Solid Brands .. Any Help?

[49ersFan]

So I've wet my whistle with home theaters now .. my buddy sold me his Sony receiver and Sinclair Subwoofer ..

So now I want to finish it off with a center, two fronts and two rears ..

Problem is there are tons of brands to choose from .. is it fine to mix and match? Who kind of holds the reign of some of the best equipment out there?

Is Kilpsch good? Bose? Energy? JBL?

It seems a little overwhelming right now looking at all of my options .. I don't mind spending the money, but if there's little difference between some speakers I'd rather not spend the extra 400 or whatever for nothing ..

If I've missed a help sticky thread my apologies ..

Thanks guys ..

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

What you need is to match front speakers - preferably same brand and series
Surrounds could be different.
For surround music best configuration is all identical speakers, not needed for HT.
Plenty of "solid" brands - checkout PRO speaker reviews on the main site.
Visit several stores and listed to different speakers with your favorite music.
Decide on your budget and try to stick to it. Audio is hobby where only sky is the limit for price of components (not always expensive part better than cheaper)

 

[49ersFan]

Oh yea my front speakers will match for sure .. won't just buy one will buy two of them right away ..

So it's fine to have two fronts (the same) but a different brand center speaker?

I'm leaning towards Klipsch for most of it so far ..

 

[sholling]

Oh yea my front speakers will match for sure .. won't just buy one will buy two of them right away ..

So it's fine to have two fronts (the same) but a different brand center speaker?

NO! The front three must of the same brand and series.

I'm leaning towards Klipsch for most of it so far ..

Speaker selection is very subjective and Klipsch especially are love'em or hate'em (everybody hates Bose ) because the Klipsch sound can become fatiguing after a listening a while. I'd give them a good hour at volume to find out if your in the group that find them fatiguing.

 

[49ersFan]

NO! The front three must of the same brand and series.


Speaker selection is very subjective and Klipsch especially are love'em or hate'em (everybody hates Bose ) because the Klipsch sound can become fatiguing after a listening a while. I'd give them a good hour at volume to find out if your in the group that find them fatiguing.

Thanks for the info buddeh ..

I think the more I look, most things are in a pretty reasonable price range .. may be trial and error with them ..

Maybe I'll start with Klipsch and go from there .. or maybe Energy ..

If ya don't mind saying what brand you use and prefer?

 

[zumbo]

There are a plethora of high-quality speaker brands.

The best start is to tell us what is available to you.

For Canadian customers, I always recommend finding a Totem dealer. The dealer should have a selection of brands to get you pointed in the right direction.

I do know that where you are in the world has to do with what sounds good. While I don't care to elaborate, IMO it's a fact.

The evidence is the fact that there are several Canadian speaker companies that I would choose way over Klipsch, but yet Klipsch does very well in Canada.

 

[49ersFan]

There are a plethora of high-quality speaker brands.

The best start is to tell us what is available to you.

For Canadian customers, I always recommend finding a Totem dealer. The dealer should have a selection of brands to get you pointed in the right direction.

I do know that where you are in the world has to do with what sounds good. While I don't care to elaborate, IMO it's a fact.

The evidence is the fact that there are several Canadian speaker companies that I would choose way over Klipsch, but yet Klipsch does very well in Canada.

Because of the internet everything is available to me ..

I have no price range, it's limitless .. some of you guys say there's better things out there but no one is telling me what .. I want to weigh most of my options before I go out throwing away money ..

If there's better things than Klipsch then please let me know what .. I'm open to suggestions ..

I really do like my buddy's Energy equipment ..

 

[zumbo]

http://www.german-maestro.de/US/index.htm
http://www.dynaudio.com/relaunch1/index.php
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers
http://totemacoustic.com/
http://www.sonusfaber.com/
http://www.revelspeakers.com/
http://www.vonschweikert.com/
http://www.tannoy.com/
http://www.josephaudio.com/JosephAudio/Welcome_To_Joseph_Audio.html
http://www.snellacoustics.com/
http://www.psbspeakers.com/

 

[49ersFan]

http://www.german-maestro.de/US/index.htm
http://www.dynaudio.com/relaunch1/index.php
http://www.bowers-wilkins.com/Speakers
http://totemacoustic.com/
http://www.sonusfaber.com/
http://www.revelspeakers.com/
http://www.vonschweikert.com/
http://www.tannoy.com/
http://www.josephaudio.com/JosephAudio/Welcome_To_Joseph_Audio.html
http://www.snellacoustics.com/

Thanks!

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I'll add a few:
speakers:
http://www.rbhsound.com/
http://salksound.com/
http://www.psbspeakers.com/
list goes and goes

Subs:
http://www.svsound.com/
http://www.epiksubwoofers.com/
http://www.edesignaudio.com/
http://www.hsuresearch.com/

Electronics:
Lo to Mid-Range Denon/Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo/Integra , Emotiva
Higher End: Rotel, McIntosh, Anthem, NAD

 

[zumbo]

Electronics:
Lo to Mid-Range Denon/Marantz, Yamaha, Onkyo/Integra , Emotiva
Higher End: Rotel, McIntosh, Anthem, NAD

Classe. Krell. Arcam. Quad. Conrad Johnson. Jeff Rowland. Musical Fidelity. Mark Levinson. Bryston. Sunfire. Manley Labs. Denon POA

 

[3db]

Which Sinclair sub do you have? They are another Canadian speaker manufacturer but not very well known..

Their "Brighton" series looks interesting..

http://www.sinclairaudio.com/brightonSeries.html

 

[49ersFan]

Which Sinclair sub do you have? They are another Canadian speaker manufacturer but not very well known..

Their "Brighton" series looks interesting..

http://www.sinclairaudio.com/brightonSeries.html

I have the Fathom Series Triple 10" subwoofer .. 250 WATT ..

Great sound .. I have no problems with it ..

 

[sholling]

Thanks for the info buddeh ..

I think the more I look, most things are in a pretty reasonable price range .. may be trial and error with them ..

Maybe I'll start with Klipsch and go from there .. or maybe Energy ..

If ya don't mind saying what brand you use and prefer?

You can see my equipment lists in my signature but I'll toss out a few ideas that I like. Of course tastes vary and there are other good brands that I haven't heard in a while.

Premium Speakers
Salk Sound ($2k/pr and up) (review)

Semi Premium Speakers
Ascend Sierra-1 w/NrT upgrade (~$1100/pr)
Ascend Sierra-1 w/o upgrade (~$900/pr) (review)

Medium Priced Speakers
Ascend CMT-340SE (~$600/pr) (review)
Ascend CBM-170SE (small room) (~$350/pr)

Budget Speakers
Infinity Primus P362/P363 towers ($400/pr), PC250/PC350/PC351 centers. P162 bookshelves ($170/pr) (P162 review)

Subwoofers
Hsu Research
Rythmik
SVSound
Elemental Designs
Epik

Receivers
Denon
Onkyo
Marantz
Yamaha

You'll find some great information on the main site. Here's a sample:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/how-to-judge-loudspeakers-sound-and-accuracy
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/calibrate-your-system/home-theater-set-up-basics-101
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/basic-subwoofer-setup
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/

 

[templemaners]

Funky Waves is another Canadian subwoofer maker that would be worth looking into - can avoid some of the duties and other charges that you have to deal with buying from a US maker.

http://www.funkywaves.net/

 

[GranteedEV]

My advice is to look into BESL, Revel, Salk, JBL Synthesis, Linkwitz, Status Acoustics, Martin Logan, Gedlee, Seaton Sound, Phase Tech DARTS, Snell, Perfect 8, Ohm Walsh, Magnepan, Apogee, Quad, Nola by Accent, PMC, Spendor, Harbeth, ATC, Genelec, Focal Pro, NHT XDs, Legend Acoustics, and Acoustic Zen.

and then finally decide DIY some DEQX active 3 ways cuz it's cheaper!

seriously though, Infinity, Salk, JTR, Magnepan, PSB, Def Tech, EMP, Aperion, SVS and Ascend do all make nice and affordable speakers worth your time.

 

[GranteedEV]

Classe. Krell. Arcam. Quad. Conrad Johnson. Jeff Rowland. Musical Fidelity. Mark Levinson. Bryston. Sunfire. Manley Labs. Denon POA

aww come on... all those and you forget Boulder!?

 

[3db]

Burying my recommendations in red amongst sholling spicks

You can see my equipment lists in my signature but I'll toss out a few ideas that I like. Of course tastes vary and there are other good brands that I haven't heard in a while.

Premium Speakers
Salk Sound ($2k/pr and up) (review)
PSB Imagine T http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Imagine/Imagine-T-Tower
Paradigm Studio Series http://www.paradigm.com/products/paradigm-reference/floorstanding/studio-series/studio-60
Semi Premium Speakers
PSB Image T6 http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Image-Series/Image-T6-TowerAscend Sierra-1 w/NrT upgrade (~$1100/pr)
Ascend Sierra-1 w/o upgrade (~$900/pr) (review)

Medium Priced Speakers
Ascend CMT-340SE (~$600/pr) (review)
Ascend CBM-170SE (small room) (~$350/pr)

Budget Speakers
Infinity Primus P362/P363 towers ($400/pr), PC250/PC350/PC351 centers. P162 bookshelves ($170/pr) (P162 review)

Subwoofers
Hsu Research
Rythmik
SVSound
Elemental Designs
Epik
Outlaw
Emotiva

Receivers
Denon
Onkyo
Marantz
Yamaha

You'll find some great information on the main site. Here's a sample:
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/how-to-judge-loudspeakers-sound-and-accuracy
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/calibrate-your-system/home-theater-set-up-basics-101
http://www.audioholics.com/tweaks/get-good-bass/basic-subwoofer-setup
http://www.audioholics.com/education/loudspeaker-basics/

 

[zildjian]

Nobody has mentioned Atlantic Technology for home theater speakers, so I'll throw that in too. Yes I own AT speakers so maybe I'm biased, but that's the point! I liked them enough to buy them!
http://www.atlantictechnology.com

I'll add to zumbo's list of high end electronics:
Halcro.
http://halcro.com/home.php

High end speakers to add to the list:
Sonus Faber
http://www.sonusfaber.com/en/collection/cremona/

 

[3db]

Is that enough speakers for you to choose from buddeh?