Speakers for audio and home theater

Get speakers geared towards music first. It must be important to you, as you are on these forums.

I started, correction, re-started my journey back into ‘hifi’ by setting up a HT set-up with speakers more geared for that purpose. Problem, I soon realized they pretty much sucked for music, especially 2-channel music listening. And, as I began to seriously listen to music again, this became a problem. Additionally, listening fatigue was a huge problem with what I had.

In a rather brief but interesting journey, I now have Vandersteen 2CE Sigs as my mains, Vandersteen 1C’s as my rears, (originally purchased as my ‘new’ mains and replaced two months later with the 2CE Sigs), an ELAC Debut 2 C5.2 center, (which actually work well with the Vandys), and my original HT purchased budget BIC F12 sub (waiting you be replaced by one or two REL’s, but as the 2CE Sigs go pretty low on their own, not in a huge rush). All that for way under $2K. More like $1,300. All purchased used (the ELAC and BIC were open box finds). I’m not recommending anything above, that’s your subjective decision, but just an example of primary speakers made for music that work well in a HT set-up.

Bottom line, good musical speakers sound better than fine to great for HT.

As I have a subscription to the Berlin Philharmonic, and listen to live performances in 5.1, the musicality of all the speakers is important to me in that regard, and it does sound wonderful when using them for that purpose. Normal TV watching, I really don’t care, but it sounds great. As do the 2CE Sigs for 2-channel music listening. Which is the most important to me now.

Interesting question and some good suggestions. I am one who believes that there are speakers geared towards home theater that are not necessarily very musical. That is sell the sizzle and not accuracy. The Klipsch floor standers come to mind, very efficient and provide crash and bang associated with movies but will not wow you listening to Mahler. I would suggest speakers with built in subs for starters, Goldenear is one and they are quite musical. That's if you are going 2 channel. I own Tekton Lores now and they do justice to both music and movies though I value music above movies. 

Thank you everyone for very good suggestions. It definitely opened my eyes into what to look for. I am starting to like Tekton speakers and they are running great specials this week

TV/home theater/surround sound (my old stuff, but, example for tv/music solution):

Watching TV, you want a 'wide center', many music speakers are for a precise center, off center loses one channel, and loses center, loses imaging.

I got these DBX speakers for my home theater fronts, they are specifically designed for a wide center, I love and highly recommend them.

http://www.hifi-classic.net/review/dbx-soundfield-100-135.html

Left speaker aimed a bit more to the right. Right speaker aimed a bit to the left. When you sit off center, you are now closer to the left speaker, however, the right speaker is aimed at you, maintaining balanced left/right/center image.

3 tweeters each, maintains high frequencies hither and thither, front facing primary tweeters for imaging.

Surround Sound

Because Dolby separates the center/dialog information, your front left/right speakers don't get that information, thus cannot create a center image, soooo, even though your main fronts are magnificent, you need a dedicated center speaker. The center channel speaker location wants to be as close to the bottom of the TV as possible, to keep the sound origin best. This Bose Center Channel is small but terrific, and blends very nicely with the DBX.

https://www.ebay.com/i/323988054675?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=323988054675&targetid=475515050541&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9003512&poi=&campaignid=6469981122&mkgroupid=79220336802&rlsatarget=pla-475515050541&abcId=1141176&merchantid=115052798&gclid=CjwKCAiA9JbwBRAAEiwAnWa4Q0WuGZpjh1Knb79c8IRIyPLOkHgFvBx3a0b04uo0DSJxiOyFpT_XMxoCydwQAvD_BwE

Use your receivers volume settings to balance the volume, the frequency dispersion of this Bose melds well with the DBX. Remember, Bass will not be sent to the center, so small good centers can do a great job.

Rear, you know how to solve that, just a comment, many people set their rear speakers too loud. Best is if you are generally unaware of them until you turn them off and the image collapses to the front. Specifics, heliocopters from the rear, you will definitely be aware of.

1 Subwoofer or 2 Subwoofers: Definitely different needs TV/Music

One sub can be very successful in home theater, however, two subs can be better for music.
Dolby 5.1 will take the low bass away from the main fronts, so, fronts don't need to be as full frequency as for music only. However, when using 2 channel stereo mode, the bass of your fronts should be good on their own.

Music subs. I recommend a stereo pair of subs, directional, bass is not mono as many like to believe.

Music

IF a 2 channel source, or, a phony surround created from a 2 channel source:

You want to Turn all surround effects off, set your AV receiver to 2 channel only. Now you have a Stereo Pair, still with a wide center. All sound will be coming from front l and r only, sooo the amount of bass will be determined by those mains. The DBX have enough bass for music without a sub, I added the sub for Jurassic Park dinosaur stomp, that sort of thing, but is gets no signal 2 Channel mode.

Direct. Watching music programs, like the Voice, the receiver will sometimes automatically select some surround, you can change the receiver to Direct. Now, if surround is being broadcast it will keep that, if the original is 2 channel it will use that.

It is quite obvious, and the music can be much better using 2 channel mode.

So, not that old equipment, but modern stuff that has the flexibility of wide center.