Need help choosing HT speakers

[meloman]

Hello Folks,

This is my first post here - glad to be here. I'm currently looking to purchase additional speakers to complete my 5.1/7.1 ht set up. The upgrade bug got the best of me recently, and considering the news from Pioneer regarding their decision to pull out of the tv market, I started with a new tv (pro-151fd) and now I can't stop! I currently have no sub, or rears, and my center channel (ac-300) needs to be replaced. I have two lone Veritas 1.8's as fronts that I plan on keeping. I'm running the speakers through a B&K avr 307 and plan on keeping it to run my system.

I've been out of the game for a while so any direction would be greatly appreciated. Basically, I'd like to replace the center channel, add rears & at least one sub. I believe the rec offers 7.1 channels (?), correct me if I'm wrong here. Also, thought I'd mention that I currently have a pair of energy c8s and c2s tucked away in a closet which I no longer use (I replaced the c8s with the 1.8s years ago) - would those fare well? I would like to stick with energy speakers to tonally match my 1.8s that I just love. Any ideas?

Assuming I'd stay with Energy, I'm thinking v2.0ri or v2.1 or v2.2 as surrounds, perhaps the s12.3 sub (is a veritas sub ever coming?) and maybe the v2.0Ci as the center. I'm seeing that these speakers are becoming more difficult to come by. With a 7.1 setup do I need two rear and two back channels?

To give you an idea of the layout, the room's dimensions are currently 18' x 10' x 8'. As for seating, currently have an L shaped 10' x 10' sectional sofa running along the back wall of the room. Therefore, my concern is how to address the rear/surround channels. Being that I view the tv at the rear wall would bookshelves or dipoles even work for me? Perhaps I need to look into in-wall speakers?

Any thoughts and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[fredk]

If there is a matching center for the 1.8s I would go with that as they will be tone/timbre matched.

Try the speakers you have for surround duties. Some are fine with traditional speakers as surrounds, some prefer a speaker with a more dispersed soundfield.

 

[AVRat]

Any chance you can move your sofa up a few feet, 5 would be preferred for audio considerations? As Fred said, your unused speakers should be fine for surrounds. With your room layout, I think 5.1 will suffice.

For your small room, an HSU VTF-2 MK3 or SVS PB12-NSD will work nicely for the sub.

Oh yeah, nice display, still trying to talk myself into one before they're gone.

 

[lsiberian]

Hello Folks,

This is my first post here - glad to be here. I'm currently looking to purchase additional speakers to complete my 5.1/7.1 ht set up. The upgrade bug got the best of me recently, and considering the news from Pioneer regarding their decision to pull out of the tv market, I started with a new tv (pro-151fd) and now I can't stop! I currently have no sub, or rears, and my center channel (ac-300) needs to be replaced. I have two lone Veritas 1.8's as fronts that I plan on keeping. I'm running the speakers through a B&K avr 307 and plan on keeping it to run my system.

I've been out of the game for a while so any direction would be greatly appreciated. Basically, I'd like to replace the center channel, add rears & at least one sub. I believe the rec offers 7.1 channels (?), correct me if I'm wrong here. Also, thought I'd mention that I currently have a pair of energy c8s and c2s tucked away in a closet which I no longer use (I replaced the c8s with the 1.8s years ago) - would those fare well? I would like to stick with energy speakers to tonally match my 1.8s that I just love. Any ideas?

Assuming I'd stay with Energy, I'm thinking v2.0ri or v2.1 or v2.2 as surrounds, perhaps the s12.3 sub (is a veritas sub ever coming?) and maybe the v2.0Ci as the center. I'm seeing that these speakers are becoming more difficult to come by. With a 7.1 setup do I need two rear and two back channels?

To give you an idea of the layout, the room's dimensions are currently 18' x 10' x 8'. As for seating, currently have an L shaped 10' x 10' sectional sofa running along the back wall of the room. Therefore, my concern is how to address the rear/surround channels. Being that I view the tv at the rear wall would bookshelves or dipoles even work for me? Perhaps I need to look into in-wall speakers?

Any thoughts and/or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I say use all your current speakers and use the unused ones for surrounds.

Then put all your money into 2 subs.

In that small room you can easily fill it with almost any sub. But 2 will help reduce localization issues which I find are easy to get in small rooms.

If you really don't like the center. Just phantom it.(get rid of it and use no center) Many folks do this and it's surprisingly effective with good speakers. I'm currently phantom center while I build my new speakers.

 

[Davemcc]

If there is a matching center for the 1.8s I would go with that as they will be tone/timbre matched.

Try the speakers you have for surround duties.

Any chance you can move your sofa up a few feet, 5 would be preferred for audio considerations? As Fred said, your unused speakers should be fine for surrounds. With your room layout, I think 5.1 will suffice.

For your small room, an HSU VTF-2 MK3 or SVS PB12-NSD will work nicely for the sub.

+1. My thoughts exactly.

 

[meloman]

I wanted to thank you all for your input! Great ideas here. I took a couple of quick shots of the room where this will all be happening, feel free to browse and opine if you'd like.

fredk -

Try the speakers you have for surround duties.

As this seems to be the most economical choice, there's no harm in giving them a try and see how they feel in the system. Good suggestion - I may just try this.

AVRat -

Any chance you can move your sofa up a few feet, 5 would be preferred for audio considerations? As Fred said, your unused speakers should be fine for surrounds. With your room layout, I think 5.1 will suffice.

Ok, so 5.1 seems to be the way to go with my layout. I actually thought of moving the couch forward, but getting anywhere close to 5 feet wouldn't work (perhaps it's time to replace the couch...) I could probably get 2 feet or so, just barely enough room to stuff the bookshelves in the back on their stands. Not ideal imaging I'd suppose?

For your small room, an HSU VTF-2 MK3 or SVS PB12-NSD will work nicely for the sub.

I'm def going to check these subs out, thank you for the suggestions. I've been reading nothing but praise for the HSU subs on this board.

lsiberian -

I say use all your current speakers and use the unused ones for surrounds.
Then put all your money into 2 subs.

It's looking more and more like getting those c2's up on the walls or behind the couch. Based on the pics above, perhaps one good sub would suffice?

Is it even feasible to wall mount bookshelf speakers? That was my concern with using that type of speaker for the surrounds, with placement, etc.

Pay no attn to the wall mount currently up on the wall. The panasonic that I retired used to be hanging there. I'm still shopping around for a decent mount for the pio - can't decide what to get, besides, I've got a week to kill anyways since I'm currently running the wonderful and ever so colorful break-in dvd.

Really good input here. I appreciate the time and effort.

 

[fredk]

Wow, thats a tight space! Thats a nice size screen for the space.

 

[lsiberian]

I wanted to thank you all for your input! Great ideas here. I took a couple of quick shots of the room where this will all be happening, feel free to browse and opine if you'd like.

fredk -


As this seems to be the most economical choice, there's no harm in giving them a try and see how they feel in the system. Good suggestion - I may just try this.

AVRat -


Ok, so 5.1 seems to be the way to go with my layout. I actually thought of moving the couch forward, but getting anywhere close to 5 feet wouldn't work (perhaps it's time to replace the couch...) I could probably get 2 feet or so, just barely enough room to stuff the bookshelves in the back on their stands. Not ideal imaging I'd suppose?

I'm def going to check these subs out, thank you for the suggestions. I've been reading nothing but praise for the HSU subs on this board.

lsiberian -


It's looking more and more like getting those c2's up on the walls or behind the couch. Based on the pics above, perhaps one good sub would suffice?

Is it even feasible to wall mount bookshelf speakers? That was my concern with using that type of speaker for the surrounds, with placement, etc.

Pay no attn to the wall mount currently up on the wall. The panasonic that I retired used to be hanging there. I'm still shopping around for a decent mount for the pio - can't decide what to get, besides, I've got a week to kill anyways since I'm currently running the wonderful and ever so colorful break-in dvd.

Really good input here. I appreciate the time and effort.

You don't need a lot of space for rear surrounds in that space. If you can Audyssey the speakers.

I didn't realize you had towers. No It's not possible to mount them on the wall and for it to look good without a lot of work to the room. However subs will make a bigger difference in home theater than almost anything else. Many other things can be corrected by turning up the volume using eq's etc, but extension can only be generated by great subs. And Extension is what makes your place a home theater.

Nice TV btw.

 

[jcilforever]

If I were in your position I would sell the two sets of energy speakers and get the system I have SVS SCS-01's (all the font the same) and SBS-01's for the rear wall mounted with PB12-NSD. Except with that layout you will probably have to go with 5.1. The speakers could mount on the walls to give you more room for the sub. These speakers are just awesome for HT check out the reviews and here is their website http://www.svsound.com/products.cfmWould cost around 1,000 to 1,400 shipped. What is your buget

Your biggest issue is finding space for the sub maybe it will fit in that front left corner, can't see your box is in the way

For my pics don't pay attention to the extra boxes, that is my old system ready to go out the door Oh and the wires have yet to be hidden as I want to balance the room out before I do that. It can be hard because you have to get the wife and kids out of the house while you work