Noobie needs help

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone, please bear with me as I try to articulate what help it is that I need here.

I have a room that is 5m x 4m that I would like to build a Home Theatre System in. I am quite clueless about the whole spectrum of brands and tech specs, but know I hear good sounds when I hear them. I have just started trawling my Hifi stores here, and am quite overwhelmed by the choices and price. Every distributor I go to claims his brand is of course the best, and not to waste good money on any other.

For a start, I have only looked at the following speakers:

1. Dynaudio Focus 220 Mk II front; 200c; Excite X12 rears; sub 300

2. KEF Q700s front; Q200c; Q100 rear; Q400b

3. KEF T Series T301s; T301c; T101s rear; T-2 sub

My questions are:

1. Are there other brands I should look at around this price range? I would like a good balance between music and movies. I particularly like the crisp, tight sounds of the Dynaudio when listening to music, but the bass seems not as punchy.

2. I love the aesthetics of the KEF T series, but that is about it. It did not give me the "fuller" sound that the first 2 sets did. Are there better on-wall or even in-wall ones I should be looking at?

3. I am intending to drive the speakers with Pioneer LX83 or LX73 (advice on which is better for the set-up is appreciated too). Are there any issues here?

4. Ignorant question: Can I get the Dynaudio 220s for audio, and set it up side by side with the KEF T series for home theatre? Or Use the Dynaudio fronts and Ts for rear? Can it be mixed and matched this way?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

 

[rascal6000]

A couple of things worth bearing in mind; do you need lifestyle type speakers, either to fit in with decor or to satisfy a spouse's taste for smaller speakers? if not then you will get a better over all sound with full size speakers as long as you have an amp capable of driving them (and your choices of Pioneer amps is more than capable of driving most).

Second, if you stick with a matched set of speakers or at least the same brand, with the same tweeter throughout then the surround imaging will be more seamless, particularly centre and front right and left.

I thought the KEF Ts sounded fantastic for their size, but if size is not a restriction then the Qs will fill your room more, er.... more!

If you Bi-amp the front L & R speakers then you might find the stereo quality more than adequate. Sadly I have found that with AV setups and particularly trying to integrate Stereo in to an AV system that stores are less than forthcoming with auditions, so maybe buy an AV setup that you are happy with and integrate the stereo later....?

 

[Anonymous]

Some good choices in speakers here, in particular the new Q series I listened to them recently and they sounded amazing and T sees are good also (I would be tempted by the Q if I could get away with non lifestyle speakers with the mrs).

It obviously also depends on your budget (which judging by the AVRs, might not be a problem) if you went down the Q route I would suggest listening to the q800ds dipole surrounds, they rock.

I would also add the monitor audio RX range for full size, RX6 upfront & apex range (life Style type). Happy shopping!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks, rascal6000.

You are right. I am all for full sized speakers against lifestyle ones. It was purely for the aesthetics that I even considered the KEF Ts.

And yes, I have given up the notion of mixing brands.

For that, I just went down to the shops to listen to a pair of Monitor Audio RX8s, and fell in love. This is it, together with the RX centre, RXW-12 sub, and RX1 rears. Yup. My hunt ends here.

Now I need a good AVR for movies, and will intergrate stereo later. The toss up is between Pioneer, Denon and Onkyo, which is reputed for movies. Any suggested models and their differences?

 

[Anonymous]

markjaspi:I would also add the monitor audio RX range for full size, RX6 upfront & apex range (life Style type).

Man! That was exactly what I fell in love with an hour ago. : ) But I'm poisoned by the RX8s, and will definitely be going for them.

 

[Anonymous]

merkava74:
Thanks, rascal6000.

You are right. I am all for full sized speakers against lifestyle ones. It was purely for the aesthetics that I even considered the KEF Ts.

And yes, I have given up the notion of mixing brands.

For that, I just went down to the shops to listen to a pair of Monitor Audio RX8s, and fell in love. This is it, together with the RX centre, RXW-12 sub, and RX1 rears. Yup. My hunt ends here.

Now I need a good AVR for movies, and will intergrate stereo later. The toss up is between Pioneer, Denon and Onkyo, which is reputed for movies. Any suggested models and their differences?

RXFX with out doubt, they will fit nicely on a wall and sound much better!