Newbie Speaker Question (1 Viewer)

[Brian Sokol]

I am interest in setting up my first home theater system. At first I was going to get the HTB504. My spouse and I had a difference of opinion about placing 6 speakers in our living room. I currently have 2 ancient Advent speakers. I now plan to buy just the receiver - VR507. My question is can I buy just a small 3 piece speaker system without the subwoofer and the rear chanels that will sound decent. I know it will not sound nearly as good but it is my only option. If I went this route should I also incorporate my existing speakers as well or should I retire them? Please help as I am very confused about this subject.

thanks

 

[ColinM]

Do you have any cash left over after the Kenwood purchase?

You will be ok with the advents + a 3 speaker set for surround and a center, and if you are comfy with Ebay you can find sets like that for $100 or less.

Getting the levels to match will help quite a bit. If yau can afford an additional $40, get the radio shack SPL meter. If you don't have the $$ right away, you can get pretty close by ear, but not as close as you think.

If the advents can play bass pretty well then you are ok for a while w/o the sub, but that is an important part...

I know that the HTB method is a good deal for the money though...

Good luck!

 

[Brian Sokol]

Yea I can afford about $150 for speakers. Can you recommend any small speakers? I have a question on using the Advent speakers. I am assuming I can purchase a 3 speker surround speaker package. These would plug into the center, front left and right on the receiver. Where do the Advents plug into? Also I currently have one of the Advents in the front or my living room next to my Tv and the other in the back of the room. Would I have to reposition them?

thanks for your help.

 

[ColinM]

Typical 3 speaker sets are Center and 2 surrounds, marketed for people like you who are upgrading a stereo set.
Yamaha's P-60 (?) set is nice enough, try and find a set online.
Also look here -
http://store.yahoo.com/htd/index.html
They have a good rep so far, and are cheap enough. If you run the advents 'large' to get the bass, you can buy a pair of 'level 2' bookshelf speakers for surround use. Later, buy the center, then later still get a sub. Finally get a matching pair of bookshelves for the front pair.
If you did this all at once, you'd save cash on the shipping...
I recommend this for you, though, for the money...
http://cgi.ebay.com/aw-cgi/eBayISAPI...tem=1318221302

 

[ColinM]

The Advents would go directly to the left and right of your TV, but you can space them for stereo listening.

Surrounds can go anywhere from your sides to behind you somewhere. Re-arrange your furniture if you have to.

- CM

 

[Ted Lee]

hi brian!
welcome to the forum! you'll find lots of good stuff here! take off your shoes and stay a while!
anyway, i have a question. it sounded like having a bunch of speakers in your room is not an option, but what is the difference between the htb (with all the speakers) and using your advents plus a center/surround package? you've still got speakers all over the place!
i'm not sure what your budget is, but if possible, maybe you should consider a 5-speaker satellite system. there are some companies that make decent, quite small sized speakers. then you just have to hide a sub (which can also be quite small).
or is having speakers all over the house even the issue?
my only fear in using your advents with a surround package is that the timbre matching will be too great. (timbre matching means all your speakers sound the same, with the same sonic characteristics.)
in any case, i don't mean to rain on your parade! no matter how you go about it, you're getting your ht gear up and running. that's the best part!
good luck!

 

[Brian Sokol]

Hi Ted,
I just threw that out there about using the advents. They are real old and probably should be retired. Yes 5 or speakers in the living is a problem (not for me!). My living room has a seating area in the middle of the room. In front of it is an entertainment center with TV. I currently have one speaker to the left of the tv and one behind the couch to the left also. I assume that would not work. I have no place to move it to the right. I am trying to come up with a compromise that works for both of us. I thought perhaps a 3 speaker setup to start would be an option.
Could you or someone else reccomend some products that are small to look at in the 150-250 range? I was looking at some Bose (VCS-30 speaker system)which are small but a little over my budget.
thanks

 

[ColinM]

He said the "B" word....

 

[Ted Lee]

He said the "B" word....

LMAO
brian -
just in case you didn't get that joke, many people here do not like bose. but, i say judge for yourself! i used to own bose and thought they were okay, but now i'd probably look elsewhere.
unfortunately, i'm not up on my speaker packages and i don't know of any that are in your price range. hopefully someone else can provide some input. i also recommend you post a speaker-recommendation question in the speaker forum.
as always, feel free to ask away!

 

[Zack_b]

i know im new too, but sony has a package of three speakers the center and 2 small bookshelfs for about $150....they might not be the greatest speaker ever built but for the price i think they sound great!

 

[brentl]

How about considering something like the Paradigm Cinema series ... they can be mounted on the wall, they are also paintable I think.

Try putting them side by side with the Bose, and youè hear how much better the Paradigms are.

I highly doubt ANY store would carry both though. You would never sell any Bose stuff.