Best sub $1500 Full 6 speaker setup (1 Viewer)

I would search for this in previous posts, but the search function is disabled due to high server loads and I'm incredibly hasty . So, for less than 1.5 grand, what is the best (in your humble opinion of course) speaker set I can get, excluding the two subs I already own. Right now I have 4 KLH speaks and we all know how good those are. I'm getting a (probably) 50" widescreen TV to go with the RP91 so the next upgrade is going to have to be sound. I need 6 speakers, for the 6.1 that my receiver supports.

James,

You should end up with a GREAT sub at that price. I highly recommend contacting SVS to ask them which of their subs would be suitable for your system. For $1,500 you could get 2 SVS 2039PC+ Subs. I just got one and it's incredible. Cannot recommend highly enough!!

Aside from SVS, you will probably hear people mention Pardigm (Servo 15), Velodyne (HGS-18), Adire, HSU and others. I guess it all depends what you're looking for.

Oops. Just re-read the title of your post! I saw sub in the title and thought you were looking for a sub! My bad!!:b

Read more carefully, I already have the two subs, need other speakers to replace the KLH crap I have now. Don't know how good a set of speakers I could get for that much, but anything should be better than what I have now. Perhaps I should have titled it "Best 6 speaker set below $1500" :b

James,

For the price range you are looking at, your best bang-for-the-buck would be obtained by buying from online direct-sales speaker manufacturers. Some of the ones that have gotten very good reviews in your price range include in no particular order:

Ascend Acoustics: 6 CBM-170s ($888) or 5 CBM-170s and new dedicated M-T-M center (~$950).
http://ascendacoustics.com

Axiom Loudspeakers: 5 M3tis and VP100 center ($1595)
http://axiomaudio.com

Aperion Audio: 6 Intimus 522Ds ($1080)http://aperionaudio.com/

Rocket Loudspeakers: 2 RS250 fronts, RSC100 center, 2RS150 surrounds ($1299, so adding another RS150 would bring you to ~$1500)
http://www.av123.com

If the idea of buying online is distasteful to you, some brands that can be obtained locally that you might be interested in include:

Energy Connoisseur series: 2 C1s, 2 C-C1 centers, 2 C-R1 surrounds ($1600).
http://www.energy-speakers.com

B&W 600 series: 5 601s3s and LCR 60 center ($1475)
http://www.bwspeakers.com

Paradigm Monitor series: 2 Monitor 3 fronts, 2 CC-370 centers, 2 Mini Monitor surrounds (~$1400).
http://www.paradigm.com

I'm sure others will give their list of suggestions as well, but these are probably good places to start.

Have fun demo'ing!

Thanks a lot Victor. I actually do what buying I can online. It's generally much cheaper and easier for me. Now to just go and demo all that stuff . . . . .

To add to the idea of getting Energy Connoisseurs, I am selling a pair of 4 month old c-7's for a nice discount (somewhere around $600, I have all original packaging). That plus 2 sets of C-1's would be a real nice match, would cost you a total of about $1000.00 - $1200 max. If your interested let me know.

No problem James,

Always willing to help out considering I'm a newbie myself and feeling my way along as I go!

I started looking at speakers around December and decided to purchase from online direct sales manufacturers because that business model maximized the value of my purchase and, with at least a 30 day trial period, the possibility of footing the bill for return shipping was worth the risk.

Ended up with a pair of Ascend Acoustics CBM-170s, and couldn't be happier for the performance of the speakers on both 2-channel stereo and for movies (though it might be hard to judge movie performance when I'm limited to running movies in 2.0 rather than 5.1 for the moment).

The list that I gave you are most of the highly touted speakers on this and other forums within your price range so you probably won't go wrong with any of them; the only caveat being that regardless of how many rave reviews about the speaker, you have to like how the speaker sounds to you.

I lucked out and bought the Ascends sound unheard and, after comparing them to some store and online brands that I might have bought, still found the Ascends most to my liking. You might have a little more trial and error.

Best of luck to you on your search and let us know what you end up with.

Victor

I second the recommendation for Aperion Audio. They provide a wonderful sound stage that blends very nicely at an 80Hz crossover with high quality subs. My second choice would be ascend.

I'll second the Ascends and recommend you go to the site and read all the great reviews.

I'll third the Aperions and check out their website and reviews as well!

I just bought the Axioms. I love them. The quadpolar surrounds are outstanding.

i have a similar experience to Victors.
i was budgeting $2000 though, and the ascends were ordered with the thought in the back of my mind that i would probably still be looking for a while, but at least i would have some more speakers for a month :b .

they ended up having exactly the kind of sound qualities i was looking for though, and came in well under my original $2000 budget- so for me, it coulnd't have worked out better.

out of everything i have heard (B&W, Paradigm, Def Tech, BA, Magneplanars, Thiel, Revel, M&K) i still actually prefer the sound of the Ascends.

i haven't heard Axiom, Aperion however- those might be worth tracking down and giving a listen too.

i'd recommend actually listening to things outside of your price range too- you'll get an idea of qualities that good speakers have, so that when you see/hear them in a lower priced brand, you'll know you've stumbled on a good value.

I'm suprised somebody hasn't mentioned it, but I'll give my usual recommendation for the polk audio lsi9's. Having owned paradigm studio 20's, and having come very close to purchasing the b&w dm 602s3's, I finally settled on the the polks because they just sounded so damn good. They should blend perfectly at 60 or 80Hz with your subs, and all four 9's and the matching center will run you about 1600 shipped from sounddistributors.com. Can't comment on the Aperions or Ascends, but they look awful nice, and everyone regards them highly as well. Read the reviews on the polks on this forum and audioreview.com and if you can try to audition them.

You can probably get the Dahlquist QX10's, center and surrounds for around $1,500 from:
audioshop.on.ca

They are a great value and NOT a compromise in quality.

I'm biased of course

Leon