need serious help?

crmfmly

I've read all of your posts and decided to totally re-do my system I'm wanting my best fronts where I won't have to get an additional amplifer. So could somebody please tell me what fronts, center, surrounds, and sub. I'm thinking about either going with a Harmon Kardon receiver or a Denon AVR-4806. I really really like Polk Audio speakers a lot, but if they aren't the best I can get my hands on right now I want you to let me know. Please tell me what I should get in everything.

McLoki

You should listen to Dynaudio, Totem, Paradigm, Polk (RTi series) and decide what sound you like best. If you know the reciever you plan to purchase, just get it and take it with you to demo the speakers.

Decide what you like the sound of and purchase the center and surrounds that go with that speaker line.

Easy as that. - No one can tell you what you will think sounds best.

Michael.

(in my case it was purchase used and get LSi's and a good amp. - but that is not exactly what you asked.....) What is your budget? Does it have to be new or is used equipment ok? What will it be used for? Any reason you hate the separate amp idea?

danger boy

crmfmly wrote:

I've read all of your posts and decided to totally re-do my system I'm wanting my best fronts where I won't have to get an additional amplifer. So could somebody please tell me what fronts, center, surrounds, and sub. I'm thinking about either going with a Harmon Kardon receiver or a Denon AVR-4806. I really really like Polk Audio speakers a lot, but if they aren't the best I can get my hands on right now I want you to let me know. Please tell me what I should get in everything.

What's your budget? If you got $1500 that spend that's one thing.. if you got $5000 that's another. so tell us what your buget is.. then we can recommend lots of different speakers.

Price will vary some too.. depends on if you want to buy new or used too.

crmfmly

As far as a budget goes I don't really have a budget as long as the speakers aren't like 2 and 3,000 dollars. But I don't really have a receiver picked out, and really need help picking out pretty much everything. I really want the best bang for the buck. I listen to a lot of music on my system so I want my speakers sounding crystal clear and the boom to be really tight and clean and not so muffled and really dull-like. I really want the best that I can get but on a kinda limited budget but not totally, because I'm doing my Home Theater one piece at a time. I've got the speakers (for now) so I guess I'd probably start with the receiver and or additional amplifier whatever y'all suggest.

Lowell_M

If you are looking for a recommendation and want to stick with Polks, here is my two cents based on what you have said so far, but not knowing your budget. (Disclaimer: You really should go out and demo the heck out of some speakers and see what your ears like)

Front Mains: RTi8's List - $839 per pair
Center: CSi5 List - $459 ea.
Surrounds: RTi6 List - $459 per pair
Sub: ?? Something from SVS or HSU (I really like my Velodyne, but haven't heard and SVS or HSU, but apprently they kick ****)
Receiver: Harman Kardon AVR-7300 ~$900 if willing to buy a refurbished unit ...$2399MSRP new.

Lowell_M

Just read your budget post... I just got a refurbed HK AVR-635 for $500 on ebay (from Harman Audio) that comes Monday. If you are budget crunched at the moment this may be a good option for you to try. The AVR-635 is a monster for $500.

Zen Dragon

crmfmly wrote:

I've read all of your posts and decided to totally re-do my system I'm wanting my best fronts where I won't have to get an additional amplifer.
I'm thinking about either going with a Harmon Kardon receiver or a Denon AVR-4806. I really really like Polk Audio speakers a lot, but if they aren't the best I can get my hands on right now I want you to let me know. Please tell me what I should get in everything.

Crmfmly:
You may be misinterpreting the comments on adding an amplifier with low impedance speakers. This is not a fault of the speakers, rather a shortcoming of integrated components.
The fact is with an additional amplifier your system will sound better than it ever could with just a AVR receiver driving your speakers. Separate amplification is that "big" sound you are after. You have mentioned receivers in the $3000-5000.00 range in your posts. That is serious money, and were trying to tell you there is a better way to spend it for the best sound.
You tell someone on this board you've got that kind of money to spend on your receiver and we will build you a system that will dust any off the shelf AVR you can purchase for that kind of money. If you are worried about hooking it up, many here would be glad to walk you through it. Trust me, hooking an external amp up to your pre-out jacks is far from the most complex part of setting up a modern AVR receicer.
As to speakers, we all love Polks here. They have awesome sound for the money you spend on them. They sound better than many more expensive speakers, but If you have the kind of money to spend on speakers that you are thinking of putting into a receiver, than there are going to be better speakers for more money. It depends on your price point. It also depends on what sounds good to your ears. McLoki had some good suggestions on speakers to look at and listen to.

danger boy

I think you should find a pair of front main speakers first.. then continue building around that with the rest of that line of speakers. then settle on a receiver.. then finally a subwoofer.

Selecting a receiver first is **** backward as i see it.

Lowell_M

danger boy wrote:

I think you should find a pair of front main speakers first.. then continue building around that with the rest of that line of speakers. then settle on a receiver.. then finally a subwoofer.

Selecting a receiver first is **** backward as i see it.

Doesn't sound like he's got a receiver yet though. His conversation is a little confusing though...seems like the story has changed here and there.

Zen Dragon

crmfmly wrote:

I've got the speakers (for now) so I guess I'd probably start with the receiver and or additional amplifier whatever y'all suggest.

What speakers is it that you have now? Danger Boy is correct that building the system from the speakers up is a great tactic.
It's obvious that you are exited and anxious. It is a process though. Tell us what speakers you have, will you set up for 5.1, 7.1 HT etc. What size room. You have mentioned all THX Ultra certified rcvrs in your post so I assume that is a requirement for you.
You'll get there.

audiobliss

If you're open to using external amplification, then do. It's world's better than using a receiver. You'll also be able to run an LSi system off an external amp. And since you said you like listening to music a lot, too, I would definitely recommend the LSi series over the RTi series.