Low-end FS vs. High end Satellites! Please Help!

[oswalakhil]

Hi All!

Sorry for creating a new post...but I'm trying to raise a different doubt here.... I've upped my budget from 50 to a possible 75k, but if the change is really worth it!

I heard too much about 50k not being just quite enough to jump into the audiophile range...and i have wanted to for too long...so I thought I'd make the jump!

Thanks to everyone who helped then, I made it to Avenue Sound in Mumbai and demoed some models...sadly the ETC 5.1 really disappointed

Some serious considerations possible here...that is If I can convince my cousin to get my a 5.0 sat system from the USA, and then add a Sub and AVR here...


1) Polk Audio TL250 roughly 400$

2) Polk Audio TL350 roughly 700$- nearly unused resold at 600$ available

3) Definitive mixture- combination of 2*Pro1000, 2*Pro 800, 1 center Pro 1000 Roughly 800$


All these systems are Very highly rated wherever I read, but I cant audition any of them... Pro 600 in Avenue sounded quite good though!


Now comes the big question:

I've heard tremendous things about Pioneer's SP PK51FS system...and on this forum as per the Avenue sound meet too, which I unfortunately missed

I heard they're for about 50K odd

The problem comes here:
My room size is a small 150 sq ft odd room.... is that an issue with the over-powerful and bassy FS speakers?
Or will they deliver just as fine on lower volumes?

TL3 and Procinema 1000 are supposed to sound As good or sometimes better than bookshelves...any comments on that?


If I get these speakers from the USA, can I get a Good Sub+AVR for ~40k?

Sorry for the real long post...I need as many opinions on this as I can get!
Thanks!

 

[jaudere]

Get the best speakers as per your audition regardless of whether they are floor standers or bookshelves. If the bass is overpowering , it can be tamed with some acoustic treatment/equalizer or proper low pass filter set up in AVR but a weak bass is difficult to improve. For the same amount, a bookshelf may be better built technically than the floor stander (but it does not necessarily mean bookshelf will sound better). My room is also around 150 sq ft. I would prefer good bookshelf speakers on good stands for this room size. so you have to consider cost of stands also( about 10-12k) if you buy bookshelf speakers. If you go for bookshelf, go for woofer of at least 6" or bigger. It gives better mids and lower frequencies. One thing important. Even good floorstanders do not necessarily alleviate need of a sub. You will still need sub for movie effects that are 30hz or lower. About sub/AVR: difficul to get both in 40k. A good branded sub will go to around 25k and decent AVR to around 30k.

 

[oswalakhil]

Thanks
I'm not saying the bass would be weak...I was planning a decent SW anyway...but just that I dont think I need that much Bass in a small room...and size wise, wont FS be too bulky? I heard they need some space from the wall to really sound not bloated, and the seating would be pushed up right next to big bookshelves...would that make a difference?

I cant definitely afford BS+ stands, but I dont mind keeping them on a table 3 feet high

But I was just thinking that I wont want to buy fullsized a FS-BS system worth about 500$ if I can get 1000$ speakers that sound as good in terms of quality

If they do sound better though, I'll remove ten things from my room to make space

 

[jaudere]

If you remove 10 things from your room, you will make the same speakers sound worse. The room decor and furniture plays a huge role in shaping the sound. Room acoustics play huge role in final sound quality. I am reading the subject at present. . You need to do some reading on speaker placement. A 3 ft high table will be too high. Usual stands are about 26" so that the tweeter of the speaker is at ear level when chairs of standard height are used. I would suggest buying a bookshelf speaker of 35k and keeping them on a good quality stand of 10k rather than buying speaker of 50k and then keeping it on table. I have personally experienced how stand make significant difference in soundstage and imaging. Keeping the speakers on table will still work if the table is very heavy and you keep speakers on the edge of table. If you keep it few inches behind the edge, the waves reflecting from table top may worsen sound quality. Secondly, even bookshelf speakers sound best when given free space all around. In fact bass response can be adjusted by changing the distance between speakers and walls. Rear ported speakers are said to need more space behind them. May be you (and everybody serious about audio) need to read how the room-speaker interaction affects sound reproduction. I am bit late but better late than never.

 

[jaudere]

About subwoofer vs floorstander for bass, it depends upon which frequencies you are targetting. In general Bookshelves will go down to 45-50hz (i am talking about really usable volume), floor standers may be 35hz and subs go to 25 Hz. Good Bookshelves are adequate for music, floor standers are better than bookshelves for action scenes in movies but you still need a subwoofer for quakes, blasts to feel them etc. For these effects, if you crank up FS volume, it will overpower the room but may not still give the desired effect. . What is going to be the distance between fronts and your listening position? As I said, for your room size (very close to living room size of mine), I will prefer good bookshelves for music and the same bookshelves+ sub for movies.

 

[oswalakhil]

Thanks for the info, Jaudere
I'll definitely read up about positioning and furniture arrangement!

I do have a 28" wooden table, 10 feet wide, that should be helpful atleast until I get stands!

My listening distance is about 10 feet...thats why I think I'll choose a BS system over FS...and add a sub later!

However due to some pressures from home, I might be coaxed into satellites, which will be lesser obstrusive at home. Then however, I'll get good satellites which perform as good as BS.

Don't I need surrounds to make movies sound more immersive? Plus I have an old pair of Philips BS speakers...I found them too bright for my taste! and the 2 speakers, though powerful and bassy when the EQ was set so, were never good enough for movies IMHO. and dialogue wasnt clear enough....

What best BS system can I buy at ~33k?


On a different note: I see you are from Goa...I just came back from four years of staying there

 

[mpw]

listen and buy. If possible ( and if cheaper ) listen here and buy from the cheapest point ( that may incl USA ) but listen and buy.. so that there is no post pourchase dissonance which many here face ( sometimes me included ).

mpw

 

[jaudere]

Thanks for the info, Jaudere
I'll definitely read up about positioning and furniture arrangement!
What best BS system can I buy at ~33k?


On a different note: I see you are from Goa...I just came back from four years of staying there

And I am from Pune, settled in Goa since last 2 years!

Book shelf speakers aournd 33K. Quad 11L2 and Paradigm studio10 (these are my favourite but the price was 40k 1 year back).

Have you had a look at the Hifimart. It has quite a few options.

Bookshelf

Have alook at full 5.1 speaker packages also.
Speaker Package

but as mpw and I said, listen to teh sound before buying.

People do use satellites for immersive sound but I enjoy movies very much on my stereo! My use is 95% music and 5% movies so I have not bothered to invest in AVR/5.1 system. In fact I feel bit odd when the picture is in front of me but the sound is around me. Feels like kind of mismatch to me.

 

[GeorgeO]

Echo an earlier comment-spend some time listening and decide what you like best.

 

[avidyarthy]

IF ..........

1. You are more into music than movies ....
2. You are not after 'known' imported brands ....

.... then, you are a prospective customer for Hari's Transmission Line FS speakers. Send Hari a PM and fix up with him. Also, there exists a long thread on TL speakers in this Forum. Suggest, go through it. At 65K odd, it is indeed a worthwhile purchase!

 

[kneo]

Akhil - I am sailing in the same boat as you. I too have space constraints so cannot go in for FS. I'm keeping an eye out on the BS version of Pioneer. Spiro have auditioned music on them too at mav's place. They connected the BS to the fronts and have auditioned them. As per him the bass is reduced but I am sure that with the sub around, it would not be too much of a loss.

Also I am pretty sure there was something wrong with the ETC 5.1 set. We just did not spend much time checking and tweaking it. I too have an option of getting 5.0 from US but am not sure whether the risk of transporting speakers is worth it. Also the Mumbai customs is notorious for holding back goods for a piece of the 'cut'.

At the back of my mind I also have the Monoprice which can be a good started set for a couple of years while one can hunt for better BS + center + sub. I am sure that for the rears, monoprice would do the job quite well.