Upgrade Surround Speakers....or not?

[MR.MAGOO]

My left and right side and rear surrounds are all Cambridge Audio Minx 10's. To upgrade to their latest Minx 22's would cost about $800. I'm wondering if I should just add a 2nd subwoofer instead, or upgrade my car audio. Yes I can afford to do all three but wonder if $800 is a good investment because I don't really have a lot of movies for 7.1 surround. My listening area is about 11' x 11' and 9' (ceiling).

a rep wrote me this:
"The Minx 22 offers more robust performance with a dedicated driver just for the bass frequencies. It has wider frequency response and great efficiency so, yes, you will notice an improvement when you upgrade.

Yamaha RX-A1020 A/V receiver
Yamaha BD-S477 Blu-ray disc player
Niles SI-2100 amplifier (for rear surround speakers)
Sony Bravia 50EX645 LCD TV
Toshiba DVR620KU VHS / DVD player / recorder
Marantz CD5004 CD player
Marantz TT42 turntable
Cambridge Audio Azur 651P MM/MC phono pre-amp
Panamax M4300-PM power manager
Panamax M5300-PM power manager
Definitive Technology Studio Monitor 55 speakers (2)
Definitive Technology ProCenter 1000
Cambridge Audio Minx Min10 (4) side and rear surrounds.
Definitive Technology ProSub 800 300w subwoofer

 

[markw]

With movies, the contribution of the surround speakers is minimal. I think your $$ would be better spent elsewhere.

 

[fmw]

I upgraded surrounds once. Didn't make any difference.

 

[shadyJ]

Your real system bottle neck is the sub. Get rid of the Deftech sub and get a real sub.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

Your real system bottle neck is the sub. Get rid of the Deftech sub and get a real sub.

and a real sub being.....?

 

[shadyJ]

In your budget I would be looking at a Hsu VTF3 mk5.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

and a real sub being.....?

I get sort of feeling that you're across the pond from most of us. If so - check out these guys:
http://www.bkelec.com/
Otherwise, go with ShadyJ's suggestion

 

[herbu]

I have a 7.2 system. As I upgraded my Front L/R, I moved the old speakers back to surround duty. Ended up w/ 4x surround speakers @ $1k each. I like action movies with a lot of dynamic sound. Maybe, possibly, I think, occasionally I can hear a stronger effect with the surround towers. Maybe. I'm not sure.

Of course, at first I said "Wow... what great surrounds!". But after the initial euphoria, (that comes w/ any home theater upgrade), wore off, I can't really say for sure they make any serious difference.

My suggestion is to focus on your Left/Center/Right and subwoofer(s) first. Once you have them where you want, and still find you have some extra $ to spend, you can work on the surrounds.

 

[MR.MAGOO]

In your budget I would be looking at a Hsu VTF3 mk5.

I live in a small apartment 500 sq. ft., I don't think my neighbors would like rattling walls at 3 am.

 

[shadyJ]

Your sub is still a weak link in your system. You may not be able to use something powerful, but the Def Tech Prosub is pretty awful. I would be looking at Hsu or Rythmik subwoofers. EMP Tek has these affordable subs that look like good performers too. Also, your center speaker doesn't look quite right for the front left/rights. That isn't the matching center for the Studio 55s? I would upgrade the center or sub before I upgraded the surrounds in that system. In a small room in a small apartment, I don't think you would be able to take any serious advantage of higher performance surround speakers anyway.

 

[herbu]

I live in a small apartment 500 sq. ft., I don't think my neighbors would like rattling walls at 3 am.

I don't think you understand the purposes of a sub. There are two.
1) Accurately produce frequencies at the low end of audible.
2) Produce the LFE channel.

You need a good sub to do either. It doesn't matter what time or how loud you play it. If your desired system is one that plays LOUD at 3am without bothering your apartment neighbors, I'm afraid your biggest problem may not be your speakers.