Please Help Me Decide Before I Lose My Mind!

[Gryfter]

I'm sorry for posting another "budget bookshelf speaker" thread but I need some help.

I have been researching speakers for the last couple months and have been reading a lot of threads here and on the AVS forums. I started I thread similar to this here on the AVS forum (Read the first post for a solid understanding of my situation) asking for general advice on 5.1 setups under $500 and got some great advice. Now that I believe I have it narrowed down to 3 options I can't for the life of me decide which way to go. I also realize that I didn't budget my HT funds properly and should have spent less on my receiver and saved more for my speakers

Option Number One:
Purchase 3 Emotiva ERM-1s and use current L/R speakers as rear surrounds and hope business goes well enough to be able to grab a quality sub and surrounds in the coming months.

$450+ at least another $550 down the road for rears and a sub.

Option Number Two:
Purchase this speaker package from The Speaker Company if they are willing to let me switch out the rear TSBs for the TSS-Bs for the cost difference between the two types of speakers.

Under $600 complete

Option Number Three-A:
Pick up two Beta 20s off of the Harman Kardon store on E-Bay for roughly $60 each (shipped, if I win) and a Beta C360 center channel for $210 and a $200 - $250 sub (possibly the one in the package above) while using my current front L/R for rear surround.

$580+ another $200- $300 in the future for Dipolar rear surrounds.


Option Number Three-B:
Same as above except buy 3 Beta 20s (if I can win them) instead of the C360 saving $150 bucks so I can grab the TSS-Bs from the package above a bit sooner.

$330 now with another $200 next month.

Any opinions welcome just keep in mind that my budget is pretty strict at $550 with no guarantee how soon I will be able to put more money into it (it all depends on how good business is for me in the next few months)

Thanks for your time,

Adam.

 

[lsiberian]

Option 4 buy from Matt34 our beloved member

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56080

Get the Betas and sub from him.

Get matt's entire package for 420. It has everything you need.

 

[agarwalro]

Quality: Option 1 without a doubt

Budget: Option 3B.

Also look into the SVS SB-1 for an equivalent to option 1. IMHO, this will be a good compromise between cost and quality. http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm

I don't see any budget allocated to a sub. For this look into Elemental Design, SVS and Hsu Research. They all make good bang for buck subs.

 

[lsiberian]

Quality: Option 1 without a doubt

Budget: Option 3B.

Also look into the SVS SB-1 for an equivalent to option 1. IMHO, this will be a good compromise between cost and quality. http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm

I don't see any budget allocated to a sub. For this look into Elemental Design, SVS and Hsu Research. They all make good bang for buck subs.

I suggest a cheap sub until you can really get a nice one.

 

[griffinconst]

Option 4 buy from Matt34 our beloved member

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56080

Get the Betas and sub from him.

I second this. Great price and no auction to win.

 

[Gryfter]

If I don't have the room to stand the Beta for my center channel upright will laying it on it's side adversely affect sound quality?

I may have to send Matt a PM...

EDIT: One more thing, how would the Insignia's fair as rear surrounds?

 

[lsiberian]

If I don't have the room to stand the Beta for my center channel upright will laying it on it's side adversely affect sound quality?

I may have to send Matt a PM...

EDIT: One more thing, how would the Insignia's fair as rear surrounds?

No don't lay it on it's side. That's a no-no. But the 360 isn't a small speaker. It took up half my wall.

Rears aren't super important. So they would be just fine. Special effects can be done by even bose speakers. Good front sound requires better speakers though.

 

[alphaiii]

I didn't see it mentioned - so what receiver will you be using?

The Emotiva ERM-1 is 4ohm, so you need to make sure your AVR can handle that. Now many have mentioned that despite being 4ohm, the ERM-1 is a fairly easy load to drive...but I'd still be hesitant to use any old avr with them.

 

[Gryfter]

I didn't see it mentioned - so what receiver will you be using?

The Emotiva ERM-1 is 4ohm, so you need to make sure your AVR can handle that. Now many have mentioned that despite being 4ohm, the ERM-1 is a fairly easy load to drive...but I'd still be hesitant to use any old avr with them.

I'll be using an Onkyo TX-SR706 so it shouldn't be a problem. I do think I have decided on the Emotiva's, it will take me a bit longer to get it all finished but I think it will be worth it in the end. I'll be picking up Matt's 8' sub to hold me over until I can get the eD sub I like (who knows my room is so small and compact that 8' may be enough until I move) and I'll just use my old front l/r speakers as rear surrounds until I can get the EDR-1s.

Of course I can't purchase anything until Wednesday so who knows how things will change between now and then.

 

[griffinconst]

This is actually a great way to go. Buy as good of fronts as you can and build around them in the future.

 

[Patrick_Wolf]

From my recent experience, stay away from Energy. I just did two days of A/B comparisons between the Axiom M2v2s and Energy CB-10s. There was no contest. Axiom won hands down on all sources. Far more crisp and detailed. No more ear piercing highs that I was getting on the CB-10s. Voices were less boomy, more natural sounding. I hate to say it, but the CB-10s just sounded "bad" in comparison. The difference was really night & day, especially on music. And for only $46 more.

So obviously I'd recommend Axiom. 3x Axiom M2v2 for ($444). Or if you can wait awhile, buy from Axiom's Factory Outlet ($399). I may actually upgrade to the M3 and use a single M2 for my center.

 

[alphaiii]

From my recent experience, stay away from Energy. I just did two days of A/B comparisons between the Axiom M2v2s and Energy CB-10s. There was no contest. Axiom won hands down on all sources. Far more crisp and detailed. No more ear piercing highs that I was getting on the CB-10s. Voices were less boomy, more natural sounding. I hate to say it, but the CB-10s just sounded "bad" in comparison. The difference was really night & day, especially on music. And for only $46 more.

So obviously I'd recommend Axiom. 3x Axiom M2v2 for ($444). Or if you can wait awhile, buy from Axiom's Factory Outlet ($399). I may actually upgrade to the M3 and use a single M2 for my center.

Just wondering why the comments on Energy speakers....I didn't see mention of them anywhere in the thread...did I miss something?



To the OP...with the 706, the Emotiva's sound like a great option. Plus, if you feel the Onkyo isn't quite up to it, you can always add an amp later...

 

[Gryfter]

Aperion Intimus 4s VS Emotiva ERM-1s

What do you guys think of Aperion speakers specifically the Intimus 4B and Intimus 4C in comparison to the Emotiva ERM-1s.

I can get 2 4Bs and a 4C open box for $360 but I'm curious as to how much performance I would be losing to save $100.

 

[fredk]

Hmm. Maybe Axiom fits in here after all. Here is a shootout/review between the Aperion B2, Axiom M2 and Paradigm Mini Monitor.

Hey Gryfter. Since you are looking at small bookshelves, can you fit 3 across the front? That would give you the best soundstage.

 

[Gryfter]

Hmm. Maybe Axiom fits in here after all. Here is a shootout/review between the Aperion B2, Axiom M2 and Paradigm Mini Monitor.

Hey Gryfter. Since you are looking at small bookshelves, can you fit 3 across the front? That would give you the best soundstage.

Yep, as of right now I plan on getting 3 ERM-1s from Emotiva but I'm not ordering until Wednesday morning so I'll continue to browse around looking at different manufacturers and probably bugging you guys with more stupid questions until then.

 

[NicolasKL]

I wonder how the ERM-1 compares to Ascend's HTM-200 SE given their similar design.

 

[Gryfter]

I wonder how the ERM-1 compares to Ascend's HTM-200 SE given their similar design.

Based on what I've read they are both MVPs in the same ballpark and comparisons between them I believe mostly come down to personal taste though I do believe that the Ascends have more range in the lower frequency's.

 

[Patrick_Wolf]

Just wondering why the comments on Energy speakers....I didn't see mention of them anywhere in the thread...did I miss something?



To the OP...with the 706, the Emotiva's sound like a great option. Plus, if you feel the Onkyo isn't quite up to it, you can always add an amp later...

The OP said he was looking at the Take Classic here. I haven't heard it before, but I can't imagine it's too good if the CB-10's don't even cut it.

 

[alphaiii]

The OP said he was looking at the Take Classic here. I haven't heard it before, but I can't imagine it's too good if the CB-10's don't even cut it.

Got ya...sorry, I missed that somehow.

I think the Take's would be ok for someone who doesn't have high expectations, but wants something better than the crap Samsung/Sony HTIB systems at Best Buy....or for someone with tight budget and space requirements.

For serious listening...actually even casual listening - I wouldn't go with the Take Classic either.

As far as Energy in general....I think they make some great products. The RC series is very nice...and an amazing deal at the closeout pricing. The older C-series is pretty nice - good for their entry line, but definitely not in the same class as the RC series. I haven't heard any of the new C-series (such as the CB-10 you mentioned), so I can't comment on them.

 

[Gryfter]

Just picked up the 3 ERM-1s (and Matt's ASW-8) I am stoked.

I just wanted to thank every one for all your help and input, this is a great place and I hope to be around for a while, I've got a lot more to learn.

Thank You,

-Adam