Need help with new setup

 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 1
Registered: Feb-07
Last year before I left for the military my brother got my tannoy\outlaw HT system. Recently My wife and I just got a 56" dlp television. Now I am looking at surround system. for a budget I would try to stay under 1500 but not sure yet. we have a small place about 10ft from tv to couch. my wife would like to get a thin not so boxy set of speakers. I was looking at magenpan but not sure. they will be primarily used for home theater. are there any standing circular speakers as opposed to the traditional box type. I know that there are subs that come circular. Anyway any help will come in handy. As for receiver I am looking at getting another outlaw receiver. any thoughts on that?? is there a better one for the money??
Right now the ones I am looking at are:

Magnepan MMG W (2pr) MMG C = $900 Then add sub
Radiient Helios 5piece set = $600 then add sub
Definitive Technology Mythos = N/A
SVS 6 piece System = 1300 +shipping and stands
Fluance ES-1 setup

Right now it looks like the maggies lead the pack. I am open to suggestions of other speakers. What sub would i use with Maggies if I got them? HSU, SVS? We are looking for speakers that will give us the biggest soundstage. We can put towers all around if it seems better.. My wife would rather not have anything on the walls. Any help, advice, and comment will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1149
Registered: Dec-03
Armand:

Outlaw makes a fine receiver--go for it.

Speakers:

1. Maggies: (A bit surprised here as I thought your wife didn't want anything on the walls?) Don't use the MMG-Ws for mains--they simply don't go low enough to be convincing. Either substitute the MMGs for your front speakers or drop Maggies altogether. The "Ws" by them selves will not give you a large soundstage that you want. However, if you get the MMGs for mains, this is the best system you can get at this price, IMO. Just add a Hsu subwoofer (see below).

2. Radiient Helios--never heard them. Have you?

3. DefTech Mythos: OK for HT, lousy for music, but those small drivers will not give you big sound without breaking up (sonically).

4. SVS system: You're just buying this for the sub. I was not impressed by their speakers.

5. Don't even think of Fluance--that stuff is just kindling waiting for a fire (very cheap cabinets that vibrate and cause distortion).

I have a better idea or two as I think I know what you are looking for. Something that is stylish, but isn't very large, yet gives out a big enough sound to be convincing when watching your beautiful new DLP tv.

1. KEF 3005 system: http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/544999443

These speakers are truly beautiful to look at, and look like an oversized egg. Can mount to the wall (I know, not what your wife wants), a cabinet, or mount to a stand:

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/763200676

2. NHT Classic Two system: http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NHTKC2B

Another fine system, with beautiful piano black finish that looks good anywhere. The cabinets are not square, but are radiused all around. Very sleek looking (high Wife Acceptance Factor!).

3. Energy RC-10 system. This is one you need to put together yourself, but it really rocks (looks beautiful too, with the lovely cherry finish). Get four of these, plus a RC-LCR for your center. See it here for the description:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ENRC10

but buy it here:

http://www.audioexcellence.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=802

http://www.audioexcellence.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=807

Then add a Hsu STF-1 sub from here (also a great sub for the Maggies):

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-1.html

Oh, and before I forget, here are speaker stands that will work nicely with either the NHTs or the Energy speakers for a reasonable amount:

http://www.hififorless.com/showProduct.php?productid=54842

Just a few ideas . . .
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 2
Registered: Feb-07
wow the KEF are cool looking. My wife said they are space-age looking, not sure if that is a good thing or not. As for the Helios, never heard of them. The energies are nice looking. I will keep them in my list. Any other speakers you can think of would be great. Again this is mainly for HT\gaming\TV. Thank you for your Prompt response.
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1153
Registered: Dec-03
Armand:

I am glad you liked my choices. One thing I will tell you is that I will never recommend anything just for their looks. Sound quality comes first for me, so every one of my recommendations is for a very good sounding system that you can enjoy for years to come.

Please contact my buddy Ed at Kief's Audio/Video (www.kief's.com), and he can provide a nice price for the KEF system if you and your wife are inclined to go that way. He also sells the NHT system, but he may not better the price, I just don't know. Here is a close up of the KEF speakers so that you can better see what I was saying about how interesting they are visually:

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NHT2

See if you can hear any of my recommended systems locally.

Now, I can think of a lot of systems, but that would only confuse you and your wife. However, if anything else comes to mind that I think would be something special, I'll post again.
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 3
Registered: Feb-07
how are the 3005 compared to the model 7? I am just looking for the best\biggest soundstage for the money. Thank again for all the recommendations.. keep them coming. I don't have a problem getting stands.. in fact I would probably get stand for the Kef's.
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1156
Registered: Dec-03
Model 7?
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 4
Registered: Feb-07
yeah.. these?? http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/item/features/542999145

also have you heard of or heard these??
http://www.roundsound.com/home-theater-system.htm?s_kwcid=home%20theater%20packa ge|450828623&gclid=CKnglsn8k4oCFRE9VAodbh5Qmg
 

Gold Member
Username: Hawk

Highlands Ranch, CO USA

Post Number: 1158
Registered: Dec-03
1. I have not heard the KEF Model 7s. No doubt they are very good, though, as KEF is a quality brand. However, don't forget that is just for a pair of tower speakers at that price, not a full HT system. I would seek out a KEF dealer near you for a listen. Here is a list of dealers in your State I got off their website:


DEALER CITY STATE
ALL AROUND SOUND TECHNOLOGY ROCKVILLE MD
AMERICAN AUTOMATION & COMM. BOWIE MD
AUDIO VIDEO SOLUTIONS LAUREL MD
DIGITAL HOME TECHNOLOGIES LEONARDTOWN MD
FORTRESS SECURITY & AUTOMATION DENTON MD
MULTIMEDIA SOLUTIONS MILLERSVILLE MD
OUT OF SIGHT HOME THEATER LUTHERVILLE MD


2. As for the Gallos, yes, I have heard them (I was just out today at my Paradigm/Gallo dealer). I have never been that impressed with the Gallos for a normal sized room. They sound very good for what they are, but they are soooo small, they just don't move much air. A room larger than 10 x 12 is probably going to overwhelm the Gallos, IMO. Frankly, they are not going to give you the type of sound commeasurate with that 56" DLP you just got. But if you are interested, you should give them a listen.
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 5
Registered: Feb-07
Has anyone here heard of a company called HTD for speakers?? Aslo have you heard how the HSU speakers and subs packages are?
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 6
Registered: Feb-07
also how are the AV123 X-sls\X-ls systems?
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavdawg

Post Number: 226
Registered: Nov-06
I have been curious of HTD speakers for a while. They have a money back guarentee, and will refund the shipping on the speakers if you aren't satisfied (with the exception being the towers).

The X-ls speakers have been mentioned by a few forum members that have them, and say that they slaughter anything and everything in the respected price range.
 

New member
Username: Armandb

Lexington Park, MD

Post Number: 7
Registered: Feb-07
Do you think that a setup is better with floor standing mains or do you think that 4 surrounds on stands plus center and sub would give off the better soundstage? In example the X-CS 5.1 package http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=93.1
and the X-LS package http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=speakers&product=92.1
or would it be better to get floorstanding mains instead??
 

Silver Member
Username: Gavdawg

Post Number: 238
Registered: Nov-06
I would post your question in the speaker forum instead of the home theater forum. The people that have tried them usually hang out there.
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