Speaker Help For Surround

G

GRUBBERZ

Audiophyte
I currently own a NAD 705 receiver with Bose 701 speakers. I am upgrading my receiver to a Sony STRDE875. I was wondering if I could use my Bose as front speakers and buy some rear speakers, center, and subwoofer. Will this work. I was planning on buying one of those systems in a box but they dont impress me that much.
If this will work, what size rear speakers should I be looking at? Bookshelf speakers?
As you can tell, I am NEW to surround sound.
I thankyou in advance for your help.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
You're better off moving the Bose to the rear surrounds and starting fresh with a matched center set. The front three should be "matched" and the odds of finding a center to match the Bose speakers are slim to none. Using different speakers for the rear surrounds is less critical.
 
G

GRUBBERZ

Audiophyte
What type of front speakers should I be looking at? SIZE!!!. I dont think I will be getting more Bose.
 
M

markw

Audioholic Overlord
Good choice on forgoing Bose, but a little info please?

GRUBBERZ said:
What type of front speakers should I be looking at? SIZE!!!. I dont think I will be getting more Bose.
How about a ballpark dollar figure? Do you want bookshelves? Floorstanders?

Very good speakers can be had in either, depending on your wants, needs and room size.

Are you considering a subwoofer?
 
G

GRUBBERZ

Audiophyte
I dont know what I want for surround sound. My room is 18x12 feet. I just need information on if it would be ok to use my existing Bose 701 as front or rear speakers. If so, what type(size) of speakers should I buy to work with them. If I can utalise the Bose I have, 2 less speakers I need to buy. Would I need a sub with the Bose. I have never had surround sound before. Just looking for advice.
THANX
 
M

MDS

Audioholic Spartan
Most audio enthusiasts will cringe if you even mention the word Bose, but its understandable if you want to keep them for awhile to save money.

markw gave you the best advice you could get - Buy matching fronts and centers and move the Bose to the rear which is not as critical as the front soundstage. Then later, as funds permit, replace them too - preferably with speakers from the same company as the front and centers you get.
 
S

scarecrow

Audioholic Intern
I think you should try and get a really excellent fronts and center, they're the most important. It's always upgrading, maybe later you'll want to replace them too. If you go to the speaker forums then tell them what your budget allows they'll be sure to give you the best speakers for the $. Probably recommend speakers like athena and paradigm. I got a cerwin vega package and might have listened to them before I did that because for the money there's better than them. Nowadays there's more power distributed to the rears then before and you can change the volume of each speaker to further asses power distributions. If you get athena's with two 8" woofers, you won't likely need a sub but a sub could always be useful. I say get the best most powerful speakers always, always try to achieve at least as low as say 40-50htz on fronts and rears, well 60htz is not too bad. Anyways, a sub will cover what no speakers can 16htz and up. I'd work on the fronts and center and then see if the bose need replacing, then think about a sub, only you can decide if you need one. Centers take the most use, then fronts then rears. I have a 5.1 and I'm using 4 12" 3-way cerwin vegas for front and rear and a cerwin center (matching) for center. I like to have equally powerful fronts and rears. I think you could get a nice set of fronts and center and then put the bose on rear for now, then you could decide whether to upgrade later. I recoomend you ask the speaker section guys and they'll point you in the right direction. The bose might be good for rears so you might not even want to upgrade, it's your call there, and I'd hold off on the sub unless you want to get one, I've heard good things about sunfire, svs, velodyne, etc. for subs and for speakers athena paradigm wharfedale , well I'm not the expert, they are. If you follow what they're saying you'll be much happier, I learned too late, but my cerwins are a good bang for the buck. The e-series is the best of cerwin vega and you might want them, excellent budget and they are like 95db and kick down to about 30htz. Although they're not as good quality although they do come with a 5-year warranty. I'd say the more you learn the better speakers you'll get. Good luck.
 
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