NooB Looking to Upgrade Bose Accusimass 10

[topspeed]

Another gearhead in the fold! Welcome!

I like Westcott's analogy and let's be honest, with the stable you've got, you can afford a better budget. I realize everyone weighs their priorities differently, but if you've gone to the trouble of building a dedicated room, you should invest accordingly. Great speakers will give you enjoyment far beyond the 5-7 years you are expecting. The speakers I'm listening to right now were purchased in the '80's for $2K and they are still going strong. True, $2K isn't pocket change for a pair of speakers, but on a cost per year basis, it's safe to say the return on investment has been exceptional.

The most important thing you can do at this point is to audition as many speakers as you can find. These B Tech brackets will hold just about any monitor you can find, so mounting isn't a problem. Brands you might want to consider include B&W, Paradigm, Energy, Monitor Audio, Von Schweikert, Vienna, Epos, and Focal. Some are easier to find than others and all have their strengths and weeknesses. You simply need to decide what sounds best to you. Most dedicate a majority of their budget to the front stage, meaning the mains and cc. In HT, there simply isn't a lot of surround information. However, if you plan on multi-channel hi-rez audio, you might want to allocate more funds for the surrounds as well. To drive them, Denon, Pioneer, Onkyo, and Yamaha are the brands usually bandied about. Rotel, Cambridge Audio, NAD, and ARCAM provide alternatives the usual Japanese stuff.

Hope this helps.

[Copper]

Thanks for the replies. In response to the Bose setup I have now, I have the Bose cubes modified with RCA connectors stripped to accept the in-wall speaker wiring. I have each speaker connected directly to the reciever with the low-pass going to the Yamaha subwoofer so I don't blow the cubes. The rather large Bose connection hub was also a subwoofer and I think a crossover. It is not a powered unit however. These speakers were purchased over 10 years ago and was one of the first Bose surround units on the market. I know that the newer setups now come with a powered subwoofer, but mine is not. The cube speakers by themselves are actually pretty decent with a powered subwoofer and the reciever correctly set up.

So, I think I'll start with an investment in the front (3) speakers, right front, left front and center. I was concerned about using a bookshelf speaker due to size and weight, but the brackets may be the way to go.

What about the Axiom in-wall speakers like the W22, W3 for fronts and the W-150 for center. I like the clean look of the in-wall install. Should I just stick with a bookshelf loudspeaker and mount it on the wall? Not the cleanest look, but it may do.

Also, my father-in-law has a pair or very large JBL floorspeakers, Model CF150. They are about 3 feet tall and at least 2 feet deep with large subs, mids, etc. He wants to give them to me since they are just too large for his dedicated dance/entertainment room. They are really huge! Worth the trouble or skip it? They have a 15" woofer, mid and tweeter with double fuses, crossovers all black. 325W capability. He said they are really loud which can mean anything and expensive a few years ago.


I'll take a look at the Denon unit and others. That will be the next upgrade.

[westcott]

Thanks for the replies. In response to the Bose setup I have now, I have the Bose cubes modified with RCA connectors stripped to accept the in-wall speaker wiring. I have each speaker connected directly to the reciever with the low-pass going to the Yamaha subwoofer so I don't blow the cubes. The rather large Bose connection hub was also a subwoofer and I think a crossover. It is not a powered unit however. These speakers were purchased over 10 years ago and was one of the first Bose surround units on the market. I know that the newer setups now come with a powered subwoofer, but mine is not. The cube speakers by themselves are actually pretty decent with a powered subwoofer and the reciever correctly set up.

So, I think I'll start with an investment in the front (3) speakers, right front, left front and center. I was concerned about using a bookshelf speaker due to size and weight, but the brackets may be the way to go.

What about the Axiom in-wall speakers like the W22, W3 for fronts and the W-150 for center. I like the clean look of the in-wall install. Should I just stick with a bookshelf loudspeaker and mount it on the wall? Not the cleanest look, but it may do.

Also, my father-in-law has a pair or very large JBL floorspeakers, Model CF150. They are about 3 feet tall and at least 2 feet deep with large subs, mids, etc. He wants to give them to me since they are just too large for his dedicated dance/entertainment room. They are really huge! Worth the trouble or skip it? They have a 15" woofer, mid and tweeter with double fuses, crossovers all black. 325W capability. He said they are really loud which can mean anything and expensive a few years ago.


I'll take a look at the Denon unit and others. That will be the next upgrade.

I am not familiar with that particular model but that does not mean much. A quick search and they are still getting $700+ a pair. I am a horn man so i tend to like the sound of JBL equipment, especially the vintage stuff. But, don't take my word. Listen to them yourself and see if the are what you are looking for. Now getting a center channel to timbre match may be a challenge but I am sure someone at JBL\Harman International can lead you in the right direction if there is a solution. I almost bought a 5.1 system from JBL before I bought my present system but unfortunately, the speakers I wanted only came in black and my wife 86ed that pretty quick. JBL has been around a long time too, and for good reason. They have supplied equipment for the professional arena and home use for a very long time. Long story short, they are not your mothers Bose system.

P.S. Do not go the in wall route unless your significant other says that is the only way you are getting a home theater. A dedicated home theater deserves stand alone speakers. Sheetrock and wall studs are no match for a well engineered and constructed speaker cabinet.