Yet another "noob" seeking advice (1 Viewer)

[AlphaPie]

This should be easy. I have a short list of the speakers I've researched that seem like they will work for me. I'd like any feedback from individuals that own or have own these models. I have a small room that I want a good theater system in. I'm running a 55" tv and a PS3 for bluray content. I live in a townhome/apartment so I dont need an enormous amount of sound. That said, my neighbors are rarely home when I watch movies and they claim not to hear much or care anyway, I'm very lucky in this regard. I'd like to stay at $2000 or under. This system will be transferred to a bed room when we move into a house in about 3 years, at which point I will put together a more powerful and generally "better" system.
Basically, are these speaker choices awful, ok or great for a $2000- 5.1 system? Please feel free to reply with different options. I like and trust polk and I like and trust Def Tech.


Front L-R
Polk RTi A3 or Def Tech Pro monitor 1000

Center
Polk CSi CS20 or Def Tech procenter 1000

Rear L-R
Polk TSi 100 or Def Tech pro monitor 800

Sub
Def Tech pro sub 800

Receiver
Denon AVR-1913

 

[schan1269]

Polk and Def Tech belong to the same company...so they wont care which you pick.The RTi are a much stronger 2.0 speaker than any of the Pro Monitor. Not sure why you add the R150(overall cost???).If you plan on any "pure" listening in 2.0 I'd go with the Polk. By the way "pure" is a sound mode in some AVR.

 

[AlphaPie]

Polk and Def Tech belong to the same company...so they wont care which you pick.The RTi are a much stronger 2.0 speaker than any of the Pro Monitor. Not sure why you add the R150(overall cost???).If you plan on any "pure" listening in 2.0 I'd go with the Polk.By the way "pure" is a sound mode in some AVR.

I'm not what smaller polk speaker for the rears to match with the RTi a3..

 

[schan1269]

Why not a 2nd pair of A3?

 

[schan1269]

One of the "basic tenets" of surround sound is all 5 speakers being equally capable. A proper theater would be 5 A3. But...1. I don't think you can buy "one".2. Do you have the ability to properly put an A3 in as your center...provided you could buy "one".

 

[AlphaPie]

One of the "basic tenets" of surround sound is all 5 speakers being equally capable.A proper theater would be 5 A3. But...1. I don't think you can buy "one".2. Do you have the ability to properly put an A3 in as your center...provided you could buy "one".

The A3 is a little large for the space I have for it to be truely "center". I build my tv stand myself before I thought about building a system... bah

 

[schan1269]

I looked at the 800/1000 as well. For the cost difference ($150) I'd forgo the 800 rears...and stick all 1000...

Or buy all 800(Def Tech says the 800 reaches 57hz...which still allows an 80hz crossover).

The real difference between the 800/1000 is the 1000 is 91db efficient. 2db more. What that means is the 1000 takes around 60% of the power to achieve the same volume. If you are buying an

 

[schan1269]

R150 is the same efficiency as the A3...go figure.

But I would listen, if you can, to both...if the R150 is "too different"...pick a 2nd pair of A3. If the "twice as deep" the A3 is doesn't cause a "place to put it" problem.

 

[AlphaPie]

I thought I'd update what I bought for others seeking a similar setup. I was fortunate enough to have a set of morel speakers given to me which, to me, sound better than the def tech pro 1000s. The sub I got with the speakers had a rattling issue so I replaced it with a def tech pro 800, which I absolutely love. Paired with this setup i chose a denon 1913 receiver which I am also loving. I could have made a decent upgrade for around $800 ( 1913 is $400) but not worth it for me in my situation. I am running a 5.1 system now. I'm very pleased with the sound quality. It seems addictive however, I can see my self upgrading to floor standing speakers in the future, probably def tech super towers. But that will wait until in get into a house with a larger theater room.