thinking it's time for an LCR upgrade

[everettT]

Those Gray/Silver dyes with Black Burst edges are seriously some of the most elegant looking finishes I've seen. On your comment, I went and looked at his gallery for the Black dyed Zebrawood. Those are pretty nice, too! That's probably going to be your hardest decision right there!!!

I concur...

 

[snakeeyes]

Hmm no summary of all the speakers in the running? I guess one audition was all it took.

 

[ryanosaur]

I concur...

Hmmm... where have I seen one of those before... Hmmm...

 

[NINaudio]

Are you not wanting a horizontal center? Just curious about your thought process there.

The difference between the SuperSong Surround and the ST Monitor is pretty minimal, and with the ribbon up top, I think you'd be fine. My main thought is in Mid-range performance. Admittedly, I've always said I'd take a Dennis Murphy 2-way over many other 3-way designs. But I also consider that might be the kicker in a good voice matched center, too.... Hard choice. Is a third Song 3 Tower not in the cards?

I think you would be solid with with either of those 2-ways as a center channel... The guy who invited me in to audition his Phils had an early Song3 Center, and he loved it, fwiw.

(BTW, unless you've got a Savannah, or a large Maine Coon, chances are they aren't moving that 26-28# speaker. With a non slip pad of some sort, I don't think it would go anywhere. )

Well the thought process is that my wife sits far off center (`45°) when watching TV, so I'd prefer either a 3 way center or a 2 way bookshelf in order to prevent the lobing issues inherent in a 2 way horizontal center design. The Song3 center would require me to get a new entertainment center as my current one is rated to hold 88 lbs total. The 55lb song3 center and a 28 lb receiver doesn't leave much margin for error there, and I'd hate to have it crash down from the weight of the song3 center and a cat...

All of those speakers, including the Song3, are designed by Dennis Murphy. As a result, they will sound very similar to each other despite the somewhat different drivers. I haven't heard those 3 particular models, but I've heard enough other speakers designed by Dennis to feel confident about this.

That was Jim's statement as well, that they are all voiced similarly enough that you could use any of them.

 

[NINaudio]

Hmm no summary of all the speakers in the running? I guess one audition was all it took.

Out of everything I'd listened to before the Song 3's, the Paradgim's were the front runners. To be honest, I kinda wanted to not be impressed by the Salks just so I could save some money and go with the Paradigms.

 

[everettT]

Yeah, they are super elegant in gray with burst edges.

My hardest question right now is what to do for my center channel! Jim said he would have no problem building a single monitor or bookshelf for me if I wanted to go that route instead of the Song3 center. He had mentioned the Supercharged song surround as an option. I just asked him if the Veracity ST monitor would be a viable option as well. What do you all think? I was a little worried about the cats rubbing on them and moving them, but @baronvonellis wow surrounds seemed hefty enough that it wouldn't be an issue.

The Song Surround would work great as a center. I'd probably go with the w15 as the midrange also. Such a nice midrange.

 

[NINaudio]

Is a third Song 3 Tower not in the cards?

Damn you for this comment. It has had me thinking if I could just rearrange everything to make a third tower fit. It would actually be less expensive than the song 3 center and I'd be very happy to have the matching everything. Not sure how the wife would feel about that though. The center might be an easier sell.

 

[ryanosaur]

It's all about economy, AND, you have her best interests at heart by both saving money and making certain that she experiences the best sound quality possible! Really, it's win-win. Clearly that entertainment console is the root of the problem.

 

[Swerd]

It's all about economy, AND…

It's all about the money you save by purchasing good speakers once and only once. As opposed to purchasing less expensive and less satisfactory speakers multiple times.

 

[Trell]

It's all about the money you save by purchasing good speakers once and only once. As opposed to purchasing less expensive and less satisfactory speakers multiple times.

That's what I tell my wife every time I buy new ones

A year ago I upgraded my front mains while the centre and surround are the same ones I bought 8 years ago. A years ago I also bought two SVS SB-3000 to replace my older SVS SB12-NSD.

 

[everettT]

It's all about the money you save by purchasing good speakers once and only once. As opposed to purchasing less expensive and less satisfactory speakers multiple times.

Settling always leaves something desirable, but I've found that there isn't much that I leave on the table anymore. I appreciate @KEW for always wanting to try out new speakers, I just can't devote the time anymore. Kudos to him, I wish I could.

 

[NINaudio]

It's all about the money you save by purchasing good speakers once and only once. As opposed to purchasing less expensive and less satisfactory speakers multiple times.

Yeah, that's my reasoning as well, kinda why I didn't jump on the DCM's earlier, I know I would have been thinking I could do better.

I've had my current speakers for 20 years. No reason the next set won't last me 20 or more either.

Edited to add: Either way, Song 3 tower or center I'm buying new furniture for the AV equipment. That's the only way either will work. With one of the monitors, I can use my current furniture.

 

[NINaudio]

I'm leaning towards the Song 3 center, unless the wife is ok with a 3rd tower, but I feel like that would require mounting the TV higher than is comfortable/ideal.

 

[ryanosaur]

Right now, my screen has the bottom edge 44" H, but I also sit pretty tall, too, with my ears at about 49". I don't find that uncomfortable, but it is definitely something to consider. On the flipside, in a couple conversation with Poes and Shady, it was discussed whether or not the TV screen is really causing any audible distortion. The take away was that ideally it would be good to have about 1' separating the screen from the speakers... and my TV is currently 9" above and 13" behind the baffle of my Center.

A great suggestion I saw was to make a cardboard "replica" of your TV and place it where you might hang the TV... sit down for ~10 minutes and look at it. The suggestion is that if you find it in anyway uncomfortable, don't do it.

 

[NINaudio]

Right now, my screen has the bottom edge 44" H, but I also sit pretty tall, too, with my ears at about 49". I don't find that uncomfortable, but it is definitely something to consider. On the flipside, in a couple conversation with Poes and Shady, it was discussed whether or not the TV screen is really causing any audible distortion. The take away was that ideally it would be good to have about 1' separating the screen from the speakers... and my TV is currently 9" above and 13" behind the baffle of my Center.

A great suggestion I saw was to make a cardboard "replica" of your TV and place it where you might hang the TV... sit down for ~10 minutes and look at it. The suggestion is that if you find it in anyway uncomfortable, don't do it.

Yeah, the wife said no to a 3rd tower, so song 3 center it will be, TV mounting height will stay about where it is.

 

[ryanosaur]

Going 3 towers is pretty ballzout!
It’s a shame that there aren’t more vertical centers. They don’t need to be as large. I’m biased, though, with my set up. My own speaker design efforts are going to be guided by this rig!
The lady will flip. SMDH. Can’t wait!
I digress.
I think that Center will blow you away. Perhaps you’ll get her enrolled and she’ll join you in the sweet spot!

 

[NINaudio]

Going 3 towers is pretty ballzout!
It’s a shame that there aren’t more vertical centers. They don’t need to be as large. I’m biased, though, with my set up. My own speaker design efforts are going to be guided by this rig!
The lady will flip. SMDH. Can’t wait!
I digress.
I think that Center will blow you away. Perhaps you’ll get her enrolled and she’ll join you in the sweet spot!

I'd love to do 3 towers, would be sick, but I need to make some compromise. She already thinks I'm nuts for wanting to replace my current speakers. I bet she'll change her tune when she hears and sees them though.

She doesn't join me in the sweet spot because of back pain.

 

[ryanosaur]

She doesn't join me in the sweet spot because of back pain

Hear that. The Lady over here is the same. Aches and pains, and little interest in it all. She insists TV speakers are fine. *facepalm

 

[snakeeyes]

Hear that. The Lady over here is the same. Aches and pains, and little interest in it all. She insists TV speakers are fine. *facepalm

TV speakers are fine? Whaaaaaat?

 

[ryanosaur]

TV speakers are fine? Whaaaaaat?

Let me rephrase:
*epic facepalm

But still... *sighs