Dear Forum, What is a good front speaker?

bensontm

Any thoughts on the RTi150s?

bensontm

Any thoughts on the RTi100s?

mantis

what do your ears tell you?How about the depth of your wallet?

Both speakes are nice in there own rights,but you need to like em.

bensontm

Purchased a second pair of Infinity Entra 3s for surrounds on sale for $500 a pair at CC. Got the first pair for the same price. Got a Polk CS400i open box for $200 at CC. One good deal CC offers is that they will refund the discounted amount from any speaker purchased at full price when the sale is within 30 days of the original purchase.

North of Pittsburgh, in Natrona Heights, there has been a speciality audio store which has been in business since I moved there with my family in the late sixties. We used to go their and look at the six foot tall EPIs for $1000 per speaker (That would be $3,000 in today's dollars accounting for inflation). For a a teenager that was impressive along with ALL the other wonderful audio delights to oogle. I suppose their offerings have grown with technology over the past thirty years. Did not get a chance to visit since I was only there for six months on my way from a job in WA DC to WA WA.

Now I am on the northwest coast and I was doing an internet search about Paradigm speakers and I found a similar type of store in my new hometown. They only carry three lines of speakers which are in the, as the salesman called it, "lower upper end range?". I will have to relive my teenage years and check this place out. Sort of blow the stink off from the "electronic department" store, although that is where I got my system. I used to think that Butch's Sound Shack was were all the Steelers went for their stereos because of the prices.

My wife was starting to complain that I seem to have a compulsion with the Polk Forum. I think she is starting to see the "light", excuse me, I meant "hear the sound" with the new setup.

Western Pennsylvaniaeese:

Thank yoons.
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Movie time.

Our L/R surround speakers have been lowered to only 14" above the L/R front speakers and also they have been turned to face each other. Idea from www.dolby.com. Surround back is on top of a six foot book shelf. All fronts are at ear level.

The aiming of the L/R surround speakers towards each other has really made a nice difference as opposed to their previous strait forward aiming. Seems to diffuse the sound a lot better, expecially since the the front to back walls are only 12' apart.

I have been so busy at work I have not had time to think too much about sound waves and speaker placements. Duhhhh. Got the idea from www.dolby.com.

It sounds like Home Theater time, yes, without the jerk bouncing his knee against the back of your theater seat and ALL the rest.

Hallalujeh, it is movie time.

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| |
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V Surround
|F-Speaker
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|C-TV

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Chair

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< Back Surround
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|F-Speaker
|

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^Surround
|______________________________|

bensontm

NEW SETUP:

I just purchased an Infinity Entra Two Center channel speaker for the top my television which is surrounded by two Entra Three towers sitting on the floor. I have two more Entra Three towers for my left and right surrounds which I have aimed at each other. I then took the CS400i Polk 250 watt center speaker and placed it between the surround Entra Three tower speakers on the floor facing directly upwards. Maybe those sound waves are crashing into each other in the back and diffusing all over the place. The Polk center was too powerful in the front center position as all the other speakers are 150 watt. I am now in hog heaven. The Polk really works well in this position and I can adjust my Onkyo 600 receiver to 0 setting for all speakers, except for the subwoofer, which is set to -3 per Doctor Specs directive. Ooooooo, ahhhhhhhh.

bensontm

I LET MY EARS BE THE GUIDE.

mantis

Originally posted by bensontm
I LET MY EARS BE THE GUIDE.

One of the most intelligent posts I have read in here.
This is where you use your soul.;)

ncw

Originally posted by bensontm
NEW SETUP:

I just purchased an Infinity Entra Two Center channel speaker for the top my television which is surrounded by two Entra Three towers sitting on the floor. I have two more Entra Three towers for my left and right surrounds which I have aimed at each other.

I'm glad that you are really happy with your setup. Did you ever compare that to the Polk R50? Be nice please. What makes you decide on the Entra Three?

bensontm

I did get a demonstration of the R50s and Entra Threes in a Circuit City listening room. They used a two channel 100 watts per channel RMS Onkyo receiver the demonstration. I planned on getting a good subwoofer and setting all speakers to small with a crossover of 80Hz and my ears liked the more sterile sound from the Entras. My ears heard the R50s as a little mushy bassy sounding, although I would leap to the RTi70s with an unlimited budget.

I visually checked the construction from top, bottom, back and sides which was a second check after listening (I like to knock with my knuckles on the sides and back of speakers).

ncw

Originally posted by bensontm
I did get a demonstration of the R50s and Entra Threes in a Circuit City listening room. They used a two channel 100 watts per channel RMS Onkyo receiver the demonstration. I planned on getting a good subwoofer and setting all speakers to small with a crossover of 80Hz and my ears liked the more sterile sound from the Entras. My ears heard the R50s as a little mushy bassy sounding, although I would leap to the RTi70s with an unlimited budget.

I visually checked the construction from top, bottom, back and sides which was a second check after listening (I like to knock with my knuckles on the sides and back of speakers).

Do you remember what music they played during the demo of R50 vs Entra Three? I already bought one CD that one specialty store uses, and I'm planning to buy more to play on my old system for comparison.

bensontm

???????????????

gidrah

That's pretty good. Easy to drive too. You might have a hard time finding a center speaker though!

Tour2ma

WTH??? Those look like "Gumby Meets the Cyclops"...

Dr. Spec

Originally posted by Tour2ma
WTH??? Those look like "Gumby Meets the Cyclops"...

Ya still got it Bruce, after all these years.

goingganzo

actuley i realey like infinity too they were my first choice when they had their old line with the ling throw 6 1/2 drivers. then they went to their last line and lost intrest. so i went to polk. and love my setup. now they have a decent suround and i might have to listen to them.

gidrah

Originally posted by Tour2ma
WTH??? Those look like "Gumby Meets the Cyclops"...

Yeah, those are a pretty ugly version. Imagine plain old birch with a deep red stain. I haven't seen cherry plywood at the local HD or Lowes. I might check out the lumber yards though.

brettw22

Call me crazy, but are they trying to imitate Bose?

RuSsMaN

Nice folded horn Gidrah. That's a killer Lowther FR in there too. I'd like to do some Voight Pipes, but will probably have to step 'down' to some Fostex FR's $-wise.