Looking at purchasing new(er) speakers

HTguru1982

Looks like it's about time for a change. I love the crap out of my Monitor series speakers but my fiance is yearning for something a little more decor friendly. Not necessarily smaller but "prettier". I'll probably hang onto a pair for two channel listening but most of them will have to go to fund new speakers.

The new LSiMs are out of my price range so they're off the list. And I'm open to other brands, not just Polk. The system will be used primarily for movies. I will be keeping my current receiver and amplifiers for now. At some point in the near future, I will upgrade my receiver to something more current but one thing at a time for now.

While the Monitors throw a huge soundstage, they aren't the most transparent speakers in the world. So right now, I would like to find something that's a bit more accurate. And for the time being at least, I'll probably have to settle for bookshelf speakers to keep costs down. I can also live with three front speakers for now and use a set of my smaller Monitors as surrounds. My budget is approx $600 - $800. Not a lot, I know.

What would you guys suggest?

txcoastal1

I would look for a used pair of totem rain makers, haydn grands, or maybe even some dynadio's---- there's several easy to ship used monitors to chosse from

EndersShadow

If you wanted to stay with Polk you could get a set of LSi 9's for your fronts and a LSiC and have a nice front soundstage. Another set of LSi7's could be purchased later to round it all out...

erniejade

Besides the polks, sda 2.3 is in your rage as well but, if your looking for smaller, some monitor 10's woudl be quite nice. On the used market its wide open from Vandersteen 2ce sig, on down to Focal. Def Tech, b&w.. By the looks of your question, your looking for HT yes? Focal has a huge wide sound stage and sometimes on the used market you can find the bookies in that price range. NHT, KEF,PSB, the smaller Martin logan, Zu Omen also has some great sounding speakers in that price range as well.


Its wide open. Do you like a more in your face type sound or something more relaxed sounding?

newrival

How about some Carver Amazings? Depending on your room size and decor, they can be quite an architectural statement.

Someone here at some point had a Hi-Vi Swan system for sale. They are beautiful and sound nice. Or perhaps Usher, Salk, or Aerial would be other great choices that perform excellently with HT and Music. JTR could be another, or Emerald Physics and Hawthorne Audio, for that matter.

newrival

Oh yeah, EJ brings up a good suggestion in NHT. If you can find a set of Evolution T6, you could have a killer dual purpose system, with numerous options for surrounds and centers.

heiney9

Never mind, read your sig.

H9

steveinaz

If you can hold off until you've saved into the $1500/pr zone, it's a reasonably good "sweet spot" for monitors. Just my 2 cents.

ravaneli

Color?
Wood or Vinyl?

Monitors are not that ugly..

All of the RTIA line has gorgeous cabinets although I prefer the drivers were black and screws were less visible.
Energy has good looking cherry cabinets in that range
Klipsch Icon W Espresso bookies are a bit weak for front, but they remain the best looking speakers I've seen. Only 200 for the pair at newegg.
this looks great in chery in my opinion
http://www.musicdirect.com/p-15535-wharfedale-evo2-40-tower-speakers-pr.aspx

jbooker82

Cherry RTi's

heiney9

Keep the monitors before going to the RTi's or RTiA's. My assumption is based on not only wanting a smaller, prettier speaker but one that sounds as good or better than what you currently have. If sound is less important than apperance, then RTiA's are visually attractive, for sure.

H9

P.s. Actually, I take that back after looking at your sig and realizing it's for an HT rig. The RTiA's *might* be the ticket. You could certainly do a lot worse for the $$$

heiney9

I would suggest you check into the EPOS line

http://www.epos-acoustics.com/products/epic-2/

HTguru1982

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Turns out I may be able to keep the Monitors after all, after a lot of sucking up to the misses. Her deal is that she would prefer something more modern looking and a center speaker with a smaller profile. My Monitor 7 does take up a lot of space in front on the TV so I can see her point on that. So I may look at getting a different speaker for my center channel, probably a CS350 if I can find one. Or even use a phantom center since the RTA-12's image well enough.

newrival

HTguru1982 wrote: »

Thanks for the suggestions, guys. Turns out I may be able to keep the Monitors after all, after a lot of sucking up to the misses. Her deal is that she would prefer something more modern looking and a center speaker with a smaller profile. My Monitor 7 does take up a lot of space in front on the TV so I can see her point on that. So I may look at getting a different speaker for my center channel, probably a CS350 if I can find one. Or even use a phantom center since the RTA-12's image well enough.

The CS350, while an excellent center in its own right, is a terrible match for those monitors. The timbres/voicing are VERY different. and it will stick out like a sore thumb. The CS400 and, by extension, the CS1000p and CS400i, offer a very close match, although still different. But it will be much better than the the 350. Whenever possible, you want to use speakers that use matching drivers, like a pair of monitor 4s on their sides, but if you must have a more contemporary center, go with the CS400(i)/CS1000p.