Floor Standing Speakers in 5.1/7.1 setup

[admin_exported]

Just ordered an Onkyo 705 to replace my ageing Sony AV receiver. I have a Sony satellites and sub package (5.1), a few years old, but still good IMO. Primarily I use it for DVD films (soon to be HD!) but I've never really been happy with rock/pop music.

The thought occurred that the 705 can do 7.1 (and matrix) so I could perhaps replace the front L/R speakers with floor standers and move the old satellite speakers back to make a 7.1 set-up (yes I know pure 7.1 is rare).

Being at work without access to the magazine

and knowing nothing of floor standers or their prices, I've just gone to a website and seen the Accoustic Energy AEGIS Neo 3 for around £300, I guess that's about what I would be prepared to pay.

Does this idea appear to be sensible? If so, anybody got alternative suggestions for floor standers?

 

[Anonymous]

Got the Mordaunt-Short 916i in the end.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Good choice, but to get the best balance and integration across the front soundstage I'd suggest you replace the centre speaker with the Mordaunt-Short 905i.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew, how would you rate the M-S 900i series as a whole?

Am looking to partner them with a Denon AVR-3808 for primarily cinema but a bit of music too.

Cheers

Nic

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
Good choice, but to get the best balance and integration across the front soundstage I'd suggest you replace the centre speaker with the Mordaunt-Short 905i.

[/quote]

Andrew, thanks for the recommendation, you must have psychic powers because that was my next question!

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="wow400"]
Andrew, how would you rate the M-S 900i series as a whole?

Am looking to partner them with a Denon AVR-3808 for primarily cinema but a bit of music too.
[/quote]

Solid value, especially at the kind of discount prices at which they can be found at the moment. And if you don't already have the Denon, I'd strongly suggest a long hard listen to the Onkyp TX-SR875, too - as well as the great reviews it's had in the magazine, I've now been running one for many months, and think it's excellent.

 

[Anonymous]

Just bought a Mordaunt-Short 905i, thank you very much, it's brill.