Hi all, I'm a newbie / lurker that's just invested in a new Yamaha HTR-5860 (RX-V657). Now, I finally have an excuse to finish the basement.
The speakers that I currently own are Paradigm 9se's (yes, they're pretty old), and a pair of Paradigm Micros.
Here's the question. Do I keep what I have (using the Micros as surrounds) and pick up a center channel speaker and subwoofer to finish my system off (recommendations please), or do I buy a new set of matched speakers and keep the 9se's on the side as "B" channel speakers to crank up the tunes with.
I'm budgeting $500 - $1000 for additional speakers.
Hell, while I'm at it, I'll ask another couple of questions:
The Yammy supports presence speakers as well as two rears. Is it worth the $$$ to add another 4 speakers into the mix?
Dipolars for the surround speakers, a good idea?
Sorry for all of the questions, and have a great New Year,
Judge the sound quality of your current speakers yourself, and if you like the sound keep them.
A good powered subwoofer can cost between 3 and 4 hundred (canadian) but it's really worth the investment for good sound in both HT and music, the cheap ones just sound boomy with very little variety in sound or subtlety. Depending on the size of room you want to listen in you could go 8,10, or 12 in. I will be purchasing a Velodyne DPS 10B or 12B myself next month. There is little to no justification for me to have a 12 inch in my HT room (16 sq ft), but it is only 80$ more, and who knows what the NEXT room will be (I am in the Army so get moved a lot).
Centers, again, a good quality one will run you roughly 200$. I am going for a Polk CSi3. I was looking at the CSi5, but it is just too huge for my 50in Grand Wega, totally dominated the TV to an almost distracting level, and the difference in qual (to an artilleryman's ear's) is negligible. BUT the difference in quality between ANY comprimable centre channel over ANY cheap one is amazing, but you will find all that out for yourself in your research and shopping.
That is where a good half the fun is derived, auditioning specific set ups at stores with your receiver or similar makes. DO NOT cave in to sales pressure. Take your time. Also, do not cave in to snake oil salesmen, you do NOT need super-califradgilistic-EMP shielded, nitrogen cooled super-conducting stranded 2 AWG (or 24 metric gauge for my fellow canucks)speaker wire or similarly priced component/optical/DVI/HDMI etc. Maybe HDMI or DVI is the "exception", as I have not seen any company put out a 1 meter cable of either cheaper than 150$, but I digress, I do not even know what TV you have anyway. I just brought it up becasue there are some excellent deals out there on GOOD speakers, but they get it back with the "jewelry".
So right now we are at roughly 6-7c notes cad, which leaves you nt a lot left for mains, which may not be an issue of you like the mains you have now, however, there are good mains at roughly that price sold my Sony, Quest, Polk, Mission etc (not listed in any particular order. If I may suggest though, compare prices, (even if it is only on the internet ) to what your looking at. Sony for example is notorious for their manufactureers retail out let drastically overpricing their speakers. I bought a pair of beginner 180 watt, way floor standers for my initial HT set up online for less than half the price of the Sony Store, and that included delivery, duty, difference between US and CAD...
As for "matching", well, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I have never heard an appreciable difference between speakers that were not "voice matched". Perfect example, I am picking up a pair of Polk RT10's and moved my Sony's (yes I am using floor standers as my rears for now) and despite what people have told me that a. Receiver is too underpowered for them, b. they are not "matched", and the power to rears will not "fill out" the Sony's; they sound great. I am fully sold hwever on the salesmans itch for a high quality sub, I brought my sub with me to the store and unplugged the one they had ging (the velo) and plugged in mine, and the difference was both audible and astounding. Hence my emphasis on that subject.
So you could pay anywhere from 400 to 1200 CAD for a good pair of mains that may be "better" than your current ones, but just sit down and listen to them and decide if you like how they sound or not, and if not, listen to others and wait until you find ones you like. If you properly research your product lines, take your time, and have patience, you will NOT experience buyer's remorse.