Need help deciding--NOT BOSE!

[jc_ufl]

Hey guys I was hoping you all can give me some advice. I just moved into a new 1BR apartment and want to upgrade my receiver and speakers for my HT system. I already have the TV, DVD, game systems and VCR. My old system was a cheap $300 sony out of box system I receiver as a freshman in college.

I agree with all of you and hate Bose, with that in mind I am also trying to keep my budget down. I thought of two ideas. One cheaper and one more expensive. I need help deciding between the two and if there will be a huge sound difference between systems. I mainly use the HT system for movies and TV. Don't really listen to music through my HT system.

I want to build a good 5.1 system and keep the budget between $1000-$1500. I don't think I have room yet to build a 6.1 or 7.1 system. The couch is going to be between 5-10 feet away from the TV.

First idea, Yamaha HTR-5840 and Athena micra 6 package. I have heard them and think they distroy any packaged bose system. The athena package is also relatively cheap for the 5.1 system. Can't think of too many negatives, but I am hoping you guys can.

Second idea, Yamaha HTR-5840 and Axiom audio epic grand master set (M22ti L&R, VP100 center, and M2i as surrounds) with a Hsu STF-1 8" sub. I know this idea will cost me close to the $1500 range.

Now I have a couple questions:
Would I hear a huge difference between the two ideas because of the speaker quality?

Since the system is going in my living room, which is fairly open to the kitchen and dinning room, is the area going to obsorb too much of the sound from the athena micra 6 speakers?

If I choose to go with the Axiom speakers, would I need a better receiver then the one listed, such as its upgrade- Yamaha RX-V1500?

Am I completely out of the ballpark here, if so can you make a couple other suggestions?

Any help you guys can give would be great!

[EdwardGein]

Check Orb Audio Mod 1 speakers at OrbAudio.com I have them and totally endorse them but other people on this board who for the most part haven't heard them aren't as positive as I am.
I'd also go to this board: http://forum.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/3/9497.html & read there opinions on this thread as it also influenced me to buy mine

[JoeE SP9]

Have you listened to any of these or other speakers? If you haven't you should. Even if you only go to the local Best Buy or Circuit City you have to listen to a sample of what is available. You might like Polks, Cerwin Vega's or God forbid, White Van's. You will never know unless you listen to as many brands as possible before buying.:cool:

[L.J.]

As Joe suggested go out and audition. Try some local audio shops as well. It is usually advised to build slowly. Perhaps start off with a nice AVR and 2 quality bookshelves. Then add on when more funds become available. The end results will definitely be worth the patience. Here's a similar thread, if you haven't read it yet.

http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=17197

[jc_ufl]

I have listened to the above speakers when I was in a major metropolitan city not too long ago. There are other speakers I like, but out of my price range. My current system is dying on me, so I wont be able to use any of it to help piece a system together.

I actually like both speaker systems, and the axiom's are my favorite so far. Since there is no specialty store in my area, its hard for me to listen to other brands not found at best buy or circuit city.

[L.J.]

Well sounds like you got your mind made up already. If you've listened to both and like the Axiom's better than there ya go.

[jc_ufl]

I guess one of my original questions still stands. Do I need to run the Axioms on a better reciever then the Yamaha HTR-5840 ? If so, any recommendations?

[L.J.]

No, that should work fine. A recv higher up is gonna add more features and flexibily, better DAC and what not. You should be OK as long as that Yammie meets all your needs and offers a little bit of flexibility.

Units that offer auto setup/eq, video switching/conversion, nice remote and so on are really convenient and make everyday operation alot easier.

[GMichael]

I think that you would have to go up to the HTR-5960 to get the auto (YPAO Sound Optimization) feature. Here is Yamaha's website to check:
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/HTIB/HTR.htm

[swgiust]

I have seen a very nice Infinity Primus system, 7.1, with a 10" sub and a
HarmonKardon reciever for less that $ 1000.

[superpanavision70mm]

My thoughts would be towards a Pioneer receiver (elite model if you can afford it) and I have been happy with my Athena center channel....I would recommend them or Polk. I also would have to say that if you are considering spending nearly $1000 then go with PSB speakers of any type...they make an Alpha line that is their inexpensive line and then the Image line, which is a notch above. They also have a few upper series, but then you are well above $1000.

[jc_ufl]

How would you rate the PSB alpha line when watching movies? I have actually looked at them, but haven't listened to them.

Also, do you recommend using a different center channel speaker then the other speakers, or should they all be uniform?

[musicman1999]

Your speakers should always be uniform.Timbre matched speakers are the basic building block of a home theater setup.If not the center speaker will call attention to itself and disrupt your front soundstage.Think of it like this,if you were watching a film,3 people having a conversation,one coming from each speaker would you want the center character to sound drastically different than the other two.

bill

[L.J.]

I'll second musicman on that and most here will. When you get a pan across the front stage, you want it to be seamless. A center of diff characteristics will stand out. I perfer voiced matched all the way around. I recently put together a bedroom system and used some Yamaha surrounds temporarily until I upgraded. The Yammies just didn't sound right with the rest of the system and I was distracted by the diff in sound. Once I upgraded to voice matched surrounds that completely went away because the seamless transition was there.

[djkha0s]

Hey jc_ufl,

I feel that I should mention another option that would cost much less and probably sound as good as, if not better, than your choices. Here's my system:

Cen: BIC America DV62clr (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00009WBYL/sr=8-2/qid=1145741316/ref=pd_bbs_2/102-7286807-0588154?%5Fencoding=UTF8)(38Hz-20kHz, 5-175wpc, 90dB sens, two 6” wrfs, ¾” twtr)
L/R: BIC America DV62si (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JPDI/sr=8-1/qid=1145741316/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-7286807-0588154?%5Fencoding=UTF8)(43Hz-20kHz, 5-175wpc, 90dB sens, 6” wfr, ¾” twtr)
SL/SR: Also DV62si’s
Sub: Dayton 12” 300-634 (24-150Hz, 150 watt amplifier) - this model was discontinued and repleced with This One (http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=300-635).

I did weeks of research and found all of these units being sold for nearly half price online. I have a BIC vendor near my home in Chicago and he was selling all the bookshelves for $300/pr and the center was $300 alone. The speakers are crystal clear and oh so natural sounding. If you listen to a song with nice vocals (like Andrea Bocelli) and close your eyes, you'd swear that he was standing right in front of you in the living room. The dude at the audio store is this awesome hippie that laments about how everything was better back in the 70s and that all the great audio manufacturers have since moved to China... and produce crap, lol. Anyways, he hooked the BICs up to his equipment (lightyears better than mine) and MAN! They left a lasting impression on me. I'm just saving up to get a new receiver... Pioneer Elite perhaps (nod to superpannavision).

Like I says, I'm no expert.... but I would steer clear of BB or CC. Take a road trip to somewhere with multiple high end audio shops. Call BIC America and ask were their nearest vendor is. And listen to as many systems as you can. I'm confident that you won't find anything better than BIC for less that $1000. Oh, and if you're willing to spend more, BIC sells 2 different towers for your mains - the DV64s (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00011KLOI/sr=8-3/qid=1145741316/ref=pd_bbs_3/102-7286807-0588154?%5Fencoding=UTF8) and
the DV84s (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00012F7CI/sr=8-4/qid=1145741316/ref=pd_bbs_4/102-7286807-0588154?%5Fencoding=UTF8). And as you can probably see, everything is FREE shipping.

[jrhymeammo]

Your speakers should always be uniform.Timbre matched speakers are the basic building block of a home theater setup.If not the center speaker will call attention to itself and disrupt your front soundstage.Think of it like this,if you were watching a film,3 people having a conversation,one coming from each speaker would you want the center character to sound drastically different than the other two.

bill

He is absolutely right. I used to have HT system. My system was 2 pairs of Paradigm Atom and CC-170 and a sub. That system was fine until I ugraded my front speakers to Titans, Mini Monitor, and Monitor 5s ( man i miss the 5s sometimes). The sound out of center speaker did not match at all, and it was very frustrating. I would make sure that all drivers (woofers and tweeters) match thru out your system.

Enjoy