my hdmi board shut the bed after 2/3 months. so I have to pay to have it shipped to a repair center, which isn't onkyo, it's an approved service center. well the service center has had it 2 months now and are still waiting on onkyo to approve the work and send the parts. and the repair center doesn't know if anything else is wrong with it - they have to replace the HDMI board first, and if that doesn't fix everything then the process starts over.

9/4/2011 10:18:41 AM

I'm getting a small 2.1 (for now) system together and got two Energy RC-10s for mains and an Emotiva Ultra10 sub. It sounds incredible. I'd highly recommend these bookshelf's if someone is in the market. They can be had at Vanns.com for as low as $280/pair. Energy had the RC line about 4-5 years ago, original MSRP was $550/pair. Really nice speaks

9/10/2011 5:29:16 AM

Quote :

"I'm looking at an Onkyo receiver and some Klipsch towers, center channel, and surround speakers. Haven't really looked at subs yet. Onkyo TX-NR609 Klipsch F-20 speakers...can't remember what their center channel or surrounds are called. Any comments on this stuff, and/or a good sub to go with it? I think the towers will have enough grunt that I won't need a ton of sub volume...just want something to fill in the really low freq stuff. "

9/10/2011 9:13:06 AM

Help me, please, audiophiles and quasi-audiophiles.

9/20/2011 4:46:23 PM

Quote :

"fuck onkyo. i will never buy one of these pieces of shit again."

9/20/2011 5:03:26 PM

^^ I too run Klipsch. Built my system at the RF-3 level, but those towers you cited will be outstanding for the entry level price point. No, they will not have substantial low response.

For electronics, consider Denon (receiver) and Oppo (player).

As for a sub in my experience you can mix and match - needn't be Klipsch, but if you do, be sure and aim higher than the Synergy line. I assume you're aiming for one with a built-in amplifier so that you can feed it the LFE channel over RCA. If not...you should be. Kills me when I see good equipment set up improperly (biggest newbie mistake is to run the wires for the front mains from the receiver into the sub, and then out from the sub to the mains, completely missing the point of 5.1 or 7.1).

[Edited on September 22, 2011 at 2:52 PM. Reason : ]

9/22/2011 2:49:58 PM

There are a lot of really great speakers out there. I'm in love with this Energy RC line. They're discontinued now and can be had pretty cheap. Very well made and truly audiophile class sound.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=89

Energy, PSB, Definitive, Mirage, all make good stuff. The Infinity Primus line is a really amazing bang for the buck. check out vanns.com for great deals and crutchfield for the Infinity stuff.

Horns aren't for everyone. Be sure to audition Klipsch before you buy them. I'm personally not a fan.

I have a Denon receiver that i'm happy with. Generally solid, but so is Yamaha, Onkyo, HK, Marantz

For subs check out HSU and Emotiva. I just got an Emotiva Ultra 10 that i'm happy with. sealed enclosure, very accurate and good for music. If you're more into home theater check out the HSU ported stuff

9/22/2011 10:01:41 PM

Oh, one other thing if you want to go for raw shock value - SVS. They're online only. They have a line of subs that look like damn water heaters (huge black cylinders).

I've actually experienced the mid-range model from that line. It will change your religion.

9/23/2011 9:10:05 AM

Refurb Denon 1911 on the way. *crosses fingers*


First real system

9/23/2011 10:24:59 AM

My landlord/buddy left a set of Energy floorstanding speakers at my house, but I don't remember which model. I know on one of them the tweeter is blown and he said if I wanted to replace it I could have them.

Currently hooked up to an old Onkyo 5.1 and they sound pretty good to an untrained ear. I trusted that they were a decent brand, but seeing them mentioned here ^^^ is noice. He told me that they were designed more for a system with only left/right and not necessarily 5.1 -- is this misinformation?

Also,

http://www.androidpolice.com/2011/09/22/logitech-harmony-link-will-make-your-android-phone-the-best-remote-in-the-house/

9/23/2011 11:39:07 AM

^^nice, thats what i have and i'm happy with it.

^awesome. Check out the Energy thread in the Speaker section on avsforum. they go particularly nuts over the older Energy stuff. I bet they're nice.

Floorstanders are great for music, but are also awesome for HT. They can do it all. There's no replacement for displacement as they say.

[Edited on September 23, 2011 at 11:46 AM. Reason : floors]

9/23/2011 11:45:05 AM

I will use the system for home theater to some extent--I'm actually thinking about setting up a projector and screen and using it as my living room TV (and put my 42" LCD in my bedroom). However, I'd definitely rather optimize it for music. Anything that sounds totally badass for music will be good enough for my purposes when it comes to watching movies (let alone CNN, CNBC, or the Discovery channel, haha).

9/26/2011 1:01:13 AM

you dont want a projector for general tv watching if you're going to watch with any sort of frequency. if you want big picture, get a 60" plasma or 70" lcd

9/27/2011 8:02:19 AM

How come? Bulb replacement? What's that gonna be, a couple hundred bucks every couple of years?

60-70" is nice, but if I'm gonna spend money and go big, I want to go BIG, like 100" (that's what she said).

9/27/2011 10:22:21 AM

^ Picture quality with a projector is very poor compared to an actual display (regardless of technology type) unless you're prepared to shell out in the five digit market.

This is a generalized statement based only on my personal experience. I have never seen nor auditioned any consumer (home) projector that produced anything remotely close to a quality picture. Most are borderline watchable.

But yes, they do allow you to have a big (awful looking) image.

[Edited on September 27, 2011 at 10:28 AM. Reason : ]

9/27/2011 10:28:05 AM

Not to mention, for that projector, you're going to have to shell out another sum over 4 digits for a screen worth a shit

9/27/2011 1:32:38 PM

Yeah, I was figuring $1000-1200 for a screen, and then maybe $1200-1500 for the projector.

9/27/2011 8:06:19 PM

I used a projector for my main TV for a year and a half, and I wouldn't consider doing it again. It's just too much of a hassle. Cable management & logistics of component placement alone are two major PitAs worth spending some serious time considering. Plus, they don't require complete darkness, but you will need to make sure most of the light is blocked if you plan on watching TV during the day any at all. IMO, a projector is a great thing for a mancave/secondary media room. They really aren't ideal for most living rooms/main viewing spaces.

9/27/2011 9:24:15 PM

My house is pretty much a mancave.

9/27/2011 11:23:52 PM

Well, I went to hhgregg last night to look around, and they agreed to knock 20% off of some audio gear, and then give me a 60-day price guarantee (plus the 30-day trial period once I pick them up).

I bought the following:

Onkyo TX-NR709 receiver
Klipsch KF-30 towers
Klipsch center channel (KC-20 model)
Klipsch SW112 powered sub (1x12; 600w)

All of that was something like $2250, including tax.

I already have the largish Klipsch bookshelf surround speakers, new in box...got them for a steal of a deal a couple of months ago ($100 for the pair, which is less than half price).



I want to find a good audio store where I can check out some higher-end stuff. That Klipsch setup sounds awesome to me, but if I can get something even more awesome for not too much more money, I'm down. I'm not looking to build a $30,000 stereo, but I'll spend, say, $3000 if I get something that's motherfucking incredible (and I also wouldn't mind getting something aesthetically at least a little more pleasing than the plasticky-black entry-level Klipsch stuff).

I'm absolutely biased towards music. Is there anything "must-see" stuff I need to check out at this $1500-3000 price point? Is that receiver a waste for my purposes?


Even if I go with this stuff, I think Best Buy might have better prices...also need to check online. I just figured that I had nothing to lose by locking in that price at hhgregg.

[Edited on November 9, 2011 at 1:38 AM. Reason : ]

11/9/2011 1:21:15 AM

I own three axiom speakers and they are an incredible value.

http://www.axiomaudio.com/products.html

11/9/2011 2:05:34 PM

^^ You'd' be better off with:

2x$600
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/542145304/energy-rc70?s_c=site_search

1x $350
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/542600578/energy-rclcr?s_c=site_search

1 (pair) x $300
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/542469405/energy-rc10?s_c=site_search

And then a $400ish sub from SVS, Emotiva, HSU, etc.

Do some more research and I think you'll agree. The Energy RCs are in another class. They're just a few years old now and so are selling for half price. Excellent quality speakers.

edit: hrm i didn't see the receiver included in your total. Yeh i guess this would put you over a bit, but if you dropped the surrounds for now and used your Klipschs, you'd be in the same ball park.

[Edited on November 11, 2011 at 4:54 PM. Reason : .]

11/11/2011 4:53:30 PM

i don't mind spending more if i get something just mega-badass. i think i'm gonna hold out until i can get to a Best Buy Magnolia store and actually listen to some different stuff.

Isn't Energy actually made by Klipsch?


By the way, I cancelled the order on all that stuff last night.

11/11/2011 11:17:21 PM

also, I noticed that the large (F-30) Synergy towers sound WAY better than the medium (F20) towers. I don't need more volume than a set of mid-size towers can provide, but I want awesome sound quality.

11/11/2011 11:20:20 PM

Unfortunately, the Energy RC series is discontinued so you can't hear it, although vanns.com does have a 30 day return policy. I bought my RC stuff based off research and i'm really happy with it. All i have is the RC-10s that i'm using as a 2.1 setup with an Emotiva sub. I'm eyeballing an RC-LCR for a center next. I don't have enough space for the towers but i hear they're incredible. I'm most amazed at how transparent they are. I never appreciated that term until now. If they're playing and i'm in the next room, it doesn't sound like a stereo playing music in the next room. it sounds like a band IS playing in the next room. its uncanny. I say in the next room because its easier to trick yourself into believing there's a band in the next room as opposed to right in front of your face when you're looking at speakers. They are amazingly clear and detailed and easy to listen to. The build quality is also excellent.

Yeh, Audiovox (blarg) recently bought up a bunch of speaker companies including Energy, Mirage, and Klipsch although i think they were all in a family before as well. Energy and Mirage are/were Canadian.

The new Energy V series is on par with the old RC, but I don't know where you can listen locally. The C series is at Magnolia's but its supposedly far below the RC/V series.

Its a gamble I guess, but just thought i'd make sure you were aware of them at least. Research up if you'd like. avsforum.com is great.

11/13/2011 9:42:30 AM

I've always heard good things about Polk, and newegg is having a huge sale on 'em, not sure if they're good deals or not, look awesome...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290148
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290147
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290146
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882290174

[Edited on November 14, 2011 at 12:27 PM. Reason : .]

11/14/2011 12:27:18 PM

OK, finally made it back up to NC for Thanksgiving, and went to the Best Buy/Magnolia at South Point mall.

I checked out Energy, Definitive Tech, Bowers & Wilkins, Martin Logan, and a couple of others that I don't remember the names of and didn't care for all that much. I demo'd everything with Metallica's ...And Justice For All and the first, self-titled Ben Folds Five album. I meant to bring Siamese Dream and Dark Side of the Moon, but I think I got a pretty good feel for everything with those two albums.

-Energy was on sale for 50% off. At this price point, I think they're awesome. Compared to the other brands, they aren't quite there (but then, you're looking at $225 versus $600-1100 per speaker).

-Def Tech and B&W both sound great. They're slightly different, but both great. I think I'd prefer the B&W, but I didn't listen to them against each other enough to be 100% sure. I also think I very, very slightly prefer their mid-size tower to the largest tower (same size drivers, just one more woofer), although the difference is almost inconsequential. For the price difference, for sure, I'd go mid-size.

-However, once I heard the Martin Logans (Electromotion series), I pretty much forgot about everything else. It was a fight for 2nd place. They are, as advertised, very direction and sensitive to location--and in my observation even more so in elevation (there is a HUGE difference between sitting and standing). When you're in their sweet spot, though, HOLY CHRIST they sound awesome. It's like they are hard-wired to the endorphin-producing part of your brain. When you're out of the sweet spot, they sound...well, just...good, which I can live with to get the effect they have on me when I'm positioned correctly to listen to them. It is unlike any other speaker I've ever heard.




I then moved on to receivers. The salesman recommended Yamaha (Aventage line) and Pioneer Elite, for "musical" receivers. I loved the Yamaha, and hated the Pioneer Elite. I then also tried Marantz and Denon, which sounded pretty similar and somewhere between the Yamaha and Pioneer--they sounded good, but the combination of the Martin Logans and Yamaha receiver was just motherfucking mind-boggling.

I never even listened to the surround speakers on anything--just floor cabinets and center channels, with an Energy sub (although then I noticed that the Martin Logan sub was only $70 more). I'm sure they would all only be better with a 5.1 setup.



In the end, though, I didn't buy anything. I went back and forth with them for a half-hour, and they wouldn't budge on the price of the Yamaha receiver, and would only cut 10% off the price of the speakers. Fuck that, I live in a hotel room and can't even use these things for months until I move into a house, and can get all that stuff significantly cheaper than that on the internet any time I want. I kinda figured that on Black Friday, they'd be inclined to make me a deal and send me out of there with a few thousand bucks worth of hi-fi, but not so much.

11/25/2011 9:55:03 PM

Martin Logan's I think go on-sale at New Egg a lot. I've wanted to pick up a pair as I just love the look.

My parents gave me their 3 year old Bose set that they used I think 4 times. Free.99 speakers for the bed room is always a huge plus and though they're not the greatest speakers, I definitely can't complain about the price! Just need to get a new receiver for the living room so I can move the one I have in there (Yamaha RX-863) to the bedroom so I can get a 3D/pass through capable receiver for the living room.

11/25/2011 11:06:51 PM

Yeah, they do look cool as shit, to boot!


As far as Bose, I'd never buy any of their stuff, but for free hand-me-downs to serve as a secondary set, you could do a WHOOOLE lot worse.

I'm thinking RX-A2010 for receiver. 140w x 9.


Now I just need to decide on new Electromotions or used/discontinued MartinLogans from a higher model line. I think it's a shame not to bi-amp with a receiver like that, which the ElectroMotions can't do.

[Edited on November 25, 2011 at 11:16 PM. Reason : ]

11/25/2011 11:12:22 PM

Martin Logans are badass.

Keep in mind the Energys they sell at BB/Magnolia aren't their high end line, its the C series. Their current high end is the Veritas series which supersedes the now discontinued (and half off) RC series. If you can find Veritas/RCs to audition, def try 'em out. They're every bit in the same league as the B&Ws

B&Ws are really nice as well of course, but i can't rationalize their price.

11/26/2011 8:43:49 PM

The B&Ws were awesome, and hell, they're still a lot cheaper than Martin Logan. When I heard the Martin Logans, though, I knew that I didn't give a shit what they cost, I wasn't buying anything else, haha.

If you're positioned in the sweet spot, they will change your religion. It's beyond "sounding awesome"; it's like a sensation of euphoria.

11/26/2011 11:40:37 PM

Quote :

"Martin Logan's I think go on-sale at New Egg a lot. I've wanted to pick up a pair as I just love the look."

As best as I can tell, they only sell their entry-level stuff, which are conventional, cone-type speakers.

11/28/2011 7:34:43 PM

Figured I would revive this guy instead of starting a new thread. With that being said, my parents have redone their home theater system and I volunteered to take a couple extra speakers they had in the basement. So, I now have 4 speakers running through my home receiver -- question becomes which do you guys think should be my front speakers and which should be my rear (with quality priority going to the front):

My existing Sony's:
http://www.amazon.com/Sony-SSF-5000-Floor-Standing-Speaker/dp/B000OG4E1G

Newly acquired B&Fs:
http://www.beoworld.org/prod_details.asp?pid=659

Stats for each are inside the respective links. Any ideas besides 'listen to them and go with the one that sounds better'? Let me know, thanks!

12/30/2011 5:05:57 PM

Probably the Beovox based on those specs, assuming the speakers are still in good conditions.

But, it also is going to depend on your seating position. The sony has the mid range and tweeters closer to ear level, which means you might perceptually think those sound clearer because you're more in the sweet spot.

If you could get the beovox to a good position, they should sound better I would think.

12/31/2011 2:20:01 AM

^ I was fiddling with them tonight and ran into that. I'm sitting about 9 feet from the tv/speakers on a relatively high couch (and Im a tall person). The bass is much less boomy than the Sonys, which I like for tv but have become accustomed to for music. Overall, I'm not still not quite sure as I'm sure they're not 100%, whereas the Sonys are a year old, so I'll likely just have my indecisive self listen to one of each over and over and eventually pick one.

12/31/2011 2:56:47 AM

I just ordered a pair of MartinLogan Vistas. Audioholics has them on clearance for >50% off, if anyone else happens to be the sort of nut that would buy a set of these things.

Right now, their website says that they're backordered, but I called and talked to a sales rep who told me that they should get some more in a few weeks. They are a discontinued model, though, so once ML clears their existing stock, they're gone.

1/23/2012 12:51:52 PM

I need to purchase 2 rear surround speakers to reach 7.1. Any suggestions?

[Edited on February 23, 2012 at 10:13 AM. Reason : I've had my eye on the Energy CR-10s for a bit but haven't heard them yet.]

2/23/2012 10:09:34 AM

not much is encoded in 7.1 and if it is they aren't utilized very much at all . i would grab any old decent quality bookshelf or micro speaker. i have a pair of infinity speakers from an older htib and they work great, they even sound decent when i use them for zone 2 duty.

2/23/2012 6:51:43 PM

Ordered a Yamaha Aventage RX-A3010 receiver today, along with a Klipsch SW-115 sub.

I have to plug Audioholics again...great service and prices. BTW, they still have a few MartinLogan Vistas for at least 50% off if anyone is interested.

3/16/2012 12:43:11 AM

Ohhhh shit. Just scored a screaming deal on a MartinLogan Vista center channel on eBay. I'll finally have full 5.1, haha.

9/2/2012 11:39:16 PM

^well timed bump.

Is it better to get a sound bar or a 3.1 setup? I'm going to put my 42" panasonic plasma in my living room, which is a large open room (living, dining, kitchen) with vaulted ceilings. This will be used for general TV watching.

Movies, sports, etc. will be for another room with 7.1.

9/4/2012 9:21:57 AM

A couple questions about home theater on the cheap--looking to spend as little $ as possible.
Right now my setup, or what passes for one, is an old Onkyo TX-SR501 with a very old pair of floorstanding Infinity Sterling speakers of unknown provenance (bought used). TV is being replaced so it's not even worth mention (it's a tube )
As old as those speakers are, they were nice new and still sound pretty good to my non-audiophile ear. My question is, if I wanted to spend a little bit of money (say <= 200) on the sound part of the equation, would I be better off getting a decent sub to add to the speakers to go 2.1 with an eye toward replacing them later, getting a budget sub and back channels to go 5.1 (I do have a single speaker I could use as a center channel), or just replacing the receiver and worrying about the speakers later if I can score one with HDMI processing at that price point? Volume is a non-issue (moving to a small apartment, the living room is something like 12' x 10') so it's more about clarity and sound quality, or as much so as can be obtained on the proverbial shoestring.

As to the TV, that may be a few months down the line, but what I'm looking for specifically is 40" to 47" (any bigger is overkill in that small room), LED, 1080p, 120Hz, and smart capability as I do not have an xbox/ps3 and don't want to bother with a roku or whatnot if it can be done in-TV. Definitely would need to keep it under $1000, under $800 would be better. I could not care less about 3D at the moment. Something with built in WiDi would be a plus as right now my only blu-ray player resides in a laptop. General recommendations/things I'm forgetting/brands to focus on or steer clear of would be kool.

9/4/2012 9:55:22 AM

richthofen A sub will make huge improvements in quality of any system. But if you are going budget, I got a link for you. $230 5.1 system. Cant go wrong at that price.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882120200&nm_mc=EMC-IGNEFL090412&cm_mmc=EMC-IGNEFL090412-_-EMC-090412-Index-_-HomeTheaterinaBox-_-82120200-L022B

9/5/2012 9:27:01 AM

as far as my post 3^, I think I'll just go with a 3.1 system to add radio capability and probably better audio quality.

So... what to get?

Just general TV watching, radio access, I may add a blu-ray at some point.

9/5/2012 9:44:03 AM

Why not just go 2.1?

[Edited on September 5, 2012 at 10:08 AM. Reason : shit i run my godzilla stereo in 2.1 most of the time.]

9/5/2012 10:08:12 AM

eh, doesn't really matter. I figured 3.1 would be better than 2.1

9/5/2012 10:24:17 AM

Not in my opinion. Music is mostly recorded for stereo listening (i.e., 2-speaker), and even when it's recorded in 5.1 format, most people prefer listening to it in stereo (primarily because when you go see a band play, you sit in front of the stage, and a stereo soundstage mimics that. 5.1 makes it sound sort of like you're sitting on stage with them--it can be unnatural sounding.

Anything that isn't recorded in at least 5.1 format is not going to really benefit from a center channel, at least not enough to even come close to justify one.

If you already have another room where you watch movies in 5.1, and you just want something basic and cheap, I would just go 2.1, or hell, even 2.0. I'd even look into just running a pair of amplified speakers without a receiver, straight out of the TV, kind of like an overgrown pair of PC speakers.

9/5/2012 10:46:37 AM

Like. A. Boss.

9/5/2012 10:54:30 AM

lol

9/5/2012 11:28:27 AM

good god - what is the story behind that one man?

9/5/2012 11:49:54 AM