# Is this an upgrade?



## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

Currently I have the lowest level polk audio set. I am somewhat unhappy with how dynamic they are. I just got an xbox 360 and want to be somewhat more serious in gaming.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=ATKLSSU

I am considering this as an upgrade. That is about my budget. While I would like to diy, I don't think I have the ability.

Does anyone have any experience with this company?


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

Here is a review I found...not sure how credible the source is 

http://blog.stereophile.com/cedia2006/091506athena/


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

does it have to be 5.1? for 699.00 you can get some awsome 2ch bookshelves.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

s2groove said:


> does it have to be 5.1? for 699.00 you can get some awsome 2ch bookshelves.


I'd rather have 5.1 for HT.

I am rather uncertain if I can get a 2.1 setup for HT. I don't really plan to upgrade in the future to do it piecemeal.


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

IMO for that kind of money you'd enjoy a quallity 2.1 system more. Do you already have a reciever/amp of any kind?


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

I found these for you. I don't think you'll need a sub with them but that's something you can figure out later:

http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls.pl?spkrfull&1205910095

wharfedale makes some of the best budget speakers in the industry. Other brands to look at would be psb and epos.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

s2groove said:


> IMO for that kind of money you'd enjoy a quallity 2.1 system more. Do you already have a reciever/amp of any kind?


No reciever...

the plan was to go with the Onkyo SR605...

I am unsure about breaking everything out...like upscaling, hdmi switching, etc.

I haven't seen a HT based 2 channel...


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

the onkyo seems like a nice reciever, very flexible for the future. The only reason I recomend going 2 channel is because when I had my 5.1 setup I always enjoyed the sound more from just the front 2 speakers and sometimes the sub. It made me end up selling my center/surrounds and reciever in favor of a nice 2 channel integrated amp.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

I see what you mean.

Did you mainly listen to music in the car.

Would you still reccomend the 2.1 setup for just games/movies?


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

I listen to music in the car and at home. But even for movies I liked the 2 channel better, just set it up so you get the vocals on the tv screen. If anything you can get the onkyo, and a pair of nice speakers to see how that works for you, and if you decide you'd like to get center and surrounds you can do that later but get cheap surrounds and put more of your money on the main speakers.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

s2groove said:


> I listen to music in the car and at home. But even for movies I liked the 2 channel better, just set it up so you get the vocals on the tv screen. If anything you can get the onkyo, and a pair of nice speakers to see how that works for you, and if you decide you'd like to get center and surrounds you can do that later but get cheap surrounds and put more of your money on the main speakers.


I see.


But I thought there was a big issue about the speakers being timbre matched?
Which is why I considered a whole set at once. I am not set on the 5.1...at all. I'd much rather do a nicer 2.1 if the HT experience is really there....if I go for 2.1, I really have no need for the Onkyo unless no 2.1 receiver accept optical (the little red light one) in.


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

What do you need an optical input for, the xbox 360? 2.1 does give you a great center image (and some movies can even image a little behind you) as would a center channel for one location (triangle placement with toe in sould work, equidistant triangle made by your position and the speakers), it wont work all over the room, but if it's just for you I don't really see the need to get a 5.1, plus most people wouldn't really appreciate it the way you would. The high end company Meridian has many systems setup like this w/ some dsp involved, but dsp is not necessary.


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

timbre match is only really necessary for the center channel, but that can be had with a different companies cheaper center at times if the matching center for your speakers is too expensive. You just have to listen for a similar midrange and treble as the lower bass for a center gets redirected to the sub anyway.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

Actually, you are right....


If 2.1 is stereo, then there would be no need for optical...and if I could have a phantom center channel, it would be fine.

You are right...it is just for me and the occasional guest who, like you said, wouldn't appreciate the effort anyway.

Does Meridian make 2.1 recievers? I consider going with high powered Denon.


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## s10scooter (Feb 5, 2007)

I am looking around at the Meridian site now.

It looks like more complication and more money than I wanted to spend. The SR605 is ~$400 and that is my budget. Strange how little you get for $1,000.


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## s2groove (May 18, 2007)

Yeah meridian is way too expensive. they're plain cd players alone go for $7-12k. I hear the outlaw 2.1 reciever is a great budget reciever, and it looks cool to.


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## MIAaron (May 10, 2005)

For movies & games, 5.1 all the way. It doesn't take much work to get a halfway descent calibration. If you take the time to make sure the speakers you buy are designed to be installed where you plan on putting them, the auto EQ in the Onkyo should give you very good results.

Many of the new receivers have zone2 outputs, which mean they can also power another set of stereo speakers as well. So you could be playing xbox360 in one room while someone listens to music in another. It's a nice step if you want a seperate music system in the future as well. 

FYI, Onkyo also sells the 605 in an htib combo. IIRC it is the sp908?? I've heard it hooked up to an x360 and it did very well even though the room layout was horrible for audio. They main/surrounds were wall mounted and weren't bad for the money.

Research here:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/forumdisplay.php?f=109

And be sure to at least listen to something before buying it. The nice thing about BB & CC is you can return stuff if it doesn't perform up to your standards.


Edit:
The front link wouldn't open for me and just did. I though you were in the $700 range for all of it. I imagine the lowend polk and onkyo htib speakers are pretty similar. For $700 I'd be looking on ebay/craiglist for a used Paradigm monitor set. And just to say it, I've seen the kef 3005 set going for around $1k online recently.


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## rekd0514 (Sep 24, 2006)

The 605 is a great choice and I would definitely go for at least a 5.1 sound. The 605 will be good for you for a long time, so just pick out some nice speakers that fit into the budget you have left.


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