Speaker choices

[bryanalban]

Hi,

I'm starting to build a new HT/stereo system. And I need some advice.

A few things:

1. I'm on a budget
2. I listen to music (classical, jazz and acoustic) as much as watch TV and movies
3. I have a 1080p LCD TV
4. My wife doesn't want speaker all over our living room, so we are going to start out with a stereo pair (and hopefully a sub).
5. I want something that I can eventually expand (when I talk my wife into it).

I'm getting a Onkyo TX-SR 705 receiver and I've narrowed down my choices to the following:

Infinity P162
Polk Audio Monitor 40
Boston Acoustics CS 26

I know I have to listen to them, and I will this weekend, but I was looking for a bit of advice and guidance from people who know more than me.

thanks. Bryan

 

[malovich]

Budget?
Option for floorstanders or would the wifey not like that......?

 

[bryanalban]

I'm trying to keep it under $250 for the pair (that way I can talk her into getting a sub).

I think I'd like to stay with slightly smaller speakers. That way in the future I could have those be the L/R and get small satelites to round out the surrounds.

 

[malovich]

This is a standard list of brands I suggest people check out when they ask what to get, I can tell you right now B&W,Definitive,Paradigm and Streem are out of your price range. AV123 has B-Stock open box ELT525M bookshelves for an excellent price and will blow away any of the other speakers you picked. Check them out HERE, These are cheaper but still better than the other picks.

Acoustic Research
Aperion
Ascend (CMT-340)
Athena (ls series at audioadvisor)(I personally own a pair of ls-500 speakers)
AV123 (X-series & ELT series)(good subs)
Axiom
B&W
BIC (good sub: HC-100)
Boston Acoustics
Canton
Definitive Technologies
EMP
Energy (C-series)
Fluance (Really cheap with good reviews, they have an eBay store)
HSU (good subs)
HTD
Infinity (Beta & Primus)
JBL
KEF
KLH
Klipsch
Mirage
Monitor
Orb Audio
Paradigm
Polk (RTI8 and Monitor)
PSB
The Speaker Company
Streem
SVS (good subs)

 

[fredk]

Nice shortlist Malovich.

Since you have Infinity on your list, you might be interested in the review linked to below. They are above your budget, but get very good reviews by members here for their exceptionally flat frequency response.
http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=48411&highlight=Primus

Can you up your budget at all? Maybe you can convince your wife to kick in a little as an early Christmas present?

Given the music you list, I really think you would benefit from looking at speakers in the $500 range a lot. Classical is some of the most dynamic and well recorded music around and would benefit from a nicer speaker.

When I looked at your music list I also thought of the Axiom M22 bookshelf as they are a very neutral speaker. Unfortunately it is also outside your current budget.

 

[markw]

$250 doesn't leave much wiggle room. But, if you are seriously looking for an eventuial HT with a center speaker, I would suggest you get it as soon as possible, if not at the same time as you buy your mains.

There are two main reasons for this:

1) The center should match the mains as closely as possible. When a manufacturer releases a line of speakers, they generally issue a center to match that line. That's generally the best match you'e gonna find. The rears and surrounds are a bit less critical, at least as far as movies are cncerned.

2) Manufacturers rarely keep their lineup the same for any length of time. The odds of finding a (NIB) center to match a closed-out lineup get worse the longer you wait. He who hesitates may be lost.

 

[Midcow2]

Awesome bookshelf speakers

I'm trying to keep it under $250 for the pair (that way I can talk her into getting a sub).

I think I'd like to stay with slightly smaller speakers. That way in the future I could have those be the L/R and get small satelites to round out the surrounds.

Bryanalban,

First welcome to Audiholics.

These are awesome bookshelf speakers; I have a pair setup in my office at work. Cambridge Audio S-30 $219 delivered. http://spearitsound.amazonwebstore.com/Cambridge-Audio-S30-Speakers-Natural-Oak/M/B00196SJOI.htm?utm_campaign=froogle&utm_medium=organic&utm_source=froogle


A good inexpensive starting sub is the Dayton SUB-120 HT
http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?partnumber=300-635
Good Luck!

MidCow2

P.S.- Another inexpensive speaker to look at that a lot of people on this forum like is the Behringer TRUTH B2031P Speaker at only $152.60 per pair http://www.limitedgoods.com/itemView.php?ProdID=68175&source=FroogleUS&medium=free&campaign=FroogleUS