Hi my name is Jay,
I have been reading AK for years now looking for opinions and reviews on the many a/v components and speakers I find and by on CL. I just broke up my home theater set and am in the market for new speakers. I have read enough forums, magazines, and cnet reviews to spout all sorts of on paper knowledge about speakers but have rarely had the time to (and nearby hi fi business) to audition or the means to purchase most of what I've read about. I live in a small apartment with high ceilings, so high in fact that I have built a loft be to save space. Under the loft is 7' head space and I have a couch, mounted projector, and 72" screen on the opposite side. I I lived in a larger place and had many CL "finds" hanging around, but have recently lightened the load. Most recently, due to them being so tall they blocked the screen, I sold my Polk RT1000i's (with the powered subs) which were the fronts in a system that includes a CS400, and a pair of RT25i's as surrounds (all 2ndhand from CL/Ebay). Rather than drive some unfathomable distance to "locally pickup" a pair of RT800i's or RT600i's from Ebay, I have considered selling the rest and starting over.
Since I live in a small apartment, my main focus is putting my money ($600 - $700) towards a good towers and a timbre matched center. I wouldn't turn down surrounds, but they aren't really all that necessary. I will have to purchase a SW too, but I could get by with a cheap one from CL until I save up again. I was initially thinking Polk, but while researching the T, TSI, and TSX lines, I started reading about other speakers in my range. I also learned that Andrew Jones is a heavenly being sent back to earth to provide great sounding speakers of all budgets to underserving humans. I am down a worm hole of speaker reviews and amazon/music direct/cnet page views. Here is the narrowest field of speakers I am considering. Please help!
Listed by what I think are appropriate levels, on a scale of Vizio to TAD:
Polk T50's - $99 each amazon.
Polk T30 - $99 amazon.
(I already have a pair of T15's I bought a few years ago and don't use.)
- I've heard these are decent sound/great value but I'm suspicious. I would have enough for a psw111, but I kind of feel like I want to treat myself a little more than this.
AJ Pioneer FS-52 - $129 each amazon & others
Pioneer SP - 322 - $91 amazon.
5.1 set of those above plus pair of sb-b22's and a sub - $468 somewhere I recently saw.
- I find these pretty ugly but sound is what's important right? I've read everything from... these are unimaginable value entry level hi fi to better than expected but not great... worth recommending to your friend who was only going to buy some crappy Samsung HTIB anyways. Where does the truth lie?
Polk Monitor 60's - $139/ea ... 70s - $224/ea ... 65T's - 242/ea
Polk CS10? - $99
Polk TSi 300's - $149/ea... TSi 400's - $199/each
Polk CSi A3 - $99 or A4 $199
Polk TSX 330T - $119/each... TSX 440T's $175/each... Polk TSX 330 pair w/ PSW110 - $340
Polk TSX 250 - $105-120
-- All three above: continuation of same line, but really different, but kinda the same... these seem to be pretty good value at current discounts and were what I saw myself buying until i put into my MusicDirect cart some demo versions of .....
Elac Debut F5's $440 pair demo - $570 pair new.
Elac Debut C5 $179
Finally because I just have to consider that which I cannot afford:
Wharfedale Diamond 10.7 - $699/pair
Wharfedale Diamond 230 - $639/pair demo'd
- In this scenario I have to save for a center and sw later.
What will I play through these?
Marantz SR 7002
Technics SL-D2 through a NAD phono preamp
Mac Mini for the digital through a Music Streamer II outboard DAC.
-- I watch a lot of movies, but listen to music everyday... I need what can handle both but will favor music.
Sorry for how long this is. I'm about to have a google search nervous breakdown. Please help.
I have been reading AK for years now looking for opinions and reviews on the many a/v components and speakers I find and by on CL. I just broke up my home theater set and am in the market for new speakers. I have read enough forums, magazines, and cnet reviews to spout all sorts of on paper knowledge about speakers but have rarely had the time to (and nearby hi fi business) to audition or the means to purchase most of what I've read about. I live in a small apartment with high ceilings, so high in fact that I have built a loft be to save space. Under the loft is 7' head space and I have a couch, mounted projector, and 72" screen on the opposite side. I I lived in a larger place and had many CL "finds" hanging around, but have recently lightened the load. Most recently, due to them being so tall they blocked the screen, I sold my Polk RT1000i's (with the powered subs) which were the fronts in a system that includes a CS400, and a pair of RT25i's as surrounds (all 2ndhand from CL/Ebay). Rather than drive some unfathomable distance to "locally pickup" a pair of RT800i's or RT600i's from Ebay, I have considered selling the rest and starting over.
Since I live in a small apartment, my main focus is putting my money ($600 - $700) towards a good towers and a timbre matched center. I wouldn't turn down surrounds, but they aren't really all that necessary. I will have to purchase a SW too, but I could get by with a cheap one from CL until I save up again. I was initially thinking Polk, but while researching the T, TSI, and TSX lines, I started reading about other speakers in my range. I also learned that Andrew Jones is a heavenly being sent back to earth to provide great sounding speakers of all budgets to underserving humans. I am down a worm hole of speaker reviews and amazon/music direct/cnet page views. Here is the narrowest field of speakers I am considering. Please help!
Listed by what I think are appropriate levels, on a scale of Vizio to TAD:
Polk T50's - $99 each amazon.
Polk T30 - $99 amazon.
(I already have a pair of T15's I bought a few years ago and don't use.)
- I've heard these are decent sound/great value but I'm suspicious. I would have enough for a psw111, but I kind of feel like I want to treat myself a little more than this.
AJ Pioneer FS-52 - $129 each amazon & others
Pioneer SP - 322 - $91 amazon.
5.1 set of those above plus pair of sb-b22's and a sub - $468 somewhere I recently saw.
- I find these pretty ugly but sound is what's important right? I've read everything from... these are unimaginable value entry level hi fi to better than expected but not great... worth recommending to your friend who was only going to buy some crappy Samsung HTIB anyways. Where does the truth lie?
Polk Monitor 60's - $139/ea ... 70s - $224/ea ... 65T's - 242/ea
Polk CS10? - $99
Polk TSi 300's - $149/ea... TSi 400's - $199/each
Polk CSi A3 - $99 or A4 $199
Polk TSX 330T - $119/each... TSX 440T's $175/each... Polk TSX 330 pair w/ PSW110 - $340
Polk TSX 250 - $105-120
-- All three above: continuation of same line, but really different, but kinda the same... these seem to be pretty good value at current discounts and were what I saw myself buying until i put into my MusicDirect cart some demo versions of .....
Elac Debut F5's $440 pair demo - $570 pair new.
Elac Debut C5 $179
Finally because I just have to consider that which I cannot afford:
Wharfedale Diamond 10.7 - $699/pair
Wharfedale Diamond 230 - $639/pair demo'd
- In this scenario I have to save for a center and sw later.
What will I play through these?
Marantz SR 7002
Technics SL-D2 through a NAD phono preamp
Mac Mini for the digital through a Music Streamer II outboard DAC.
-- I watch a lot of movies, but listen to music everyday... I need what can handle both but will favor music.
Sorry for how long this is. I'm about to have a google search nervous breakdown. Please help.
