I'm looking at buying a 5.1 system some time soon and am trying to figure out what speakers are the best. I'll be using the system mostly for movies and TV but also for a little bit of music from time to time. I'll probably be buying the system from my local Future Shop and so it seems my selection is pretty much limited to the three types of speakers mentioned in the title. I'm not an audiophile by any means but want a system that sounds great at either low or high volumes. Can anyone give me any info as to what the differences are between these speakers and what makes them better/worse than one another? Thanks a lot for your help.
Klipsch and Energy are the same company. Klipsch bought Energy (a Canadian Co.) a few years ago. Kipsch specialize in horn loaded tweeters and are generally very high efficiency speakers which are easy to drive with just about any amplifier and reach very high dB levels. Personally, I find Energy a little more balance and less "in your face" then the Klipsch and they have some very decent models that would be very good in home theatre. I'm really not a Polk Audio fan, though I do use a 12" Polk subwoofer in my home theatre, which is a decent product for movies. I find their subs o.k. for HT but don't particularly like the sound of their speakers, though they have their fans. All of these are sub-audiophile brands but provide decent bang for your buck when you get them on sale. You really need to give them a good listen, one against the other, preferably on the same AVR you are going to use to power them. While you're auditioning those, some of the guys on this forum have reported very decent sound from their Infinity speakers. I believe Future Shop caries them as well. Happy hunting but it all comes down to preference. An all these brands, fit and finish are quite comparable as well as the quality of the components. It really is the sound you prefer and the money you want to pay.
Are you buying a 5.1 solution (a satellite/subwoofer package) or will you be buying all the speakers and the sub separately and perhaps want something a little larger and fuller range than home theater packages typically offer?
If you want to stick with Future Shop then I would pretty much agree with George. Try all three and get the one you prefer. They probably all sound good for home theatre use. Depending on where you live there will be other smaller shops that can give you the same kind of product but more brand options.
I'll be going with the speakers and sub separately. I think I want something that sounds a little more substantial than most of the satellite speakers I've heard. That being said, I'm not looking to break the bank. Just looking for something with a good range that doesn't have a really boomy bass or sound too harsh for the highs. I also don't want something that's too soft though. Detailed, dynamic and crisp are the words I think would best describe what I'm looking for.
Either way, I'll be making a trip shortly to go check them out, but figured I'd get a little info first so I have a better idea of what I'm listening for.
Haven't decided on that yet either. The whole system is going to be new. I was thinking either Denon or HK. If Denon probably the 689. If HK probably the 154. I was going to go higher end but was told it's more important to shell out for quality speakers with an adequate receiver than the other way around. Thoughts?
Source first. Whether it's a DVD player, CD player, Universal player, or streaming from your laptop (the source first would apply to an outboard DAC). If you are going to tilt your system the source should be where you make sure you get it right. Oppo may be a good DVD player to check out for where it appears you are wanting to go.
Then the receiver. I noticed you did not list Onkyo. They deliver an abundance for their cost and last year's models are a real bargain.
Last in the food chain is the speakers.
Eventually you would want to work your way up to a balanced system, where each piece part is on a level playing field.
The Klipsch RF series that Future Shop is currently selling are quite good for HT. If I was setting up a system for solely HT use, I'd choose the Klipsch over the Energy or Polk. The guys are right, though, the Energys are the smoothest of the three. The Polks would be the DFL choice for me.
try telling the die hard klipsch classic fans that the k-horn, lascala, belle, cornwall, etc. etc. etc... arwe sub audiophile brands.
case in point.... Polk has the LsI series with the ring radiator tweet (I believe made by vifa) that is geared toward higher end users).
Haven't heard the higher end klipsch in over a year. When I bought my KEFs I was demoing the new refs and the sound was not musical to my ears. They sounded bright and analytical with bass that had been fattened up...fatigue city! someone remind me why I used to like this?
in my opinion, the klipsch will wear on your ears after a while . While they may be impressive at first, the best speaker usually is the speaker that does not jump out at you at first, possibly even having you thinking that you don't like it because it sounds flat or unexciting.
The best advice that I can give is to take multiple CDs that you are familiar with and go into a dedicated dealer and take a listen! You will have putchased equipment that you have researched and spent time with, and are more likely to be totally satisfied with.
There are other variables to take into consideration, but this is a start.
Gavin, I stand corrected. I guess you can classify the higher lines of Klipsch as entry to audiophile but generally not the models to be had at FutureShop. The Klipsh heritage models were and are still speakers with a huge following.
You gotta listen to them an choose. For HT and just sheer impact sake, it would be hard to beat Klipsch, as far as big box brands but if you're looking for something a little more flexible to different purposes like HT with the occasional music CD then, my pick would be Energy. Remember, they are the same company, just cater to different listener tastes. So be a listener and audition them closely and make your selection. Both products have a decent build and warranty support.