New System recommendations

[wwwzzz]

I am building a new theather system from scratch and the only existing components are Vienna Acoustics Haydn speakers.

My main room is 13' x 16' and I will be setting up everything across the 13' span. In this room two walls are all windows with a wood floor and a small area rug.

1. TV - 50" Panasonic plasma (probably the TH-50PX50U but maybe the TH-50PX500U so I can remove the tv speakers) - $4000-$4500

2. Axiom Epic 60 - 350 with upgraded center - $2300:

Tower Speakers M60ti
Surrounds QS8
Centers VP150
Subwoofer EP350

3. 2 Sonos systems to stream music from my computer - $2400

4. Receiver - $1000? I'm unsure about receivers:
Denon AVR-3805
Arcam AVR300
Rotel RSX-1056
I would be open to buying a higher end used receiver if there is something much better (and of course if I can find it used).

With this setup I would use the Haydn's in my bedroom and not for the theater setup. I will also need another set of small standing or bookshelf speakers that can be driven by the sonos system for another room.

I also have a low end sony dvd player with component outs that I would upgrade if that would make a big difference in dvd viewing.

Thanks

[Woochifer]

If you already got a set of the Vienna Acoustics Haydns, why not incorporate them into the home theater setup. What glares out at me is that you've already got the Axiom speakers specified, but since they are mail order speakers, have you actually heard them yet? The Vienna Acoustics speakers you got are very nice, and can work very well in a home theater setup. For all you know, the Axioms might have a very different type of voicing, so if you already like the Viennas, why go with an unknown? If anything, the main speakers are what you should spend the most time auditoning since those will have the biggest range of clearly audible differences.

And when you mention "upgraded" center speaker, are you going with a different model than the one that's matched to the mains? Typically, the most important criteria with selecting a center speaker is not how good it sounds by itself, but how well it matches with the mains.

Also, you do not have to buy a subwoofer from the same company that makes the rest of the speakers. Some companies like Velodyne, Hsu, and SVS specialize in subwoofers, and they are worth considering since a lot of companies that make excellent main speakers are less adept with subwoofers.

With regard to the receivers, the degree to which you need to go higher than a midlevel receiver depends on the types of speakers that you plan to use. The more demanding the speakers, the more that you will benefit from better amplification.

[wwwzzz]

I haven't ruled out using the Haydns for a home theater setup but I thought it would be easier (and less expensive) to try the Axiom home theater setup and the Axiom's seem to receive very good reviews. I also can return them within thirty days so I can test them out. For similar reasons I also considered Aperion but based on what I have read online I thought I should try the Axioms.

If I use the Haydns how would you recommend I complete the system. Theatro for the center but what do you suggest for my second set of speakers and will the Haydns be my mains or the additional set?

The upgraded center speaker is just a slightly upgraded version of the Axiom center speaker that would otherwise come with the package I'm buying and was recommended by Axiom.

Similar logic applied to my going with the subwoofer from Axiom but I am open to looking at other subwoofers. Do you have something you would recommend?

Do you think one of these is sufficient for the type of speakers I'm talking about and if so do you recommend a particular one?

Denon AVR-3805
Arcam AVR300
Rotel RSX-1056

Thank you for your help and suggestions.

[Woochifer]

I would never buy a set of speakers based on reviews alone. Aside from the room acoustics, in any audio system, the speakers have the biggest variation in sound properties and are by far the most subjective purchase you can make. What a reviewer might regard as optimal sound, someone else might consider unlistenable. Take your time and audition the speakers. From what I've read about the Axioms, the type of sound that they deliver probably differs quite a bit from the Viennas. If you like the Vienna sound, the Axioms might not be a good successor.

If you're going to build a home theater setup around the Viennas, the simplest thing to do would be to add another pair of Haydns as the surrounds. Also, because you have a plasma, you can use another Haydn as the center speaker. Horizontal center speakers are designed for placement on top of a TV, and the alignment is a compromise by necessity because the TV monitor typically sits where the center speaker would ideally go. With wall-mounted TVs, it is possible to use three identical speakers up front, and for voice matching purposes, that is ideal. The horizontal center speaker alignment came about only because with older big box TVs, a regular bookshelf or tower speaker could not fit.

If you have to go with a horizontal center speaker, I believe that the Maestro is the likeliest match for the Haydns. (I think the Theatro uses a different set of drivers than the Haydns, but I'm not sure) Just make sure that you do some listening to check on which center speaker is the best voice match with the Haydns.

As far as subwoofers go, you got any number of options. Mail order options here are also popular, and compared to the highly subjective nature of main speakers, subwoofers are a bit more difficult to evaluate and differentiate because the low frequencies are so heavily influenced by the room dimensions and acoustics. On this board, Velodyne, Paradigm, SVS, Hsu, and the Parts Express Dayton kits seem to be the most popular options. I bought a mail order Adire Audio Rava, and unfortunately it has been discontinued and replaced by a more expensive model that has not yet come out. Basically, your main choice here boils down to whether you want a sealed sub or a ported model. Sealed subs in general are easier to place and more compatible with small rooms, while ported subs have more variation in their tonal characteristics and generally work better in larger rooms.