Need help upgrading

zacgo1

I have two HT systems. My main system and a system in my home gym. I have a total budget of $850 for upgrades, and I would like your advice.

Although I use my main system much much more than my gym system, I would like to upgrade both, if I can. First, here are the current setups:

Main system:

7.1
L/R Mains: Polk RTi8
Center Polk: CSi5
L/R Surrounds: Polk R30
Rear Surrounds: Polk R20
Sub: Acoustic Research 108PSB
Receiver: Onkyo 602

Home gym:

6.1
L/R Mains: Sony Micro Satellites
Center: Polk CSi20
L/R Surrounds: Cheapo Sony bookshelf speakers
Rear Surround: Sony Micro Satellite
Sub: None
Receiver: Sony STR-DE695

Some other background: both rooms are small side of mid-sized. I use the main system about 80% for HT and 20% for music, though music sound probably matters to me as much as HT sound. I use the gym 50/50 for music and HT, and again, music quality matters a lot. The main system sounds pretty good to me, though I would like better bass. The gym pretty much sounds like crap, but it is just a gym.

OK, here is what I am thinking. My sub is pretty low end. It's a nice little 8" sub, but it is clearly the weak link in my main system. Plus if I upgrade my sub then I can move the AR sub to the gym. Because of room size, all I feel I need is a 10", so I am thinking SVS PB10-ISD. That would cost me $470 shipped. That would leave my with $380.

So assuming you are still with me and agree that the sub is the right step, then another couple of options come to mind.

1) spend about $220 on 4x R20 bookshelf speakers for the gym. They would match the center, and do a decent job for music and HT. That would be a cheap way to ditch the Sonys, getting a lot of bang for the buck.

2) spend the whole $380 on a pair of RTi6 speakers to replace my R30 surrounds in the main system. Then I could move the R30s to the gym as mains.

Hmmm. Option 1 looks like a way to get the gym timbre matched with a decent budget system. Option 2 looks good in that my new main system surrounds would match my RTi8 mains. However they would no longer match the R20 Rears. So I would clearly need to eventually upgrade those as well.

Sorry for all the detail, but it's hard to convey all of this succinctly. Do you have any thoughts? Thanks!

Zacgo

Tour2ma

First, welcome to the Club...

Since you have the sub and the R's handy, give them a whirl in the Gym and see how that works for you. Play around with "mismatching" the 30's with your Sonys in surround duty and see how you like it. With multi-channel music apparently now in the picture, matching surrounds should not be that critical, but by playing you'll gain a sense of how important it is to you.

If it turns out to be important and you are willing to drop back to 5.1 in system #1, a pair of RTi6's could free all the R's up for Gym duty. Down the road you can add a pair of FXi's for side surround duty back to the main system.

The addition of a sub seems to be a good first step, given the lack of one in system 2 and the upgrade it'll lend to system 1. Call SVS to see how well the PB-10 fits your needs. Even if it is a bit shy of fulfilling them, it still may be a good choice and move to the gym down the road.

Nemesis

Yeah I built mine on a budject too.

Yes the subwoofer upgrade is a great idea for the main. If there was room in the gym, you could kick the old one into said gym. I havn't tried them but apparently SVS is this forum's quick answer to the sub question. I'm going the "build a sub" route in the future, but I really havn't heard anything bad about them. SVS does seem like the real deal.

Option one makes more sense to me. Aside from the subwoofer your main system already seems pretty formitable. Your gym is the one that needs the help. Now I do have an issue with the R20's. Even with the larger enclosuer I thought the R15's were better sounding (as in more natural) when I tried them both. Even with the bigger tweeter and crossover. Course I was there because the 15's were on deal but...

Try them both out. They are both cable speakers, especially given the price (teh others in the price range are crap Sony's, JBL's that don't deserve to have JBL on their cabinet, muffled Pioneers...). You could save some money by going all 15s (yes they work for mains- that's what I do, actually). Or likely better: buy a pair of 20's for fronts and 15's for the rears&sides.

Maybe you could upgrade the gym's center to something like the CSi3 or 5, but those almost seem like overkill. It seems stupid to buy 3 unless you really can't save for the 5.

O well good luck.

gregure

I think Tour2ma has the best advice so far. Excellent choice in thinking to first upgrade your sub. It adds a lot to a system. PB 10 is definitely the way to go. My living room is probably bigger than yours, judging from your description, and it has two large openings into other parts of the house, and the SVS still shakes the walls just fine. Really a great sub, regardless of price.
I think you're doing fine w/ the 8's and CSi, but you definitely need some RTi surounds. If you take Tour2ma's suggestion, that would be a great start, but I would suggest, if going to 5.1 for awhile, get some FXi's instead. They will fill your room w/ sound better than the 6's for surround f/x. I think moving the R series into the gym is the best way to go. That way you're still upgrading both systems, and your main system will be really kickass. How much time do your really spend in the gym compared to the main room? The answer to that question should determine which system you put more money into. Have fun.

zacgo1

Thanks for the advice so far. I don't think I can do dipole or bipole in my main HT. So that would pretty much kill the FXi option. The room is oddly shaped. The area behind the sweet spot and to the right is a staircase going up, and to the left it's even more asymmetrical. I am pretty sure I have to stay with monopoles. So if I went with the RTi6 for surrounds, I would eventually add a second set as rears.

Joey_V

I would move the R30 and R20 into the gym. Get a pair of RTi6, or RTi4 as rears and a pair of the FXi3 or 5 (I think that's what it's called) for rear surrounds... if you want to stay with 7.1. I would definitely skip 7.1 and just go 5.1 to save some cash.

With 5.1, the choice between the RTi4/6 or the FXi3/5 is just a matter of preference, do you watch movies or listen to multichannel audio more?

You should have enough money left over to buy an SVS PB10 or an SVS 22-31PCi (depending if you go 7.1 or 5.1).

Joey_V

About the FXi... oops, sorry.. I didnt read the post above mine.

Tour2ma

Nothing wrong with direct radiators for surrounds... especially for rear surrounds, but youb do need some distance between you and them.

Bi-/ Di-poles for side surrounds are more common, but directs can be used. Again a good distance is needed.