AV Speaker package that has great music abilities too

[admin_exported]

Hi there, first post for me although i have been a reader for a while.

I'm a previous 'all in one' man (had a Panasonic 310 DVD & Surround setup) now looking to complete my Home Cinema set - have already bought a Pio4280, Onkyo 605 and a PioDV600 (a stop gap until the HDDVD v BluRay battle is over) - with some speakers.....

Phew, my head is hurting with all the options available but i do need solid music output as this setup will also be the main music player in my house.

The budget is 400-700 and i've been looking at these.

Wharfedale HCS but swapping the fronts for 9.1's

Q Accoustics but swapping the fronts for 1020's

Quad Lite

Tannoy F1 Custom

ACOUSTIC ENERGY AEGO T

Accoustic Energy Aelite (only because the beech finish is currently £750 at SuperFi)

There are a few rules i need to worry about, no floorstanders, style packages are generally a no no (Kef' egg's, MT10's etc.) and i will probably have to wall mount the satellites and possibly the fronts.

Also, is it really worth having such big speakers for the rears?? Surely they are the least used and i could mix and match the whole package (although the price would go up) for something like Kef IQ1 at the front, Gallo rears, Wharfedale sub and a nice centre speaker - EVO2, Aelite Diamond 9CS. Or am i missing the point with regards to balance of the package.

Can any of you lovely people assist please.

Thanks.

Rob.

 

[Clare Newsome]

Hi Rob,

I'd stretch your budget and go for the Tannoy Mercury F1 Customs - definitely the best of your shortlist, as their best-in-class in our Awards testifies. The package is an excellent all-rounder for the money, and ticks all your boxes.

Looking at your list again, however.... do you really mean SuperFi are selling-off the £1800 AE Aelites for £750? Now that would be package to hear - though it has floorstanding fronts, which you're against...

Re mixing and matching speakers - DON'T! You at least need to stick with speakers from the same manufacturer that have the same sonic signature, or your surround sound will be unbalanced - and that would be a crying shame with such a superb receiver feeding them!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your post Clare.

I wasn't sure about the mix and match but following your comment i'll look at some mixed packages from the same maker. The sub can be from a different maker thoough?

Re Aelites, this is the package on offer, in beech only.

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/3240

Any experience of these as it seems a bargain even if it is my least favourite finish.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
Hi Rob,

I'd stretch your budget and go for the Tannoy Mercury F1 Customs - definitely the best of your shortlist, as their best-in-class in our Awards testifies. The package is an excellent all-rounder for the money, and ticks all your boxes.

Looking at your list again, however.... do you really mean SuperFi are selling-off the £1800 AE Aelites for £750? Now that would be package to hear - though it has floorstanding fronts, which you're against...

Re mixing and matching speakers - DON'T! You at least need to stick with speakers from the same manufacturer that have the same sonic signature, or your surround sound will be unbalanced - and that would be a crying shame with such a superb receiver feeding them!
[/quote]

After having a look i'm quite interested in MA BR2 for front's, BR1 for rears, the BR centre and a decent sub for 250-300, i can possibly get a 2nd hand Rel Quake for 280. This brings it to a similar price to the F1 custom but with probable better stereo output.

Another question, if i may, if a speaker is rear ported should i not wall mount it?? Or mount it a few inches away from the wall with the appropriate mount.

Sorry for all the questions but i've never speant this sort of money on equipment before and i want it all to be right.

Cheers.

 

[Clare Newsome]

We haven't tested the package since 2004, but it was five-stars then...

And yes, subwoofers are the exception to the rule re not mixing packages.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Clare Newsome"]
We haven't tested the package since 2004, but it was five-stars then...

And yes, subwoofers are the exception to the rule re not mixing packages.
[/quote]

Thanks again. Any thoughts on my previous post, just before your last reply was posted.

cheers

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Robsk1"][quote user="Clare Newsome"]
We haven't tested the package since 2004, but it was five-stars then...

And yes, subwoofers are the exception to the rule re not mixing packages.
[/quote]

Thanks again. Any thoughts on my previous post, just before your last reply was posted.

cheers[/quote]

In addition, i'm worried that the MA's are a brighter speaker than some (on the basis of what i've read about metal tweeters etc.) so this may not be a good matching with the Onkyo 605.

Can anyone help me with this query?

Thanks.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorry but i need to bump this thread as i'm eager to get an answer....

Thanks

 

[Andy Clough]

"Another question, if i may, if a speaker is rear ported should i not
wall mount it?? Or mount it a few inches away from the wall with the
appropriate mount."

Yes, ideally you should mount it slightly away from the wall if you can. The other thing you can do is put a 'bung' in the rear port to fine-tune it if you can't avoid having it close to the wall and it sounds a bit boomy.

Some manufacturers supply foam bungs to fit the rear port, or alternatively you can bung an old pair of socks in the port (yes really!) to dampen things down a bit. Sounds weird, I know, but I've done it myself and it works.

As for the MAs sounding a bit bright with the Onkyo, I think they'll be fine, as long as you give them a decent run-in first. A couple of days should do it.

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="Andy Clough"]
A couple of days should do it.

[/quote]

A couple of weeks would be even better.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andy and Andrew.

Think i need to head off to sevenoaks and try an audition the speakers i want with the amp (BR2, Radius225 and BR1 / R45).

There's a lot of information on here and the AV forum.

At least i'm not confused on the Sub!! BK XLS200

I think!!

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

let us know what you think

 

[Anonymous]

Will do, i'll be listening to them, Quad Lites and the F1's on Monday.

I'm moving Monday too so i'll post my thoughts as soon as i can.

 

[Anonymous]

Hi,

Can you let me know what you think re the quad's v the f1 customs please

regards