New speakers or stay with old (1 Viewer)

[Rick_N]

Hey guys. Need some help. We moved into a house last October with what was an overpowered system for an apartment (meaning = can't turn it up) to a 12x26 bonus room for this system. I have 2 Front tower Jensen speakers with a Jensen center channel. I bought the 3 for roughly 150 bucks or so. I believe they are C-7's on the towers if this helps. The rear speakers I got with a Circuit City deal with a receiver, VR-505 or 507, the rears are the Polk cheapies they always have, I think the R10's. Oh and the sub is the Sony WM40 I picked up off of ebay. I'm not great with model numbers like everybody else here but I believe I am close in those numbers.

Cliff notes version. Recommend Frontline speakers (and possibly rear) for less than a grand.

What I am curious about is should I upgrade or not. I don't have a big budget, probably no more than a grand tops and that is probably really stretching it. I obviously love my sub and I think the receiver is fine for now. The rears are so-so, just don't feel like I'm getting anything out of them, but that might be the movies, I don't know. But truly I hate my center speaker, there just doesn't seem to be enough oomph out of it. And the fronts are ok but if I am replacing the center I want to replace the entire frontline. I think this also might be nothing more than upgradeitis as I have heard it called. But if I upgrade, I want more power out of the system. Am I ok with what I have or am I on the low spectrum just outside of the theater in a box sets out there? I really want towers on the fronts, and the only places really around me here with prices I can deal with are Best Buy and Circuit City. At Best Buy, they had a pair of Yamahas NS-555 for 299.99 and the center channel for 149. I couldn't tell if this was a good deal or not. And then I saw the Athenas. I am probably not going to be able to audition any of those as Best Buy never has them hooked up correctly here so they never work. Also, CC has the Infinity's and the Polks. My wife will probably go for the upgrade if I can blow her out of the water with the new speakers. If not, she won't go. She understands Home Theater a little and likes it, but she's also my sensible half. I have had our current setup for around 2 years I guess. This might be more info than necessary but I wanted to make sure you guys had as much as you could to help a poor noob out. I understand enough to be dangerous, not enough to know where to go to get stuff, what to get, etc. Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[ColinM]

Bring home a pair of Athena F1's or Twos and see what happens. They will need to be run in for a few days before you should decide if they fit your style.

I have the B1's (budget = tight) and love them. The tone did change slightly over time, but it's like going frome one shade of color to another - subtle but different.

Anyway, you can have really good sound with that receiver if you just upgrade the front 3. But the L/R will tell you right away with stereo how the sound compares. Get the C1 for center or a single B2 if you can find one.

 

[Rick_N]

Well, I guess I am holding off for now. Lots of dental work coming down the pike for the wife and I. Thanks Colin for your help. I'll check out the Athenas then when I get back around at it.