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The Official "What Speakers or Subwoofer Should I Buy" Assistance Thread (1 Viewer)

jylos

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Conor
Hi,


I am looking to buy a home cinema system.


I am interested in the Dolby Atmos 5.1.4, 7.1.2 or 7.1.4 setups but have a budget of $800.


I'm really looking for the cheapest option that will give me one of these setups, preferably 7.1.4 though.


I would also like the system to include a 4K UHD Blu-Ray player, the back (and side) speakers to be wireless, and have no tower speakers or overhead speakers (speakers would be upfiring/Dolby Atmos enabled).


The system would mainly be used for TV & movies but some music as well.


The TV room is quite large and is open to the kitchen. We would often turn the TV to face the kitchen so would need to turn off the home cinema system then.


The TV we have is a Philips 4K 49" Ambilight 49PUS6401.


I do not currently have an AV receiver, amplifier or Blu-Ray player.


I am quite new to this so it would be helpful if you could not use any technical terms or just explain them to me.


Thanks.
 

Hanzabam Naocha

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What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers

Primary Use: 30% Music, 70% TV & Movies

Desired Configuration: 7.1

Room Size: 18x12

Is the room open to other areas of your home: No

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No

What's your budget (low to high): $1300

Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Love to install in-wall speakers only
 

Shamil Bhasin

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What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Both, Side speakers mounted in wall and center channel as well as satellite speakers for ceiling mount + Sub

Primary Use: 10% music, 70% TV, 20% movies
Desired Configuration: 7.1

Room Size: 15X20

Is the room open to other areas of your home: No

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No

What's your budget (low to high): $1000-1200 (Speakers


Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Not an audiophile, looking for a decent audio config for an open basement with 8' ceilings and projector/screen setup.

Thx
 

NoSoup4U

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Clemens
Hi All, and thanks for the Welcome!
I am looking for help with my first home theater system and hope you have some opinions to share. I am in need of speakers, woofer and receiver. Thanks in advance!
Here are the details;
What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers, Subwoofer, Receiver

Primary Use: 30% Music from CD, 70% Movies & Online streaming

Desired Configuration: 2.1

Room Size: 14x10, ceiling height is 9ft

Is the room open to other areas of your home: yes but the speakers can't be placed to take advantage of the other open areas

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? no

What's your budget (low to high): $1000-2000

Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Nope
 

derrickwmartin

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Derrick Martin
Hi everyone,

First post here and wanted to get some expert opinion(s) on home theater speakers/setup for my living room. We are almost done with our new home and want to have something nice for the living room to watch TV and movies on. The budget below does not include the need for a TV, it will be a new Samsung or Sony TV, haven't decided just yet.

I work in IT as a network engineer, but I am new to the home theater side of things, and man it's a whole new world of things.

What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Both

Primary Use: 85% TV & Movies 15% Music

Desired Configuration: 5.1

Room Size: 18x15 (9ft ceilings with the recessed part being another 12" taller)

Is the room open to other areas of your home: Yes, the dining room and the kitchen

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No

What's your budget (low to high): $1000-2000

Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? We have a speaker prewire that I'd like to use in the locations listed on the floor plan as "SP"

I've also attached a cutout of the floor plan of the living room space. The sofa will be facing the TV along the wall where all the other connections are listed. The TV will be mounted on the wall.


Thanks for any help in advance!
 

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ArmSC

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What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers, Subwoofer, Receiver, Primary Use: 30% Music from CD, 70% Movies & Online streaming Desired Configuration: 2.1, Room Size: 14x10, ceiling height is 9ft Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? no, What's your budget (low to high): $1000-2000

Are you looking for towers are are you going for wall mount bookshelf speakers?
 

NoSoup4U

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I'd like towers more, even though the room isn't that big. I am only sitting about 8 feet away from the speakers though. Thanks for the reply!
 

ArmSC

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Tony
Primary Use: 85% TV & Movies 15% Music, Desired Configuration: 5.1 Room Size: 18x15 (9ft ceilings with the recessed part being another 12" taller) Is the room open to other areas of your home: Yes, the dining room and the kitchen Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No What's your budget (low to high): $1000-2000 Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? We have a speaker prewire that I'd like to use in the locations listed on the floor plan as "SP"

I've also attached a cutout of the floor plan of the living room space. The sofa will be facing the TV along the wall where all the other connections are listed. The TV will be mounted on the wall.

What that budget here is what I would look at.

AVR - Yamaha RX-V481 $400
Sub - HSU VTF-2 MK5 $600
Fronts/rears - KEF Q100 $300 x2 (on sale for how much longer I don't know so hurry)
Center - KEF Q200 $400 (I would almost get another set of the Q100 and use one for the center and keep one as a spare. With the Uni-Q design this would work with no issues by being either upright or on it's side.)

I think this setup would be great. You'll want to get some stands for the speakers or wall mount them if you like. I tried to go a bit larger on the sub as you'll have quite a bit of space to pressurize. Of course there are many other options but I was going to take advantage of the KEF sale while it's still going.
 

ArmSC

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Tony
What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers, Subwoofer, Receiver
Primary Use: 30% Music from CD, 70% Movies & Online streaming
Desired Configuration: 2.1, Room Size: 14x10, ceiling height is 9ft
Is the room open to other areas of your home: yes but the speakers can't be placed to take advantage of the other open areas
Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? no What's your budget (low to high): $1000-2000
Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? I'd like towers more, even though the room isn't that big. I am only sitting about 8 feet away from the speakers though. Thanks for the reply!

Here is what I would do.
AVR - Yamaha RX-V481 $400
Sub - SVS SB-1000 $500 or Rythmik L12 $570 or the SVS SB-2000 $700 if you wanted to upgrade.
Speakers - KEF Q500 ($350 ea) $700 or the Q700 ($500 ea) $1000 *These are on sale for but how much longer I don't know. I would move on this quick.

I went with the towers like you requested. I also stayed with the sealed subs because your space is a bit smaller and you're leaning a bit toward music. You could of course get a SVS PB-1000 $500 or the Rythmik LV12R $590 if you wanted a ported option for lower response.
 

MF55

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Working on a basement apartment come the new year. Presently I have an enclosed 18x12 room for my TV. By summer I'll be in an open concept living/dining/kitchen space. Living space would be about the same dimensions but obviously no walls separating the rooms anymore. See floor plan attached.

Also I have no experience with any of this so something with easy setup would be great. I had been looking at HTIB but been seeing that's not necessarily the best bang for my buck. Looking to pick stuff up on black Friday if there are good deals.

What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Everything, asides from TV

Primary Use: 40% Netflix 60% Gaming

Desired Configuration: 5.1

Room Size: 18x12 (immediate area)

Is the room open to other areas of your home: Yes

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No

What's your budget (low to high): ~$1000 (I am in Canada too, prices are higher here.)

Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Not really
 

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ArmSC

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What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Everything, asides from TV Primary Use: 40% Netflix 60% Gaming Desired Configuration: 5.1 Room Size: 18x12 (immediate area) Is the room open to other areas of your home: Yes Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? No What's your budget (low to high): ~$1000 (I am in Canada too, prices are higher here.) Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Not really

I don't know Canadian pricing/vendors like I do ones in the states so don't kill me over not getting you the best price. However, here are some ideas options that I found.

  1. PrePack system - Onkyo HTS7700 $900 or the Onkyo HT-S5800 $950 Pretty much everything you need in on box. You may need some extra speaker wire, HDMI cables, and/or an optical cable but that's about it. From what I hear these actually sound pretty good too.
  2. AVR & Speaker bundle - Polk and Pioneer bundle $600 Everything you need to get up and running save for cables and wire. Pioneer isn't normally recommended but at this price it's hard to overlook. The Polk set is an older design but it's pretty capable in a smaller room. With the leftover money I would consider upgrading the sub. (BIC F12 $290 comes to mind)
  3. AVR & Speaker sets - Pick one of each
  • AVR - Yamaha RX-V381 $350 or Sony STRDN860 $400 I personally would go with the Sony but if you want to save some money the Yamaha is a good entry level unit.
  • Speaker sets - Polk TS1600 $420 Better than the Polk set that comes with the Pioneer but not as cheap. Fluance AVHTB $325 this set doesn't come with a sub but instead tower speakers. Depending on what kind of budget you have left I would consider adding a sub to this set.
It's not perfect but it gets you going.
 

MF55

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Thanks! Is there one of these options you recommend more over the others? I've already been looking at the Onkyo PrePacks so I'm leaning towards those unless my money is better spent on one of the other options you've outlined?
 

ArmSC

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Thanks! Is there one of these options you recommend more over the others? I've already been looking at the Onkyo PrePacks so I'm leaning towards those unless my money is better spent on one of the other options you've outlined?

I think if it were my money I would go with the Sony and Polk TL1600 set if you wanted something simple. They have both dropped in price and should leave you a nice amount left for stands or mounts for the speakers. I would consider going with the Sony $350 and 2 Pioneer FS-52 $180ea, a set of BS-22 $145 and the CS-22 center $120. This is only a 5.0 but you can add in a sub later. I think you'll be better better overall sound except for the lower bass.
 

damionp

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What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers / sub / amp

Primary Use: music/tv & movies

Desired Configuration: 2.1

Room Size: 18x12

Is the room open to other areas of your home: Yes

Hi!

I'm looking to set up a 2.1 system. I'm currently considering this set up: Amp: NAD D 3020, Speakers: ELAC Debut B6, Sub: BIC PL-200.

I don't have a ton of audio/video component needs, it will most likely just be a TV and a turn table plugged into the amp, which is why I was considering the 3020 (the tiny foot-print/space needed).

I guess my question is then, would you recommend this set up? If no, what changes should I look into? I'd say the budget is $1 - 1.5k.

Thanks!
 

Samuel Say

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Samuel Say
Thanks to all of you for your helpful suggestions. Im also planning to buy best speaker for my girlfriend and she will be very happy indeed.
 

BF Deal Finder

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If you'd like a speaker or subwoofer recommendation for your home theater, listening area or living room, this is the thread to post in. We are going to have our reviewers, members and experts from sponsors like SVS standing by to offer helpful advice and assist however they can.

Whether you are looking for guidance on what to buy, how to set it up, or how to get the most out of what you already have, HomeTheaterForum experts will be standing by to assist you.

Please copy and paste the following format for your reply, to make assisting you as easy as possible. Note the below is just an example with answers:


What are you looking for (Speakers, Subwoofer or Both)? Speakers

Primary Use: 30% Music, 70% TV & Movies

Desired Configuration: 5.1

Room Size: 18x12

Is the room open to other areas of your home: No

Do you already have an AV receiver or amplifier? Yes

What's your budget (low to high): $1500-2000

Any special requirements (Wife Acceptance)? Nope

for me when it comes to speakers I only go to one place proavdealer.com because they have it for cheap and its great quality I don't like going to best buy because they're prices are high and customer service is not the best.
 

Alf S

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No way I'd order speakers blindly online. I want to be able to hear them in person and most importantly, I want the easy option to hop in the car and return/exchange them the same day if I felt they weren't what I was hoping for. Shipping something like big speakers to me seems like a HUGE pita.
 

BF Deal Finder

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ohh I understand what your saying I personally don't return items there but they have it for exchanges its a 30 day thing though...
 

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