*Gasp* Have to downgrade (1 Viewer)

[Geordy]

i just sold my aprtment in chicago, with my 5 energy e:xl 15's included (they are nicely mounted and wired).

so now i get to buy new speakers, but here is the catch: we are moving to a smaller place in NYC. Our HT space is going to be about 15 X 11, with the TV going on the long wall.

the back wall does have a corner and small wall that comes off, onto which i can mount inward facing rears, that need to be fairly small (probably smaller than your standard bookshelf speakers). our furniture and space constraints preclude floor standing speakers, so the fronts have to be bookshelf speakers. I would also prefer the fronts and centers be wall mountable.

Here is a picture of what the place looks like now; note the closet door next to the blue couch. The wall next to that will hold the rear.




The only way I could get a full size bookshelf there would be if I took the door and made it open the other way. Anyone know if that's hard?

My system is: Denon AVR-2700 and SVS 20-39 powered with samson amp; I have a budget of ~800 for the 5 speakers (we are also re-doing the kitchen -- wife needs to get her priorities straight).

this is going to be a stopgap system for 5 years (the length of my medical residency), but i still want decent quality sound

I have been going through the following debate: HtiB system (hsu vt-12???, Energy Take 5.2, Polk rm6200, Polk rm7600*) or try to piece together decent fronts/center and get weaker surrounds from polk, def tech, etc.

System will be 90% movies/tv, 10% music

All help is appreciated.

*I will be able to get really good deals on Polks from Nebraska Furniture Mart next week (I am a Berkshire-Hathaway shareholder (b not a) and I am going to the shareholder's meeting with my financial planner/father-in-law. Also, we will be buying appliances for our new place, and we are located near Abt Electronics, who will swing me a deal on speakers carried there (def techs, mk).

phew

 

[Yousaf]

I haven't heard the speakers myself but the Rocket ELT system seems to garner positive reviews...it's $1000 with sub, but if you don't need that I believe it comes to $800 even.

 

[Geordy]

the only thing i left out, is a concern with space for the rears. the need to be small and/or thin.

normal bookshelf rears won't work

 

[Jesse Sharrow]

In walls maybe?

 

[ScottCHI]

have you seen the new amana combo radarange/subwoofers?

seriously, though, i'd not do the htib and concentrate on the fronts and center and skimp on the surrounds, maybe.

it does look like you could mount a speaker above that door, though, no?

 

[Geordy]

you know what, i probably could put a speaker above the door.

if i can get the polk rm7600 for under $700, should i get that or still go with separates (again, probably polks due to huge discount)?

like i said, these speakers probably aren't going to be part of a new theeater when i leave this apartment, these are only going to be for small apartment living.

when i move out of there in 5 years, i'll probably just give what ever is use to my brothers.

any specific recomendations are greatly apprecicated (also, wife wants black or maybe silver speakers; no natural wood colors, so the rockets are out)

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

I would go with the Rocket ELT w/out sub and mount the surrounds above the door, maybe even putting them horizontal if need be. The RAD Micro systems from Brian Bunge (or any of the TB W3-871S based systems) would work very well for you also. If you could build them yourself you could come in around $300 if you built 5 of the of the Super Elfs from www.creativesound.ca , or even less if you just did Elf 1.5s or Elf 1.0s, or some combination.

Another route would be the JBL NSP1 package and use some of the extra budget for electronics. They're wall mountable and are really great for the price (around $200 w/ crazy closeout prices cuz they're discontinued).

 

[Harold Wazzu]

I'm no high-end expert but saw these:

http://www.6ave.com/product.jsp?x=CINEMA70

 

[Geordy]

ok, someone over at avs pointed out that i can put a speaker above the range of the door, so now...

...for $800, i need 5 speakers that are wall mountable that come in black or silver (again no rockets)

thanks

 

[Stephen Hopkins]

JBL S36s come to mind also...

 

[Randy W]

Check out the Ascend Acoustics website. I'd strongly suggest the CBM-170's for the fronts, the CMT-340 center and HTM-200's for surrounds...$808 plus $24 shipping. The 170's would need a few inches of space behind for the port to breath (use the omni-mounts that Ascend sells). The 240's are acoustic suspension and can be mounted tight to the wall if desired. The 340 center is rather large and would be tough to wall mount without a shelf...if this creates a problem then a 170 could be used as the center also. The 170's are one fine speaker. Me thinks after listening to this settup for five years you are not going to want to just give these away to your brothers!

Randy

 

[ChrisAG]

Mordaunt-Short Premier system gets good reviews and wins shootouts in the British press, check them out.

 

[ScottCHI]

KEF eggs?

 

[Jesse Engels]

Hrm..... Bo$e??? hehe , j/k.

 

[MarkWC]

I have heard numerous praise on the Mirage Omnisat which seems to be a good compromise/fit for the room. I think they retail for $250 each, but most likely be less for a complete set of five.

 

[Charles Gurganus]

Check ONECALL for NHT superones (xu model I think) wall mountable speakers.

 

[Geordy]

****UPDATE*****

I ended up getting the RM7600 at Nebraska Furniture Mart for a great price (for about 33% the next lowest price). I also got the H/K AVR-330 for an unreal price.

Thanks for all your help!!! I can't wait to try it out in NYC in 6 weeks.

 

[Sriram Chandra]

How much did your RM7600 cost? I would love to get a set if you could help me. Please PM me with details.
Thanks