Best tower speakers for $500 or under (1 Viewer)

[pfar]

Hey guys, I am looking to add a pair of tower speakers to my set up. Right now I have a pioneer vsx-1123, the klipsch quintet lll for my speakers and a klipsch 12" sub. I'm not sure how much longer I am going to be keeping the klipsch speakers, so a different brand is definitely open. I want something with very nice clarity all around. I don't need boom shaking bass because my sub does that, but I do want the nice powerful mid-lower frequencies as well as a crisp high frequency. Thanks!

 

[pfar]

What about the Polk tsi400

 

[schan1269]

Best would be anything you find used off Craigslist.

 

[pfar]

Best would be anything you find used off Craigslist.

So how about the Polk tsi for 200?

 

[pfar]

What do you guys think?

 

[schan1269]

Which ones? There are 3 models of TSi tower.

 

[pfar]

Polk tsi400

 

[Robert_J]

I'm not sure how much longer I am going to be keeping the klipsch speakers

When you run MCACC on your Pioneer, what are the EQ settings? Is the receiver maxing out the first EQ band to get the little Quintets to push some mid-bass? And the Polks you mention only have a 5.25" mid-woofer. Will that be enough? Go big like this http://www.angelfire.com/music5/audio0/I'm using the 6.5" version of that design and it rocks.

 

[pfar]

Sorry to update my original post. I'm running an older pioneer receiver.. Maybe 6 years old. It is a pioneer 1017 I believe. I bought a 1023 at a great deal and have yet to hook it up. I was looking to sell the 1023 and upgrade to a 1123. I went ahead and purchased the polks. I have those hooked up now. I want something better though. They sound really good, but I want more of the rich full sound. I have looked into those speakers you posted before, but I have never made a speaker before. What exactly would I need?

 

[pfar]

It has been a very long time since I've programmed a receiver. As of now I have it on the advanced game setting, s.rtrv sound, phase control dialog e, auto analog, sp a.

 

[schan1269]

First things first.

Run MCACC. See what it comes up with. Tweak as necessary. You could, for the time being, run the 1023 in 5/7.1 using the remaining Quintet. The MCACC "should" come close to taming the shrillness of the Quintet(small woofer paired with a horn means screaming highs and no bass).

The only Pioneer issue is the single crossover point. But, without a dedicated sub(trust me, for now...run sub-less) let the TSi400 play full range, set a crossover of 120 for the Quintet.

After that, should be better. If you decide to run a sub...since you still only get one crossover, run the main as large(so they aren't included in the bass management) and pick "LFE + main".

Edit:
Just noticed the 1023 includes DPL IIz. You could try height if you don't have the space for 7.1.

 

[pfar]

I'm sorry I didn't specify. I have a klipsch 12" sub.

 

[pfar]

What is a cross over point? And what does running the main at large mean? Sorry for my lack of knowledge

 

[schan1269]

IF that sub is the one that used to be included in the Quintet to make a 5.1...it might not do anything the 400's won't be doing doing already.

Just saying you got a Klipsch 12" is like saying you got a 4 door Ford. What? An old Falcon or a Crown Barge...I mean Vic.

 

[schan1269]

What is a cross over point?
Read the manual. In the bass management*, the same place...or close, that you tell it you have 2/3/5/7 speakers...and what position those speakers are in. You will choose which speakers are large/full range...and which are "small". Small, here, has nothing to do with size. Large is not included in bass management. Small is included in bass management.And what does running the main at large mean? Sorry for my lack of knowledge
Explained above.

I'm inclined to believe you've had horrid sound from these Quintet...cause you've never understood the bass management.

*Bass Management is telling the AVR the "capability" of your speakers(MCACC does this automatically, sort of). The crossover is how you strip low frequencies from the 2/3/5/7.0 and hand those low frequencies off to the .1 where they belong.

That crossover point is determined by the capability(or in the case of Quintet, their incapability) of the main speakers.

 

[pfar]

IF that sub is the one that used to be included in the Quintet to make a 5.1...it might not do anything the 400's won't be doing doing already. Just saying you got a Klipsch 12" is like saying you got a 4 door Ford. What? An old Falcon or a Crown Barge...I mean Vic.

http://www.klipsch.com/sub-12-subwoofer

 

[pfar]

I'm inclined to believe you've had horrid sound from these Quintet...cause you've never understood the bass management. *Bass Management is telling the AVR the "capability" of your speakers(MCACC does this automatically, sort of). The crossover is how you strip low frequencies from the 2/3/5/7.0 and hand those low frequencies off to the .1 where they belong. That crossover point is determined by the capability(or in the case of Quintet, their incapability) of the main speakers.

I've run the mcacc on it before. Just don't know the settings it has established off of it or how to find those out. I also do not understand a lot of the verbiage and appreciations. I understand most of the basics though.

 

[schan1269]

Ok, that sub isn't bad. Better than a BIC F12.

 

[pfar]

Ok, that sub isn't bad. Better than a BIC F12.

Yea I've had it for 6-7 years and I haven't had one issue with it. How should I set it with the current set up I have. I just want to be able to tune my system the best I can. I'm thinking about just keeping the pioneer 1023 until I can upgrade to something a lot better $1-2k range. I do want some better speakers though. I may possibly look into building the Dayton speakers robertj suggested, but how much of a difference would it be?

 

[schan1269]

What does the 1123 have you want?The app control?Otherwise...there is little difference (not heard anyone say advanced MCACC is any better than basic).Setup should be(not familiar with Pioneer)...Front as large.Wherever a Quintet is...is small.I would toy with LFE + Main to see which you prefer.Subwoofer(didn't look at how the connections are labelled) should be set crossover all the way up...as the AVR is handling the crossover.Not heard that speaker...but in general...the bigger the speaker...the more full sound you end up with. I'm the last to ask about "specific speakers"...My 4 theatres are BIC V, DCM TF, Infinity Crescendo and a mishmash of 90s era Polk.My gf has Wharfedale w60e in her listening room(where her upright bass resides). I have Dahlquist DQ10 sitting in the basement "rec area"