NooB Looking to Upgrade Bose Accusimass 10

[Copper]

First of all, you all rock. I'm the go to guy on some other forums. If you need any info on a 12 cylinder BMW M70 engine, I'm your man!

I also did a search on the JBL CF150 speakers and they are expensive and get rave reviews.. mostly from people using them for music only. What about home theater?

This is my room, so I can do whatever I want as far as equipment, my wife is set upstairs in the living room and kitchen with Samsung DLP and LCD. I have a (gasp!) Bose 321 GS for the basic DVD player/receiver for my daughter's stuff and a light (read: chick flick) movie.

Here is another NooB question:

If I do use the JBL CF150 speakers for my front left/right, they have 15" subwoofers so how do I drive those and then not blow my surround/centers since I will have to turn off the low-pass that is currently driven by the subwoofer? Will my Kenwood send bass to all the speakers? I'm not clear on how this set up would work?

Here's what I am thinking:

Use the (2) JBLs for left/right front. Invest in a really nice center speaker since I'll get the JBL's for free. Use my existing Bose speakers for the left/right surround and when I upgrade to a better and more powerful 7.1 receiver (vs. my current 5.1), use the front left/right Bose speakers for the center rear left/right fills.

Over the next year or so I will upgrade the Bose surrounds to something better.

1. Will this configuration work?

2. Will I blow the Bose speakers by using the JBLs for bass and not the Yamaha subwoofer?

3. What would be a good recommendation for a center speaker that will not be overpowered by the front left/right JLBs? I can contact JBL and ask them as well.

4. Is there a way to just use the JBLs for front center/left/right? Will it sound good?

5. Will it sound better then what I currently have for a home theater system?


Whew! So I'm getting closer.


Also, to throw in a curveball, my friend just upgraded his speakers from Carver TS441 7.1 to Polk (I think). He is ALSO willing to give me these speakers for free if I come pick them up. I have no clue if these are any good. I wish he would have told me about them before the Polks were installed so I could come over and listen, but he is in Florida. I just happen to mention I was upgrading from Bose and he offered. Any idea of these are any good? I did a search and there are not any reviews on the Carvers. Also did they go out of business? Looks like some liquidators are selling them pretty cheap as well.

Should I take these and use them for the surrounds instead of the Bose cubes?


TIA

[Dusty Chalk]

Definitely go for the JBL's, they are good speakers.

If I do use the JBL CF150 speakers for my front left/right, they have 15" subwoofers so how do I drive those and then not blow my surround/centers since I will have to turn off the low-pass that is currently driven by the subwoofer? Will my Kenwood send bass to all the speakers? I'm not clear on how this set up would work?

You bypass the sub by setting the speaker size to "large" on your front left and right, if your Kenwood does that sort of thing.

Use the (2) JBLs for left/right front. Invest in a really nice center speaker since I'll get the JBL's for free. Use my existing Bose speakers for the left/right surround and when I upgrade to a better and more powerful 7.1 receiver (vs. my current 5.1), use the front left/right Bose speakers for the center rear left/right fills.

Sounds like a plan!

You might have minor problems (like IIRC the JBL's will be more sensitive than anything else), but it'll get you started in the right direction, definitely.

Also, if your Kenwood allows this, you may even want to do a "phantom center" (just tell your Kenwood that you have no center, and it automatically redirects the center channel audio to the front left and right). Not everyone is a big fan of phantom centers, but (a) I am, and (b) it'll eliminate any sensitivity mismatch problems.

[westcott]

The Carvers are not the perfect solution but I would not hesitate to incorporate them as rear surround over the Bose any day, especially if they will no cost you anything. The Carvers go for around $150 each and will more than suffice until you decide to get matching JBL's.

I suggest a net search for timbre or timbre matching to get a better handle on why we recommend speakers from the same mfg and preferably from the same series if you were buying something new. If they are donated, then live with the compromise until you have the funds and\or get the audio bug!

Be careful, once bitten, you may find your cars spending less time on the road and more time sitting in the garage.