Is it good to mix brands of bookshelfs

[HTHOLIC]

Hi, there I am thinking of doing the followinG setup:

pLEASE GIVE me good advice

1. yamaha rx-v2600
2. svs pc plus.

Mixing bookshelfs, I currently have 7 svs sbs-01 becuase I obtained the pre-order price. However, I am thinking of doing the following:

Getting the AXIOM M 80 or the M60's, since the yamaha is not great at driving 4ohm but I might get a denon reciever next year to get those new dolby digital and DTS HD codecs.

I might replace the front left and front right booksehlfs with the axiom floorstanding speakers, or just set it to zone 2. In order to get axiom's 5% discount, I also am planning to get 2 more bookshelds and set the svs svs-01 to prescence speakerso n the yamaha.

So my setup will look like this

AXIOM floorstanding for stereo- front left and right- m60 and m80-preferred.

SVS SBS-01 as either back surrounds or presence speakers( I know the yamaha can't do that simultantously but I still want to have the option- rather than have to pull out the speaker wire everyt ime I want to try that out).

2 Axiom bookshelfs replacing - possibly the surrounds and possibly getting a better center speaker- or additional bookshelf.

Since I would have 3 svs sbs-01 bookshelfs left, I might use that as zone 2 or 3 or use it with the computer.

My crossover would be affected as the axiom's center dont have great frequencey response axis below 100hz or 80hz. Neither do the svs sbs-01 but its still lower.

I could also go with a onix-x rocket in a similar price range.

Is it good to mix and match, even though I might just to it for the presence speakers and/or the stereo front left and right speakers.

 

[brendy]

Normally it is not a good idea to mix brands.For multi-channel sound it is crucial that all speakers have the same sound.

 

[pearsall001]

Normally it is not a good idea to mix brands.For multi-channel sound it is crucial that all speakers have the same sound.

Although having all speakers matching is recommended it is not the end of the world if you don't. I think too many people take that as a blanket statement without ever hearing mixed brands in their system. I for one have mixed brands with AAD 2001 monitors as the mains, AAD S3-C center & Polk Audio LSiFX for the rears. And let me tell you the sound quality is stunning for all formats (HT, multi-channel, & 2 channel) So yes you can mix & match speaker brands. But won't don't you like about the SVS system? From what I've read (never heard them) they've been reviewed as a pretty darn good speaker package. If you want to try the Axiom's go ahead & do it. They have a very nice return policy if you don't like the sound. You'll never know unless you give it a shot.

 

[abboudc]

Mixing brands in itself isn't bad, it's just harder to set up your system properly.

IMO you'd be better off either A) selling your SVS system (since you got preorder pricing it should be easy to break even) and getting Axiom rears or B) waiting a few months for the SVS mid tower system to come out.

What dont your like about the SVS system? Not enough power?

 

[dentman67]

I also feel that the use of matching speakers is overstated . Yes it's the best choice but it's not the end of the world if you can't do it. With that said I would'nt be a fan of mixing Axiom's with the little SVS's . Axiom speakers , atleats the ones I heard are a bright forward speaker where the SVS speakers very laid back and warm .

For me it's when you mix speakers that sound so diffrent from each other that you start to run into trouble.

 

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

IMHO, based on what I've heard (and use at home), the surround speakers do NOT need to be the same brand as your fronts. Your center should be the same as your stereo L/R however.

 

[don maico]

It makes sense to keep the front right /left and centre of the same make but the rears are not so important

 

[HTHOLIC]

One of my svs sbs-01 sounds different from the others,

If i could record the sound and play it would be great, Instead of clearly saying front right, where you could her the teeeh and the breath, I hear a front right as if the lady has a lower tone - froount right- as if she was seriosuly talking in a classroom.


It goes like this she says front leeeft, front CENTER, front right. I use the creative x-fi with my svs sbs-01. I know that speaker though outputs sound correctly, so its not a defect.

But the real reason I wanted axioms was becuase evveryone is saying how much better they are than the svs sbs-01 , atleast the bookshelfs. They are more expesnieve and dont have the soft silk tweeters. But I might hold back because I wouldnt want to pay extra money and replacce the svs-01 unless it would make a signigicant improvemenet.

SInce my yamaha rx-v2600 won't drive 4OHMS great, I am holding off on the axiom m80's for some stereo action- full range.

 

[Rob Babcock]

In my experience it's impossible to overstate the necessity of voice matching the speakers, especially the front three. Perhaps there are brands and models that will serendipitously match another brand, but I haven't heard it. Frankly, even different lines by the same manufacturer are often different enough to bug me.

IMOHO the rear/front voice match is far less important. If you must mix brands, try at least matching the front three and moving the odd speakers to the back. Of course, try it for yourself. If you find mixing and matching works for you, more power to you. Different strokes and all.