Front Floorstanders and a center channel Suggestions PLEASE!

 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-07
Hi gang; I have been searching the net for input; I am trying to upgrade my home theater/ home music speakers and I want to start with two floorstanding loudspeakers. I will be using the system for 50% music 50% movies on my projector screen. My receiver is the Sony STG1000. It is the midrange sony w/ the hdmi. My room is about 14X14 with three walls, open on the right. My budget is kind of low, as I would like to spend no more than $500-$600 for a pair of floorstanders. I would also like input on a center channel speaker that will match but not necessarily same brand. I just want the most bang for my buck, listen to a lot of hip hop, but I already have a sony sub so bass is not crucial, really just want clarity in the mids and highs without distortion like my current cheapo sony surround setup. So far my seemingly best/most affordable choice is the Infinity Beta 50 speakers for $210 a piece an amazon. Any thoughts/ suggestions please?! Thanks!
 

Bronze Member
Username: Shawnharman

Post Number: 85
Registered: Dec-05
it would be good to have the center channel as the same brand cause the center will be voice matched for to the fronts. I would look into paradigm or infinity.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Shawnharman

Post Number: 86
Registered: Dec-05
look into JBL to.
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-07
Do you know if the infinity Beta 50s are any good? I can only find them on the internet. Thnx for the input
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-07
Any other thoughts from anyone?
 

Silver Member
Username: Stefanom

Vienna, VA United States

Post Number: 742
Registered: Apr-06
The Infinity Beta series gets respectable reviews, and is probably one of the better floor standers you can find at that price point. Something else perhaps worth looking at is www.av123.com. Their X-series speakers have been getting raves, and their floorstanders are within your price range. However, they do have a bit of a backorder.
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7657
Registered: Dec-04
Toss in a pair of f2.2's from Athen for instant gratitude, Just an option. I have heard them sound awful and really good.

The 123's seem quite good, but most reviews are from owners.
This means A: they were good enough to keep
or B: I forgot to return them in time allotted, and I ain't gonna bad mouth the stuff I now own.
90/10.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1101
Registered: Oct-04
Buy the Beta 50, that's a great price for a great speaker.

http://stereos.about.com/od/loudspeaker1/gr/infinity_beta50.htm

http://www.ultimateavmag.com/speakersystems/805infinity/index1.html

http://www.hometheatersound.com/equipment/infinity_beta50_betac360_betaes250_sw1 2.htm

http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_1/infinity-beta-speakers-2-2005-part-1. html
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 4
Registered: Jun-07
Thanks for the advice and the links. I just pulled the trigger on the Beta 50s. I can't wait...Now to find a center channel that will match. I want to get an infinity center but the matching Beta360 center is a little too big for my (girlfriends) taste. Any thoughts on a good infinity center that will match? Perhaps another brand?
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1106
Registered: Oct-04
Good for you. let us know how you like them.

The Beta C250 looks to be pretty good.
 

Bronze Member
Username: Jps1010

Post Number: 11
Registered: Feb-07
Hi Zaz, Ive been considering a pair myself but have been hesitant to buy without hearing them first. Let us know how you like them.

Good luck!
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 5
Registered: Jun-07
I will let you guys know in about 3-5 business days :-)
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 6
Registered: Jun-07
So I finally got my Beta 50's and had a good chance to listen to them. I paired them up with the Infinity Primus PC350 center channel because Crutchfield didn't have the beta center and I had a gift certificate I wanted to use. I must say that they sound awesome. Yes, hearing subtle hi frequency noises I never heard before in my music and the range is awesome...They truly do sound like $1000 speakers HOWEVER!!!....I left the covers off for optimum sound and my girlfriend's kid PUSHED IN MY LEFT TWEETER!!!! ARRGGHHHHH!!!! It is completley crinkled and mashed in. I tried to use some double sided sticky tape to pull it out but it is so damaged that it just began to tare. He also poked in a centimeter sized dimple in one of the woofers. Does anyone know if it is possible/feasable to replace just the tweeter in this speaker or do I have to get a entire new speaker? I can't really tell the sound difference THAT much but on a scale of 1 to 10 the CRINGE factor is ONE MILLION!!!! Will this really effect the sound? WHAT DO I DO?!?! Should I make my girl buy me a new one? They aren't THAt expensive at 270 shipped but damn what a waste.....
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7844
Registered: Dec-04
Zaz, suck it up and order a replacement speaker.
If this is all you get for having a toddler around, you are lucky.
Mike W. had a little darling pound the cart on his Linn TT. It happens.
Kiss the kid and break out the Visa.
The time and cost are annoying, but the kids are a limited time offer. Hug em.
 

Silver Member
Username: Stryvn

Post Number: 304
Registered: Dec-06
Nuck hit it, Zaz.

Big picture, man. And leave the grilles on when the kid is there to hear Zeppelin.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 5077
Registered: Feb-05
Nuck must be rich, I ain't. If the girlfriend buys a new one perhaps she will be invested in teaching the young one what are toys and what aren't.

No doubt that one should love their children unconditionally but lessons must be learned. If you and the girlfriend are at a friends home, do you want to worry what will happen or do you want to count on the young one to behave.

Again, if you have money to burn disregard.
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 7
Registered: Jun-07
Yea, all great points guys. Its hard to read your posts through the tears but I guess it could be worse. Do I have to get an entire new speaker or is it feasible to just replace the tweet? Thinking about replacing the kid while I'm at it...I hear puppies are nice.....
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 5078
Registered: Feb-05
Best to get ahold of the manufacturer to find out about driver replacement. They may recommend a whole new speaker or perhaps the cost will be so close that it may not be worth just replacing the driver. Good luck.

Just as an aside when my Grandchild is over at my house my daughter keeps very good watch over him...she knows it will cost her not to, and she fully agrees with it. My wife's Grandchild on the other hand (who is old enough to know better) runs wild and her daughter doesn't watch her at all...why? She knows Nana (my wife) will replace any damage...no consequences.

Hope it all works out for ya...sounds like you enjoy your speakers!
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 8
Registered: Jun-07
Yea, thats why I don't have kids of my own yet...too much responsibility.

Yea, I really do love the speakers though. They are my first set of "real" speakers, before that I would just get the nicest Sony package from Walmart and it wasn't bad but after upgrading my receiver the distortion and sound quality was unbearable. Now I can truly appreciate why you guys spend your entire annual salaries on this stuff....My, how ignorance is bliss....AND CHEAP :-)
 

Silver Member
Username: Stryvn

Post Number: 305
Registered: Dec-06
Has your girl OFFERED to help with the speaker repair?
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 5079
Registered: Feb-05
Yep Zaz, how I long for the days before I knew better...

My friends often tell me how glad they are that they can't hear the difference (they assume)...I offer to show them, declined!
 

New member
Username: Sunshinestateconsumer

Post Number: 9
Registered: Jun-07
Funny thing is....

Two days prior to this happening she mentioned her nephews might be here at the house with her kid.
So I sat her down and lectured her...told her SPECIFICALLY to keep the kids away from the home theaters (Got a nice projector, nice 42" LCD plus all the audio stuff ps3/xbox360) She is aware how much I love my stuff (and somewhat jealous) and I told her, if anything is damaged that SHE is responsible for repair or replacement. Yes, stupid me forgot to put the grills back on as extra precaution, but I didn't even think....

So I left for a day or two and noticed the damage to my bran new speaker yesterday. I think it was probably the 4 year old boy...(thinking of a new finger necklace)

Of course I told her she is buying a new one, and she has agreed as per our prior conversation but I feel bad making her buy a new one....seems like such a waste but damn...I can't have nice things because she has a kid and nephews? WTF? I think if she forks out the 275 for a replacement she may learn a valuable lesson...
 

Silver Member
Username: Stryvn

Post Number: 306
Registered: Dec-06
Sounds like you've got it under control, dude. Let her hold her end of the deal. I suspect it won't happen again.
 

Gold Member
Username: Exerciseguy

Brooklyn, NY USA

Post Number: 1132
Registered: Oct-04
Ouch!

What is it with kids & touching speakers? A salesman at Harvey Electronics in NYC told me a kid once push his finger through every driver & tweeter in his HT showroom.

I don't have any kids, but I do have a wife, and I don't even trust her (not one iota) when it comes to my electroncs. Needless to say my grills stay on.

I couldn't live too long with a busted tweeter, so I would find a way to replace it ASAP, but that's just me. I don't think it will cost too much to replace.
 

Gold Member
Username: Artk

Albany, Oregon USA

Post Number: 5081
Registered: Feb-05
Yep, we love our families but they must understand that these audio systems represent considerable hard earned cash. My wife understands (with only occasional debate) that the primary audio system is my baby...was mine when we got together and if (God forbid) we part it will still be mine. We are going to build her one for her office...BTW her Grandchild is coming down from Seattlt to stay for a week later this month...I will be working that week. It will be the most nervous week of the summer...again though they know the rules. You break it, you buy it....period!
 

New member
Username: Coldfyre22

Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-07
Just order the drivers and replace them. Much more affordable than buying a new speaker.

362820-001 Tweeter $30.94
351509-001 8" WOOFER $53.85

Just go to infinity's webpage. Go to your Beta 50 model under products, then click ont he parts link.

Infinity, just like JBL, are both owned by Harmon Kardon. Replacmeent parts are pretty cheap :-)
 

Gold Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 7881
Registered: Dec-04
Well that seems much better all around.
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