Top end speakers and receiver for plasma screen (1 Viewer)

[Nick_Shah]

Anish,

I must stress that listening to speakers (even those you may not initially be interested in) is time VERY well-spent. I suggest that you set an approximate budget, and go listening.

Since you're in Canada, buying receivers from US-based websites will likely negate the warranty, and you'll have to pay a boat-load of fees to get your hardware across the border.

If you'd like, drop me an email and we can discuss audio stores in the Toronto area. I've visited many of them, and indeed spent hours upon hours listening to a wide variety of speakers. Granted, my budget was not as high as yours appears to be, but I may still be able to help.

Good luck!

-Nick

 

[Bill Lucas]

Dynaudio makes very good speakers but if your goal is to get the "top of the line" then you need to be prepared to drop $85,000 on the Evidence.

The Dynaudio bookshelves are very good. A pair of Audience 52's will set you back about a grand (I'm doing the pricing from memory) and will yield excellent results. Do you want a 5.1 system or simply a stereo pair? Audience 52 up front with Audience 42W mounted as rear surrounds and the Audience center would be an exceptional little apartment system. Mate them with a good sub and you'll have an outstanding presentation. You need to work up a budget for equipment and speakers and then set aside some time to do some serious listening. I'm not sure why you have been hesitant to give a budget. No one here is trying to sell you anything but you've been vague when people have asked for your budget. The more information you give, the more help you'll get. Regards.

 

[Anish]

Nick you've got mail!
Bill Thanks for the suggestions. As for my budget, there is no way I will spend 5-digits on a speaker system. I am looking in the 1-2K range... and am looking for something apartment-friendly (space-wise). I like the look of the tall skinny speakers or the cube speakers atop tall skinny stands. However I do like bass and power and clarity so I am hoping to find a happy medium or all of that narrowed down to a few models.
Thanks again!
Anish

 

[Bill Kane]

Anish, it's been fun following this thread, from the point of a wide-open wallet to now more real-world narrowing down.

I hope that Nick and others who own them, and I do not, gravitate to looking at the Canadian-made Paradigm Studio 40 system for 5.1. With stands, tho, it may push to $2000 U.S. A subwoofer is extra. The cherrywood veneer option looks fabulous with my Monitors.

 

[AaronMg]

If you want to save a few bucks, I suggest you check out all the Canadian manufacturers first:

PSB
Axiom
Energy
Mirage
nOrh
Paradigm
and Totem

 

[Jason_Me]

I don't think nOrh is a Canadian company. I'm pretty sure they're located in Thailand.

 

[EricHaas]

With your realistic budget in mind, I strongly suggest the Paradigm Studio line. One advantage is that the Studio line is Paradigm's best line of speakers, so that requirement is satisfied. Also, at Canadian prices it is hard to beat the quality of the Paradigm Studio series for the money. You are looking at $3k-$4k Canadian for an entire outstanding 5.1 system.

Do take up suggestions about visiting local hi-fi shops. Paradigm and several other good Canadian brands will definitely be featured in one or more of those shops.

PS: I am SO jealous of your Panny. Will be getting a 50" plasma in about six months after we buy our new house (saving for down payment). But the wait is KILLING me. You are going to LOVE the picture quality.

 

[DanielSmi]

Anish I don't think you'll be able to pick up a set of B&W for 2k canadian let alone american. At this point it also looks as if the 5803 is out of your range that retails for $4500 U.S. that's currently the most expensive receiver on the market right now (at least that I can think of). Seems like you might be in range for the 4802 maybe Pioneer 47tx or maybe the H/k 8000 we don't know how much you want to spend on a receiver and a good separates are out of the question. Do you already have a dvd player or do you need one of those as well? Do you want to spend 1-2k on 5-7 speakers and a sub or 1-2k on just the fronts or is it 1-2k for speakers sub and receiver? Maybe you could get one of those B&W 5 bookshelf speakers and sub pakages i don't know how much they are though? I think it's called the Leisure series. Let us now what you want to spend for a receiver?

Daniel Smith

 

[Anish]

Looking at Canadian brands, I checked the Paradigm website and there is no mention of the "Studio" line. Is it known as something else this year?
Daniel I think I am set on the Denon 5803. The receiver is the heart of the system, so if anything, I don't want to compromize on that. However for speakers, I think since the price ranges are so wide open, I will start with the aesthetics that I am looking for. What I want is something tall and skinny... whether it is all speaker or whether it is a metal stand with little speakers on top. Whatever speaker comes to mind as the clearest and most powerful, with those kind of looks, is what I would be aiming for.
For the sub I am open to a good one... I like my bass!

 

[Bill Kane]

Anish,
Link Removed is the Reference/Studio series catalog. They dont make it easy! Paradigm markets Reference/Studio as their high-end and handles it as a separate franchise for dealers.

 

[Anish]

Paradigm speakers (Studio series) = physically way too big for my liking

They're out.

 

[Jason_Me]

I think I am set on the Denon 5803. The receiver is the heart of the system, so if anything, I don't want to compromize on that.

I would say the receiver is more like the brain of the system. The speakers are the heart, and by far the most important part. $5000 speakers with a $2000 receiver will generally sound better then a $5000 receiver with $2000 speakers.
Check out www.AtlanticTechnology.com They make excellent HT speakers, that get rave reviews. All of their speakers are very slim.

 

[EricHaas]

Try the Energy Encore System. $1kUS online for the speaker package + the cost of whatever receiver you want to buy. Energy Take 5.2 or Encore system are the best speaker around in the smaller-than-bookshelf size range.

 

[Bill Kane]

Anish, after all this over, do us all a BIG favor by having never considered those B*SE cube speakers. We implore you. Low-end stuff...high-end cost


bill ...spkrs whose name dare not be uttered..

 

[KeithR]

Check out Gallo Due's www.roundsound.com
Great for apartments, not too pricy, and look GREAT with plasmas or fp screens.
Also check out M&K 750 THX package...very nice for around 2k.

 

[Anish]

Anthony Gallo HT vs Acoustic Energy Ego P5
I called some Anthony Gallo dealers around here for pricing and one of them was trying to steer me away from the Anthony Gallos and towards Acoustic Energy Ego P5. He said that he could sell me the Ego P5 for cheaper than the Gallo HT system and this would come with the 5+1 speakers and sub and a processor and a bunch of stands and stuff and he said that it would be a lot more powerful than the Anthony Gallos. Here is the website:
http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/pro...aego/aego.html
What do you guys think? Would the Acoustic Energy Ego P5 be better than the Anthony Gallos?
Thanks.

 

[Ari]

Try listening Piega speakers. They're a relatively unknown Swiss company. Their speakers sound quite good and are tall and skinny and have that metallic look. I think they look quite nice.....

 

[ted_mpower]

those Acoustic Energy speakers look like upscale computer speakers with paper drivers..
i just got the Due' speakers in silver and they sound fantastic, search avsforum.com for reviews

 

[Rich X]

Anish,
Reading between the lines or your comments, which is always a dangerous thing to do--I would highly recommend the M&K S-150 THX Ultra set-up. The main Left-Center-Right speakers are 12"x10"x12" cubes, surrounds are tripoles, and there is a very good sub to handle the low-end. The whole speaker package should come in arround $5K maybe less.
This is one of the best systems I have heard for HT at any price (and I don't own it). M&K makes a lot of different mounting brakets and stands so you should be able to set them up in your apartment pretty easily.
Link Removed

 

[Anish]

Rich, thanks for the recommendation. That was actually my HT set of choice, but I can't really spend that much money on speakers right now and secondly, I don't want to get trouble in my new apartment... those speakers are quite powerful. But that will definetly be in my future consideration... unless something newer and better comes out!
Right now I think I am going to stick with the Anthony Gallo Micros for front left, front right, rear left and rear right. Then I plan on putting the Anthony Gallo Due' for the front centre and rear centre (can I do that?) speakers. Then I have to go about getting a sub. I wonder if I should get a more powerful sub or go for the Anthony Gallo active sub.