thinking it's time for an LCR upgrade

[Grandzoltar]

The svs prime pinnacle towers along with the prime center gives you a sub total of $1949 right on budget. You can search on Audioholics for a review of the towers. The center is a 3 way center exactly what your looking for.

 

[ryanosaur]

Though I would be inclined to look at the Ultra Center with the Pinnacles... $2300 delivered to your door.

@snakeeyes ... is that enabling enough for you?

 

[snakeeyes]

Though I would be inclined to look at the Ultra Center with the Pinnacles... $2300 delivered to your door.

@snakeeyes ... is that enabling enough for you?

Ya for example get towers then center later. Never heard the SVS though

 

[KenM10759]

Those Focal Arias are beautiful for sure, but the respective center channel is a 2-way design of which I'm a bit leery.

I found a nearby shop that carries Focal, KEF, and Paradigm, so I think a trip out there will be in order to give some of these speakers a listen. A little further away is ABT electronics where I can go listen to some Polk, SVS, and Klipsch speakers as well.

Curious if you've been able to get out to that shop. I use Audio Video Therapy in Nashua NH for all my audio-video needs now, and it's great having a dealer with so many lines (adding more all the time) to audition in their place and take home whatever I want for the in--home demo. That alone is worth the 1hr each way drive.

 

[dan2crazy]

What's your usage? Might want to go 2 towers now to get the best you can, add a center later. Don't want $2k buyers remors by going cheaper and wondering what if. Also consider waiting a month for black Friday.

Audioholics did an article/video on good towers at $2k/pair. Good stuff. https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/tower-speaker-under-2k

 

[NINaudio]

It certainly wouldn't be any weirder than normal MTMs.

That's why I had a requirement for a 3 way center... lol

Edit: My current center is of the W t/m W variety. I'd prefer to stick with that. Focal's only 3 way center starts at about my budget for the whole thing.

 

[NINaudio]

Sounds like a good plan. Exposure to as many speakers in your price bracket as possible is a good thing and hopefully come late November, you'll be ready to jump on a killer deal should one come through, or you might fall in love with the Polks! I have read plenty of good things about them. If the Klipsch's do the trick for you, you should generally be able to get about 30% discount on them!

I've always liked Polk's car speakers, but never been much into their home stuff. I've also always kind of carried a bias against non-circular cones, so that has me shying away from them. Yeah, I'm starting my research early, unless a really killer deal comes through it will probably wait until January. Still gotta get a set of snow tires and am getting the car ceramic coated next week.

Love my SVS Ultra towers...

I know you do, but I'd be concerned about placement issues with them. Don't have much room to pull them out from the walls, but they're not in corners, so that is going for me. The Prime Pinnacles have sort of piqued my interest. I remember being quite impressed by the regular Prime series when I was looking at buying a sub before I built my own. Plus, I could do pinnacles and the Ultra center for just a touch over my budget.

Certainly if willing to pay $2000, someone here will convince you to go a little higher? Some enablers here. LOL

Shhh...I'm low-balling them all cause I know they'll try to push me up...

Curious if you've been able to get out to that shop. I use Audio Video Therapy in Nashua NH for all my audio-video needs now, and it's great having a dealer with so many lines (adding more all the time) to audition in their place and take home whatever I want for the in--home demo. That alone is worth the 1hr each way drive.

I haven't yet, not much chance over the weekend. I may be able to get out there tomorrow or Tuesday. Just have to find my memory stick with all my own test music on it that I know...

What's your usage? Might want to go 2 towers now to get the best you can, add a center later. Don't want $2k buyers remors by going cheaper and wondering what if. Also consider waiting a month for black Friday.

Audioholics did an article/video on good towers at $2k/pair. Good stuff. https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/tower-speaker-under-2k

Usage has been 70/30 HT/music lately. Yeah, I looked at that and it has sort of been my jumping off point.

 

[NINaudio]

OK, got to Simply Stereo today and listened to a number of speakers: paradigm 800f, kef q750, kef r3, focal aria 936, focal chora, and klipsch rp8000f. They had Tidal hi-fi and Tool's chocolate chip trip ended up becoming my go to for drums and sound panning.

The klipsch were my least favorite. I didn't feel like they had as much clarity in the treble as everything else I listened to did.

I liked both sets of focal, but I wasn't that wowed by them.

I was very pleasantly surprised by the kef q750's. Imaging was great and sound was very balanced. I thought the bass was surprising considering that there was only one active woofer and they other two were radiators. My second favorite speaker of the day.

My favorites of the day were the Paradigms, very detailed and balanced, staging was fantastic. I just kept coming back to them. Listened to some ht tracks on them and the corresponding center as well. No complaints there either.

They offered to let me take a set home to demo, but I told them I'd have to come back with the wife's car and when I'd have more time to get them set up right at home. Also said that I could bring my Boston's next time if I wanted to compare. May just take them up on that.

 

[dan2crazy]

Can do free returns with SVS from their site and Klipsch from Best Buy. If you are in return window when Black Friday hits you can get a refund on the difference if they go on discount.

 

[NINaudio]

Can do free returns with SVS from their site and Klipsch from Best Buy. If you are in return window when Black Friday hits you can get a refund on the difference if they go on discount.

After today I have no desire to even try klipsch at home. I didn't make it to ABT to listen to the SVS but hopefully can later in the week.

 

[XTex]

Emotiva T2’s + C2 Center.

I’m not sure if they are still being sold retail so check through Craigslist and Classifieds section for them.

Yup, my thought exactly now that the C2+ is out. Would seem save a good chunk of budget.

 

[Pogre]

I really like how the Emotiva T2s look and I dig the ribbon tweeters. I'd like to give them a listen sometime.

 

[shadyJ]

I really like how the Emotiva T2s look and I dig the ribbon tweeters. I'd like to give them a listen sometime.

AMTs, not ribbons. True ribbons are expensive.

 

[Russdawg1]

AMTs, not ribbons. True ribbons are expensive.

Folded ribbon

Gotta give them the benefit of the doubt sometime

 

[NINaudio]

I see lots of people recommending Emotiva. That's about what I spent on my Bostons 18 years ago, would I really see a noticeable difference by spending the same $ amount this time around? Has anyone here listened to the emotiva's and any of the others I've listened to here?

 

[ryanosaur]

I see lots of people recommending Emotiva. That's about what I spent on my Bostons 18 years ago, would I really see a noticeable difference by spending the same $ amount this time around? Has anyone here listened to the emotiva's and any of the others I've listened to here?

I haven’t... was super intrigued for a while, though. I can’t possibly begin believing they can compete with the likes of monitor audio silver 500 or Martin Logan motion 60xts.

 

[Pogre]

AMTs, not ribbons. True ribbons are expensive.

I thought maybe also, but I looked and they're listed as folded ribbon tweeters on their site.

 

[XTex]

I see lots of people recommending Emotiva. That's about what I spent on my Bostons 18 years ago, would I really see a noticeable difference by spending the same $ amount this time around? Has anyone here listened to the emotiva's and any of the others I've listened to here?

I run a C2 center, currently with Revel F35 towers but have also used it with Revel M16 and JBL Studio 530 bookshelves. Haven't heard the T1 or T2 directly and am not familiar with your Bostons but the C2 pairs very, very well with my Revels and is easily my favorite center I've ever owned. This includes beating out, to my ears and in my space, the highly-regarded Def Tech CLR3000 that I ran for quite a while.

 

[Kingnoob]

KEF Q650c center speaker is a real sweet one because of its Uni-Q coincident driver. No chance of lobing issues, and got the 6-1/2" LF driver in a non-ported (acoustic bass resonator) cabinet. Mate it with a pair of Q350 's, and pair all with a good sub. Incredibly good.

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefq600cbla/kef-q600c-6.5-3-way-center-channel-speaker-black/1.html

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefq350blk/kef-q350-6.5-2-way-bookshelf-speaker-black-pair/1.html

Wow uni q ?? What’s lobing? Any threads based
Might be a brand to look into you heard of chane audio what are there signature our split gap woofers ??


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[Kingnoob]

Seeing and hearing them in-person is great, and a REALLY good shop will let you take home a pair to try in your own room with your own setup.

BTW, look for the newer KEF Q series in the just-released "walnut" finish. What a striking contrast. They sound quite good too.

Man that thing is a beast looking speaker must cost a arm and a leg??