Best rears for small theater room.

bd1886

Hey all. First posting and good to see such an active forum!

I am about to finish up my HT project and it has boiled down to the rear speakers being left. I am staying with 5.1 due to small room size (16x18) and am using some small decent rears now but....they don't blend. I am just taking small steps into this and to be truthful, know very little except for knowing I'm enjoying what I have going on here!

Here is what I have now:
Fronts: Polk LS70's
Center: Polk CS10
Sub: Polk PSW10
Receiver: Onkyo TX-NR609
Rears: KLH Model 09's (Nice little speaks but...harsh blend no matter what I adjust.)

This has been a project with a "bang for the buck" approach but have been listening to a lot of equipment within the mid-range consumer bracket. (Polk has delivered for me here in spades and my hat is off to them....they don't stray from their commitment much.)

My question: My gut initially told me to go with some RM8's for rears (mounted high in 8" corners) but they look to be ending there run, with speakers like the OWM3's picking up the ball. I am completely out of any loop to compare the two and was hoping some of you folks could give me an opinion as to the audio from both formats. Is dipolar "all that"? Have had more than one opportunity to purchase FXi5's but....rears like that will be for a future project when we move into our next home or do some summer theater stuff. Experienced opinions would help me TONS!!

It sure is funny how an unexpected $29.95 a pair Goodwill find (LS70's) has led to such a good experience of learning and appreciating! (Tell my wife...."Honey....I'm not listening to my gear too much...I'm learning a life skill!!!)

Thanks, Scott

ROHfan

I had to decide on new rears myself last year as I was re-doing my living room and running all new wire. I didn't want OWM3' or 5's because there's not much of a resonant chamber there as they're meant to hug the wall. I decided to go with the RC85is which, coincidentally, are going for 150 with free shipping on Amazon right now. They are in-wall, paintable grill speakers and are a good match to my RC65i front heights and Monitor 60 fronts. WAF is very high on these as well. Good luck in your quest, hope this helped a little.

ROHfan

Oh, forgot to mention, they sound amazing! We were watching "I Love You, Philip Morris" last night and there's this part where there's talking and whispering coming from the rears and it sounded like someone was really standing behind me.

obieone

1st, welcome to the forum.
2nd, are you sure you want to upgrade the rears? You can get a pr. of Monitor 30's off of Newegg for $90 shipped, or you could replace the LS70's with Monitor 60's, for $200 shipped-(that sale ends today 1/8) and move the LS70's to the rear?
Just a thought.

bd1886

Thanks for the responses on this. What I'm getting is there is no substitute for a true resonance chamber/regarding the rears and my LS70's are way past their prime? (Tech. in the newer/lower cost speakers is just plain better?) Thanks for alerting me to those great deals on speaks! Right now I'm going to sit with what I have until I can get in to a box store and have a listen. I have no problem at all switching out my fronts if it is in fact a true improvement (and it does look like they are a little smaller). One thing is though, can't have large speaks in rear as we have no room and cabinets there/ceiling or wall mount a possibility. I have time and really appreciate you guys helping me with your knowledge. What kinds of small theater solutions (with better speaks) would some other folks have. Just want to learn here!! Appreciate it, Scott

bd1886

DSkip wrote: »

LS70's are great speakers but they shine for music moreso than HT. The benefit of moving to Monitor 60/70 is you can match your center better and get a cohesive front stage. You could look at something like the TL1/2 as budget rears.

I had intentions to build an LS70 front stage (including center) until I got some RT3000p's and realized just how much a "brighter" sound can do for a movie. It doesn't hurt that the 3000's have built in subs, but I never really thought the 70's lacked bass as it was. Now, I've got a pair of the 70's downstairs as a modest 2 channel rig and the HT room is all about movies.

Thanks! Learning a lot. Fry's just put up some RTi8's on ad for $319.00 a pr.....ignorant, but after reading reviews this seems to be a steal. (Not going to buy as I'm going to settle in and learn before doing any more acquiring.) Enjoying this journey.