Recomendations: Speaker Setup for $3,000 ish

[kellyk75]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my audio system and could use some recommendations for a place to start the search.

I am running off of a Yamaha RX-V657 Receiver (7.1 95W / ch RMS) and Athena Point 5 system w/ SVS PB-10 ISD Sub.

As you can imagine, the soundstage and centre is a bit weak and am looking for an upgrade in the speakers only.

1 Option is to stick with Athena and just upgrade the fronts and turn 5.1 into 7.1.

Other option is to upgrade the whole system and sell Athena's.

I have done some searching, and I saw the Axiom's here, but am a bit concerned with the lack of dealers and the comment about the centre channels not being able to "keep up with the towers".

Also, is there a real advantage to using bi-polars as surrounds?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Hi,

I am looking to upgrade my audio system and could use some recommendations for a place to start the search.

I am running off of a Yamaha RX-V657 Receiver (7.1 95W / ch RMS) and Athena Point 5 system w/ SVS PB-10 ISD Sub.

As you can imagine, the soundstage and centre is a bit weak and am looking for an upgrade in the speakers only.

1 Option is to stick with Athena and just upgrade the fronts and turn 5.1 into 7.1.

Other option is to upgrade the whole system and sell Athena's.

I have done some searching, and I saw the Axiom's here, but am a bit concerned with the lack of dealers and the comment about the centre channels not being able to "keep up with the towers".

Also, is there a real advantage to using bi-polars as surrounds?

If you are going to spend $3K on speakers, I say sell those Athenas and get a whole new system, which would be a lot more exciting.

Where do you live & what kind of speakers are available at your local dealers?

Tell us about your room size.

 

[3db]

If you are replacing your left, right, and center speaker at the same time to use as surrounds or rears, then thats a viable option depending on how big your room is and how far apart the surrounds are now.

Bipolar is great for creating a diffuse sound field which is usedalot in movies. But thats not what you want if you ever go to multichannel music found in SACD or DVD-A. In that case, monopoles are better suited.

 

[Soundman]

If you are replacing your left, right, and center speaker at the same time to use as surrounds or rears, then thats a viable option depending on how big your room is and how far apart the surrounds are now.

Bipolar is great for creating a diffuse sound field which is usedalot in movies. But thats not what you want if you ever go to multichannel music found in SACD or DVD-A. In that case, monopoles are better suited.

Good post.That's exactly right. I tried bipoles/dipoles/quadpoles, but am now going back to monopoles for that reason.

 

[kellyk75]

Some room details,

The room is quite long with 8 ft celeings. It's about 12 ft wide by 40 ft long, with the empty space behind the viewer...... not ideal I know.

I use my system for 90% games, movies, TV, 10% music. Most music is in the car for me.

I live in Alberta, Canada so just the big box stores and some specialty stores.

What I have seen is (but I am sure not limited to):

Paradigm
Klipsch
B&W
PSB
Polk Audio
Jamo
and the big box store brands.

But not all models of those brands.

 

[Soundman]

Some room details,

The room is quite long with 8 ft celeings. It's about 12 ft wide by 40 ft long, with the empty space behind the viewer...... not ideal I know.

I use my system for 90% games, movies, TV, 10% music. Most music is in the car for me.

I live in Alberta, Canada so just the big box stores and some specialty stores.

What I have seen is (but I am sure not limited to):

Paradigm
Klipsch
B&W
PSB
Polk Audio
Jamo
and the big box store brands.

But not all models of those brands.

Wow! That room is pretty huge! How far away is the listening area?

 

[kellyk75]

Basically I am using less than half the room for A/V but have room to move back if necessary (wired for). I am using probably 14 ft x 14 ft (correction to my earlier 12ft dimension)

 

[Soundman]

Basically I am using less than half the room for A/V but have room to move back if necessary (wired for). I am using probably 14 ft x 14 ft (correction to my earlier 12ft dimension)

If you had some pics of the room, it may help, but it sounds like your rear wall is too far away. If your seating position is say 14ft away, it's probably best to just mount some surrounds on the side walls. As for the speakers, if you have $3,000 to burn, I'd probably just get a whole new setup so your surrounds will match. I know the surrounds aren't as critical for timbe matching, but it will just look cooler if they do.

 

[Sheep]

Basically I am using less than half the room for A/V but have room to move back if necessary (wired for). I am using probably 14 ft x 14 ft (correction to my earlier 12ft dimension)

The problem with that is the room doesn't know your only using half. If you sit in the middle, expect zero bass. You would be better off going across the room instead of length wise.

SheepStar

 

[kellyk75]

The problem with that is the room doesn't know your only using half. If you sit in the middle, expect zero bass. You would be better off going across the room instead of length wise.

SheepStar

I have been in this configuration for 2 years now with my SVS PB-10 ISD. Bass isn't a problem. I will think about re-configuring, but it wouldn't be easy with my layout.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

If the bass is fine I wouldnt worry about changing the room. You should have plenty of headroom at a 14 foot listening position for the mids and highs. I would take that 3000 bucks and find the best possible LCR in that range and use what ever you have lying around for ther surrounds.

 

[mazersteven]

I say sell those Athenas and get a whole new system, which would be a lot more exciting.

I agree 100%

 

[mazersteven]

Keep your sub if your happy with it.

Mains---Paradigm Studio 40 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/fronts-studio-studio40-model-2-13-1-27.paradigm

Center---Paradigm Studio CC-590 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/centers-studio-studiocc590-model-3-13-1-31.paradigm

Surrounds---Paradigm Studio ADP-590 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/surrounds-studio-studioadp590-model-4-13-1-38.paradigm

 

[gus6464]

I agree 100%

Yeah get this!

J/K

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Paradigm fanboy

Keep your sub if your happy with it.

Mains---Paradigm Studio 40 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/fronts-studio-studio40-model-2-13-1-27.paradigm

Center---Paradigm Studio CC-590 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/centers-studio-studiocc590-model-3-13-1-31.paradigm

Surrounds---Paradigm Studio ADP-590 http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference/surrounds-studio-studioadp590-model-4-13-1-38.paradigm

 

[mazersteven]

Yeah get this!

J/K

Look Fanboy. Don't push your burning desire on the OP.

 

[3db]

Basically I am using less than half the room for A/V but have room to move back if necessary (wired for). I am using probably 14 ft x 14 ft (correction to my earlier 12ft dimension)

Sounds like your room is wide enough for 7.1 . The thing I'm wondering about is how you've got your surrounds mounted presently. Are they on stands close to your listening position? How far away are your surrounds from the listening position? Is it possible for you to put in a wall to divide that room up?

As far as upgrades go, I would take the money and invest it in "Big Screen" rather than new speakers. Athena's are decent enough for HT and gaming use which is your primary use. Unless your intended interest is changing more towards music, I'd think you would get a bigger smile on your face with a big screen rather than new speakers.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Yeah get this!

J/K

I cannot believe this Bose crap costs $3,000!!!
And people actually spend $3K on this crap?
Brainwashed?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Sounds like your room is wide enough for 7.1 . The thing I'm wondering about is how you've got your surrounds mounted presently. Are they on stands close to your listening position? How far away are your surrounds from the listening position? Is it possible for you to put in a wall to divide that room up?

As far as upgrades go, I would take the money and invest it in "Big Screen" rather than new speakers. Athena's are decent enough for HT and gaming use which is your primary use. Unless your intended interest is changing more towards music, I'd think you would get a bigger smile on your face with a big screen rather than new speakers.

That is a good point.
90% Games + TV + Movies = Athenas Will Do.

But like all things in life, you gotta plan for the future, not just this year. You just don't know where life takes you.

How many of us have gone from one extreme to the other, from Music to Movies and vice versa?

I went from Movies to Music, back to Movies, back to Music, then now to Movies + Music.

So just get a great set of "Musical" speakers, which will also work great for movies + games.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Paradigm
Klipsch
B&W
PSB
Polk Audio
Jamo
and the big box store brands.

Those are some great speakers.

If they will allow you a 30 day No-Cost Return Policy, I say start bringing those babies home for an audition & and let us all know how they sound in your first ever extensive Audioholic Speaker Review!

EDIT: I just can't believe they don't have my Def Techs! So Poo Poo on them!!!