Are my old speakers up to par? (1 Viewer)

[BrianScott]

I'm not sure whether to invest in a complete 5.1 package or piece it together myself.

I currently have:
Front L&R: Technics SB-S407 3-way (150W; 8 ohm)
Rear L&R: Boston Acoutics HD5 2-way (50?W; 8 ohm)

Are these speakers acceptable to add into a new 5.1 system? I'm not terribly critical about perfect sound, but I'm just not sure if the newer "tiny" speaker packages compare to my current "larger" speakers (not that mine are top of the line by any stretch). Any thoughts?

If I go the "piece-it-together" route, what center channel, sub and receiver brand would you recommend? In the end can I save money by adding to what I already have? (a quick look at Best Buy, and I see that a sub alone isn't cheap.

 

[ColinM]

You can piece it together, sure. Just keep in mind that the mains you have will be improved upon quite easily, but if you really like them, you might not feel the need to switch.

So think about what mains you'd like to have, and buy the center channel that would match it. Invest in a sound level meter, too. You'll use it for a long, long time and is the best tool to have for good HT sound.

 

[AlanZ]

Brian: As Colin said, you can definitely improve upon those speakers. There are a lot of very knowledgable people here, so if you offer up some more info such as a budget, listening preferences, room size, etc., I think you'll find you get a nice variety of suggestions that might help.

 

[Jongyoon Lee]

You will _always_ find something that sounds better, even if you have $10,000 Wilson, B&W, or Revel. The $100,000 question to you is, whether YOU like the sound. Audio is an evil hobby in that sense. You can always find something more expensive that can sound better than your system.

 

[ColinM]

Or vintage, where you pay pennies on the dollar. Problem is, "vintage centers" don exist....yet.

 

[Arthur S]

Brian

What is your budget for a center, sub and receiver?

Since you need a good bit of new stuff right now just to get into the 5.1 game, I would suggest continuing to use the speakers that you have.

I have found that the center channel speaker is the one to focus on. Dialogue intelligibility is very important as is avoiding centers that overemphasize bass in the 125-150Hz region. Most centers have this problem.

Best Buy is probably not the best place to do your subwoofer shopping.

 

[Wayne A. Pflughaupt]

Good subs aren’t cheap. As Arthur said, don’t shop for subs at BB.

Did Technics make a bookshelf version of that speaker? If so, that might make a good center channel. If you know the production year, maybe I can find you a model number. I have Audio Equipment Directories going back to ’85.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[Geoff L]

Technics SB-S407 12"/3-way

Don't belive they made a bookshelf using the same tweet, mid, ect.
You can find these speaks now and then primarly at Ebay.
Finding them in good to excellent shape is another thing, tho they sell pretty reasonable.

There might be a stamped or sticker manufacture date on the rear. Belive these were sold sometime in the 80's.

The guys have given you a few ideas on how you might start to get your system started without breaking the bank. Also they asked some question that would help if you could
answer...!

So, Brian where did you go after your first post...

Cheers ¥

 

[Philip Hamm]

You've got a great start. All you need is a half decent quality center channel speaker like this one at Ubid (they also have in black) and a reasonably priced surround receiver* and you'll be in surround sound headquarters. Set your receiver to LARGE for the left and right speakers, as those are definitely capable of providing prodigious bass, and set all other speakers as small. I have a system very much like this in my bedroom and it's great!

* I picked ubid for my searches because I've had very good experience with them getting a lot for my dollar. I recommend them. There are many other great places you can go as well.