$5,000 budget (1 Viewer)

[ZachW]

I'm really close to getting my dad to agree to spend $5,000 to upgrade our JBL northridge, SVS 20-39 PCI, and Denon 1803. The 5,000 will be for speakers, a sub, and receiver. I've had a couple ideas on what to get so far:
#1
Rocket 750 fronts
Rocket RSC 200 center
Rocket RSS 300 surrounds
Rocket RS 250 rear surround
SVS PB2+
Denon 3803?
comes to a little of $5,000. This is my first choice, but will the 3803 provide sufficient power to everything, and will it be able to handle the 4 ohm load of the center?

#2
Dahlquist QX10 fronts
Dahlquist QX60 C center
Dahlquist QX20R surrounds
Dahlquist QX6 rear surround
SVS PB2+
Denon 3803?
comes to a little under $5,000. Not sure about the receiver, but with $1,000 left over not sure what else to do.

#3
Axiom M80ti fronts
Axiom VP 150 center
Axiom Qs8 surrounds
Axiom M3ti rear surrounds
SVS PB2+
Outlaw 7100 amp
Outlaw 950 preamp
This comes out to around 5,000 and I kind of like the way this looks.

Any other help with suggestions or changes would be great. Thanks.

 

[dajaga]

if you can find them you should have a listen to some paradigms studio series. i love the monitor series but i wanna get the studio v3 w/ the pw2200 v2 until a new version of the servo15 comes out

 

[AhsanR]

Well man,

I would suggest you go with the sound you like best,

Rockets = laid back

Dahlquist = Neutral

Axiom = a bit Forward

its all preference, but if you wanna save more money i would suggest Two Stryke AV-15s as a DIY sub.... my opinion.

 

[Kevin.W.H]

Do you also want to upgrade your display?

(Changing option 3 here a bit)

Cause if you go with the Axiom 60s for fronts...
and the denon 3803...

that is around a thousand saved there...

and if you keep your current SVS?

you get about twelve hundred more...


so 2200 dollars to upgrade your display.

Or not maybe your display is already good enough?

What is it by the way?


Just thinking.

KWH

 

[ZachW]

We already have a mitsubishi diamond series 65" tv that's really good, so I don't need to upgrade there.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Zach, I’m pretty sure that Gordon Groff has the 750/200/300/250 Rocket configuration. You might send him a PM or e-mail and ask. Personally I think that the 3803 will be more than ample (I only have the 550s, not the 750s), but you might write either Sean Parque or Steve Ozami at AV123 and ask their advice. Both of these guys are very knowledgeable and will give you sound advice.

You have an awesome setup in mind. I am envious.

 

[Steve_D]

#1 - Yes, given that the sub will handle the power hungry low bass, you should have enough power.

#2 - But, with $1000 left over I would add an external 2 or 3 channel amp to the Denon 3803 for the front 2 or 3 channels. How is your DVD player?

#3 - HT only or close to 50% or more for music? Outlaw would be a great choice HT only, a little less desirable for music.

My $5000? (I have a moderate sized room with 70/30 music/HT priority)

2 ACI Sapphires
1 ACI Essence
4 ACI Emerald (on-wall or regular) EDIT -Ok, I actually am happy with 5.1, but since your other packages were 7.1....Also, should be able to get a nice package price on above.
Keep the 20-39, make it a 20-39+.
Denon 3803
2 Channel Amp

 

[george king]

Here would be my suggestion

All speakers ordered from Brian at Link Removed (great guy) -

7 GR Research AV-1s approximately $2500
sub (custom from Brian) $700
Rotel 1055 receiver $1000
Rotel RB 1070 amp for fronts $600

This would be a killer music and HT system.

 

[Adam_Reiter]

I'm really close to getting my dad to agree to spend $5,000 to upgrade our JBL northridge, SVS 20-39 PCI, and Denon 1803. The 5,000 will be for speakers, a sub, and receiver. I've had a couple ideas on what to get so far:
#1
Rocket 750 fronts
Rocket RSC 200 center
Rocket RSS 300 surrounds
Rocket RS 250 rear surround
SVS PB2+
Denon 3803?
comes to a little of $5,000. This is my first choice, but will the 3803 provide sufficient power to everything, and will it be able to handle the 4 ohm load of the center?

I would say #1. Or you can change it a bit.

Rocket 750 fronts
Rocket RSC 200 center
Rocket RSS 300 surrounds
Rocket RS 250 rear surround approx $2700ish



Outlaw 950/7100 combo $1600 Once you go seperates, there is no going back!! I HIGHLY recommend going this route if possible.

Buy a second SVS 20-39 PCI $600

$4900 total. (remember shipping tho)


Or, maybe you can sell the old gear and old sub, to make up for the difference to get the PB2+?


I myself have 4 Rocket RS750's (Front and 6th and 7th Rear channels) the BigFoot RC200, and the RSS300 surrounds. I also have the SVS B4+.

Not many people can compete with my sound. It is definately impacting.

However, any of those setups will kick major butt. I am sure they all will out perform what you have now by leaps and bounds. Therefore you will be happy with any of them.

But, as a Rocket owner, I have to give them my vote.

 

[ZachW]

I really like how that system sounds. Maybe I can get my dad to add to the budget a little so i can get the PB2. I was also thinking, would the Rs150's be that much of a downgrade to the Rs250's as rear surrounds? Will they make that much of a difference? Because I can save $300 i think in switching to the 150's. thanks for all the help

 

[Alex Prosak]

Zach,

If you don't plan on listening to multi-channel SACD or DVD-A [and if you get the 950/7100; I'm not sure how the 3803 is set up] I'd "downgrade" and get the 150's instead of the 250's. As far as movies go, there isn't a whole lot of information back there. I'm currently using the 150's as my surround back speakers and I'm very happy with them. They blend very nicely with the 300 surrounds too as they use the same components. Use the $300 you save toward the PB-2+ or Outlaw separates.

Alex

 

[CurtisSC]

One thing to remember though, the RS150 does not use the Vifa tweeter, which I believe all the other Rockets do have.

 

[Alex Prosak]

Curtis,

The 300's also use the same hybrid tweeter as the 150's, not the Vifa's. Zach's proposed system includes 300's so in going with the 150's he'd be using the same drivers throughout the back half of his system.

 

[CurtisSC]

Thanks for the clarification Alex.

 

[Adam_Reiter]

Maybe I can get my dad to add to the budget a little so i can get the PB2. I was also thinking, would the Rs150's be that much of a downgrade to the Rs250's as rear surrounds? Will they make that much of a difference? Because I can save $300 i think in switching to the 150's. thanks for all the help

Zach, the RS150's would still sound good. However, I am always a firm believer in trying to get the best I can afford at the time. It helps me stave off upgrades longer. Now, if you budget is totally tapped out to where getting the RS250's meant you couldn't get the PB2, then I'd say the trade is a good one. However, if your Dad cant slighty increase the budget, I'd say get the RS250's. They are a really great speaker. I had the RS250's for my rear, and I sold them to upgrade to the RS750's. I had always planned to have RS750's in the rear, buy I went with a $1000 more expensive TV at the time, thus the RS250's for rear. The RS250's will allow you to have phenominal sounding Multichannel music.

But, if you guys are spending this amount of money in the first place, I think spluging the extra $300 to get such a great speaker in the RS250's is worth it. I believe it really offers you more flexiblity down the road. Even if "GOD FORBID" you have to resale down the line. Much easier to offload a pair of RS250's than the 150's.

The most important thing.... GET THOSE SEPERATES!! Do whatever you have to.... GET THE OUTLAW COMBO! You have the budget... do it! The Rockets will sing with the power, and again.... more flexibility down the road.

 

[CurtisSC]

Zach,

Before you do anything, make sure you know what kind of speaker characteristics you like. The speakers you mentioned are very different. So try to get a listen session with each.

Also, the equipment coupled to them will also make a difference and can make weaknesses more evident and vice-versa.

 

[Bob-N]

Curtis has some good advice. One more thing about the Rockets is that they are rear ported as I recall (as well as the Ref line). I definitely a fan of the Onix Refs and their following, but for my room, I won't be able to provide enough room to let rear ported designs "breathe". However, YMMV.

I'm currently leaning towards the aforementioned GR Research AV-1+ and ACI Sapphires/wall Emeralds at this time. Try to give all of your contenders at least a quick first hand listen with your material before you buy. At least you'll get a rough "flavor" of how the speaker sounds. Fortunately, most of the speakers mentioned above (internet companies) have 30 days no hassle return policy. Ideally, if you could swing it, get those into your house and one time and have a shootout. I know GR Research has demos floating around the country which should be easy to audition in home.

Bob

 

[Russell _T]

Zach,
I have driven my Rockets with a small Denon 1802, and it does fine within it's design parameters, so the 3803 will have no problems at all. It's a great receiver especially for the money. It has some of the best channel separation I have heard. I've read where a lot of Rocket owners are using the 3803 very successfully. On all the other points, I'm with Adam. If it were me, I would keep the SVS for now, and get the 250's and Outlaw combo.
Good luck. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the above combo's.

 

[Dan Hitchman]

I have a great idea for you that's a little on the unconventional side (it would work especially well with a front projection setup at some point), but may be the start of one super sweet, tricked out home theater and audio room (with equipment you can audition at a showroom and possibly at home first). The budget may need to be stretched a tiny bit if you went all out (tower for the center instead of one bookshelf for the center and one for the back surround and upgrade later to 100% matching center tower) in one fell swoop, however (dealers should give some sort of discount on the speakers, and the receiver can be found online at a decent rate).

Five B&W DM604 Series 3 three-and-one-half-way towers (LF, CF, RF, LS, RS)

Two B&W DM602 Series 3 two-and-one-half-way bookshelves (LB, RB)

One Mirage BPS-400 bipolar subwoofer

Denon 3803 receiver.


With the towers all around you could hold off on getting a sub for the time being, which is another possibility. The B&W DM towers IMHO had a great blend of clean highs, warm mids, and a full bodied bass response. The next model up, the B&W CM series didn't seem to have the same balance and really needed subwoofer support as they were more music oriented speakers. I heard these with a Denon 3803 as well as other amp and pre-amp combinations and they sounded great together. I usually do not recommend so-called "center-channel" speakers as they tend to have a nasal, chesty quality compared to their vertically aligned brethren.

Ideally you want matching speakers all around (highly recommended in the field and how most mixes are monitored in the studios). This goes doubly so for multichannel music reproduction from SACD and DVD-Audio.

Dan

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

One more quick idea... 45TX refurb from ecost.com for $500 or 49TX refurb from ecost.com for $1499. You could either save $300 and have a great receiver or spend a bit more and have an amazing receiver. Ofcourse you did mention outlaw seperates, which for around $1500 would do a great job too.

Hope this helps