Oh Wise Ones, please help me choose some new speakers... (1 Viewer)

[Shmax]

You guys came through for me on the receiver...

(See thread "Oh Wise Ones, please help me choose a receiver" in the receivers/separates forum)

...so you probably saw this coming. Speakers! As discussed in the previous thread, I've settled on the Sony 5200ES receiver (it's in the corner, looking sad). My TV is a Sony 50" SXRD rear projection. Yes, I have sort of a Sony theme going on--there's just no arguing with the employee discount. So, about those speakers. Any recommendations? Keep in mind these parameters:

1. The receiver is a 7.1 setup
2. The room I'll be listening in is 16' x 17'
3. I don't want to spend more than $1000 or so
4. I'm not really an audiopile, and as far as I know can't tell the difference between a speaker that costs $100 and one that is worth more than my truck (re: $500)

bonus points:
5. Sony! Mmmm, discount....

Any thoughts? I'm in way over my head here, but with a few recommendations I can run off and do my research thing. Any ideas are appreciated...

-Max

 

[bobbyg2]

What's the specs for your receiver? Even better, whats the link to it?

 

[mazersteven]

Any one of these systems would be really nice in that size room

AV123 X-series under $800

http://www.av123.com/products_catego...akers&brand=55

SVS a really excellent system $999-$1175

http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm

Ascend Acoustics The CMT-340's would be awesome used as mains
340 mains, 340 center, 170 rears $1118

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages.../spkrlist.html

 

[Alex Prosak]

Steve's recommendations are excellent, I'll second them. I wouldn't recommend any Sony speakers, even if you do get an employee discount. Sorry. Do note that the prices Steve indicated would be for 5.1 system, 7.1 will cost you a bit more, in the $200 range. The Ascends, especially the 340's get phenomenal reviews but they aren't exactly the most eye pleasing of the group. The x-ls also get good reviews, not quite as good as the 340 but there are some upgrade paths for them; they also look absolutely stunning. I have a pair in my bedroom system. The SVS...I own one of their subs and love it but I'm not familiar with their other speakers.

 

[Shmax]

Thanks for the tips, guys. I've looked into them a bit, and the prices seem reasonable. Here comes a dumb question: my receiver supports 7.1, but all these speakers packages seem to be 5.1. Can I set my receiver to act as a 5.1? How important is 7.1 (compared to 5.1) for a 16' x 16' room like mine? If I decide to buy the two extra speakers, are they special, or are they just duplicates of a regular speaker in the 5.1 set? If so, which one?

Thanks guys!

-Max

 

[scott>c]

Your receiver should allow u to run in 5.1. Really not enough discrete sources for the 2 rears so I usually go 5.1. Especially since my Toshiba hd-A1 only does 5.1 in dd+ and I really don`t feel like I`m losing anything without the rears.

 

[MaxL]

for $960 you can get the monitor audio bronze series b1's plus center and asw 100 sub. for the same price you can get get the bfx rears for bipole or dipole. for an extra $80 per pair you can upgrade to the B2's. these are sale prices @ www.saturdayaudio.com

good luck

 

[Wayne Ernst]

Why settle for Sony, when there's Bose?

 

[Luis Gabriel Gerena]

I second the av123 xseries...either the x-cs package or maybe even get the x-sls towers as mains. Either way its an excellent system and for the price its hard to match.

Regards