OWM5 as center speaker

rota80

Folks

I have a 10 year old Onkyo HTIB 5.1 system that I'm upgrading in my living room 25x14 with 10 ceiling. So far, I only replaced the sub with a Dayton 12" SUB-1200. My next step is front, rear and center speaker so require 5 total speakers. Ideally, I would like wall-mounted and avoiding shelves but am ok if the center speaker needs a shelf

I'm leaning towards OWM5 for all 5 remaining speakers. Do you think that's a good idea or I should use OWM5 for front, rear and something else for center?

Thank you

JayDog

OWM5 would also work as a center channel, it works or measure's best in the upright position for off axis performance, but because of the OWM5s D'Appolito array design it works good as a center channel or LCR.
It is always better to have the exact same front 3 speakers for sound stage & imaging anyways, Go for it!
The OWM5's sound good and has a huge wife approval factor!

JayDog

rota80... I forgot Welcome to the Forum!

rota80

Thanks guys - I'm going to mount front & rear speakers vertically. Does it matter which way I mount the center speaker? Thanks

rooftop59

rota80 wrote: »

Folks

I have a 10 year old Onkyo HTIB 5.1 system that I'm upgrading in my living room 25x14 with 10 ceiling. So far, I only replaced the sub with a Dayton 12" SUB-1200. My next step is front, rear and center speaker so require 5 total speakers. Ideally, I would like wall-mounted and avoiding shelves but am ok if the center speaker needs a shelf

I'm leaning towards OWM5 for all 5 remaining speakers. Do you think that's a good idea or I should use OWM5 for front, rear and something else for center?

Thank you

I have only heard the OWM3s, but they were very hollow and thin sounding speakers: I wouldn’t recommend them for anything other than surrounds. If you have room in the budget, 4 s10s and an s35 would sound much better. Or if you’re not married to Polk, I really like the definitive technology promonitor series, they sound much bigger than they look...

shs

The center speaker is no different than any other speaker in your system, and if you have room, the vertical orientation is to be preferred. As mentioned above, the ideal is 3 identical speakers up front, and I'll add all vertical.

JayDog

rota80,
Mount the OWM5s all vertically if possible, if not having the center horizontally mounted will work fine, like shs said but,

Your running a Onkyo 5.1 mini AVR right? I have owned a similar Onkyo 7.2 HTIB AVR about 20yrs ago.
Onkyo had several HTIB hybrids from 5.1 to 7.1 THX certified HTIB.

Those were a great value back in the day and performed much better then the regular Sony or Samsung HTIB offerings.

But those Onkyo HTIB Mini AVR's didn't push out much power, that is why I suggested you start out with the OWM5s with there 89 sensitivity, they should play nicely together.

See how you like this set up, The OWM5s are about as versatile of a speaker as you can get. You can always find a use for the OWM5 speakers with all its mounting options & paintable grills if you didn't like them.

As long as your not looking for the the ultimate in fidelity and just want something that looks and sounds good. This system should workout fine and be a nice sound improvement from the stock Onkyo HTIB speakers the AVR came with.

Good Luck and let us know how it all turns out!

rota80

Jaydog - This is the Onkyo I have - https://www.cnet.com/products/onkyo-ht-s570-home-theater-system/
Is it a mini AVR? I obviously would like a decent performance increase from any new speakers I'm buying. I know that I won't get the best performance possible because I'm dealing with space constraints and ideally want everything wall mounted but still looking for a performance increase that I'll easily notice with the new speakers

Rooftop - What promonitor series would you recommend for my 25x14 room size? I see these on ebay - 80, 600, 800, 1000 and do you know if these can be wall mounted

rota80

Jaydog - This is the Onkyo I have - https://www.cnet.com/products/onkyo-ht-s570-home-theater-system/
Is it a mini AVR? I obviously would like a decent performance increase from any new speakers I'm buying. I know that I won't get the best performance possible because I'm dealing with space constraints and ideally want everything wall mounted but still looking for a performance increase that I'll easily notice with the new speakers

rooftop - What promonitor series would you recommend for my 25x14 room size? I see these on ebay - 80, 600, 800, 1000 and do you know if these can be wall mounted

rooftop59

rota80 wrote: »

Jaydog - This is the Onkyo I have - https://www.cnet.com/products/onkyo-ht-s570-home-theater-system/
Is it a mini AVR? I obviously would like a decent performance increase from any new speakers I'm buying. I know that I won't get the best performance possible because I'm dealing with space constraints and ideally want everything wall mounted but still looking for a performance increase that I'll easily notice with the new speakers

rooftop - What promonitor series would you recommend for my 25x14 room size? I see these on ebay - 80, 600, 800, 1000 and do you know if these can be wall mounted

I really like my promonitor 800 that I have used as both bedroom mains and surrounds. Yes, they are easily mounted and sound really good crossed over around 100 hz to a decent sub like you purchased.

That avr is not going to sound great with anything, but start with the speakers and see what you think...

JayDog

rota80 wrote: »

Jaydog - This is the Onkyo I have - https://www.cnet.com/products/onkyo-ht-s570-home-theater-system/
Is it a mini AVR? I obviously would like a decent performance increase from any new speakers I'm buying. I know that I won't get the best performance possible because I'm dealing with space constraints and ideally want everything wall mounted but still looking for a performance increase that I'll easily notice with the new speakers

Yes, this is the very same Onkyo HTS line they have sold in black or silver for about 20yrs, they just update the SS codecs like Dolby DTS and it looks like there still using the same cheap speakers with there passive sub. it is a mini AVR we called them because they are so shallow. Yours is the entry model of the line up and the 7.1 THX was there top of the line, I owned both systems but the speakers sounded average at best on both systems.

I would stick with the OWM5 for the sensitivity and the soft dome tweeter, OWM5s will be more forgiving then the Def Tec pro 800 Metal dome tweeter with a single 3.5 inch imo, not a 4.5 inch woofer really, it is smaller and harder to drive speaker then the OWM5s also, Def Tec 800s is a more what source material go's in, comes out, good or bad type speaker.

What ever you choose, it needs to be a forgiving speaker with a higher sensitivity but not to high where it exposes your HTIB receiver.

That mini AVR has about a 3rd the watts of a regular entry level AVR and mine had to drive the Sub also if I remember right, it will not push just any speaker and if it does drive it, you might like what your hearing out of certain speakers.

You are investing such a small amount, you really can't get hurt no matter what you do at these price points! Good Luck!

rota80

Thanks guys- I'm learning so much here. One more option that I reviewed last night and would like to get your thoughts

I'm a set and forget guy so my next upgrade won't be at least another 7-8 years hopefully. I plan to upgrade the Onkyo receiver to a nicer one after my basement renovation and leaks are fixed. Do you have any opinion about using Polk signature S15 for L/R/Surround and S35 for center speaker? Cost-wise on ebay the whole thing will be about $120 more so not too bad and they are decent size too. Or do you feel the OWM5 are similar or even better sound?

Thanks

rooftop59

rota80 wrote: »

Thanks guys- I'm learning so much here. One more option that I reviewed last night and would like to get your thoughts

I'm a set and forget guy so my next upgrade won't be at least another 7-8 years hopefully. I plan to upgrade the Onkyo receiver to a nicer one after my basement renovation and leaks are fixed. Do you have any opinion about using Polk signature S15 for L/R/Surround and S35 for center speaker? Cost-wise on ebay the whole thing will be about $120 more so not too bad and they are decent size too. Or do you feel the OWM5 are similar or even better sound?

Thanks

rota80 wrote: »

Thanks guys- I'm learning so much here. One more option that I reviewed last night and would like to get your thoughts

I'm a set and forget guy so my next upgrade won't be at least another 7-8 years hopefully. I plan to upgrade the Onkyo receiver to a nicer one after my basement renovation and leaks are fixed. Do you have any opinion about using Polk signature S15 for L/R/Surround and S35 for center speaker? Cost-wise on ebay the whole thing will be about $120 more so not too bad and they are decent size too. Or do you feel the OWM5 are similar or even better sound?

Thanks

The s15s will be FAR superior to those OWM5s. If you are going long-term that is definitely the route I would personally go out of the two...

JayDog

rota80 wrote: »

Thanks guys- I'm learning so much here. One more option that I reviewed last night and would like to get your thoughts

I'm a set and forget guy so my next upgrade won't be at least another 7-8 years hopefully. I plan to upgrade the Onkyo receiver to a nicer one after my basement renovation and leaks are fixed. Do you have any opinion about using Polk signature S15 for L/R/Surround and S35 for center speaker? Cost-wise on ebay the whole thing will be about $120 more so not too bad and they are decent size too. Or do you feel the OWM5 are similar or even better sound?

Thanks

It will be more difficult to wall mount all of the Polk signature S15s and S35 but yes, it is a better sounding speaker and a smarter investment in the long run.

As long as you have room for it, the S30 is the way to go, S30 is a better sounding Center channel speaker then the S35 center channel.
The S35 sounds small compared to the S30. The S35 was designed as a space saving center channel, The S30 has much better performance all around imo. Also, You are better off with matching 5.25" drivers across your sound stage, LCR, 2-s15 & S30 would be your best performance and appearance, with all the same size drivers imo.

Go to amazon and shop for mounting hardware for the S15s, I like the adjustable mounts, the center will take some work to wall mount but it can be done, its all up to you and how much time you want to invest.. good luck!

rota80

Ok great coming to a nice consensus here.
Center channel - S30 with Amazon wall mount
L/R - S15
Surround - should I stick with S15 or get the S10

Everything will be paired with my Dayton 12" SUB-1200 & Onkyo S750 receiver

I'll look on amazon for a good shelf/mount for the S30 but if you have something to recommend as well, that'll be useful

Thanks

JayDog

rota80 wrote: »

Ok great coming to a nice consensus here.
Center channel - S30 with Amazon wall mount
L/R - S15
Surround - should I stick with S15 or get the S10

Everything will be paired with my Dayton 12" SUB-1200 & Onkyo S750 receiver

I'll look on amazon for a good shelf/mount for the S30 but if you have something to recommend as well, that'll be useful

Thanks

Shelf mount is the way to go for your center channel and put it above if you mount your TV low or below if you mount yout tv high, whichever is closest to your seated ear level.

Let the speaker price determine if you get the S15 for rears or not, there usually around the same price, Grab the S15 if they are close to same price, if not, grab the S10.

Surrounds are nice to have matching your front LCR also, but you don't need to spend allot of cash towards it, save that money for your new AVR... you will be wanting soon with modern features like Atmos, DTS Neural, upconversion and Audyssey...

JayDog

I used these mounts below, but there are several good options out there, just don't trust a small screw type mount, use a mount like these..

https://www.amazon.com/VideoSecu-Clamping-Bookshelf-Surrounding-MS56B/dp/B000X9O8SI/ref=sr_1_2?_encoding=UTF8&c=ts&dchild=1&keywords=Speaker+Mounts&qid=1610581493&s=electronics&sr=1-2&ts_id=297859

rota80

Guys - I bought the S15 but ebay and facebook marketplace has very little or no quantity on the S30. Would CS10 or S35 be a good alternate or I should hold off and my patience will pay off with the S30? Hopefully something will become available in 1-2 months. Thanks

rota80

There is one on ebay but it has blemishes. I wonder if they will show much after the grill is on and if I could simply paint the edges
https://www.ebay.com/itm/133943592825?hash=item1f2fa90779:g:v0IAAOSw56RhkY3O