strex Posted July 1, 2015 Posted July 1, 2015 My current set up has been created from left over commercial projects (Boardrooms, conference rooms, meeting rooms, BGM system and the like) and special deals over the years ... But now I am looking to upgrade to something with great sound quality but at a sensible price .. (Definition of sensible is wife who does not understand audio, the $$ involved or allows me to turn the system up to an audible level). Personally I'd like to eventually end up with a system that has full surround clarity and the bottom end smacks you in the chest.. Am I asking too much? Let me tell you about what I currently have and the environment: Room size = 3900mm wide x 8000mm Deep - Ceiling height 2500mm Floor timber boards on posts (No slab) Gyprock walls with two large windows on long wall with fabric coverings Couches along long walls Current set up Toshiba 52" HD Display wall mounted on short wall with 16"9 110" Screen Technics motorised screen in front (Ex RTA NSW boardroom) Optoma EX785 16:9 projector Onkyo TX-NR807 Android media player - NAS,Plex & Kodi Samsung BluRay Telstra T-Box Speakers - This is the bit I'm looking to upgrade: Front speakers - Jaycar kit 'bout 15yo tall boxes with 2 x 6" driver & tweeter - Floor Center speaker - Avico plastic box (Embarrassed to say - The intention is to immediately replace this unit!!) - On cabinet Rear surround speakers - Australian Monitor 5" & tweeter 30w RMS plastic box - Wall mounted high at rear Front high surround speakers - Australian Monitor (AM AV) 3" & tweeter 15w RMS plastic box - Wall mounted high - Either side of projection screen Sub - Nope So the question is based upon the components and the environment, what speakers should I purchase: Was considering Paradigm or KefQ series or Bowers & Wilkins - Should I consider the likes of Jamo/Yamaha? What would you do - Being $ensible.. Any advice would be appreciated.
legselevens Posted July 1, 2015 Posted July 1, 2015 You best mention your budget. There is a pair of Kef R500's in the classifieds that might be of interest.
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 You best mention your budget. There is a pair of Kef R500's in the classifieds that might be of interest. Chest smacking?
betty boop Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 budget is most important question. its not like you have a blank cheque do you ? with an av system such as this…two no 1 most important things in components…no1 the centre speaker .get the very best you can afford. no 2 sub woofer …again here get the very best you can afford. the rest L&R mains, surrounds can compliment form same maker as the centre speaker. processing you have two paths here…are you going with an AV receiver …or are you going with processor and power amp…budget will dictate here to some stage and also current vs future capability your looking for. the onkyo you have is a hdmi v1.3 unit so not upto latest spec which may or may not be a limitation for you (mainly it can do 3D) but otherwise was a nice avr…can add a meaty power amp for not much money to improve on its amplification ability to suit whatever speakers you have if want to just stick with this AVR for now. media players are media players, I wouldn't change them. the flat panel I would have mounted on the wall and motorised screen come down in front of it. will keep every day TV viewing capability and drop screen for big screen movie experience. I wouldn't replace the flat panel for the moment too much in flux with UHD/4K and display tech constantly changing. projector screen is perfectly good and I would keep. as with the samsung blu-ray player. projector could most definitely improve on. what you have is a 4:3 format data projector. if considering sticking with DLP the benq option is good at affordable price…otherwise theres epson, sony and jvcs just comes down to budget 1
thermonicavenger Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 The Drivers in the JV60 Jaycar Kit are OK & can be upgraded at minimum expense The Vifa woofers are very good & the rest can be upgraded Call Edward @ Adelaide Speakers. Or if anybody knows someone closer who can do the same thing to save on shipping to Adelaide & back. Or you could sell the tweeters scrap the original cabinets & post the drivers. You would not be dissapointed. Your biggest issue is your listening environment. When I moved from a similar environment to yours to a Brick house with concrete floors netted the biggest improvement in sound. Adding acoutic treatments IE Bass traps & damping made things very good indeed. Your biggest issue is your entire house acting as a bass resonator and the wood & fibro walls creating issues. This is a difficult thing to deal with. But not impossible if you can DIY & educate yourself on room acoustics. A consult from an Acoustician explaining your budget and requirements may be the best investment you ever make in sound quality. If you rent it must be portable [removable] if it is your permanent abode more permanent fixed options are possible. Until you sort that out I would stay away from any subwoofers. Once you sort the environment out which is the most critical part of your listening system you will have a good foundation to appreciate future upgrades to speakers and receivers and or audio video sources. Cheers Mark 1
Jone5y Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 OP wants a bottom end that will smack him in the chest. Satanica is intimating that the Kef's won't do that
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Ahh got it. Perhaps they might, but reckon they'll need sub(s) to help em out.
legselevens Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 For movies they certainly want subs but I imagine they'd be sufficient for music having heard the R300 with only one bass driver. Where's @ ?
Guest thathifiguy Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 (edited) Haha! Cheers @@legselevens I've been using the R500s sans sub, didn't stop the walls from shaking in my place, particularly with good soundtracks. Interstellar was intense. In my room, the R500s play pretty solid down to around 28Hz from what I've tested. A sub would likely help for home theatre, but depending on room size, you may not need it with something like those. *edit* I should mention my room is around 4m x 6m Edited July 2, 2015 by Tarxman82
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 For movies they certainly want subs but I imagine they'd be sufficient for music having heard the R300 with only one bass driver. Where's @ ? I'll play the bad guy and say those speakers won't even come close to "Chest Smacking" regardless of whether it's music or a movie.
Guest thathifiguy Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 I'll play the bad guy and say those speakers won't even come close to "Chest Smacking" regardless of whether it's music or a movie. Have you heard them?
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 (edited) Have you heard them? Yes! I mean no, but neither has the person who initially recommended them apparently. Have you? And if you have did they provide "Chest Smacking"? I wonder if peoples opinion varies on what that actually means too. Edited July 2, 2015 by Satanica
Guest thathifiguy Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 I currently own them. I think you'd be surprised at how full they sound. Jack Oclee-Brown is a very clever young fellow.
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 I currently own them. I think you'd be surprised at how full they sound. Jack Oclee-Brown is a very clever young fellow. Yeah but is "Full" and "Chest Smacking" the same thing? You can guarantee the OP that if he spends his money on these there will be satisfaction as he requires?
Guest thathifiguy Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Yeah but is "Full" and "Chest Smacking" the same thing? You can guarantee the OP that if he spends his money on these there will be satisfaction as he requires? If there is anything I've come to learn over years of dealing with people, it's that their expectations are often much higher than the sum of money they are prepared to part with. For speakers at the pricepoint of the R500s, I have little doubt that the OP would find anything that would smack chests harder. If he is prepared to pay more, then the chest smacking will likely improve, though it would likely need to be a substantial price increase.
Satanica Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 For speakers at the pricepoint of the R500s, I have little doubt that the OP would find anything that would smack chests harder. Really, so you've heard every speaker on earth at it's price point?
Ugly Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 More smackers needed for more chest smacking. Got it! Sent from my GT-I9305 using Tapatalk 1
legselevens Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Alright @@Satanica or Lucifer whatever you like to scare us with. Put yer money where yer mouth is
strex Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 Wow what a forum ..So much activity here... Looks like I've started something...The R500's look like a great deal but local pickup from Melb with me in Syd aint gonna work.. Dollar wise $2500 would be my max. Centre speaker Ican see as a necessity..and I like the idea of using the same brand to accentuate the whole field...Yeh sub on timber floors raised..This too was my concern..DIY no probs in the house I own but understanding the accoustic challenges will be learning curve. May have to buy some now and some later...This is a great start..to my expectations of a chest smacking system..keep the advice coming please.
betty boop Posted July 2, 2015 Posted July 2, 2015 Wow what a forum ..So much activity here... Looks like I've started something...The R500's look like a great deal but local pickup from Melb with me in Syd aint gonna work.. Dollar wise $2500 would be my max. Centre speaker Ican see as a necessity..and I like the idea of using the same brand to accentuate the whole field...Yeh sub on timber floors raised..This too was my concern..DIY no probs in the house I own but understanding the accoustic challenges will be learning curve. May have to buy some now and some later...This is a great start..to my expectations of a chest smacking system..keep the advice coming please. $2.5k unfortunately to say isn't going to buy a heap. it means you are stuck with your projector as you can easily just spend your budget on one of those to upgrade to 1080p e.g. the benq I suggested. $2.5k will likely get someways on a set of speakers/sub but thats probably it. http://www.selby.com.au/krix-rhythmix-5-1-home-theatre-bundle.html?gclid=CjwKEAjwwtOsBRDdjZTbvYvTlzcSJADOY0DRP5SvOuIA_8BkhmxMrwdAf7Lq31S1_sVCMS3Vp0KEzBoC43jw_wcB for a bottom end that smacks in the chest I'd suggest you'd need to spend in the league of your budget on sub on itself. personally I'd spend even for a budget system on a $1k sub and about the same on a centre at the minimum and rest add to compliment. but if budget is limited it is ...in which case I wouldn't buy all at once...I would personally buy just the best money can afford in centre and sub...going for in the vortex centre, http://www.krix.com.au/vortex-mk2.html and tektonix sub http://www.krix.com.au/tektonix.html with a arm twist should fit in on budget...and then keep saving as as money permits slowly add the rest in a set of surrounds and mains. upgrade the avr or add a $500 rotel 1075 multichannel amp, upgrade projector again when money allows. anything from basic benq 1070 upto their w7500 .... I know its tempting to get it all.. but just add centre and sub and given the massive amount of info that the centre channel delivers and the important role a sub plays these would be what I would invest on first. and buy once and buy well.... 2
strex Posted July 2, 2015 Author Posted July 2, 2015 Great advice .. To clarify for now I'm only looking for speakers - I can manage with non 3D HDMI with the AVR and the projy is good enough with an emulated 16:9 5000ansi with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 - Sure Optoma is a Chinese product and I'd only recommend at a price point but for what it cost me.. .. Less than $1 Me not complain!! If I had the money from what I saw a few years ago JVC was pretty special... And Epsons had some affordable kit too.. Haven't looked at BenQ as they dropped out of the projector market a few years back. Lets focus on speakers // It all looks to be pointing at a sub and centre speaker - plus acoustic fiddling of sorts .. Then again perhaps a complete package may now be the right move. Never heard of Krix .. Any good?
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