How can I affordably improve this set up?

 

P Willy
Was thinking my wife would spend about $300 for something like this as part of my xmas gift. So, what would you recommend?

The center not matching well with the fronts is on my mind (the sales guy recommended Cambridge SoundWorks Classic Series Tower II as a perfect match for my center, but at $449.99 it's a little pricey for me right now), but any advice is welcome.

Reciever - HK 525
Center - Cambridge SoundWorks CenterStage
Fronts - Infinity REFERENCE 2000.1
Surrounds - Cambridge SoundWorks Surround II 5.1
Sub - Klipsch KSW100
 

UNICRON-WMD
I see no one is helping you. MAINLY because you typed Cambridge SoundWorks and Infinity.

Anyways, I really don't care for CS speakers but they made a kick A$$ subwoofer 6 years ago!!! CS speakers sound a bit hallow to me. Almost as if the speaker boxes were made out of cardboard. Sorry man, that is just my opinion. Also, last time I heard them was 5 years ago so they might have completely changed.

Also, Infinity made some good speakers in the RS line and they would match up great with H/K.

So, my advice is, go to ebay and buy a set of Infinity RS3/RS 2000.3 for your front speakers. They go for about $75 + $25 for shipping. You should also get the Infinity CC3 center channel speaker. They go for about $150-$200 with $20 shipping. It is one of the BEST center channels out there for the price.

For now, I say move your 2000.1 to the back for SS speakers but you really should upgrade to the 2000.3.

Hope that helps man,
WMD
 

P Willy
> MAINLY because you typed Cambridge
> SoundWorks and Infinity.

That's very funny and a little sick at the same time. Forums like this are intended to help people, and if I don't have the right stuff I should be top of the list for assistance from those that know what the 'right' stuff is.

Thanks for the advice WMD, but I'm pretty sure I want to move away from Infinity. In general I like the sound (probably will use them elsewhere in the house), but I feel like they tweak the sound and I want the sound to be reproduced as it was intended, not as Infinity likes it.

One other problem, I think anyway, with the Infinity is when I do listen to music I go for the heavy stuff and I don't think they are up to the task...

Any snobs care to share your awe inspiring advice?
 

G-Man
Actually Infinity speakers improved enormously after they hired Floyd Toole from the National Research Council of Canada--under him at that facility Paradigm, Energy, PSB, and a number of other quality speakers got born.

Sidney Harman of HK Int'l hired him away to run and fix the Infinity facility he bought a few tears ago.

You should read some reviews on a google search of the Infinity Prelude MTS series--the top of the line that Floyd Teole designed for Infinity in 2000 and where there are great reviews in Stereophile and Perfect Vision. Then the more affordable but still expensive Intermezzo series. These speakers have such low distortion and flat frequency response it often shocks many listeners in how revealing they are and how a speaker sounds without boosted frequencies,

They have less expensive lines such as the Kappas, the Alphas, and the Entra's.

Now the top two lines are pretty expensive.

For a solid $300 center channel try going to ascend acoustics online --the CMT-340C at $298 is excellent and you get a free 30 day trial use. Like the top Infinity speakers, the Ascends at a much cheaper price give a similarly very low distortion and excellent performance. They are only in black.

Axiom, another online manufacturer that came from the same Canadian roots as Floyd Toole has a nice center channel that is brighter sounding and gives the same 30 day return trial use.
 

UNICRON-WMD
DUDE!!!!! If you are going to call them "snobs", I don't think they will give you advice.

Anyways, you bought the cheapest RS Infinity speakers out there. The RS line goes up to $3,000 for the Overture-3s and you spent $150 on the RS1s. You get what you pay for. The RS line is just a tad bright but would match with your HK nicely if you had put a little extra money into it. I also listen to harder music. I listen to everything from Korn to Deftones to Paula Cole to Eric Clapten to Led Zepplen. When listening to rock, I can easly get 118dbs out of my CRAPPY Infinity speakers. I also can shack the hell out of my apt at 18hz with no audible sound. It is pretty freaky. That is better then most subs out there.

Anyways, if you are looking for "natural" sounding speakers. I say NHT Super Zeros or Super Ones. BUT, they are a bad match with your H/K receiver. I also think they are a little too natural sounding.

So, I say look into Take5 speakers.

Anyways, good luck man. Go listen for you self a little and Spend a little extra on speakers man.

WMD
 

P Willy
> If you are going to call them "snobs"

yeah I know but it's too hard to resist...especially when you realize they are hurting their own forum by not helping people like me.

now I feel like we are getting somewhere, thanks for the advice so far guys. how about a speaker package not including the sub (I LOVE my klipsch)?

for what it's worth my center sounds great as well, but if I could find an affordable package that's better than CSW and will work well with my new HK I'll happily check it out.

I use the system pretty evenly for games, tv, movies, and music. Although, I probably care most about movies sounding great.

I don't think I could do more than $600 or so right now, but would be interested in anything close to that as long as it's good....I'd have no idea where to even start though.
 

P Willy
another question, say I did go with Infinity my concern would be picking front speakers and a center that are well matched. how do I know which ones are? and what about matching my existing Inf that I'll move to the surrounds?
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