers in the actual units, do more speakers = better sound?

If i get the behringers do i need to purchase an additional amp to power them? Or is my Onkyo receiver fine?

O also what does bi-wire mean?

I guess i need to add, i already have 5.1 speakers so im not trying to use the new ones to catch the lows i have a sub for that.

Thanks

 

[brad1138]

I recently sold a pair of Definitive Tech BP-10s and matching C-1 center for about $300. Older equipment, but it was a very good front setup. The bipolar design of the BP-10s works very well for surround. You could probably find the same setup used on Craig's List or ebay for about the same price, less than $400 anyway.

You'll get a lot more bang for your buck going with used equipment and it can be just as good as new.

Brad

 

[lestat0521]

found this on a local craigs, would this be a good deal?

Acoustic Research AR9 towers speakers with built in passive subwoofer $300 pair
Acoustic Research AR2 Center channel with built in passive subwoofer $150

or this for $250

(2) VR950 front tower speakers
(1) VR910 center channel speaker
(2) dual firing rear speakers w/ stands
(1) PV600 subwoofer
TONS of Monster Z-wire
(Seems a bit fishy price wise for such high end gear?)

 

[brad1138]

found this on a local craigs, would this be a good deal?

Acoustic Research AR9 towers speakers with built in passive subwoofer $300 pair
Acoustic Research AR2 Center channel with built in passive subwoofer $150

or this for $250

(2) VR950 front tower speakers
(1) VR910 center channel speaker
(2) dual firing rear speakers w/ stands
(1) PV600 subwoofer
TONS of Monster Z-wire
(Seems a bit fishy price wise for such high end gear?)

I am not personally familiar with those specific models, but Google for each model and if you can find them listed at audioreview.com, you can usually find out a lot about them. I found the AR9s listed there, looks like a very nice speaker. If the AR2 is the matching center I would say that is a great deal.

 

[brad1138]

thanks for the links,

What would make a bookshelf better then a floor stander, dont the floor standers have more speakers in the actual units, do more speakers = better sound?

If i get the behringers do i need to purchase an additional amp to power them? Or is my Onkyo receiver fine?

O also what does bi-wire mean?

I guess i need to add, i already have 5.1 speakers so im not trying to use the new ones to catch the lows i have a sub for that.

Thanks

Personally, I like my mains to be "floor standers", better for just listening to stereo music if you want to.

Not sure on behringers.

Don't worry about bi-wiring, if it makes any difference at all, you wouldn't notice it with a system in this range (that doesn't mean I don't think those AR9s look great).

 

[brad1138]

This is the only thing I could find on a AR2c (couldn't find anything on a AR2), I don't know if that is the same model or not as the AR2 you are looking at, but it is visually similar to the AR9. May or may not be the correct match. Usually with each line of speakers there is a matching Center for that model, it would be beneficial to find out what the best match for the AR9s is.

Brad

 

[sholling]

or this for $250

(2) VR950 front tower speakers
(1) VR910 center channel speaker
(2) dual firing rear speakers w/ stands
(1) PV600 subwoofer
TONS of Monster Z-wire
(Seems a bit fishy price wise for such high end gear?)

I've owned the VR950s and VR910 and if in decent shape that's a heck of a deal. The 950s are good sounding speakers but will desperately need the sub because they don't have much bass extension of their own. I've never heard the sub.

If I were looking to buy new towers I'd probably give serious consideration to a pair of Infinity Primus P362 towers and just save up for a sub and center.

 

[lestat0521]

Thanks for the info, so in your honest opinion for the same price say under $250 for a pair of book shelves and under $300 for a pair of floors where would i find the better deal and get the best sound?

thanks
-chris

 

[Nuance AH]

Do a search on Infinity Primus 362 to get the scoop on them and they can be bought from The Audio Video Source for pretty cheap and with a full warranty.

I own those speakers and have bought from that store.

This is great advice.

 

[lestat0521]

I was at frys and found these two deals, would this be a good setup:

Fronts: Polk R50's
Rears: Polk R150
Sub: Polk PSW10
Center: Polk CS1

All those for $350

Then they also had Martin Logan Encore TF center for $175.

I was thinking of buying the set and just selling the center on craigs and getting the martin, would this be a nice entry level system for the price?

Thanks

 

[hemiram]

found this on a local craigs, would this be a good deal?

Acoustic Research AR9 towers speakers with built in passive subwoofer $300 pair
Acoustic Research AR2 Center channel with built in passive subwoofer $150

or this for $250

(2) VR950 front tower speakers
(1) VR910 center channel speaker
(2) dual firing rear speakers w/ stands
(1) PV600 subwoofer
TONS of Monster Z-wire
(Seems a bit fishy price wise for such high end gear?)

Wow, the AR9's are great speakers, if they don't have any problems, I would be very tempted to go that way. I have wanted them since they first came out years ago. A neighbor had them as the fronts in an early surround system, and they could take immense power and sounded fantastic. When the neighbor died, I tried to get his son to sell them to me, but he took them home instead. They are in like new condition. I don't know what the AR2 and 2C differences are, or if there is any.