Overwhelmed: need speaker advice for Christmas

[Gern Blanston]

I didn't expect this, but my wife is willing to buy me some speakers for Christmas. I've looked at some of the recent reviews on Audioholics, but my mind is boggled. Here's my setup/situation:

I recently purchased a Sony 60A2020 and matching stand for my den/kitchen/breakfast area space. I sit about 9 to 10 feet from the TV. I will attach some pics of the room for you. I have a PS3 for a blu ray player and a Toshiba A3/D3 for HDDVD. I also have a DTV HD receiver attached. An old Yamaha RX-V2400 is on the stand but unused. I know that I'll need a new receiver.

Upstairs, in my "theater" room, I have a Mits 65" CRT HDTV, DTV HD Tivo, Denon 3805, Denon 3910, B&W 603 Series 2 tower speakers with matching center channel, B&W DM303 surrounds, and B&W ASW 1000 sub. I'm mentioning this to let you know that I have a capable sound system elsewhere in the house for enjoying movies and music, so I'm willing to settle for less in the den to accomodate my wife. While the sound is great upstairs, obviously I can't enjoy 1080p DVDs on my old Mits. I suppose that I could watch downstairs for the HD video on the new Sony, then take the movie and blu ray player upstairs to listen to the HD sound while watching in 480p, but that's not really a good solution.

My budget for surround sound is around $1000 for speakers although I'm open to considering expanding that budget somewhat. I'm biased toward music reproduction over movie sound, but this arrangement probably lends itself toward a movie oriented system. After all, I have the B&W/Denon combo for music upstairs.

My initial thoughts for a speaker system would be something like the Yamaha YSP-800 with sub, or the Polk Surround Bar. My wife is very averse to a plethora of wire, so she especially doesn't want to see surrounds (I don't know where I could put them anyway except to mount them on the ceiling: you'll see what I mean when you see the pics which I will attach later tonight). Wireless surrounds might be an option so that I could put them away easily when not in use. Also, I might opt for a two channel system which will kill the HD sound possibility, but, oh well. I don't know if a center channel is really possible without attaching an ugly rig.

If you could point me in a good direction, I would greatly appreciate it. If you need further info from me, I'll certainly provide it.

 

[TLS Guy]

I didn't expect this, but my wife is willing to buy me some speakers for Christmas. I've looked at some of the recent reviews on Audioholics, but my mind is boggled. Here's my setup/situation:

I recently purchased a Sony 60A2020 and matching stand for my den/kitchen/breakfast area space. I sit about 9 to 10 feet from the TV. I will attach some pics of the room for you. I have a PS3 for a blu ray player and a Toshiba A3/D3 for HDDVD. I also have a DTV HD receiver attached. An old Yamaha RX-V2400 is on the stand but unused. I know that I'll need a new receiver.

Upstairs, in my "theater" room, I have a Mits 65" CRT HDTV, DTV HD Tivo, Denon 3805, Denon 3910, B&W 603 Series 2 tower speakers with matching center channel, B&W DM303 surrounds, and B&W ASW 1000 sub. I'm mentioning this to let you know that I have a capable sound system elsewhere in the house for enjoying movies and music, so I'm willing to settle for less in the den to accomodate my wife. While the sound is great upstairs, obviously I can't enjoy 1080p DVDs on my old Mits. I suppose that I could watch downstairs for the HD video on the new Sony, then take the movie and blu ray player upstairs to listen to the HD sound while watching in 480p, but that's not really a good solution.

My budget for surround sound is around $1000 for speakers although I'm open to considering expanding that budget somewhat. I'm biased toward music reproduction over movie sound, but this arrangement probably lends itself toward a movie oriented system. After all, I have the B&W/Denon combo for music upstairs.

My initial thoughts for a speaker system would be something like the Yamaha YSP-800 with sub, or the Polk Surround Bar. My wife is very averse to a plethora of wire, so she especially doesn't want to see surrounds (I don't know where I could put them anyway except to mount them on the ceiling: you'll see what I mean when you see the pics which I will attach later tonight). Wireless surrounds might be an option so that I could put them away easily when not in use. Also, I might opt for a two channel system which will kill the HD sound possibility, but, oh well. I don't know if a center channel is really possible without attaching an ugly rig.

If you could point me in a good direction, I would greatly appreciate it. If you need further info from me, I'll certainly provide it.

If you have B & w upstairs, then your speaker budget is too low. You will never listen to a $1000 budget set. Trust me. Up the budget to this, or wait until you have the money.

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=2356

Better still save for this.

http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/display.aspx?infid=2354

If your wife does not like wires take a look at these.

http://www.kef.com/kht/wireless/home.htm

 

[3db]

I didn't expect this, but my wife is willing to buy me some speakers for Christmas. I've looked at some of the recent reviews on Audioholics, but my mind is boggled. Here's my setup/situation:

I recently purchased a Sony 60A2020 and matching stand for my den/kitchen/breakfast area space. I sit about 9 to 10 feet from the TV. I will attach some pics of the room for you. I have a PS3 for a blu ray player and a Toshiba A3/D3 for HDDVD. I also have a DTV HD receiver attached. An old Yamaha RX-V2400 is on the stand but unused. I know that I'll need a new receiver.

Upstairs, in my "theater" room, I have a Mits 65" CRT HDTV, DTV HD Tivo, Denon 3805, Denon 3910, B&W 603 Series 2 tower speakers with matching center channel, B&W DM303 surrounds, and B&W ASW 1000 sub. I'm mentioning this to let you know that I have a capable sound system elsewhere in the house for enjoying movies and music, so I'm willing to settle for less in the den to accomodate my wife. While the sound is great upstairs, obviously I can't enjoy 1080p DVDs on my old Mits. I suppose that I could watch downstairs for the HD video on the new Sony, then take the movie and blu ray player upstairs to listen to the HD sound while watching in 480p, but that's not really a good solution.

My budget for surround sound is around $1000 for speakers although I'm open to considering expanding that budget somewhat. I'm biased toward music reproduction over movie sound, but this arrangement probably lends itself toward a movie oriented system. After all, I have the B&W/Denon combo for music upstairs.

My initial thoughts for a speaker system would be something like the Yamaha YSP-800 with sub, or the Polk Surround Bar. My wife is very averse to a plethora of wire, so she especially doesn't want to see surrounds (I don't know where I could put them anyway except to mount them on the ceiling: you'll see what I mean when you see the pics which I will attach later tonight). Wireless surrounds might be an option so that I could put them away easily when not in use. Also, I might opt for a two channel system which will kill the HD sound possibility, but, oh well. I don't know if a center channel is really possible without attaching an ugly rig.

If you could point me in a good direction, I would greatly appreciate it. If you need further info from me, I'll certainly provide it.

I hate those simulated surround sound speaker bar things so my response may not be all that helpful. I do have a couple of questions;

1) Have you considered ceiling speakers for your surrounds?
2.) Do you have access to the floor of your den via the basement. If so what maybe possible is to drill a pair of holes thru the floor and run the wire along the joists of basement. Your wife will only see wires coimg up from the floor to the speakers themselves. Its an option.

Between teh sound bar and wireless speakers, I would choose the wireless speaker route.

 

[Davemcc]

Spend the whole $1G on a nice set of speakers and go two channel.

 

[Gern Blanston]

Thanks for the suggestions. Tom Andry suggested that I might want to go 2-channel with the RBH TK-5CT. I don't have a basement, and we have wood floors, so I probably can't do that. I like the wireless KEF idea. I may have to wait until wireless becomes more available.

 

[Pat D]

Psb

I'd suggest looking into the new PSB G-Design speakers which appear to replace the old Stratus Series speakers. The GB1 looks interesting and lists at $1100 US.

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/G-Design/G-Design-GB1-Monitor

We have a pair of the older PSB Stratus Minis which we use for HT, which are quite nice and have very good bass response for a small speaker, though we use it with a small subwoofer. A sub could always be added later.

I haven't heard the latest incarnations of the Paradigm Studio Series, but the Studio 20 has always been a good performer.

http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/speaker_only-specification-26-1-2-13.paradigm

 

[annunaki]

The Kef wireless option is a good one. That would work for rear speakers. Kef builds a very nice speaker and you could probably string together a 5 speaker system including the wireless reasr with them and be mostly happy with it.

You could just do a pair of the B&W 684's for the front and call it a day

 

[jcPanny]

Den system

I agree, go with 2 channel or 2.1. A sound bar or Yamaha Sound projector is geared towards surround sound effects in a small square room.

While the Yamaha RX-V2400 won't have the latest HDMI features, it will deliver plenty of power for most of the speakers you are probably considering and allow you to select from several analog and digital sources. I'd recommend spending $1500-2k on speakers and keeping the receiver before budgeting $1k for speakers and $500-1k for a new receiver.

 

[Gern Blanston]

Very helpful feedback. Does anyone have any thoughts on the RBH TK-5CT for 2 channel? TA gives them a great review, but I haven't found a retailer in my area who can let me audition them.

The Onkyo 705 sounds pretty interesting for a receiver.

 

[gus6464]

The Kef wireless option is a good one. That would work for rear speakers. Kef builds a very nice speaker and you could probably string together a 5 speaker system including the wireless reasr with them and be mostly happy with it.

You could just do a pair of the B&W 684's for the front and call it a day

I completely agree on checking out the B&W 684. I find the new 6xx series a huge leap compared to the older versions that I have heard. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that they are considered B&W's entry level series.

 

[Gern Blanston]

Well, I've absolutely loved my 603 S2's for the last 6 years, so I'll definitely give the 684s a listen.

I read a post last night that stand mounted speakers give better sound than floor standing towers. Is this true? I've been under the opposite impression for a long time. They seemed to suggest that the 685 would provide "better" sound than the 684.

 

[TLS Guy]

Well, I've absolutely loved my 603 S2's for the last 6 years, so I'll definitely give the 684s a listen.

I read a post last night that stand mounted speakers give better sound than floor standing towers. Is this true? I've been under the opposite impression for a long time. They seemed to suggest that the 685 would provide "better" sound than the 684.

That is nonsense. I regard a stand as a wast of footprint. I would rather use the footprint and take the enclosure to the floor and extend the bass. For me small speakers on stands have never cut it. Although there is a place for them.

I made a comment about how the high end are obsessed with detail and imaging. That is not natural. The speakers tend to bass deficient and be on the shouty side. I like a big sound laid out beyond the ends of the room with a believable perspective. When I have a singer with lute performing Dowland in an ancient ambient space I want to be aware of that space.

 

[Gern Blanston]

Thanks for the response: I have always preferred floor standing speakers, and I thought that the comment didnt' sound right. I don't want to have to buy stands anyway.

I wish that I could afford the B&W CM7: those speakers sound beautiful to me.