Upgrading Speakers

trees

Would greatly appreciate advice on upgrading speakers, or other elements of system if more bang for the buck. $500-$1000 available. Bookshelves better, but could go with floor standing.

Room 15' x 15' x 8' ceilings, good acoustics.

Current equipment:

Fronts & Rear Surrounds -- R20
Center -- CSI20
Sub -- Dayton 10'
Receiver -- Onkyo 501
DVD Player -- Vivo DVDP 1500 (cheap, but rated out well, may keep until HDDVD players drop in price a year from now or so
Monitor -- RCA 52" Widescreen HDTV

Thanks

AsSiMiLaTeD

First I'd replace those R20s, then the center, then maybe add some surrounds, then maybe upgrade the receiver, and finally a larger sub...I'd do things in that order...

You could look at the Lsi series, but I think that Onkyo might have issues with the 4 ohm load...

If you're looking at bookshelves, I'd see if you can pick up a pair of RT55i on Ebay or somewhere, I think that's the best bookshelf Polk has made in a while. Then you could grab the center channel to go with it and get a set of surround speakers, all for under 1K...

trees

Thanks PM. Useful info.

I auditioned the Lsi series when I bought the R20s. Big difference, but one can afford what one can afford. I'll research the 4 ohm load issue re the Onkyo 501.

Will it degrade the HT experience terribly if I leave the R20s as rear surrounds, shift the CSI20 to rear center, while I upgrade the front speakers (probably to Lsi), front center speaker, and receiver? I'd eventually replace the rears too.

The system is currently matched, just not very crisp.

Trees

danger boy

for starters.... i'd also look to upgrade your fronts and center. or surrounds.. but upgrading your fronts and center so they match should be first on your list.


CSi3 for center and Monitor 50's for fronts. I would think that would be a good match.. then later upgrade the surrounds and sub, receiver, etc.

zacgo1

I was faced with a similar setup looking to upgrade with a similar budget. Moved R series to the rear soundstage and replaced the front with RTi8 mains and a CSi5 center. I am thrilled with the results. I paid $900 for the three front speakers (2xRTi8 and 1xCSi5). I think RTis sound better than Monitors, but that's subjective.

I first moved my CSi20 as my rear, but then replaced it with a pair of R20s I picked up for thirty bucks each at CC. You can sell your CSi20 on eBay and use four R20s as your rear soundstage.

My setup:

L/R Mains Polk RTi8
Center Polk CSi5
L/R Surrounds Polk R30
Rear Surrounds Polk R20
Sub Acoustic Research 108PSB
Receiver Onkyo 602

Zacgo1