Question

[ElJosh]

I am getting a new HDTV soon, and buying a system to go with it. But I don't have too much money right now. So, I was only going to get the fronts, a center, and a sub, and by the rears, and surrounds at a later date. But I was talking to a friend and he said that you should get everything at the same time, because if I buy the rear, and surrounds, that they will have tone differences. Is that right? Oh, and he also said that you can't get a different brand of speakers for the rear, or surround, because of the same reason. Is that also right?

 

[MDS]

The surrounds and rear surrounds are not as critical as the front three speakers because they are only used for effects. They don't have to be the same brand or from the same series of the brand.

The front three ideally should match so that you don't notice a change in sound for things like a pan that starts in the left speaker, moves to the center, and continues to the right speaker. You want it to sound seamless as the sound moves across the front soundstage. You don't really have the same effect (at least not to the same degree) with the surrounds.

Note that speakers may say they are 'voice matched' which means they all have the same timbre and work well together for those seamless transitions from one speaker to the next.

 

[jamie2112]

I am getting a new HDTV soon, and buying a system to go with it. But I don't have too much money right now. So, I was only going to get the fronts, a center, and a sub, and by the rears, and surrounds at a later date. But I was talking to a friend and he said that you should get everything at the same time, because if I buy the rear, and surrounds, that they will have tone differences. Is that right? Oh, and he also said that you can't get a different brand of speakers for the rear, or surround, because of the same reason. Is that also right?

Hello It seems like your friend is not giving you the whole truth and nothing but. Just like MDS said it doesn't matter what brand or if they match the fronts. The most important thing is that your front 3 speakers match because that will be your main dialog in movies and the rears are for effects only 99% of the time. Go ahead and buy your fronts and sub and get the rears and surrounds at the later date. Happy hunting, Listen to as many different speakers as you can cause your choices are almost endless..

 

[mike c]

agree with them both.

IMO, if the budget cannot fit all of the parts, I would get them in this order:

MAINS
RECEIVER
SUB
CENTER
SURROUNDS
REAR SURROUNDS
SUB 2
SUB 3
SUB 4

last 3 items optional

 

[jamie2112]

agree with them both.

IMO, if the budget cannot fit all of the parts, I would get them in this order:

MAINS
RECEIVER
SUB
CENTER
SURROUNDS
REAR SURROUNDS
SUB 2
SUB 3
SUB 4

last 3 items optional

CLASSIC list there Mike I am laughing and just woke up my wife. She just doesn't get it.....

 

[ElJosh]

Thanks, guys. I just want to clear that up.

 

[Rickster71]

IMO, if the budget cannot fit all of the parts, I would get them in this order:

MAINS
RECEIVER
SUB
CENTER
SURROUNDS
REAR SURROUNDS
SUB 2
SUB 3
SUB 4

last 3 items optional

Hi Mike,
I'm surprised you didn't put the Subs before the Mains and receiver.

 

[3db]

I am getting a new HDTV soon, and buying a system to go with it. But I don't have too much money right now. So, I was only going to get the fronts, a center, and a sub, and by the rears, and surrounds at a later date. But I was talking to a friend and he said that you should get everything at the same time, because if I buy the rear, and surrounds, that they will have tone differences. Is that right? Oh, and he also said that you can't get a different brand of speakers for the rear, or surround, because of the same reason. Is that also right?

Like everyone is saying, the surrounds are usually fro affect and although the sound field would be more cohesive, its not as critical as matching the mains with the center channel.

That being said, a center channel is not all that critical either IF you meet the following conditions.
1.) The left and right mains thro a really good soundstage.
2.) The second is that your room layout allows for proper placement of the speakers such that the listening positioning forms an equalteral position with left and right speakers.

If these 2 conditions are achievable, than you can buy your left/right speaker, save up for the sub ( unless you are getting towers for mains that can get into the low to mid 30Hz region) , get the center channel and then the surrounds. If you are getting towers, pick up the center, surrounds, and then the sub. Also make sure the main speakers you are buying will be manufactured for as long as it takes you to save for the speakers for other channels.

My main speakers image so well that I don't need the center channel when listening to the speakers about 20 degrees off center.

 

[Pyrrho]

I am getting a new HDTV soon, and buying a system to go with it. But I don't have too much money right now. So, I was only going to get the fronts, a center, and a sub, and by the rears, and surrounds at a later date. But I was talking to a friend and he said that you should get everything at the same time, because if I buy the rear, and surrounds, that they will have tone differences. Is that right? Oh, and he also said that you can't get a different brand of speakers for the rear, or surround, because of the same reason. Is that also right?

I disagree with others who have posted—to a degree. It is certainly true that the fronts matching is far, far more important than the rears matching, but I use identical speakers for all channels (excluding LFE/subwoofer, obviously), and I will NEVER go back to using lessor speakers for the rear/surround. But, if I were on a tight budget, I would just buy the fronts and hope that I could find matching rear/surround speakers later. Really, it is far less important that the rear match than that the front match. But I think it is wrong to say that it makes NO difference.

I also like using an IDENTICAL speaker for the center channel, instead of one that is supposedly "voice matched", though I do realize that for some people, that approach may not be feasible due to various constraints. An identical speaker is absolutely voice matched, but a "voice matched" speaker typically does not sound exactly like the main speakers. Still, it usually is close enough for most people.

I do agree with mike c's order of importance for speakers:

1) Main speakers
2) Subwoofer
3) Center speaker
4) Surrounds
5) Rear surrounds

In other words, I would rather listen to a system with just main speakers and a subwoofer than just main speakers and anything else (assuming that the main speakers do not have unusually good bass, like flat response down to 15 Hz, in which case a subwoofer would be unnecessary). And next, I would want a center speaker (ideally, the same as the main speakers), etc.

 

[mike c]

Hi Mike,
I'm surprised you didn't put the Subs before the Mains and receiver.

it was hard, but it was the sane thing to type

CLASSIC list there Mike I am laughing and just woke up my wife. She just doesn't get it.....

 

[Alex2507]

I would think that for multi channel music having the rears be of the same brand and product line is a good idea. Having all the speakers be the same model would be way too sweet. If you're buying speakers, buying matching speakers sounds ideal.

I was talking to a friend and he said that you should get everything at the same time, because if I buy the rear, and surrounds, that they will have tone differences.

I don't understand the 'at the same time' thing. Why? Like everyone said, get the mains. When you get around to the center, a matching center will be available then just like it's available now.