Please recommend good speakers for the AVR 247

[avr247]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forums.

I recently purchased a harman kardon AVR 247 receiver and am looking to purchase good speakers for this receiver.

I currently have it hooked up to a 50" Pioneer Plasma tv and 2 sony SS-MF750 Tower speakers.

I havent really been able to see the potential of my new receiver as my system pretty much sounds the same with these speakers.

I would like to purchase speakers to sound good for music and home theater.

A friend recommended that i buy the Cerwin Vega CVHD 5.1 surround system because it supposedly packs a real big punch for home audio and home theater.

Can someone please recommend what would be a good brand or speakers in specific that may compliment this receiver?

Thanks again for the help!!!!!

 

[DD66000]

Congrads on your new receiver.

First off, what is it you don't like about your curent speakers?

I see that they are rated @200w, the receiver you bought is only 50wpc, although HK power ratings are conservitive. But there is a real possibility that you could drive the receiver to clipping, as I don't know how loud you like to play them or what the sensitivity rating of the speakers is.

Second, how much do you want to spend for new speakers? As it would do no good for me to suggest a pair of speakers that sell for $500/ea (for instants) and you only want to spend $500/pr.

 

[mazersteven]

I recently purchased a harman kardon AVR 247 receiver and am looking to purchase good speakers for this receiver.

Speakers should always be purchased before the electronics.

Why you ask? Because you should find speakers that sound good to you. Once you've found your speakers, then you can purchase the appropriate receiver/amplification with the features you need.

 

[mazersteven]

I havent really been able to see the potential of my new receiver as my system pretty much sounds the same with these speakers.

Speakers create the sound you hear. Not the receiver.

 

[mazersteven]

A friend recommended that i buy the Cerwin Vega CVHD 5.1 surround system because it supposedly packs a real big punch for home audio and home theater.

If this is your friends recommendation. Find a new friend. LOL

 

[3db]

Speakers should always be purchased before the electronics.

Why you ask? Because you should find speakers that sound good to you. Once you've found your speakers, then you can purchase the appropriate receiver/amplification with the features you need.

I agree with you in principle but he did buy an HK which have meatier power supplies than the Denon, Yamaha, Onkyos allowing him a little more flexability in speaker chocie

 

[3db]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forums.

I recently purchased a harman kardon AVR 247 receiver and am looking to purchase good speakers for this receiver.

I currently have it hooked up to a 50" Pioneer Plasma tv and 2 sony SS-MF750 Tower speakers.

I havent really been able to see the potential of my new receiver as my system pretty much sounds the same with these speakers.

I would like to purchase speakers to sound good for music and home theater.

A friend recommended that i buy the Cerwin Vega CVHD 5.1 surround system because it supposedly packs a real big punch for home audio and home theater.

Can someone please recommend what would be a good brand or speakers in specific that may compliment this receiver?

Thanks again for the help!!!!!

1st off, Speakers make the most dramatic change in sound, not receivers so it doesn't surprise me that you notice no difference in sound with the HK.

CVs are awesome party speakers, able to withstand major abuse and being able to play insanely loud . But if accuracy is your thing, I would shy away from CV.

What is your budget for speakers? What are you looking for as far as sound goes? Want it accurate with good seperation of instruments, wide soundstage, tonally accurate, or do you want it just loud?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I can comment on the Harman Kardon since I have actually owned one in my home.

I have used this receiver to power a NHT SuperZero system in a 5.1 setup as well as my Defintive Technology BP7000/CLR3000/SM450 speaker system. It sounded great in both cases.

Make sure the store offers a risk-free 30-day return policy just in case the speakers don't sound good to you in your own home.

 

[avr247]

Thanks for all of the great responces!! Price is really not an issue as long as it does not go over 2K

 

[DD66000]

Thanks for all of the great responces!! Price is really not an issue as long as it does not go over 2K

That makes for a lot of choices. The best thing is to do as many auditions as possible. I'm assuming the $2K is for 5 channels.
Being you want to use them for music as well as HT get some good size mains. All of us on this or any forum will most likely give speaker suggestions of speakers WE like, and you may or may not like.
So I say check out JBL, they're the only speakers I've bought for 35 years! I've always bought their top of line or near top.
And I've audtioned many other brands.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

NHT Classic Three: $339 x 5 = $1,695

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1NHT3

NHT Classic Ten Subwoofer = $586


http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=1NHT10

Total $2,281

My dealer can sell DefTech StudioMonitor 450 for $250 ea x 5 = $1,000 + SuperCube I for $850 = $1,850 + tax. So perhaps you have a local dealer who can give you the same price. The SM450s were highly regarded by The Audio Critic, in which they compared them to the B&W 800 Matrix and said they were very similar in sound quality, except, of course, the much bigger 800 Matrix had much more bass extension. But as long as you have a sub, it's great.

 

[allargon]

That makes for a lot of choices. The best thing is to do as many auditions as possible. I'm assuming the $2K is for 5 channels.
Being you want to use them for music as well as HT get some good size mains. All of us on this or any forum will most likely give speaker suggestions of speakers WE like, and you may or may not like.
So I say check out JBL, they're the only speakers I've bought for 35 years! I've always bought their top of line or near top.
And I've audtioned many other brands.

I have the same AVR. I have Infinity's on mine. If I had a $2k budget, I would definitely audition something from AV123 like the miniStrata (oops, that deal is gone) package or the Rockets. There are the RBH/EMP packages at the Audioholics store, too.

 

[mazersteven]

AV123 like the miniStrata

Great speaker IMO for 2 channel music. Not a speaker I would choose for HT.

 

[Alex2507]

Great speaker IMO for 2 channel music. Not a speaker I would choose for HT.

Please explain that. That statement has me all confused.

 

[mazersteven]

Great speaker IMO for 2 channel music. Not a speaker I would choose for HT.

Please explain that. That statement has me all confused.

For $2000 bucks IMO you can get better performance with a great pair of bookshelf speakers (or towers) and a dedicated subwoofer. The built in subs with the Strata Mini's IMO just wouldn't give the impact for movie viewing as a separate subwoofer.

The Strata Minis are excellent IMO for someone wanting a 2 channel music system without a separate subwoofer.

 

[allargon]

Great speaker IMO for 2 channel music. Not a speaker I would choose for HT.



For $2000 bucks IMO you can get better performance with a great pair of bookshelf speakers (or towers) and a dedicated subwoofer. The built in subs with the Strata Mini's IMO just wouldn't give the impact for movie viewing as a separate subwoofer.

The Strata Minis are excellent IMO for someone wanting a 2 channel music system without a separate subwoofer.

Really? If it's a great speaker for music, then it should be a great speaker for home theater, no? Add a sub for movies... The OP did say that he wanted music.

 

[mazersteven]

Really? If it's a great speaker for music, then it should be a great speaker for home theater, no? Add a sub for movies... The OP did say that he wanted music.

I'm not saying it can't be done. My statements are IMO ( In My Opinion)

 

[jostenmeat]

Really? If it's a great speaker for music, then it should be a great speaker for home theater, no? Add a sub for movies... The OP did say that he wanted music.

I've been hearing this a lot lately. Well, first we are assuming a certain definition for great music speaker, and then we also have to assume that anything someone recommends fits that criteria to begin with. Me? I just use my fallible subjective ears.

For example, I find Monitor Audio BR1/2 nice for nearfield music listening. A teeny bit veiled, but a pleasant coloration. Coloration already means bad music speaker to some. If I say its a nice music speaker, which definition do we assume it fits? Probably only mine. However, if I put these into my HT system, I don't think they will comfortably handle the dynamics I would feed them. An educated guess.

I also have some very expensive hybrid electrostats. For some, they do not fit the definition of a great music speaker. For my fallible ears, they do. Which definition are we going on here? Particular sets of measurements? They are too beamy for many viewers in an HT setting, and even more so when the volumes get up there.

Maybe it CAN be so cut and dry, but Id make things clearer for the OP. my 2 cents.

My vote is 3 identical vertical speakers for the front, while trying to maintain tweeters at ear level. I find choice for surrounds is really, really secondary. If 5 identical speakers, 5x Ascend 170 SE will fit EASILY into budget. They are so far the best speakers Ive heard anywhere close to this budget. I own an almost-all PSB image setup for the HT. And as aforementioned, electrostats for the stereo. I now prefer the Ascends to my PSBs for the off-axis alone, let alone what I find so far to be even more precise imaging. Not the sexiest of cabinets, but Id get over that in a second. And that's saying something, because I thought the Images were unbeatable in value at the time of purchase.

-jostenmeat

 

[Alex2507]

I get it now. HT subs need to go lower and louder than most anything that music would require. I knew that from before but needed the reminder. Thanks.

 

[allargon]

I get it now. HT subs need to go lower and louder than most anything that music would require. I knew that from before but needed the reminder. Thanks.

Most anything that people listening to folk music (like most Prius drivers) would require.... Pipe organs and timpanis get pretty low in classical music. The same can be said for the synthetic bass of hip-hop, pop and modern rap music.