What stereo(s) do you listen to? What do you want?

[greg_atlanta]

Originally Posted by Artisan Fan

Audio Alternative in Lilburn has the excellent PSB speakers in your price range.

I listened to the PSB Image T45 (small tower) and liked it better than the Paradigm monitor 7... but will try the Paradigms again in a few weeks. T45 has rich, clean bass and a more distinct high end.... doesn't sound muddled like a lot of tower speakers. The ports are on the front, but the paradigm ports are on the back.... is that why the PSB is a cleaner sound? Or more focused?

Also listened to some Vandersteen towers whose cabinet was wrapped in fabric (like a tent). They sounded great on loungy house music but fell apart with faster stuff.

I spent some time at Fry's and ruled out the Boston Acoustics classic series. The mid-range Polk towers sound pretty good, but for the same price as PSB why bother? ($800/pr) I think Polk does well because they're loud in the mid-range, good for home theater.

Also learned that the center speaker is dominant in surround setups, so will need to budget for a matching center with the tower fronts.

Are there any important differences on the specs of these two speakers?

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/...mage-T45-Tower

http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/...-1-17.paradigm

 

[A Y]

Originally Posted by greg_atlanta

I listened to the PSB Image T45 (small tower) and liked it better than the Paradigm monitor 7... but will try the Paradigms again in a few weeks. T45 has rich, clean bass and a more distinct high end.... doesn't sound muddled like a lot of tower speakers. The ports are on the front, but the paradigm ports are on the back.... is that why the PSB is a cleaner sound? Or more focused?

It's probably due to room interaction differences and different designer's voicing preferences than the port location, unless one of the ports was blocked by something, like a wall. Speakers with good bass response will be more room-sensitive, so be sure to try them at home.

Also learned that the center speaker is dominant in surround setups, so will need to budget for a matching center with the tower fronts.

The center and the sub are probably the two most important speakers in a home theater system. Make sure to get a center with a vertically oriented tweeter-midrange array, instead of the cheaper (and smaller) horizontal mid-tweet-mid arrangement. You will have a much bigger listening sweet spot with the former.

Are there any important differences on the specs of these two speakers?

Unfortunately, the only useful specs for speakers are their size and weight. Everything else normally specified is pretty useless. There are useful specs out there, but basically no one uses them.

Trust your ears. Narrow down your choices, as it sounds like you have already, and borrow the speakers from the dealer for the weekend, and see if you can live with their sound over a longer-term listening period.

--Andre

 

[greg_atlanta]

Originally Posted by A Y

The center and the sub are probably the two most important speakers in a home theater system.

Thanks... I was hoping to do without a sub for now since I'm in an apartment (thin walls). Don't want to buy a sub until I'm in a house or condo. That's why I want to do tower speakers in front instead of bookshelf.

I've asked "am I missing anything by not having a sub?" and the general consensus is "no". (other than super-low frequencies) If the receiver knows a sub is not present, it will direct the material to the front speakers, right?

I may just buy a new receiver and a nice center channel and wait on the front and surround speakers. My 20 year old Marantz speakers have 15" woofers, so the bass is there if I want it.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by greg_atlanta

I listened to the PSB Image T45 (small tower) and liked it better than the Paradigm monitor 7... but will try the Paradigms again in a few weeks. T45 has rich, clean bass and a more distinct high end.... doesn't sound muddled like a lot of tower speakers. The ports are on the front, but the paradigm ports are on the back.... is that why the PSB is a cleaner sound? Or more focused?

Also listened to some Vandersteen towers whose cabinet was wrapped in fabric (like a tent). They sounded great on loungy house music but fell apart with faster stuff.

I spent some time at Fry's and ruled out the Boston Acoustics classic series. The mid-range Polk towers sound pretty good, but for the same price as PSB why bother? ($800/pr) I think Polk does well because they're loud in the mid-range, good for home theater.

Also learned that the center speaker is dominant in surround setups, so will need to budget for a matching center with the tower fronts.

Are there any important differences on the specs of these two speakers?

http://www.psbspeakers.com/products/...mage-T45-Tower

http://www.paradigm.com/en/paradigm/...-1-17.paradigm

Greg,

I think either option here is a good choice for you. I like both of them.

 

[A Y]

Originally Posted by greg_atlanta

If the receiver knows a sub is not present, it will direct the material to the front speakers, right?

Most modern receivers will do that, but some won't, so be sure to check first, and some bass redirection methods are better than others. If you're living in a thin-walled condo, then a sub is probably not so important.

--Andre

 

[dkzzzz]

Consider triangle speakers, they are relatively cheap and everyone raving about their big sound stage and crystal treble.

 

[mozart]

In the day,I had a pair of Klipsch La Scalas that I really liked.I don't know that I can explain why I liked their sound-I just did.What would be something similar today?

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by dkzzzz

Consider triangle speakers, they are relatively cheap and everyone raving about their big sound stage and crystal treble.

I don't know about cheap. The good ones are pretty expensive.

 

[Lagavulin16]

I stumbled across this while doing a search. Thought I would jump in.

Family Room:

Arcam AV-9 preamp
Arcam P7 poweramp
Arcam FMJ DV-29 dvd/cd player
160GB iPOD
JMLab Mini Grand Utopias - Speakers

Office:
Arcam AVP 7000 preamp
Arcam P 1000 poweramp
80GB iPOD
B&W CM1 - speakers

Bedroom:
Arcam AVR 300 receiver
60 GB iPOD
Vienna Acoustics Haydn - speakers

Looking for a good turntable as my next purchase. Any suggestions? No upgrades for the moment, no money for stereo equipment as I was informed by my wife.

 

[Celotil]

iPod Classic 160GB for all my portable audio needs.

LG FB-163 not-quite-as-micro-as-most-micro-systems micro hi-fi at home,

- FM/AM Radio
- CD
- DVD
- iPod dock
- 3.5 mm audio in
- 3.5 mm headphones out
- USB socket for playing memory stick music or recording to from CD
- TV Out with OSD function for a docked iPod or watching DVD movies
- 80 Watts per stereo channel
- all glossy black finish on base unit and speakers with almost buttonless touch sensitive face on front of base unit
- brushed aluminum on tops of base unit and speakers

I'm not bragging, believe it or not. The LG unit was AU$330, haggled down from $360.

http://au.lge.com/products/model/det...em_fb163.jhtml

 

[mikemas22]

Recently: Beo Sound 5 with Beo Lab 3 speakers and Beo Lab 2 subwoofer... not really an audiophile's dream but still a lot of fun to use. BeoSound 2 with form-2 headphones for portable use (A8 earphones do not fit my ears comfortably) and Ipod shuffle for the gym.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by mikemas22

Recently: Beo Sound 5 with Beo Lab 3 speakers and Beo Lab 2 subwoofer... not really an audiophile's dream but still a lot of fun to use. BeoSound 2 with form-2 headphones for portable use (A8 earphones do not fit my ears comfortably) and Ipod shuffle for the gym.

Stylish gear. You can get better sound for the money but perhaps not design. As long as you are happy...

 

[evor1]

i listen to my z5500 speakers connected to my laptop lol. in my car i have my ipod hooked up to the mark levinson system. supposedly its supposed to be one of the best oem vehicle stereo systems.

 

[Artisan Fan]

Originally Posted by evor1

i listen to my z5500 speakers connected to my laptop lol. in my car i have my ipod hooked up to the mark levinson system. supposedly its supposed to be one of the best oem vehicle stereo systems.

I have the Mark Levinson system in my car. Terrific sound; the new ones are even better.

I once watched a Star Wars clip on the nav system of a NOPI car in 5.1 in a GS on standard ML equipment. It was impressive although I'm not sure why you need 5.1 in a car. It was great fun.

 

[evor1]

it actaully has 7.1 sound heh. well i guess the new one does that i have. i just listen to my ipod though so im not takign advantage of the full potential of the system. you have to use audio dvd but i never even purchase cd so oh well.