I know nothing..... Take 5.2 and sub? (1 Viewer)

[Alex-F-V]

First of all I just started doing research on home theater like 1 week ago and am really confused, but I know BOSE sucks at least.
I have lots of questions and I figured the basics area was the best place for this .

Well I'll start by saying that every where I went to and everything I read says certain speakers are better than others and that really throws me off. Nothing is consistent.

Second of all... my budget.
I would like to spend between 1000-1350, plus cables, whatever those cost. I have a Sony DVD player(upgraded later) and it has component connections so I hope that helps. So I'm looking for a receiver, speakers, and a sub.

I was looking at recommendations I had heard which were Energy, paradigm, and M&K. I have heard the energy's 5.2+sub($900) and the M&K's K5+sub(1400) but have not heard paradigm speakers. But since what I've heard at other places kept referring me to the Take5.2's I wanted to go with those, and the fact that I can get maple made a difference(a certain woman... *cough wife cough* has to approve the look). The M&K's did sound somewhat better but for 55% more than the energy's it was not worth it to my ear.

So I was going to match those with a Denon-AVR1603.. but by chance the Denon reps was at the store and was completely emphasizing that the 1603 had been discontinued and that I should get the brand new 1804 which had some weird switching conversion thing... basically when i gave him the i'm stupid look he explained it like this. i could hook something up with composite connection, s-video connection, and a component connection, and i would only need to have a component connection to my TV instead of all 3.. he made a big deal about it.... Is that special???
But the 1804 is $200 more than the 1603 which is $300(on sale)

Whoa long post!!!!!!

Well are the Take5.2's good???
Should I get something else???
Denon's 1603 or the 1804???
A different receiver???
Scrap the whole thing and get something else???

Please help me...:frowning: :frowning: :frowning:
Thx

 

[Lew Crippen]

Alex, welcome to the forum.

By way of a preliminary comment, it is reasonable that you will not find consistency in reading speaker evaluations and recommendations. There are several reasons for this, but most of them go to the very different preferences that each of us has for certain styles of audio reproduction. Add to this the difernet importance that different listeners place on what is important in sound reproduction (for example I might be very impressed with an accurate and pleasing reproduction of the lower register of a clarinet, while you might demand that your speakers sound right for the high notes of C. Dion).

So, in the end, trust your own ears and buy according to your preferences.

With that in mind, of the current offerings in your price range, the best that I have heard (and I have certainly not heard everything) is the
Rocket ELT package available from AV123 for $900. It is on preorder right now, and the shipping is free if ordered before 8/15.

I heard these at the AV123 Dallas road show and I can say that this package is extremely good value for the money. It might be worth mentioning that I was listening to some moderately high end equipment at the time and I still thought that this system sounded quite good.

I think that the finish and workmanship on these speakers is also first-rate.

They were being driven by a Denon 1803, which can be found for $300–$450 and you will be set.

 

[Richard Travale]

Denon's 1603 or the 1804???

Well, if the upconversion is important to you (do you have a lot of different sources that have different connections and only a couple of inputs on your TV?) then wait for the 1804. A friend of mine has the 1802 and loves it. From what I've read, the 1802 and the 1603 are pretty similar. Is there a way to try out the 1603 with the Energy set?

 

[Alex-F-V]

Hey lew... are those ELT's offered in different finishes and what is the website???

Like my mom's stuffing...
Hehehe I like that.
And yeah I do have limited amount of connections on my Tv so that could be a problem since I have an old VCR and ocasionally a gamecube gets hooked up to it(composite only i believe.)

 

[Lew Crippen]

are those ELT's offered in different finishes and what is the website???

The only finish is the one that you see, Russian birch (I think). I don’t think that the photos have a real good color balance. IIRC, they are not nearly so red toned as some of the pictures indicate. I heard these in Marks’ (company president) suite—he spent a good deal of time with the demo and fully answered all my questions. The center speaker, in particular is very fine. No problem in picking up dialogue in movies like the matrix where there is a lot going on.

The thread is in the forum portion of the AV123 WEB site (AV123.com), which is the company selling, designing, and manufacturing these products, so the forum is understandably a bit biased.

I think that because the products are in preorder you won’t find them on their product list, but if you e-mail or call Sean Pargue or Steve Ozmai at AV123 (you can find the addresses and numbers on the site) they will be able to answer all your questions. I met both these guy in Dallas and they are very knowledgeable and most willing to help and share their knowledge.

 

[Shervin]

Is a 5.2 setup with low end subs better than a 5.1 setup with a good sub?

Sorry if this has been addressed earlier in another forum

 

[Lew Crippen]

Is a 5.2 setup with low end subs better than a 5.1 setup with a good sub?

I think that the thread orgionator is referring to a speaker line in his reference to Energy 5..2.

5.1 refers to the standard 6 discrete channel sound reproduction system of Dolby and DTS.

 

[Alex-F-V]

Yeah 5.2 is the system name... 4 satellites and a center channel. You're (or me in this case) are going to have to add a sub... I choose the matching s8.2 sub in this case that the system reccomends for this speaker system.

BTW I bought it and I should be getting it today!!!!!!
Just need to get my reciever and cables and i will be ready to go!!!!!!!

 

[Ted Lee]

although i've never heard them, the energy take 5.2 system constantly garners high praise from the journals. they've even been named speaker of the year, etc.

i suspect you'll be pleased with them. however, did you give yourself a chance and listen to other speakers too? i think it's real important for you to hear all kinds of speakers in all kinds of price ranges. that way you'll have a better idea of what's out there.

if you think you'll have a lot of different components with different video connections it may be worth it to upgrade the receiver. but, if you think you'll mostly only use regular composite connections, then go with the early model.

i think a denon/energy combo will make a nice match.

So, in the end, trust your own ears and buy according to your preferences.

darn-tootin!

 

[JeremyFr]

Alex I think you'll be quite happy with your purchase, I've got the Take 5+1's the grandparents to the 5.2's and absolutely love them. They're quite impressive for there size.

Jeremy

 

[Vincent_S]

I have never heard anything bad about Energy speakers. I think you would be happy with them.

P.S. My mom has the best stuffing

 

[Alex-F-V]

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My speakers wont get here till tuesday... why o why do I have to wait!!!!!!!!!! :frowning: :frowning: :frowning:

BTW I did try out a lot of speakers, M&K's, paradigm, Klipsh(spelling), and some others I forget. Had the checkbook (and the wife) allowed I think I would have gone with the K5's... but these energy's still sounded great, thought I was never able to do a head to head comparison as the were never set up in the same place.... so my ears could have decieved me. Plus they look a whole of a lot better than the plain black K5's... I got the maple finish

But why tuesday.... why? :frowning: