Starter setup

[motoxpress]

My intention is to get the mains and the receiver first and enjoy them for awhile. Whether that be a 2.1 or a 2 channel with tower setup is what I am trying to determine. I am budgeting $300-500 for the speakers.

-mx

 

[mazersteven]

See if these are still available.

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=27547

 

[abboudc]

Their site appears down at the moment, but TSTO has Mordaunt Short 908's for $549:
http://www.tsto.com/

The 906's (a step down from the 908's) were good enough to be included in Audioholics $12,000 system recommendations:
http://www.audioholics.com/buying-guides/system-buying-guides/the-12k-home-theater-system/equipment-product-recommendations

The 908's have an additional side firing woofer in them compared with the 906's.

 

[mazersteven]

You said your into Classical and Jazz

Strata Mini
http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=78.1

Salk SongTower
http://www.salksound.com/SongTower.shtml

Ascend Acoustic Sierra-1
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html

I had to do it.

 

[motoxpress]

Oh yes, thank you for showing me what I *want* but *can't* have

-mx

 

[STRONGBADF1]

You said your into Classical and Jazz

Strata Mini
http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=78.1

Salk SongTower
http://www.salksound.com/SongTower.shtml

Ascend Acoustic Sierra-1
http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/SRM1/srm1.html

I had to do it.

Your a bad man Mazer!

 

[motoxpress]

So, I went down to my local CC to see what they had and the best towers they had were the Polk M70s. I was very underwhelmed by them. Does that mean I am in trouble with my targeted budget area? I even heard them with a center and a velodyn sub and the other two components overwhelmed the fronts. I can imagine the setup was off of course but, I expected a little more from these. There just wasn't any crispness or clarity to them. Am I doomed?

-mx

 

[John Bailey]

I just noticed Saturday Audio has PSB T-45's for $499. They are factory authorized new. Great price for a great speaker. Would be my first choice in this situation.

John

 

[Soundman]

So, I went down to my local CC to see what they had and the best towers they had were the Polk M70s. I was very underwhelmed by them. Does that mean I am in trouble with my targeted budget area? I even heard them with a center and a velodyn sub and the other two components overwhelmed the fronts. I can imagine the setup was off of course but, I expected a little more from these. There just wasn't any crispness or clarity to them. Am I doomed?

-mx

An in-store demo at your local Circuit City is not going to be the best demo experience. It is quite possible, the system you heard was not calibrated correctly. I'm sure they would sound much better once set up correctly in your home. Also, keep in mind that the Polks you heard are not in the same league as some of the other speakers mentioned in this thread.

 

[motoxpress]

Yeah, I had assumed that both of your general points were true. I just wasn't sure how far off these Polks were from the Polks mentioned in the thread.

-mx

 

[mazersteven]

I just wasn't sure how far off these Polks were from the Polks mentioned in the thread.

-mx

Night and day difference.

 

[3db]

My intention is to get the mains and the receiver first and enjoy them for awhile. Whether that be a 2.1 or a 2 channel with tower setup is what I am trying to determine. I am budgeting $300-500 for the speakers.

-mx

I can help you if your interested in main towers. Before rambling on about them, I'll just tell you that I have a fairly decent classical collection so I'm no stranger to that style of music.

If you can, try and pick up a pair of PSB Image T45s. Some other posters were able to pick them up for around $500. They are one of more musical speakers out there in that price range. If thats too much, you could get by with their bigger bookshelf brethren, the Image B25s. Either one of them are quite capable of excelling classical and any other genre of music you throw at it.

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Image-Series/Image-T45-Tower

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/Image-Series/Image-B25-Monitor