Time to take the plunge ....

[dweedlebug]

Hello all, after about 5 months of lurking and am at a point where I believe my research and listening efforts have prepared me to buy floor-standing mains & a center.

I'm looking for any input or comments you feel I've not considered.

Background: Previous system was a hand-me-down Sony HTiB circa 1986.... I won't get into the details of how miserable the sound was from the 2 poor towers and 2 satellites with no center & no sub. Thankfully the receiver died and I was finally able to justify to the wife replacing it and everything else.

Room Dimensions: 24’ x 28’ x 8’, large windows on 1 of the 24’ walls, other 24’ wall has stone fireplace, walls are drywall – room treatments may be an option later, but speakers will come first.

Intended Usage: 40% movies, 40% TV, 30% music – although I do not want to sacrifice musical competence at all.

Unique Considerations: I am a bass nut.

Short-term Goal: Plan to purchase L/R main speakers with matching center and then buy a sub(s) to vastly improve my 3.1 (or 3.2) sound quality. I can cannibalize my existing 4 speakers to achieve up to 7.1 (or 7.2) until I dispose of them and upgrade.

Current Receiver: Denon 4306

L/R Main Budget: $3,000 MAX to my door
Shortlist Considered: Axiom M80, B&W 703, Energy Reference RC-70, Energy Veritas V2.4i, Onix RS1000, Paradigm Signature S8 (used, plus a bit of a $$ stretch), Paradigm Studio 100.
Frontrunner: Paradigm Studio 100’s due to not having heard the Axiom/Onix offerings and the total absence of an audiophile ear making these essentially sound as good as the rest for less $$$. However, I am interested to know if any information is out there regarding any impending Studio 100 v4 offering and/or general comments on the targeted group at this price point.

Center Budget: Will buy the matching center to whatever mains I decide on.

Sub Budget: $1,500 MAX to my door
Frontrunners: Dual HSU VTF-3’s or single SVS PB12-Plus/2

Amp Budget: $1,000 MAX to my door
Frontrunner: Rotel RB-1080 – I really enjoy 2-channel, but is this really needed if only driving the 100’s as such? Even if pushed hard? The others, like the S8’s?

While the reasonableness of buying only as much as will be needed for the current room can (and should) be argued, I’m not going to be getting the green light from the wife for such an overall purchase ANYTIME soon. I am taking it while I have it and will try to maximize each component to satisfy my current and future needs/expectations.

Thoughts?

 

[Haoleb]

Thoughts... Speakers first, With that budget there are a ton of great speakers, I personally favor the Axiom becuase I own a pair, two actually. But if i had the extra money im pretty sure i would have gone with the Paradigm offerings you mentioned because they are build more solid and i think they look a little better. But they are also twice as much as the axioms. The general consensus among those who have heard studio 100 vs axiom m80 side by side is theyre nearly identical in their sound.

The amp, The rotel is nice, If you can stretch your budget just a wee bit more take a look at the Odyssey Stratos amplifier. Besides the fact that its got almost a cult like following, the 20 year warranty is a plus, also handmade in America.

Center channel, So you want home theater, i Can see that, But since you cant swing the whole thing at one time, maybe just forget the center and purchase it when you get the surround speakers instead. Any good stereo speakers will do the job of a phantom center channel.

 

[Pianoman84d]

My thoughts:

Instead of the Onix Rocket RS 1000, go for the RS 850. They are cheaper and all you loose is a subwoofer (the RS 1000 is the 850 + a powered sub in the bottom). Then you can get a monster sub later or separately or whatever. Also, you should consider the fact that if the only reason you were going to go for the Paradigms was looks, you'd be spending double (appx) than the axioms. It is my personal opinion that the Rockets look better than the Paradigms for less $$ anyway.

Another thing you might consider is ordering a pair of the Rockets and a pair of the Axiom m80s and comparing them to themselves and the others you are considering. Before you do that, double check how much shipping will be, etc...

Finally, there are a lot of good speakers out there at the price point you are considering. The most important thing is finding the right ones for you. Best of luck

 

[Spiffyfast]

My vote is the Studio 100's with the matching center with the SVS sub, that combo once you add in the surrounds will give you a great home theater. I love the sound of the 100's, but you need to send them a lot of power to make them sing. Everything you've picked would work great, but I'm a paradigm and svs fan

 

[B5I8]

Have you considered the Monitor Audio Gold Reference series? They can be had for $2299 a pair (retail is $4k) from Saturday Audio. I have the silver series and they sound fantastic, but the golds should be absolutely jaw dropping. As for the sub, I'd rather go with a SVS Ultra series rather than the Plus. If one Ultra driver is not enough (it should be more than enough), you can always get another later. I have the PC-Ultra in a pretty large room and it get very loud.

 

[AVRat]

If I may, I’d like to offer another possibility since you’re a bass monger and open to the idea of dual subs. You might step your L/R choice down to the Studio 60s/Veritas 2.3is and dual SVS PB12-Pluses. The SVSs have a nice flat response up to almost 200Hz. You could run the system using the speaker level connections and crossover of the subs for a great L/R setup. This should also alleviate the need for the additional amp.

 

[xboxweasel]

Intended Usage: 40% movies, 40% TV, 30% music

That would make it 120% then.

 

[Sheep]

If I may, I’d like to offer another possibility since you’re a bass monger and open to the idea of dual subs. You might step your L/R choice down to the Studio 60s/Veritas 2.3is and dual SVS PB12-Pluses. The SVSs have a nice flat response up to almost 200Hz. You could run the system using the speaker level connections and crossover of the subs for a great L/R setup. This should also alleviate the need for the additional amp.

Completely Agree(expect only the 2.3is)

SheepStar

 

[Haoleb]

That would make it 120% then.

If we're going to nit pick.. Actually it would be 110%