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Considering the Rule of Diminishing Returns.......

I have made up my mind to purchase an Aerial Acoustic system, model 7B and CC3B center. However, I really can't afford this system and am having a hard time writing out the check (or swiping the credit card).

Considering the law of diminishing returns, and utilizing the experienced knowledge base on this forum, what other options might I have that might offer 95% of the performance of the Aerials at 50% of their cost? Am I being realistic to assume such a speaker system exists?

I am 80% HT and 20% music.
jdlynch
gumbydammit
186 posts
 
I answer your question with questions.

How many have you heard?
How many "budget" systems have you heard?
mdomnick
332 posts
 
If you are that skewed towards HT, I would say don't spend the $$$. Of course this is all personal opinion I'm spewing, but crashes and booms don't require the detail that I would want when I'm listening to music...IMO

I would point you towards Paradigm Reference Series speakers, Monitor Audio, Definitive Technology or something along those lines. They will excel as HT speakers, and are great for music too, but do lack some magic offered by the elite speaker manufacturers. I'm not sure what you are about to spend for the Aerials ($8K???), but you can get the ones I mentioned for $2k new. Used is also a good way to buy, but can't demo that way. Tyler Acoustics also offers quality stuff, in fact there are many different companies to buy...I just don't see spending over $2-3K for HT speakers.

My $0.02.

m-
bishopwill
369 posts
 
I agree with Mdomnick that the Paradigm Reference Series would be a good choice for an HT system. I think they blow away DefTech and virtually everything else in their price range, but then I own a pair of 100v2s so my opinion is not really to be trusted. Do keep in mind if you choose Paradigms that they are power hungry and that they are at their best at medium to high levels. Not the ideal choice if you want Barely Manbelow purring in the background.

I have two systems in my house, a 2-channel system using JMLabs Mezzo Utopias ($15K) and an HT system using the Paradigms ($2K). It is my sometime fancy to bring first-time visitors into the house, blindfold them, and lead them from one room to the other, asking them to tell me which speaker system costs 7.5 times as much as the other. Virtually no one can tell--not even alleged Golden Ears.

Does that mean there's no difference? Assuredly not! Longer term listening reveals definite differences in favor of the JMLabs. It does, however, suggest that such differences are not nearly so great as we may enchant ourselves by believing.

will
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