Upgrade to New system (1 Viewer)

My wife bought me a HT in a box system (Kenwood) a year and half ago. I'm hooked now and want to slowly upgrade the system. I'm going to start with a center and mains. The listening area is large 25' x 25' with Hardwood floors and opens into the kitchen and dining room with no walls. (very large great room). I'm considering the following speakers

Polk csi40 center
Polk Rti100 mains
or
Klipsch RC-3 Center
Klipsch RF-3 Mains

I heard the Polk's today and they sounded good, but they were powered by a $3500 reciever and backed by a good subwoofer so its difficult to tell how they would sound in my house. I'm going to listen to the Klipsch tonight.

Am I on the right path or should I consider other speakers in this price range (~1000)

Hardwood floors would be nice. As a general rule, spend half of your system budget on your speakers. If they sounded good in a showroom, they will sound better in your room. I am being subjective here, but those two brands are like apples and oranges. (They are both great speaker companies). Take a CD, or SACD in which you are completely familiar with and a track you are familiar with and demo them with that track.

I listened to the Klipsch tonight which sounded good, but the salesman told me these were very directional and might not fill the large room well. He was pushing the Energy CC1 mains and c5 center in the same price range. I couldn't find these models on audioreview. Anyway is it true that the Klipsch are directional?. Maybe I should pick up the Polks. I'm going to try and find a store in my area (San Diego) that I can listen to Paradigm before I make my final decision.
I know this is a loaded question, but any other recommendations for center and mains with a $1000 budget?

That is silly he said the Klipsch was directional. It would seem to me the Klipsch horn would open up a better sound field, on, or off axis. Besides, you can toe-in any speaker to a 45 degree angle. Mirage, and PSB I believe are around that price point and are trustworthy. Energy is great. I like M&K, B&W and Triad, but they are out of that price point.

Dan,

I'm also from San Diego and if you want to listen to some Paradigm's, go to Sound Company on Sports Arena blvd. In my current system I have a Paradigm Studio CC with all Paradigm surrounds. My mains used to be Studio 80's, but I've since gotten into building my own speakers. If you like drop me a PM and I'll give you the scoop on the stores around here. P.S. For what it's worth, those Klipsch speakers may be a bit brighter in your house than in the store. Hardwood floors will introduce reflections into the room. Right now, when you clap do you hear an echo in that room? For HT purposes, this is one of the first things you want to deal with.

Mike

I picked up the rti100 mains and ordered the csi40 center. They sound much better in my room then they did in the demo room. I can't wait until I recieve my center channel to hear the improvement over my HTIB. Next two items on my list are a Subwoofer and an upgraded reciever. I'm seriously considering an SVS sub and delaying the purchase of a new rcvr. The WAF on a $600 sub is pretty low though.

Check out this $600 sub Dan. I heard this recently in Dallas and it is certainly very fine at this price point. Plus the cabinetwork is excellent and, so long as your wife likes rosewood should pass her test as well.

This has surprising sound levels for a 14” cube and it goes down pretty low (22hz plus/minus 2dB). The demo I heard was in quite a large room, but it still put out amazing sound)

Dan,making the move to a SVS sub will make your HT exper. more exciting than ever before.Yes,it does have a low WAF.Do you have a nice corner you can "hide" it in?LOL Or you can try one of there box subs which are also getting good reviews.

Update on my system. I returned the rti100's and replaced with rti70's based on forum recommendations and listening in the store. I guess more $ isn't necessarily better. Since I'm planning on getting the sub I guess i didn't need the powered mains. Plus I have $200 to add to the sub budget

Does anyone have the dimensions of the PB1-1SD?