Off the shelf 5.1 package or mix and match?

[admin_exported]

Please help a confused guy!

I am trying to find a new 5.1 speaker package. However I am starting to go crazy with all of the different scenarios and I am struggling to create a decent short list to test. My budget is up to £800 including stands for the front if necessary. Generally I would like to keep the set up as small as possible.

My current set up is a mix and match, I have Tannoy 605’s standmounted at the front with a Tannoy MXC centre, Mission M7DS for the rear and a Pure Accoustics subwoofer (bought cheap with future upgrade in mind).

I have tried the Tannoy Mercury Custom AV Pack and been very impressed. However when I read the reviews of Subwoofers in What Hi-Fi I see that the TS 12 does not get as good a rating as the Velodyne CHT range. I also worry that the TS12 may be a little large for my room, which is about 3x5 metres.

Please advise me:

1. Is it worth changing the TS12 sub to something like the Velodyne CHT8R, which gets a better rating and is a little smaller?

2. Would I notice a great drop in performance substituting the rear speakers for the Tannoy Mercury FR, which are appealing due to their size?

3. Is it worth considering the Monitor Audio BR2 AV package or the BR2 and the BRLCR at the fronts with the BR1's at the rear with Velodyne Sub?

4. or finally, on another tangent is there a sat sub package that would give the same performance as the Tannoy package, something like the Acoustic Energy Aego T?

Thanks in Advance

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="stuonline"]

1. Is it worth changing the TS12 sub to something like the Velodyne CHT8R, which gets a better rating and is a little smaller?

[/quote]

Yes, and it's fine to do so, too. While it's worth buying the main speakers, or at least the front three, from the same brand for good tonal integration, it's much easier to 'dial in' a subwoofer of another brand to match the rest of the speakers.

[quote user="stuonline"]

2. Would I notice a
great drop in performance substituting the rear speakers for the Tannoy
Mercury FR, which are appealing due to their size?

[/quote]

No, not really. In most surround soundtracks the rear channels are carrying rather more bandwidth-limited effects stuff, so that should be fine. 'Same speakers all round' is often suggested for multichannel music from DVD-A or SACD, but in fact very discs even of those kinds make much use of the rears to carry anything but ambient information.

[quote user="stuonline"]

3. Is it worth
considering the Monitor Audio BR2 AV package or the BR2 and the BRLCR
at the fronts with the BR1's at the rear with Velodyne Sub?

[/quote]

Yes, absolutely. That'd work very well.

[quote user="stuonline"]

4. or finally, on
another tangent is there a sat sub package that would give the same
performance as the Tannoy package, something like the Acoustic Energy
Aego T?

[/quote]

Yes, and the likes of the Q Acoustics 1010 5.1 or Wharfedale Diamond 9HCP would come pretty close, considering they're a good deal less expensive...

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Andrew, much appreciated, at least I know I am on the right track. Off to the shops I go!