Infinity Floorstanding Speaker Upgrade

[stulaloyd]

Hi All,

First post here. Rather new to the audiophile arena, in fact not even quite there yet but trying. Started my system out about 2 years ago with a Yamaha RX-V657 and Infinity TSS-750. Looking to slowly but surely upgrade my system. Thinking the first move is to get some decent floorstanding speakers and use the 750 front sats as front presence speakers. Any ideas on this? What speakers to look at? Is this a good start, etc., etc., etc. I mostly use this current system for tv/movie watching with BD and video games (XBox 360 and PS3) but do occassionally listen to Itunes that I've hard wired from my computer. Due to the lack of quality from the original content from Itunes, I realize the fidelity of my music is never going to be top notch, but I would love to get better sound from my BD and other DD and DTS soundtracks - read better mids.

 

[corey]

What other speakers do you have? It's not clear in your post, but if you don't have your base 5.1, I'd finish that before getting into rear, presense, or up grades.

 

[stulaloyd]

The TSS-750 is a 5.1 system from Infinity. Got a good deal at CC a couple of years ago not knowing anything about home theater, just wanting surround sound. So the 5.1 is in order, albeit with a low end, slightly better than a HTIB speaker system.

Would go with Beta 40s or 50s for the fronts, but my wife would make me sleep with them b/c of their size. Even the 20s might be a bit too big as the TSS-750 essentially has 4 surround speakers which are barely noticeable (visually and unfortunately audibly). Wondering if the 10s can pass as fronts.

Also would love to get the c360 but that thing's a monster and wouldn't fit in my BDI Avion 8527 center drawer (can only fit a speaker up to 22.5"). Wondering if the c250 is a good compromise or should I look elsewhere? Thanks for the response.

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker upgrade

Sounds like you need an upgrade from your sub/satellite system but large floorstanders are out. Consider a quality bookshelf system from AV123 (X-LS and X-sub) or SVS. The SVS 5.1 system in white and silver is on sale from $800 and comes with a great sub. Check it out.

I went with the Onix Ref 1's from AV123. The bookshelf speakers are not small, but the real rosewood veneer gets a higher WAF rating.

 

[corey]

I went through a similar process last year. I felt the need for more mid-bass in my system, which meant some larger woofers. I had an upper limit on center size, and agreed with both your wife & mine that the ideal speaker should be unobtrusive.

Centers & mains need to match, so I started a list of speakers in my price range, sorted it by center size, and limited my search to what would fit. (I also had to wall mount, so also limited it to sealed or front ported.) After listening to what was available, I cut up some cardboard boxes & made shapes the size of the speakers I was looking at, to show my wife what they'd look like in our home. I explained that we had to have larger speakers to get better sound, that the best would have 8" woofers, & that the 6.5" pair would still do a good job & be smaller & less expensive that the 8".

If you want to stay with Infinity, I think you should push for the Beta 20's, but you don't have limit your search to that brand. Timber matching across the front is important, but less so for surround sound.

 

[stulaloyd]

Good idea, Corey. I do like how precise Infinity sounds (have listened to a friends 10s in a 5.1) but have been intrigued by Axiom as well. I don't mind spending a little extra if it's worth it but I know how subjective that can be. So I guess the next question is Axiom M3Ti and VP100, X-LS and X-CS (Onix?) or Infinity Beta 20 and C250?

 

[MUDSHARK]

I, too am in the process of upgrading from the TSS-750. I started with a much better sub as that corrected the single weakest point of the TSS-750. The people on the Axiom site seem to think that the M3 is better if there is no sub while the M22 is the better option if there is a good sub. If movies and TV are the main focus, consider targeting the sub first. It made a world of difference for me.

 

[corey]

Good idea, Corey. I do like how precise Infinity sounds (have listened to a friends 10s in a 5.1) but have been intrigued by Axiom as well. I don't mind spending a little extra if it's worth it but I know how subjective that can be. So I guess the next question is Axiom M3Ti and VP100, X-LS and X-CS (Onix?) or Infinity Beta 20 and C250?

The X-LS were not available when I was shopping, and for me the M3Ti's were out because they're rear-ported; but my guess is any of those would be a pretty good way to go. I'm intrigued by the new Hsu bookshelf - there's a review on this site. Because you mentioned "precise" I'll add in my own choice, Klipsch RB-61's & an RC-52.

The M3Ti's are reviewed here too. Look for "Speaker Shoot Out IV", or something like that.