5.1 under 4k?

What speakers and sub are you currently using?

You need to provide a little more info as to what you expect from the speakers and some examples of what you have already heard. There are so many options in your price range, any responses would just be random guessing.

What's your preference? Movie's or Music? Do you plan on driving all 5 speakers with your AVR or are you going to get an external amp some day; either 2 channel or multi channel? If your going to just use the AVR, pay attention to sensitivity and impedance specs and you'll probably want to stay away from 4 Ohm speakers. That will limit the choices. Are you thinking floor standers or bookshelf? If bookshelf, are you going to actually place them on shelves? Are the surrounds going on the walls? If so, you'll be limited to front ported speakers to achieve proper bass response.

Most important, as the above posters pointed out, what speakers do you already have and what are you familiar with? Each design and type of driver provides its own unique sound. Find out what your preference is - all types, including ribbon tweeters, are available in your price range.

As you can see, there are many factors to consider before a recommendation can be made. So start asking yourself the above questions so you can arrive at speakers that are best for your needs. And start auditioning!

I'm currently using polk audio rtia3, csia4, rm8s, & dwspro440 sub. I do not plan on adding a external amp any time soon but it is in the back of my mind.

I'm currently 30 day trialing a set of ascend acoustics siera-1s, center with nrt upgrads, htm-200s for surrounds all on 24" stands and lv12r sub. The system sounds great but I cant help but feel its lacking something.

Thanks in advance for the help.

I will be mostly watching movies.

Thanks again.

Jeffpell,
Sounds like the Ascend Acoustics is a sideways move from the Polk Audio, just different and not a dramatic improvement. Did you lose a little in dynamics? The Ascend Acoustics do have a lower sensitivity or efficiency(as Polk says). Great dynamic range definitely gives a home theater that WOW factor. IMHO, considering the size of your room with the high ceiling, I'd be looking for speakers with a higher sensitivity to help increase the dynamics. Also, if you can use 2 subs, and they should be identical, you can achieve a more even bass response in the room. The subs do not need to be the same brand as the 5 speakers, but the 5 speakers should match, or even better, be identical.

Take a look at the Monitor Audio RX series. They are not difficult to drive and have one of the best respons in the low freq. The only brand in this price tag which make very good crossovers. They can give a deep and wide 3-dimensional stage like the best highend speakers can. Almost all other brands only give a 2-dimensional image cause of there crossovers.

I see a lot of advertisements for the svs ultra towers on the intranet. What are you opinions?

Worth the $3600 for the set?

I heard a few, the material they use is not the best in response. I did test many sub's in my life. Almost all sub's are too slow to get a stealth integration. Instruments and voices are very small in dimension. Many sub's make them bigger in proportion. I never heard or tested a ported sub which has full stealth integration. Ported sub's Always loose speed. Timing and speed are essential parts for a good subwoofer. I do business with someone who also does SVS. He asked me my opinion. I said: I could not sell this level to my customers. I am a perfectionist and only interested in the best.Even good never will be good enough for me!

"I could not sell this level to my customers. I am a perfectionist and only interested in the best.Even good never will be good enough for me!"

For someone who claims to be a perfectionist, you're slipping.

"I COULD NOT SELL THIS LEVEL TO MY CUSTOMERS. I AM A PERFECTIONIST AND ONLY INTERESTED IN THE BEST. EVEN GOOD NEVER WILL BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME!"

Now its OK.

Jeffpell,

I like Monitor Audio speakers myself. I think they would be a very nice upgrade from your Polks. What I like best about MA is their tweeters. Even though they are metal, MA does a great job in getting them to sound refined and not harsh.

Another brand you may want to look at is Definitive Technology. I wouldn't use them for music, only for theatre. They aren't too expensive and some models come with a built in powered subs. That will take a big load off your Marantz.

I have had very expensive highend sets for many years. But I wanted to give clients the same feeling for less money. A deep and wide stage is the most important part for the absolute sound. A 3-dimensional sound is so much more thrilling than most 2-dimensional sound. Monitor Audio makes very good crossovers. This gives me the chance to sell a 3-dimensional image for less money. I never had a brand what was so easy to sell. Wenn you use amp's which can give a deep and wide stage with Monitor Audio speakers. You can people give a much higher level in sound. Wenn you go back to competitors they know directly what is missing. I want to sell 3-dimensional sound for lower prices. This works extreemly well.

SVS sub's are too slow to get the stealth level I want. Instruments and voices are not still small in dimension. If this would not be the problem I could have sold it. Now it is not good enough. It is that simple.

Def. Technology does not have crossovers to give depth and a wide stage. This is a standard use all the time. You would be a fool to choose for a 2-dimensional sound. I learn people the difference between 2 and 3-dimensional sound. I never had a client who prefers a 2-dimensional sound. And yess it is that easy!

There you have it Jeff. Per Bo..."You would be a fool to choose for a 2-dimensional sound." Its that easy.

So all you have to do is choose a 3 dimensional or even multi-dimensional brand and according to Bo, you will be in audio nirvana and most importantly, not a fool!

One little problem though. There are no published specs for "dimensionality" for any manufactured amp, pre/pro, speaker, et al. I guess your only resource is to ask Bo, an audio salesman and he will set you straight on what brands to buy.

After all...Bo knows!

Reminds me of a commercial from the 80's. I always wondered what happen to him and now I think I know.

There may have been some confusion in my last post. I was under the impression that the OP was getting these speakers for theater only, not music. My Deftec recommendation was meant to be taken in that context. If the amp is going to be a Marantz receiver, I think the system would benefit greatly from having the built in subs.

As far as MA goes, I think they're great. I've owned both brands in the past and much prefer the MA. However, given the application and the OP's current equipment, the Deftec is just another option he may want to consider. Also, when it comes to 3d imaging, every piece in the system contributes. If any one piece is not good with 3d, you won't get it; even if all the other ones are. It's really just a matter of what is important to the OP. He has to listen to it, not us.

It is very simple to know what is 2 or 3-dimensional. I am in audio since 1998. I did listen to many many stuff. I Always test first to know what the properties of the equipment is you test. Wenn you have speakers and an amp which can give a deep stage both. You can test many sources to know if they also can give a deep and wide stage. Wenn a source cannot give a deep and wide stage, the depth and wide is gone. And you have a 2-dimensional image again. It is that simple. Use a source and amp which can give both a deep and wide stage. Then you test many differend speakers, and again you know which can give a deep and wide stage en which can't. I have done these tests hundreds of times. The audio shows with Deftec I never heard a deep and wide stage. Most shops here in Holland demonstrate Monitor Audio with 2-dimensional amps. Most do not understand well how to get it. They also do not know the amps and speakers who can give a deep and wide stage. Even distributers have less knowledge to understand this. At the end it is not difficult to explain what the difference is. I do this comparance now for about 6 years. It works extremly well.

Based on some advice here I traveled an hour to listen to some Monitor Audio silver series speakers. I loved what I heard and ended up taking some speakers home.

I purchased a pair of rx8s, gx150, and a pair of rx1s for surround. I cound not justify the $1200 or afford for that matter for the sub. Can anyone recommend a good sub to match this system?

I like the Paradigm Monitor subs at $600 to $800. Front firing, which I personally like, especially for a carpeted room. Surprising sound in a small package.

Since you are used to Polk, you'd probably like GoldenEar, which is one of Polk's co-founder's current company. At your budget, you could get three SuperSat 60s for L-C-R ($2400), a pair of SuperSat 50s for the surrounds ($1K) and their Forcefield 5 subwoofer ($999). This all comes in around $4400. I've heard their sats with their sub (as well as the Triton 2 towers and Aon 3 monitors), and their products have a *great* folded ribbon tweeter and their satellites with sub sound really good for both music and theater.

The Apex sub of Monitor Audio is cheaper and better then the RX subwoofer. Most other sub's in this price range are a lot less fast in speed than the Apex Sub. I never sell the RX sub, go for the better and less expensive Apex sub. Next step go for an Onkyo Amp. You will hear how much more depth and wide it has compared to the Marantz. Drive and individual focus of instruments and voices is superior to Marantz. Why? Because the transformers they use deliver more ampères. I am surprised you bought the speakers this fast. Marantz can not give a deep and wide stage. That is why it is a 2-dimensional brand.

Bo1972 - you sound like a dealer. If that is so, you should identify yourself as a dealer and reference your company. That is pretty standard on Audiogon. Many people in the business post here, but you should identify that.

I think you made some good choices. I had the 2nd generation Silver S8's myself and really enjoyed them. I'm sure the newer version that you have will sound even better. Also, I think it was a very smart move to go with the better centre channel. I'm not too concerned with HT, but the one thing I see quite often is that the centre channel sometimes has a hard time keeping up with the main L&R channels.

As far as a sub goes, I would just wait a while until your speakers break in and you have a chance to get to know them. Doing it that way will make your sub selection easier.

What I said earlier I do consulting in sound and vision. I worked for over 8 years in audio shops. I want to do thing differently and I needed more space. I love the freedom I have now.

I have had an Onkyo A-9555 integrated amp for five years. For the money it was a good amp, but no way can it approach a Marantz PM8004.

The latest Onkyo amp's are better than the new Marantz in speed and individual focus. With Monitor Audio you also get more depth. Wenn you go back to Marantz the depth is fully gone. And you have a 2-dimensional image again with the Monitor Audio speakers. These test I have done hundreds of times. For me the outcome is like 1 and 1 is 2. It is that simple for me what kind of image you will get. Depth is the most thrilling part in highend audio. An amp of 100 dollar also gives a 2-dimensional image. A deep and wide stage makes 2 and Multi channel sound the most exiting.

Forgive the newbie question. Since the sr7007 can amplify 2 channels can I get away with purchasing a 3 channel amp to improve the overall performance of my system? I hooked up the rythmik LV12R last night and it sound pretty nice. Still doing some testing.

Since the RX1s have a recommended amp of 25-80w would spending money on a 200w amp be beneficial?

Thanks for all the information and help.

Listen; you only get a deep and wide stage wenn; source, amp ( even pre amp and power amp), speakers en even cables can give a deep and wide stage. Wenn one part is not capable of giving depth, it is gone. Wenn you put a poweramp like Pass Labs or Primare to a Marantz surr receiver the depth is gone. I have done these tests also many times. Onkyo is the only brand in there price tag which is capable of giving a deep and wide stage. Many of my clients have an Onkyo surr processor with a Primare power amp with Monitor Audio. They all have a 3-dimensional deep and wide stage. I love to give clients for normal prices a 3-dimensional sound. Most of there friends all have a 2-dimensional sound. After hearing a 3-dimensional sound you want a 3-dimensional sound as well!

You have pre outs for all of your channels. You can get a separate amp of any of them and still use the amps in your 7007 for any of the channels you don't get amps for. For example, you can buy a 2 channel amp for your front left and right speakers and still use the 7007 for the center and surrounds.

How do I tone down an amp to not damage the newly purchased speakers? I'm considering purchasing an anthem mca-30 for the front 3 and let the receiver power the surrounds. Opinions?

Thanks again

Wenn you have put on the connections right it will nog be a problem. Your speakers need about 300-350 hours to break in. In the first 24 hours you will hear the most difference. The humm in the low freq. will be gone after one day. After one week the high freq. will be less harsh. Mid freq. cost the most time. About 300-350 hours. MA speakers can be played a lot louder than most of there competitors. I never had a client who did blow them up.

"How do I tone down an amp to not damage the newly purchased speakers?"

That's not a problem. You adjust the gain for each channel using the preamp in your Marantz just like you normally would. The best way to not damage your speakers is to listen to them. You should easily be able to hear if something is straining. If it doesn't sound right, turn it down.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152753934265083&set=a.10152753933975083.1073741826.588405082&type=1&theater

pictures from the show with the Monitor Audio Platinum set.
Just copy the link and you can see the pictures.

Thanks for killing my thread with that crappy pic. :)

Sorry, I think you cannot see the others ones? Those only matters. it is a serie of 10 pictures. And yess the first one is crappy indeed :)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152753937785083&set=pb.588405082.-2207520000.1377296088.&type=3&theater

this is the one.....sorry

Jeffpell,

You don't know anything. Of course the picture is no good. Its only a 2D picture. 2D picture is horrible. You need the right equipment to make 3D photo. Only wenn you do this will picture be 3D and it will sound OK. Until then, 2D picture only!!

Its only a 2D picture. 2D picture is horrible. You need the right equipment to make 3D photo.

Zd542, you must use these,

http://www.3dglassesonline.com/our-products/pulfrich-3d

they are the only ones that give you a deep and wide 3D image wenn you wear them.

Great choice on the Monitor Audio speakers. 2nd best advice was to go slow on adding a sub. Subs are very important and deep bass is very difficult to get right. The MA's you have hit very high for the price and deserve a very good sub to keep up. I would suggest saving your money until you can afford a good REL or JL sub, maybe a better Pardigm, Monitor Audio or Veledyne. I am not crazy about Golden Ears subs. If you must boom out of the gate, I would go with a PSB, as all of there products are reasonably musical and accurate for the money IMHO.

Always choose for a sub which is sealed and has only one driver on the front. Ported sub's are Always a lot slower. Wenn you later go for Audyssey XT32 or Pro you get the best integration with your speakers with a sealed subwoofer. It is very simple; all tests I did with sub's with 2 drivers; instruments and voices become bigger in proportion. Many ported sub's are not running syngron with the speakers.