Questions on building Polk 7.1 Setup

209Mason

Hey all. I'm new here to the forums and to home theatre in general. I owned an crappy HTiB years ago, but this is my first foray into separates. I've settled on a Polk setup when I scored the T90e's on sale at Newegg for $129 a month back or so. Yesterday I got my Onkyo SR706 in the mail, so now I'm looking to piece together the rest.

I'm just finishing up my basement. It's about a 25 x 15 open room of which the back half will be a dedicated Home theatre (roughly 12 x 15). My question is, what would be the best polk speakers to get to complete my setup?

FRONTS - T90e's (only speakers I have so far)
CENTER- I really want the CS2, but having a hard time finding one. I assume the CS1 or CS2 would be better for timbre matching (I've read this is a good thing... like I said, I'm new)
SURROUND R/L - Looking at Monitor 30 or Monitor 40's. Would the 40's be overkill? Should I be looking at TSI100 or TSI200's instead?
SURROUND REARS - Thinking about Monitor 30's or OWM3's. How do people out there like the OWM3's? Are they a good speaker?
SUB - no idea, everyone seems to like the PSW10 from what I've read, and it seems to be good bang for the buck, so I was thinking of that.

Any suggestions, thoughts would be much appreciated.
Thanks, and I look forward to being a part of the Polk community!

Mike21

Hi Mason.

Welcome to the Forum.

What is your budget?

Mike

209Mason

Mike21 wrote: »

Hi Mason.

Welcome to the Forum.

What is your budget?

Mike

Thanks for the welcome.

Well I don't plan on buying them all at once, so the budget is a little flexible, but I'd like to stay around $600 roughly for the remaining speakers I need (center, 4x surrounds, and sub). Maybe more if I find a good deal on a nice sub.

Thanks!

209Mason

xcapri79 wrote: »

Welcome to the Polk Forum Mason. For your surround consider getting 2 more pairs of the Polk T90e's from Newegg (or at least another pair for the side surrounds). They are a great deal. Can you still get Monitor 40's? They are nice bookshelves if you can still get them. Alternatively, the Monitor 30's make good surround speakers.

If you are on a tight budget, my recommendation is to stay at a 5.1 system and get 2 good surrounds instead of 4 speakers of less performance. That's why I mention picking up another pair of T90e's. Not to mention that four floorstanding speakers look great in a room and you don't need stands. I prefer floorstanding speakers for their superior range when listening to multichannel music.

For the center channel, you can still get the Polk CS2 at JR.
http://www.jr.com/polk-audio/pe/POK_CS2_hy_CH/

I still see the CSi5 center available on Polk Direct. It is a great sounding center as an alternative.

For your system, I would recommend the Polk PSW505 subwoofer from OneCall. This is a great performing subwoofer that is significantly better than the PSW10 and is available for a good price, so that you can stay close to your budget. http://www.onecall.com/ProductDetails.aspx?id=28545

Thanks for the info!

I actually just scored a set of Monitor 40's on Ebay for $115 shipped. I figured I couldn't beat that price since the cheapest I can find them new online is over $200. The Monitor 30's and TSI100's are $150 new, and the TSI200's are $200 new.

The T90e's are OOS currently, but they'd be $300 for the pair at the current price. I figure I'll use these Monitor 40's as the L/R surrounds to atleast get a 5.1 setup for now. And I know I want the CS2 for the center, but I'm hoping to find it in black.. thanks for the link to J&R, if all else fails I may just have to go with Cherry.

With the addition of the Monitor 40's, my budding setup looks like this now:

FRONTS - T90e's
CENTER- ???? (... but I want the CS2)
SURROUND R/L - Monitor 40's
SURROUND REARS - ????
SUB - ????

I guess the two biggest questions now are this:
1. Should I get Monitor 30's (or OWM3's) for the rear or save up and get a second set of T90e's and move the 40's to the rear ... I guess that's about the biggest part of the equation left
2. What to do for a Sub. I'm pretty clueless here and the PSW10 seems like a good option, but that 505 seems pretty awesome. Is there any sort of size/pricerange I should be thinking about to match this setup?

candjhuntley

what exactly are you doing with this setup? Are you using it for HT? Music? Both?

If you're wanting to stick with $600 for all the rest of the speakers, I'd recommend not worrying about rears atm - stick with 5.1 - especially with that size room (assuming the 12x15 will be an enclosed room and not a HT section of the larger room)

Get the best sub and center money can get you. You've spent $115, that leaves $485

CS20 - $220 Polk Direct on ebay shipping included
A2-300 - $350 Elemental Designs shipping included - remember, there is no timbre matching needed with the LFE channel - so you can get any company's sub to complement your Polk speakers

Total is $570 - $85 over budget - but worth it if you can possibly swing it imo

To remain under budget perhaps you can find a better deal for a CS2/20 on ebay rather than doing a bin - or as was stated, look into the CSi5 which can be had $200 BIN shipping included, or what i'd recommend would be to try to win at auction as they are typically going around $170 shipping included - or if you went with a Polk sub, it'd be cheaper... but not nearly as powerful (from what i've researched)

Terra S

xcapri79 wrote: »

Regarding question 1, now that you have the Monitor 40's, the Monitor 30's will make good rear surrounds. Since they are available at a low price for a pair, there is not a big cash expense to get them.

Just a quick question regarding Monitor 30's. I found the Monitor 30's online for about $120 shipped. But then I came across Monitor 10's from Newegg for $70 shipped (w/coupon code). Using them as rear surrounds in a 5.1 system as suggested above, is there a big difference between the the Monitor 10's and Monitor 30's? I know $50 isn't a lot, just want to know if it's going to make much difference and if not, I'm thinking why not save 50 bucks.

cnh

The Monitor 30s are the better speaker. They're one of the best bookshelves in their price range period. As are their successors (TSI-100). They're also a better match, because the M10s have a different tweeter, than the higher monitor line. Having all the drivers matched will give you the most 'seamless' sound, although using the M10s as surrounds is not exactly a tragedy. OWM3 speakers are a nice match if you want to wall mount.

cnh

Terra S

I wasn't asking if the Monitor 30's were the better speaker. Since they cost more and have a higher model number, that's a given. But hey, thanks for explaining what makes them better. However, my question is still unanswered. I want to know if using the "better" Monitor 30's as rear surrounds in a 5.1 system is going to make a noticeable difference over the "less expensive" Monitor 10's. If not, would it be worth it to pay the $50 extra for the Monitor 30's anyway?

comfortablycurt

The M10's aren't actually part of the Monitor Series. They're similar, but use a different tweeter.

I think there were a few other speakers in the M Series too...but they're a bit different from the Monitor series. The M series was basically Polk's entry level line up, where as the Monitor series was the middle of the road line up.

To answer your question, the Monitor 30's would probably do better as surrounds, but it depends on what you're running up front. If your front speakers are part of the Monitor series, then yes you'd be better off with the Monitor 30's in back. Timbre matching between front and back isn't as crucial as having a timbre matched front stage though, so it's easier to get away with different surrounds than a mismatched front stage.

Terra S

Thanks for the detailed info. That helps a lot. I guess you get what you pay for when it comes to speakers.

By the way.... Hi Curt!

comfortablycurt

Terra S wrote: »

Thanks for the detailed info. That helps a lot. I guess you get what you pay for when it comes to speakers.

By the way.... Hi Curt!

Hey Terra! Long time no see.

That's very true...but it doesn't mean you have to spend a lot to enjoy them. I've only heard the newer Monitor series speakers a few times...but they sounded damn good, especially given their cost. I've never heard the M10's before, but from everything I've read about them, they've been meet very favorably. They have a lot of great reviews.

The most important thing is how it sounds to you. You can talk all day about proper timbre matching...but there are plenty of HT rigs out there that aren't properly timbre matched and still sound fantastic.



209Mason-If you're having trouble finding a CS2, the newer CS20 will work very well too. The TSi series is basically the new Monitor series. There are some very small differences between them(mainly a slight difference in the crossover design), but they're essentially the same speakers. Any of the Monitor series and TSi series speakers will match well with one another.

Personally I'd go with a different sub than the PSW10. It's a decent performing sub for it's price range, but you could get something much better for not a whole lot more money. I've read a lot of complaints about it in regards to port noise...as well as bottoming out a lot during deep bass passages in movies. I've heard that it can be kind of sluggish and slow to respond as well.

I'd second the PSW505 suggestion if it's in your price range. They can be had for pretty cheap now.

209Mason

comfortablycurt wrote: »

209Mason-If you're having trouble finding a CS2, the newer CS20 will work very well too. The TSi series is basically the new Monitor series. There are some very small differences between them(mainly a slight difference in the crossover design), but they're essentially the same speakers. Any of the Monitor series and TSi series speakers will match well with one another.

Personally I'd go with a different sub than the PSW10. It's a decent performing sub for it's price range, but you could get something much better for not a whole lot more money. I've read a lot of complaints about it in regards to port noise...as well as bottoming out a lot during deep bass passages in movies. I've heard that it can be kind of sluggish and slow to respond as well.

I'd second the PSW505 suggestion if it's in your price range. They can be had for pretty cheap now.

Thanks for the info... I'm kinda getting that feeling based on some reading I've been doing. I guess I'd like to stay around the $200 mark on a sub if possible, it's flexible if I should find something I really like... trouble is there's nowhere around here to go and listen to any subs other than Best Buy, and I'm not too interested in anything there.

I've seen a few threads about some such as the BIC H-100 and PA-120 from premiere acoustic. The PSW505 looks to best both of those, but I haven't seen it anywhere for less than about $300.

As for the CS2, I'm hoping Newegg gets some back in stock at the $129 mark... I've been waiting and hoping... at that price I'd even be okay with the Cherry color!

209Mason

Bah! Newegg's got the CS2's in stock in black for $150!!!!
On it!

comfortablycurt

209Mason wrote: »

Bah! Newegg's got the CS2's in stock in black for $150!!!!
On it!

Nice! Go for it.

I've heard good things about the BIC H-100. The PA-120 has a lot of good reviews too. I've never gotten my ears on either though...so I can't attest to their performance personally. There are several people around that have used them before though...perhaps they'll chime in on them.

candjhuntley

209Mason wrote: »

I guess I'd like to stay around the $200 mark on a sub if possible, it's flexible if I should find something I really like...

Seriously - get the best possible sub you can afford - if you have to go over budget to do it, then go over budget as you will appreciate the nicer sub a couple of years from now than you will appreciate having saved some money that you just used on something else

209Mason

I actually just realized that Elemental Designs is out of Newton Iowa, which is right near where I grew up, so I may give them a shot... down between that and the PSW505. Decisions decisions.

Also... the CS2 dropped to $129 shipped at Newegg! Awesome deal!

vijayl

thats a great price doe CS2 shipped and if u r not in CA, no Tax

209Mason

Hey all... bumping this thread for some help on the final piece of the puzzle... the rear surrounds.

Trying to decide between OWM3 and Monitor 30's. These will have to be ceiling mounted, and based on how big the 40's are at 16 lbs... I'm guessing the 30's are no slouch at 9 lbs. If I go with the OWM3's, will I really be missing out on anything that would make me regret on passing on the 30's?

Currently Newegg has the 30's for $99 and the OWM3's for $129. If they were going to be bookshelf or stand speakers, I'd get the 30's in a heartbeat, but since they will be ceiling mounted, I guess I'm leaning towards the OWM3's.... thoughts?

vincent vega

Hi Mason-
I have had the OWM3s for a couple of months now and love them. I was concerned at first because of the lack of reviews but I'm glad that I got them.
I am running them with RTi8s and a Velodyne sub, with the rear crossover set at 100 hz. They are very articulate.
Good luck

vijayl

If space it not a problem for u, I wud go w/ M30s