New Thread Type - Unsatisfied :(

[Ares2424]

I have been crawling around this site for a little over a month now and wow. The people on here know more about sound and speakers then I will ever know about anything, you people should be proud of knowledge this comprehensive.

The problem that I am having with my Home Theatre is that it simply doesn't impress me...

I have a Harmon kardon avr 245/ bose 301 fronts/ bose vcs 30 center and surrounds/and an energy s8.3 sub.

The sound quality that comes out of the system I cannot complain about, possibly because I just haven't heard anything better yet (I HAVE looked/listened). The system is a few years old and I think I should start to move beyond my beginner system.

On to the unsatisfied part, it just isn't 'big' enough. I am unhappy with the db level I guess. I am now thinking about how I can improve the system and know that this is the place to learn. Space is somewhat of an issue which is why I went with bookshelf speakers in the first place, however being a builder by trade allows me to change the room if I have to .

Any information and expertise, no matter how base level would be greatly appreciated (remember; I'm a noob!)

 

[lsiberian]

I have been crawling around this site for a little over a month now and wow. The people on here know more about sound and speakers then I will ever know about anything, you people should be proud of knowledge this comprehensive.

The problem that I am having with my Home Theatre is that it simply doesn't impress me...

I have a Harmon kardon avr 245/ bose 301 fronts/ bose vcs 30 center and surrounds/and an energy s8.3 sub.

The sound quality that comes out of the system I cannot complain about, possibly because I just haven't heard anything better yet (I HAVE looked/listened). The system is a few years old and I think I should start to move beyond my beginner system.

On to the unsatisfied part, it just isn't 'big' enough. I am unhappy with the db level I guess. I am now thinking about how I can improve the system and know that this is the place to learn. Space is somewhat of an issue which is why I went with bookshelf speakers in the first place, however being a builder by trade allows me to change the room if I have to .

Any information and expertise, no matter how base level would be greatly appreciated (remember; I'm a noob!)

A very good setup would be 4pairs of behringer 2030p's. Seeing as you are a builder. You could always put together your own subs. . We have a box in the DIY section with a driver recommendation that would be out the commercials subs out there for home use. If you know how to cut wood straight and glue it together. It would be a piece of cake for a man of your talents.

 

[highfigh]

I have been crawling around this site for a little over a month now and wow. The people on here know more about sound and speakers then I will ever know about anything, you people should be proud of knowledge this comprehensive.

The problem that I am having with my Home Theatre is that it simply doesn't impress me...

I have a Harmon kardon avr 245/ bose 301 fronts/ bose vcs 30 center and surrounds/and an energy s8.3 sub.

The sound quality that comes out of the system I cannot complain about, possibly because I just haven't heard anything better yet (I HAVE looked/listened). The system is a few years old and I think I should start to move beyond my beginner system.

On to the unsatisfied part, it just isn't 'big' enough. I am unhappy with the db level I guess. I am now thinking about how I can improve the system and know that this is the place to learn. Space is somewhat of an issue which is why I went with bookshelf speakers in the first place, however being a builder by trade allows me to change the room if I have to .

Any information and expertise, no matter how base level would be greatly appreciated (remember; I'm a noob!)

Hi. Be prepared for some Bose bashing- they aren't popular here.

The 301 is good for some kinds of music, especially if the high frequency response isn't particularly extended. Listen to speakers that have a dome tweeter. The ones you like don't need to be large but you have to listen to quite a few in order to find the proverbial 'needle in a haystack'.

One thing I'll tell you right now- if you don't already use hearing protection, start immediately. Being around power tools, hammering and other noises that are part of construction takes a heavy toll on hearing and once it's gone, it never comes back. If you work close to the noise, one good reason you aren't impressed by the SPL is that your hearing threshold has shifted upward, so you won't perceive something as loud unless it reaches a higher dB rating than before.

I don't know if you ever watch 'Ask This Old House', but Tommy Silva did a short segment about noise levels and had someone from OSHA there, to measure the SPL of several tools- power and hand (AKA 'handraulics'). A hammer hitting a nail at arm's length peaked at 135dB and that causes damage is a specific range. Unfortunately, that range is right in the middle of human speech, so it pretty well explains why a lot of people in the trades say, "What?" a lot.

 

[Ares2424]

Well, I do wear ear protection quite often but there are always going to be times ....

I already know about the bose feeling, it's not just on this site but almost everywhere ( for me) However, I am going to stick by my guns and say that they were still the best that I heard while I was buying them. Maybe I just lived too far into the sticks.

The frequencies that might be lacking in my mind are the 'woofer' section of what I think the fronts should provide 80 - 300 ish. Does that mean I am already screwed? But that does not mean that I am satisfied with the others either, I have heard better on larger ie. tower speakers. The sub I believe is just too small to get the low frequencies that I want, but I could be wrong.

 

[Ares2424]

A very good setup would be 4pairs of behringer 2030p's. Seeing as you are a builder. You could always put together your own subs. . We have a box in the DIY section with a driver recommendation that would be out the commercials subs out there for home use. If you know how to cut wood straight and glue it together. It would be a piece of cake for a man of your talents.

4 pairs? Why would I need that many? (remember noob!!) And yes I looked at the DIY sub section and am totally unworried. I already have a sub suggestion from you that I will likely need to get more specific help with in the future.

 

[rnatalli]

What budget did you have in mind?

 

[Ares2424]

What budget did you have in mind?

Budget isn't really an issue for me, as long as it stays with in reason. I am thinking that I would probably spend roughly $3000 in total but I also want to draw that out since there is no way that I can drop that kinda of cash at once. Depending on how tax season hits me this year I could end up spending more, that always seems to happen to me anyway when I see something shiny!

I originally thought about building the speakers into 'fancy' wood work throughout the basement, however after reading through the forums I learned that might not be an option due to more complicated acoustic situations. (if each speaker is built into its own box does that work?)

 

[lsiberian]

4 pairs? Why would I need that many? (remember noob!!) And yes I looked at the DIY sub section and am totally unworried. I already have a sub suggestion from you that I will likely need to get more specific help with in the future.

If you want 7.1. They only come in pairs. for 5.1 you'd get just 3 pairs.

 

[lsiberian]

Budget isn't really an issue for me, as long as it stays with in reason. I am thinking that I would probably spend roughly $3000 in total but I also want to draw that out since there is no way that I can drop that kinda of cash at once. Depending on how tax season hits me this year I could end up spending more, that always seems to happen to me anyway when I see something shiny!

I originally thought about building the speakers into 'fancy' wood work throughout the basement, however after reading through the forums I learned that might not be an option due to more complicated acoustic situations. (if each speaker is built into its own box does that work?)

Your best bet is to stick to reputable brands like Infinity, Ascend, SVS, Axiom, Aperion and a few others. SVS offers package deals with a sub and speakers that are very nice.

 

[Ares2424]

If you want 7.1. They only come in pairs. for 5.1 you'd get just 3 pairs.

SWEET!!, I will just use the extra speaker that comes and use it for the sub!!
This stuff just keeps getting easier and easier!!

I think that I would still only get 3 pairs and a different center for my own personal preference on looks, still looking!

 

[Ares2424]

Whoops, I spoke too soon, there is a guy on youtube with these speakers running a 10Hz wave thru them......