Speaker & Home Theater Help

[bmmmw]

O.k. so I wanted to buy the Bose Lifestyle 28 system and my husband said "We have great speakers here at home, before you buy something new research, research, research"

So here I am

We are currently using a cheap Sony 5.1 surround system that we bought a few years ago with the speakers they supplied.

However in storage we have 4 Pardigm Atoms (which are the perfect size, don't want the big bulk) and we also have 2 9-SE MarkIII that we were using for the fronts, excellent speaker but way too large (we most likely will sell those) We stopped using them because our Yamaha receiver lost left front channel and some led lights - it was aging on us.

Here is the dilema -
Do we keep the Atom's and dust them off and purchase a new center channel, subwoofer and receiver. (and if so what kind)

Or do we look at a whole new system?

We use our system for 90% movies and TV and love rich quality sound when we do. (have been missing that since we went with the Sony)

Our living room is 10 x 16 with an open sunroom thats attached on the side. which is 7 x 12 like and L shaped room.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance

 

[audiorookie]

Hay check this out do what i did.
Go to a local best buy store, most of them have the Magnolia theater set up where they can demo receivers and speakers.
I did this at 3 stores and heard about 8 brands of speakers Bose,Polk audio,Klipch ,Mirage,Definitive etc.etc.
Theres no better way to pick speakers than to take them for a test drive.
I ended up with Definitive towers(built in sub in each) and Mirage center and rear speakers and Yamaha rx v1700 receiver

 

[AVRat]

If you are happy with the sound of the Atoms, then go ahead and build on them. Add a Paradigm CC170 center, a HSU STF-2 sub (holiday sale), and a Pioneer 816/1016 receiver. Hopefully, these suggestions fit the budget.

 

[j_garcia]

I'd use the Atoms as surrounds and pick up some better speakers for up front to go along with them. STF-2 would be a good choice for sub; better than anything in the price range from Paradigm.

 

[jcPanny]

New speakers

I think you will find that those old Atoms will perform much better than your current Sony speakers or a new Bose system. Give them an audition on your current HTIB receiver and see what you think.

Since you are probably limited to bookelf size speakers, the Onix X-LS bookshelfs and center from AV123 might be a good upgrade in the performance and looks department. After you decide on the speakers and sub, you can get a receiver with the power and features you need.

 

[Nick250]

I think the Atom's are great little speakers. Buy a sub because you need a new one anyway (the HSU STF-2 is on sale and a great buy), then take Atoms out for a listen, all four of them with the sub, and then report back here and let us know how they sound and we will go from there.

Nick