home theater speakers??? which ones?

[severous01]

hey, i'm looking into buying a set of speakers for the house. i cant decide.

as of now i'm looking into klipsch and polk. i dont want to spend more than about 500 bux, maybe 600.

i know polk, and i'm not too familiar with klipsch but the more i look into them tehy more i like them. i went to best buy and found a mp3/laptop 2.1 set from klipsch and it was awesome compared to other similar priced/designed stuff. played louder, cleaner, looked better, sounded better...even than harmon/kardon. it was a little more expensive than the HK but it was worth the few bux to get the klipsch.

now, the set i'm looking into from polk doesnt include a sub and they're 500. the set from klipsch is the HD theater 500, and it's got a sub with it. it's klipsch bottom line next to the HD 300 set which im not interested in...and the next step up for klipsch is like 1800 bux. but if it's anything like any other higher end stuff, even the bottom line is good. i mean you can't buy a crappy bmw or mercedes...so this is similar.

any way, any other input would be helpful, and i dont want to spend a ton of money cuz i'm moving into a new house and theater isnt top of the list...but it's important enough to spend some money


oh, they'll be hooked up to a new yamaha 400 series receiver...dont know the specific model but it's brand new, came out about 2 months ago so it's good.

[PerfectoII]

So...the Yammie receiver is from their RX line...good. A sub is a must if you're going to use the system for movies too!!! Not sure what Polk system you were looking at... but Cnet gave the Klipsch system you were looking at a "very good" review...

Klipsch HD Theater 500 review (http://reviews.cnet.com/surround-speaker-systems/klipsch-hd-theater-500/4505-7868_7-33549715.html)

I'd also like to recommend the Energy Take 5 Classic 5.1 system. (http://reviews.cnet.com/surround-speaker-systems/energy-take-classic-5/4505-7868_7-33310963.html?tag=also)

The energy system is less expensive. I use their older Take 5 system in my daughters bedroom setup, and it sounds damn good for music...movies...and gaming...

[severous01]

cool, i'll check it out. this will be an all-around system.

i found the polk system here at best buy:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Polk+Audio+-+5-Piece+Home+Theater+Speaker+System/8826247.p?id=1207352529627&skuId=8826247

but i think i'm going to hit up klipsch. unless these others seem to be what i'm looking for. the guy at the store was trying to sell me def-tech...definitive technologies. they were outrageous but sounded awesome.

over on crutchfield.com i see a micro5, but not a 'take5' from energy

[talnlnky]

Klipsh is begining to be a bit over-rated for the money... I don't have experience with Polk, but Take a look at the JBL offerings as well.

If you want to do some researching... head over to www.hometheatertalk.com maybe do a post on their forum. Lot of experience over there.

Def tech makes good stuff too... There are sooo many good companies out there, but y ou have to be careful because some brands which you think are great, really aren't.

Oh yeah... HK = JBl + Infinity + Crown.... all part of the HK family.

[severous01]

Klipsh is begining to be a bit over-rated for the money...
Oh yeah... HK = JBl + Infinity + Crown.... all part of the HK family.

klipsch is part of energy and def tech...so if def tech is good, why isnt klipsch? maybe they using known good stuff in def tech and trying new things with klipsch?? oh well...who knows.

i forgot all about jbl...i'm going to look into them, i love jbl and infinity. they're always good...and still hold record for the loudest live concert ever. from 1998 i think, but it was a metalica concert in houston.

[STC]

oh, they'll be hooked up to a new yamaha 400 series receiver...dont know the specific model but it's brand new, came out about 2 months ago so it's good.

Very nice!

I've always been partial to Yamaha receivers... :smile:

[rob323]

diy!

[PerfectoII]

klipsch is part of energy and def tech...so if def tech is good, why isnt klipsch? maybe they using known good stuff in def tech and trying new things with klipsch?? oh well...who knows.

i forgot all about jbl...i'm going to look into them, i love jbl and infinity. they're always good...and still hold record for the loudest live concert ever. from 1998 i think, but it was a metalica concert in houston.

Well...someone will always find a certain brand overrated for the price...TBH...having come from selling highend speakers like Martin Logan...Vienna Acoustics...M&K...Sonus Faber...and even Def Tech and smaller systems from Klipsh...jbl...and bose back in the day...there isn't one speaker sold in a B&M that is truly worth the price paid. The mark-up on these is ridiculous and there are online retailers like Emotiva (http://emotiva.com/ert83.shtm)...and Axiom Audio (http://www.axiomaudio.com/products.html) who make an excellent and less expensive product by cutting out the middle man.

JBL makes a good speaker and is a respectable company...but they have a hard time competing in the entry level market against Klipsch...Energy...Polk...or Def Techs offerings when it comes to sound IMO.

In the price range you're looking at...it's going to be tough to go completely wrong with something though.

[severous01]

what about axiom? are they any good? ebay finds have a cherry finish on a $100 setup with 2 towers for front, satelites for rear, a sub and a decent center channel...plus 65 to ship so i'm under 200 for the whole setup...

i have never heard of axiom so i'm curious about it...noone local sells it so i cant go test it or compare it, and the listings on ebay dont give too much info on the quality of parts like cones, magnets, or surround components.

[talnlnky]

klipsch is part of energy and def tech...so if def tech is good, why isnt klipsch? maybe they using known good stuff in def tech and trying new things with klipsch?? oh well...who knows.

i forgot all about jbl...i'm going to look into them, i love jbl and infinity. they're always good...and still hold record for the loudest live concert ever. from 1998 i think, but it was a metalica concert in houston.

Klipsch isn't what they used to be, the quality of the raw drivers they use has started to go downhill from what i've heard. As long as you don't go with BOSE you'll be happy with what you get would be my guess.

If you were good at wood working, I'd point you to some high end DIY kits. The kits usually give you performance of a speaker that would've cost 2-4times more than what you paid for the kit.

[severous01]

well, i'm about as good at woodwork as i am welding...sure i can make 2 pieces of metal stick together but i wouldnt trust anything with it lol...

i guess with practice i could do anything. i have access to a full blown shop with everything except planers. but i dont know. i think it's just too much for me to decide right now...and the brand i was looking at wasnt axiom, it was t-rex and it looks cheap once i looked at the pictures more clearly. for 100 bux you get what you pay for.

i think i'm just gonna get def tech or energy micro...or polk rm90 kit. the only problem is polk doesnt come with a sub but their subs are cheap and i can get a psw12 for about 200 bux.

[PerfectoII]

Sev...if I were going to go with Energy... I'd go with the classic over the micro...Micro is good...but doesn't play as clean at louder volumes. I think you'd be happy with the micro...but think you'd be happier with the classic...just my opinion...

I've always been impressed with Def Tech...but not sure what they can offer at the price range you're looking at...I've read good things about the ProCinema 800...but it's a few hundred more that what you were looking to spend.

I agree with talnlnky about Bose...stay away from it...not sure about Klipsch in general though...and would like to know what the source is...my experience with Klipsch has always been good from entry level to highend...although...it has been many years since I've auditioned anything from them...

Axiom speakers are awesome!! A few years ago I used the M60...VP150...and QS8 package...I usually go through speakers about every year or two...but I had that set in my media room for a little over 4 years which is the longest I've held on to a speaker...well...except my M&K MX 350MKII sub. They make an excellent product...and if you're serious about an audition...join their forum and post in the "Hearing Things" section that you're looking for one. Should be plenty of people in your area...

[talnlnky]

I wasn't trying to imply that Klipsch is bad stuff. Just that it doesn't stand out from the crowd like it did say two-three decades ago.

[PerfectoII]

I wasn't trying to imply that Klipsch is bad stuff. Just that it doesn't stand out from the crowd like it did say two-three decades ago.

I agree...there is so much stuff out there it's easy to get lost in the crowd...

Not sure what they had that far back in the day...wasn't into audio...but I was a big fan of their Reference and Quintet lines a few years back...pretty...easy to drive speakers that sound good to excellent...

[severous01]

ok...i'm going witha custom setup.

i'm going with a noston accoustic c series 5.25" satellite (4) and a boston accoustic c series center channel. and for a sub i'm going with polk psw-12. i like the idea of having real speakers for setelites as i do a lot of music...and boston accoustic is just awesome. the satellites are 130 a pair, center is 130, and sub is about 200. so, for 650 i'm beating the HTIB setup, i get what i want, and it's going to be awesome

[PerfectoII]

Cool man!!! Post fotos once you get it all set up!!! :D

[severous01]

will do. i'm excited. prob wont happen till end of month but oh well. i just bought the house so i have to move in first....priorities ya know? any way, thanks for all the help and advice.

[Damo]

www.avsforum.com is definitely the place you'd want to throw the questions. Those guys are a veritable BANK of information and have helped me no-end with my home theater install.

[goliath1812]

Why are you bashing Bose? They sound pretty good to me....