Which is best: Good 2.1 or better 2.0?

[Soszai]

I'm looking at two specific setups for a system that will be used 50/50 for music and home theater. Both receive very good reviews, and cost about the same (~$500):

Setup #1: Polk Monitor 60 and a Polk PSW505 subwoofer
Setup #2: The Speaker Company TST2 and no subwoofer

Is there a clear winner here? Thanks

 

[m_vanmeter]

I would recommend using a subwoofer with either system. The 10" woofer in the TST2 is still not the same as a powered 10" subwoofer. You can set your crossover lower with the TST2, but it would still benefit from the sub doing the heavy lifting on the lowest frequency sound. If you are using the 2.1 system for movies, the separate LFE (low frequency effects) channel feeds the subwoofer, and I'm not sure you would get that with a 2.0 system.

 

[Adam]

If you are using the 2.1 system for movies, the separate LFE (low frequency effects) channel feeds the subwoofer, and I'm not sure you would get that with a 2.0 system.

All of the receivers that I've looked at (which doesn't mean all of them ) will let someone direct the LFE track to the main speakers. So, I don't think that would be an issue.

Just a note - some people here really don't like Polk subwoofers, so you might get some direction to consider a different sub. I'm really happy with my SVS sub, but it cost a lot more than the PSW505 will. My brother and another friend have Polk subs, and they are both quite happy with them. Plus, that PSW505 has gotten outstanding reviews on Amazon.

I don't have an answer to your original question, though. Sorry.

 

[Soszai]

Adam, you're everywhere

Thanks again for the advice. Given what I've heard, I'm going with the Yamaha 663, the polk 60s, and the psw505 for the sub.

I'm new too this game, and the system I just described is way more than I anticipated being able to afford. GM may be suffering , but now is the time to buy nice toys. It's like there is a fire sale on stereo equipment right now. I feel like I'm getting away with something illegal given the prices i'm paying

 

[fast1]

i don't know about the rest but go for the psw505, you won't go wrong