**** The Audio and Sound Advice Thread ***

Quote from turjam : I am heading over th J&R this evening. A friend passed me the following deal and said that these are great speakers, especially for the price. Any thoughts/opinions? http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodi...r=ATKLS500

2 things...they are floorstanders and it doesnt include a sub... for a little over $600 you can have what i was going to suggest... some lovely PSB bookshelf and a center... (if maple is ok with your decor)

http://www.saturdayaudio.com/
scroll down to PSB speakers Image Sale...

(2) PSB B15 $460
(1) PSB C40 $220
the athenas are no match for PSB...and the B15 would take up less space... on stands or shelf. the C40 center is definitely larger....but thats a good thing. hopefully you can get to that store i mentioned and listen to the PSB...

PSB Alpha B1...NIB..black on ebay...$199
http://cgi.ebay.com/PSB-Alpha-B-1...dZViewItem
then you can get the matching center for $114 from saturday audio...

Infinity Primus P162 $160/pair
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Infinity-...dZViewItem

Infinity Primus PC250 center $120 (need to inquire if the grill is black)
http://cgi.ebay.com/Infinity-Prim...dZViewItem


Primus P152 $140/pair @vanns with free ship
http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet.../542100069
P162 $200/pair "coming soon"


axiom m2v2 $296/pair http://www.axiomaudio.com/m2i_main.html#

svs sbs01 $225/pair http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm
svs scs01 center $135 (B-stock) https://svsound.com/store/index.c...N=83653138

those are the ones that i think would bode well with what you or anyone looking for a small ht to consider...

good luck & enjoy!

Thank you both for all of your help and opinions. My fiancee freaked out when I showed her the floor standing speakers, so that was a no deal. The PSB speakers are really nice, but the maple is a deal killer. Everything in our living room is dark so the speakers would certainly not match.

Stickycash, can you provide some clarification on all of the speakers you listed on the above post? For example, would I buy two sets of the PSB Alpha B1 and then the matching center from saturday audio to make a 5:1 system? Or would I be looking to do the PSB Alpha B1, the Infinity Primus P162 and the Infinity Primus PC250 center for the 5:1 system? Also, none of these sets have a subwoofer, so I would like to have some advice on a subwoofer as well.

I am unable to get to the high-end sound store on Long Island. It's about an hour away and a huge hassle. I did go to J and R and listened to a few speakers (bose, polk, boston, kliptsch, and a couple others I think). I definitely believe that I like the bright speakers, not the warmer ones.

I have also decided that I am going to go with the Onkyo 875. The difference was the video upscaler and the use of the system for movies more than music. I might have bought the Denon if it was actually in stock at ecost.com, where a refurbished Denon 3808 is listed for $799, but never appears to be in stock. That being said, it seems that Onkyo should be coming out with their new line of receivers very soon. I am guessing that I should wait for two reasons: 1) to see if they have a receiver similar to the 875 with the ethernet/USB and 2) the price of last years models, including the 875, should drop. J&R has the 875 for $1,099 new, and I haven't seen a refurb on shoponkyo.com. What do you think?

Quote from turjam : Thank you both for all of your help and opinions. My fiancee freaked out when I showed her the floor standing speakers, so that was a no deal. The PSB speakers are really nice, but the maple is a deal killer. Everything in our living room is dark so the speakers would certainly not match. Stickycash, can you provide some clarification on all of the speakers you listed on the above post? For example, would I buy two sets of the PSB Alpha B1 and then the matching center from saturday audio to make a 5:1 system? Or would I be looking to do the PSB Alpha B1, the Infinity Primus P162 and the Infinity Primus PC250 center for the 5:1 system? Also, none of these sets have a subwoofer, so I would like to have some advice on a subwoofer as well. I am unable to get to the high-end sound store on Long Island. It's about an hour away and a huge hassle. I did go to J and R and listened to a few speakers (bose, polk, boston, kliptsch, and a couple others I think). I definitely believe that I like the bright speakers, not the warmer ones. I have also decided that I am going to go with the Onkyo 875. The difference was the video upscaler and the use of the system for movies more than music. I might have bought the Denon if it was actually in stock at ecost.com, where a refurbished Denon 3808 is listed for $799, but never appears to be in stock. That being said, it seems that Onkyo should be coming out with their new line of receivers very soon. I am guessing that I should wait for two reasons: 1) to see if they have a receiver similar to the 875 with the ethernet/USB and 2) the price of last years models, including the 875, should drop. J&R has the 875 for $1,099 new, and I haven't seen a refurb on shoponkyo.com. What do you think?

as for PSB... i would contact the ebay seller and see if he has 2 pair of Alpha B1 and see what the total would be with shipping. Then i would contact Saturday Audio and see how much shipping would be on a black set of PSB B15... they have them for sale @ $269/pair. the c40 center is also $269. they have the alpha B1 @ $249 and alpha C1 @ $199. i bought my PSB from them and they have an excellent rep and of course they are authorized dealer.
as for the infinity...i just listed them as another viable option from another manufacturer... but you should go with the speakers from one or the other... not suggestion to mix and match brands...
you can go with 2 sets of Primus 162 and a center PC250...or 2 sets of Primus 152 plus center...or 1 set of Primus 162 (front), center and Primus 152 (surrounds)...
the other good deal is the SVS speakers...
as for subwoofer...since you live in an small apt... a 10" should be sufficient. i believe Saturday Audio is offering the PSB 5i for $369 with a PSB speaker purchase. check out the velodyne vx10...vanns has it for $170...others may have a better price. klipsch ksw-10 would work... along with the Athena AS-P4100... sellout.woot.com just had a killer sale on this sub for $105 shipped... i got 5 of them... currently using 3 of them until my av123 MFW-15's arrive... if you're interested... i would possibly sale one of my unopened units.
best to jot down all options with shipping included and go listen to them at local retailers. except the SVS... that PSB dealer probably isnt the only one in your area...best to call PSB or go online and enter your zip in their dealer locator and see if someone is near by...call inquire about model and see if a demo is available.
good luck and enjoy!

If you like brighter speakers, I'd recommend Axiom Audio online. I'm not a big fan of ebay honestly. Actually, if your a fan of brighter speakers, any of the Canadian makers you will probably enjoy (PSB, Paradigm, Energy, Axiom offers very nice bang for the buck, no middeman or dealer.

Check these out:
http://www.axiomaudio.com/m3ti_main.html

Quote from axiom : If you like brighter speakers, I'd recommend Axiom Audio online. I'm not a big fan of ebay honestly. Actually, if your a fan of brighter speakers, any of the Canadian makers you will probably enjoy (PSB, Paradigm, Energy, Axiom offers very nice bang for the buck, no middeman or dealer. Check these out: http://www.axiomaudio.com/m3ti_main.html

im not fan of ebay either...actually i never shop on ebay...but some are comfortable with the transactions... i agree...Axiom are bright speakers and a good value...

Added a wikipost to the first page. I wrote up a brief intro on satellite systems.. because so many people are buying them and so many deals come up with them.

Jesus christ, I found a pair (and center) of one of my favorite speakers used. $1200 for the 3, and about $2200 new.... these are bar-none one of the best bargains in audio... goddamn I wish I had the room. Turjam, its too bad you can't do floorstanders. These are flat out amazing pieces.

stickycash. i recently purchase the tx-sr605 and been looking around for a nice center speaker (currently using Bose AM10 III ) and i notice you were recomending axiom. ive never heard of them but from what i could tell they look prety decent. how does the VP100v2 / VP150v2 compare to say Klipsch RC-52 / RC-62?

<=audio noob

Quote from ironchef25 : stickycash. i recently purchase the tx-sr605 and been looking around for a nice center speaker (currently using Bose AM10 III ) and i notice you were recomending axiom. ive never heard of them but from what i could tell they look prety decent. how does the VP100v2 / VP150v2 compare to say Klipsch RC-52 / RC-62? <=audio noob

Buy the matching center channel for your main speakers. You want to match timbre across the front.

Quote from axiom : Buy the matching center channel for your main speakers. You want to match timbre across the front.

how do i know if my center match the L and R? when you say by spec? or by brand? or by both? lol. since i have bose AM 10. for now i was thinking of upgrading the center (since i can barely hear the dialoge on movies ) then later when i save enough i plan on upgrading the L and R.

Quote from ironchef25 : how do i know if my center match the L and R? when you say by spec? or by brand? or by both? lol. since i have bose AM 10. for now i was thinking of upgrading the center (since i can barely hear the dialoge on movies ) then later when i save enough i plan on upgrading the L and R.

Ah, I didnt realize you had the entire AM10 set. Nevermind what I said. Basically, whatever center you decide on, your going to buy the matched mains later on for it. In other words, say you buy the Axiom VP100. That pretty much locks you in to buying other Axiom L and R speakers. Having mis-matched center is usually a bad thing. If your doing it temporarily, thats alright.

Klipsch speakers are pretty much the brightest speakers you can buy. They have ALOT of treble energy, this may or may not be your thing. Axioms are considered bright, but not Klipsch bright. If you have the chance, go out there and audition some brands and see what floats your boat. The closest thing out there are probably Paradigm Monitor series at high fi stores. If you can't find those, hit a best buy or circuit shitty. They will definately have Klipsch. Then find a brand like Polk or Vienna Acoustics at those stores. Axioms will be between both treble wise.

Quote from ironchef25 : stickycash. i recently purchase the tx-sr605 and been looking around for a nice center speaker (currently using Bose AM10 III ) and i notice you were recomending axiom. ive never heard of them but from what i could tell they look prety decent. how does the VP100v2 / VP150v2 compare to say Klipsch RC-52 / RC-62? <=audio noob

good suggestions by axiom (the member)...

congrats on your 605 purchase... great receiver for entry-level ht processing and power...
let me get a rough idea of your goals and steps to reaching that goal... do you live in an apt or house? roughly how big is your room in cubic feet? (W x D x H) what will be your listening habits? (movies xx%, music xx%, gaming xx%) when you do upgrade your Left Right, surrounds... are you anticipating floorstanding or bookshelf-type speakers? if bookshelf, will they go on the wall, on a shelf, or speaker stands? and most important, what's your surround sound speaker budget total?
i commend your approach...while not as common, building a HT "one-speaker-at-a-time" is a wise way to get to the level you want when working off a tight budget... and with 60% or more of movie information generating from the center channel...i think thats a great place to start.
have you had a chance to ascertain what kind of sound you like? bright, neutral, or warm?
i dont know how to catagorize Bose, because i never actually sat down with a set and seriously critique them... from what i heard they fall inbetween warm and neutral. like member axiom said...Klipsch are well known as bright speakers... and rightfully so as they are geared toward movie performance first...especially the reference line. Axiom speakers seem to get a love-dislike response from owners and those who gave them a trial. with more leaning to the former...they have been labeled bright also...and very "revealing" of the source material... which can be good or bad due to personal taste...i think if you have a well-damped room (fluffy couches, drapes, carpet, paintings) they can be very pleasing.... their in-home trial is a godsend... and by trying just one speaker (center) first... it would be be worth trying since return shipping wouldnt cost you much on it if you decided it wasnt for you.
while i dont place a lot of weight on mfr specs...they do matter...so lets take a look at the lower-cost options of the two you mentioned:
Axiom VP100:
Freq Resp +/-3db (Hz): 95-22 kHz
SPL Anechoic 1w/1m(db): 89 dB
Tweeter: Single 1"
Woofer: Dual 5.25"
8 ohm

Klipsch RC-52
Freq Resp +/-3db (Hz): 67Hz-23kHz
SPL Anechoic: 96dB @ 2.83V / 1m
Tweeter: 1" compression driver mated to 90x60 square Tractrix® Horn
Woofer: Dual 5.25"
8 ohm
first thing that strikes me is the vp100's early low-end roll off @ 95... THX recommends a 80hz crossover between sub and front speakers... room size will play a factor...and a smaller room would probably offer enough gain to be ok... secondly... there's quite a wide gap in the sensitivity between both... meaning the vp100 will need more power to play at the same loudness level as the rc-52... say your listening position was about 10 feet away from the speaker and your goal was a loudness of 95db SPL... the vp100 would need about 70watts...while the RC-52 would only need about 15 watts... so, on "paper" thats how i see them compareing... but again, numbers are important ...but listening is more important. i hear often that a speaker that does music well makes for a good home theater speaker also...but the same cant be said for a ht speaker sounding good with music... if you were to reply and say you are 90% movies & games...i would go Klipsch... 50% or more music...and i would highly consider auditioning the axiom in the set-up. in going axiom, the vp150 is worth its $150 premium and definitely the go-to center. the rc-62 reminds me of the rc-52's twin brother who works out in the gym... when it come to mid-low bass...the rc-62 flexes his big 6.5" woofer muscles and taunts his smaller twin, "whatever you can do...i can do better!"
good luck & enjoy...

Awesome. Thanks sticky im learning alot.. let me try to give you guys more details. thanks btw for helping me out.

hooked up my set last night it was awesome. im upgrading from an old pioneer recever that was made in 99 which didnt even have DTS so it was a big step for me. anyways from what i notice the sound was much clearer when i listen to TrueHD(via PS3). but honestly the sound was a bit lacking. in order for me to enjoy the movie (I am Legend BR) i had the volume up to 56 and there were times that i could barely hear the dialoge if i increase the volume more the background sound effect and special sound effect washes out the movie.it gets too loud. im pretty sure my speaker (AM10 series 3) was the culprit. so i went to the speaker setting on the onkyo receiver (havent mess around with the AQ thingy for the auto calibration) and set the distance of my listening point and increase the volume db for my center, surround and left. it made a difference but not much, still was better than before. im pretty sure the only way to fully enjoy this reciever is to upgrade my speaker. base on your review ill most like get the Klipsch rc-52 unless theres something better out there for the same or lower price that can match the rc-52.

The room im setting the HT is in my bedroom. its a house and the room about 20x12x8. Listening habits will mostly 80%movies 20%games. Not sure yet if i want a tower or bookshelf but if i do go bookshelf it might end up hanging on the wall.. Budget let say in the next 2 months or so (since im peicing to gether) say around 1200 or less.
Well from what i read and heard, the center speaker is the most important peice out of the five/seven . 75% of a movie soundtrack and dialogue emits from the center. Center > Sub> Front / left > surround. i think.. ive alse read somewhere that you have to compliment your center with a matching L and R but i dont know how .. like what to look for.. how to match it. and what is the general rule? .

for the what sound i was looking for question warm/neutral/ or bright. well, i can't honestly say. im not sure what are the differences between the three but from what i can tell you im looking for something where the dialogue comes crisp and clear (the volume doesnt have to be realy high) and be able to hear and enjoy the dialogue in scenes with heavy speacial effects. what i notice in my old set up was the dialoge gets washed out when theres scene where theres lots of exposion or heavy sound effect in the background.

BTW when looking at speaker specs. what am i realy looking for? like when they say A:frequency resp: +/-3db (Hz): 95-22 kHz vs B:frequency resp: +/-3db (Hz): 67-23 kHz what does it realy mean. i mean from base on the number id say B: cause it has a much wider range in frequency. but my question is what makes it wider? why is it wider? and is Wider always better?
A: Woofer 6"1/4 vs B: Woofer 5"1/2.
i say A: just because it has a bigger woofer. question is it always better go bigger?
Peak vs Continuous?
Watt on my receiver vs Watt on my speaker. How to match it.
SPL Anechoic?



to be honest with you. for an average consumer like my self (and im ashame to admit this) is that we go by price. lol.. if its more $$$ then its better. Name brand is better than unknown name brand. i know this isnt always the case but for an average yuppy (like my self ), we falls for it all the time. hence i have a BOSE