Looking for new speakers

motorhead43026

Whatever you do don't skimp on the speakers just to acommidate that low power AVR.

halo

Here's a list of well-regarded speakers under $300 from a thread at the AVS forum:

MSRP/PR PORT? H/W/D ROUNDED TO NEAREST INCH

$60 SEALED 12X7X7 2 way 6.5" [70hz] DAYTON AUDIO B652-AIR

$100 REAR 15X6X7 2 way 2 X 4" [60hz] DAYTON AUDIO MK 442

$140 FRONT 30X7X10 2 way 2 X 6.5" [45hz] DAYTON AUDIO T652-AIR TOWER

$149 REAR 11X7X9 3 way 5" [53hz] SONY CORE SSCS5, often 50% off Best Buy**

$150 SEALED 14X7X5 2 way 5.5" [100hz] JBL ARENA 120/ARENA B15 (B15 often on sale)**

$170 REAR 9X6X9 2 way 5.25" [50hz] CAMBRIDGE AUDIO MINX XL Accessories4less pice

$179 SEALED 11X7X8 2 way 6.5" [56hz] NHT SUPERONE 2.1 Amazon Price

$200 REAR 9x6x10 2 way 5.25" [40hz] CAMBRIDGE AUDIO SX50

$200 REAR 10x6x7 2 way 5" [40hz] FOCAL SIB W/ STAND/BRACKET, A4L price

$200 SEALED 9x6x6 2 way 5" [40hz] CANTON PRO XL.3 W/ STAND/BRACKET

$219 FRONT 12X7X10 2 way 5.25" [60hz] HTD LEVEL TWO**

$225 REAR 15X9X11 2 way 7" [55hz] JBL ARENA 130**

$230 REAR 12x8x10 2 way 5.25" [50hz] POLK SIGNATURE 15, often 10% off Best Buy**

$249 REAR 12x8x11 2 way 5" [48hz] WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.1, Music Direct Price

$250 REAR 13x7x9 2 way 5.25" [55hz] JBL STAGE A130

$250 REAR 11x7x9 2 way 5" [60hz] WHARFEDALE CRYSTAL 4.2

$250 FRONT 13X7X9 2 way 5.25" [46hz] ELAC DEBUT B5.2**

$250 REAR 12x7x12 2 way 5.25" [35hz] DEFINITIVE TECHNOLOGY SM45^^ closeout price

$250 FRONT 12X7X11 2 way 5.25" [49hz] KEF Q100 limited time closeout price

$280 REAR 12X7X11 2 way 6.3" [42hz] CANTON GLE 426 Accessories4less pice

$290 REAR 10x7x9 2 way 5" [64hz] Q ACOUSTICS 3020, often 10% off Q Acoustics website

$299 REAR 11x7x11 2 way 5" [64hz] Q ACOUSTICS 3020i,

$299 REAR 11X7X9 2 way 5.25" [54hz] DALI - Spektor 2

$299 REAR 11X7X8 2 way 5.25" [48hz] EMOTIVA AIRMOTIV B1

$299 REAR 14x9x12 2 way 6.5" [40hz] WHARFEDALE DIAMOND 10.2, Music Direct Price

ruppertsreef

The only reason I was considering it hard to eat I ate one and Csi The only reason I was considering RTI a1 and CSI a4 was because they are currently for sale on eBay for around $220 for a set of three if this would sufficiently sound better and then the crappy home theater speakers I have that are 10 years old or older and then in the future I upgrade my receiver and move the fronts to the surrounds and get some larger bookshelves or towers for the mains. That's what I'm currently considering. It is all way to confusing for me. I just know sitting on my couch watching a movie after work I pretty much only can hear the dialogue of people talking and that's about it and I figured that better speakers would make that movie watching experience better Not looking for some crazy rattle the walls movie watching experience just something that I can actually hear what's going on better I do have the distance to my speakers set up in the receiver as well as the tone settings they all sound about the same wellness when you cycle through them other than that that's as far as I've gone to test them

ruppertsreef

Ok so I will pull the plug and get the s20 from amazon. If I have any issues I can return with prime.

Next question. Without going crazy into price I have search on the forum about wire and it just blow my mind the cost some wire is and the abbreviations you all use for the wire.

When my wife goes to bed I will measure my distance needed for new front wires but looking for good/better options over the crap wire I have. Guessing it’s 16 Guage standard clear coated copper wire. What ever my father had for wire when I moved into my house 5 years ago and ran wire.

mrloren

You will like the S20. I have them in my bedroom setup. Nice speaker. I did a trial of them in my family room, they sounded very good filling the room nicely.

for speaker wire it all depends on how much you want to spend.

Monoprice is good budget wire https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=2817

Next up is Doug's Furez https://douglasconnection.com/Furez-12-AWG-2-Conductor-Speaker-Cable-Raw-FZ122.htm

ruppertsreef

Thanks is this the same stuff? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6MQJLU/ref=twister_B01MS39GX8?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Should I start with just bare ware connection since it’s good copper vs using a budget banana that’s copper coated I assume

sponger

I don't think it will hurt to save a few bucks and get the S15. The S20 won't be any louder. It just goes slightly deeper for the bass notes. If you're buying bookshelf speakers, then you're buying them for the highs and mids. For example, the LSiM midrange driver is 3.5" and produces most of the sound for that series. The S15 / S20 Bass will be OK for music with either speaker. But you'll eventually want a sub. The money saved from going with the 15 instead of the 20 can go towards the sub.

mrloren

ruppertsreef wrote: »

Thanks is this the same stuff? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N6MQJLU/ref=twister_B01MS39GX8?_encoding=UTF8&th=1

Should I start with just bare ware connection since it’s good copper vs using a budget banana that’s copper coated I assume

NO! DON"T get that wire. it's CCA or copper clad aluminum 100% pure junk. Amazon sells Monoprice or the Amazon basics https://www.amazon.com/AmazonBasics-12-Gauge-Speaker-Wire-200-Foot/dp/B0758CSSDN/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1547703769&sr=1-1-spons&keywords=12awg+speaker+wire&th=1

Bare wire is ok but there are decent bananas for not much https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06Y9129X1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09__o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These bananas and basic speaker wire are good, only go up from there.

S20 or S15, choice is all yours. If they are going to be pure main speakers go for the S20.

ruppertsreef

Ok so the monoprice wire you linked and I linked are different? Just looking at Amazon cuz I can get it here Monday with prime. I do have a sub. It's a polk. I'm sure too small for my large room thou bought for a different house. It's a psw10

rpf65

https://www.bluejeanscable.com/store/speaker/index.htm

Pretty good, inexpensive cable.

ruppertsreef

S15 are 160$ with the s20 on sale for 218 right now. Difference in price be better spent on center speaker s35?

sponger

ruppertsreef wrote:

I'm sure too small for my large room thou bought for a different house. It's a psw10

On the same token, you aren't interested in wall-shaking bass. In which case the PSW is plenty. If you have a sub, then I don't see the point in the S20. You're going to have it crossed over at 80hz or somewhere anyway. The S15's lower threshold is 50hz, so with a sub the difference between it and the S20 is virtually inaudible. There are a lot of S15 reviews on youtube you can check out.

rpf65

The PSW10 is not a good sub, weather you want earth shaking bass or not, and nobody giving advice on this forum should ever make that statement.

When the OP is ready to buy or research he should start another thread. A good sub doesn’t have to be played loud, it just has to dig low. Polk subs are not known to do that.

sponger

rpf65 wrote: »

The PSW10 is not a good sub, weather you want earth shaking bass or not, and nobody giving advice on this forum should ever make that statement.

When the OP is ready to buy or research he should start another thread. A good sub doesn’t have to be played loud, it just has to dig low. Polk subs are not known to do that.

It sounds like you take issue with Polk subs in general, not just the PSW10. In your words, Polk subs do not do what makes subs good.

The OP currently owns the sub, and has not expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of the sub itself---only concerns that it would not be loud enough for a large room.

You're certainly entitled to your opinion about any speaker including Polk subwoofers. But I'm confused as to how your disdain for the speaker in question translates to a moratorium on simply identifying a member's specific needs however unlike yours they may be. He has, after all, made it very clear that his interest in home theater is modest at best.

Jimbo18

Only 10 of the S20's show left now. Wondering about buying a set myself.

As far as your setup goes, I would get the S20's and try them out with the sub you have. Since you own it anyway, try that first. There are, as was said above, many better subs, but if you own it, why not try the combination and see.

Also if you are thinking of a center, it seems like the more popular one on here is the S30. That can be had pretty cheaply as well.

https://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Signature-S30-American/dp/B01LW3BYRY/ref=asc_df_B01LW3BYRY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=312228220967&hvpos=1o2&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2031750332587087231&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9009928&hvtargid=aud-467077737785:pla-470006926074&psc=1

halo

I would buy some bulk Audioquest speaker wire from Audio Advisor, SLiP DB 14/2 or SLiP DB 14/4 are very inexpensive and very good quality. Or, you can buy a pair of the Type 2 or Type 4 cables terminated by Audio Advisor for a very good price as well.

dromunds

Douglas Connection has Furez 14/2 for about .75cents a foot IIRC unterminated

mrloren

All of the speaker wire above will work very well. Just make sure not to get any that say "CCA" or like that. What ever you get just make sure it's pure copper.

When it comes to speaker wire search the forum tones of threads and opinions.
Here is MY opinion from low to high.
Monoprice/Amazon basic
Audioquest Slip
Doug's Furez
Audioquest Type 4

For S15 or S20. I like the S20 as main speakers. I do own S15 and find the S20 to just a tad better. Now if it means S15 and an S30 together go for it. You can alwaysd move the S15 to surround duty later if you expand.

PSW10 is an ok bass box, I don't find it to be a sub as it has a hard time going below 40hz. A PSW505 is much better. I'd save for an SVS or HSU

The above is my opinion take it with a grain of salt

ruppertsreef

Thanks everyone. I ordered wire and plugs and s15 arriving Monday. Once setup and ok I will order a center.

Should I start a new thread for some help with settings on recover or should I just post up my questions here

halo

ruppertsreef wrote: »

Thanks everyone. I ordered wire and plugs and s15 arriving Monday. Once setup and ok I will order a center.

Should I start a new thread for some help with settings on recover or should I just post up my questions here

Congrats! You can start a new thread or continue with this one, the choice is yours.

ruppertsreef

Ok I will type up all my setting questions when home from work.

Had someone send me a sale for speakers on Facebook near me. Someone selling a cs10 center and some Sony towers I'm not interested in for 80$. Was going to ask about buying center only but can't seem to find any compairison of s30 and cs10. Are they anywhere near compairable if I can get the center for 20-30$ would I notice a difference over the signature or isn't the cs10 harder to drive or anything. Only difference I could see really was the frequency on s30 said 40-42hrz where cs10 was like 20-60. Kinda over my head on that thou

cfrizz

Since you are in the beginning of your audio journey, get all the Signatures that way everything matches look wise and sound wise.

mrloren

If you're building a system from the ground up start here.

A good AV Receiver, Marantz Denon or Yamaha. A4L has good prices on referb https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html I have a 2+ year old Marantz I am using in the bedroom that still works great.

Speakers I would start with a good left and right. In your case you have ceiling speakers to use. If all you do is watch movies then RTi are good for that. If have any plans for music then go Signature all the way.

Subwoofer, This is an area not to go skimpy on (neither is any other area) a good sub from SVS or HSU will last years and make or break a system.

ruppertsreef

Ok here are the questions I have received is old and will try to budget for a newer one come tax money time. This is what settings I have to work with right now.

Surround mode PL II cinema or dts neo 6 cinema

Surround perimeter set to cinema
other options cinema EQ on or off?
D comp off low mid high?

Tone control on or off?
Bass and treble (probably my preference here I assume)

speakers set to small front center surround
Yes to sub
No to s back preout not sure what this is?

Bass settings
Sw mode lfe or lfe+main?
Lpf for lfe (not sure what this is currently set to 120Hz)?

Crossover frequency set to 80.
Polk s15 says 50Hz to 40kHz so should I set this to 60?
Also have option to set advanced and set crossover for individual speakers. Possible set this different when I get new center 42Hz to 40kHz is frequency for s30

Working on finding a better place for sub. Moving living room around. Since I have one huge room should I try to put it in the corner vs off to the right of tv.

Going to try to crawl around room and put sub in listening spot tomorrow.

Wasn’t sure if sub in corner would be good and if so pointed towards listening area, left towards tv, angled towards center of room or backwards towards wall?

ruppertsreef

Is this correct. Seems to stick out way to much. But if I unscrew the nut and look down in there they are hitting the bottom of the speaker post port

ruppertsreef

F1nut

The cheap binding posts are too short for bananas, so you're not getting the full contact area you should be. Either upgrade the posts or use spades.

mrloren

Those banana's are fine. S15 I would have the C/O between 80 to 100. try it and see what sounds best

F1nut

They aren't fine, they aren't making full contact because of the cheap binding posts.

sponger

Congratulations on your speakers. Did you run the audyssey calibration? Just a friendly FYI to switch the filter on the back of the sub to pass thru so the avr can do the filtering. At which point you can check the settings and let us know what they are. Then we can advise on whatever post-calibration adjustments are advantageous.