adding speakers to home theatre system

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

I am interested in getting one of the bose lifestyle systems. I heard one demo for the upper end model with 5 surround sound speakers and the acoustimass bass module, but i really wanted a little more volume and power coming from the direction of the screen. I want to add additional speakers, some nice floorstanding ones, to the overall system. What is the best way to do this? i know i could buy a seperate two channel reciever and split the RCAs from the back of the TV to go to the bose system and this seperate reciever. Or do i just need an amp? Can i just buy an amp that is not a reciever? i am really not too familiar with home audio and what the terms mean. I REALLY liked how clean the bose system sounded, so I definately want to keep that, with a couple more speakers added. Can somebody help me out?

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[kickinaudio 10+ year member]

Build it right, and don't buy bose

 

[93 saturn sl2 10+ year member]

bose=too expensive!!!!! we have the wave radio though and it does sound good.

 

[93 saturn sl2 10+ year member]

forgot to add...Get a 5.1 or 6.1 HT receiver from a good company, then you can either get a speaker package with everything you'll need but it wont have floors, or you can get 2 floor speakers 2 surrounds 1 or 2 center channels and 1 powered sub. I have a Yamaha HTR-5660 receiver with Cerwin Vega RE30 floor speakers, CV surrounds, AR center, KLH rear center, and Sony Powered sub and I love how it sounds!!!!

 

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

WOW fast replies...how much did your whole system cost saturn? cuz it sounds like it would be pricey...and if i like how clean bose sounded, what kind of speakers/reciever would you recommend?

Also, if i buy tower speakers with a built in subwoofer, side firing, does that need a seperate power amp or crossover or is it built into the unit and i just add power? would buying towers with subwoofers AND an additional powered subwoofer by overkill, or would that clash?

 

[93 saturn sl2 10+ year member]

The receiver was $500 new from BB but it was last years model so I got it for $300 new, the floors were about $300 new I'm not sure though, The rear CVs were like $100, the AR center was $70 used, the KLH rear center was free from my dad, and the Sony sub was like $150 or $200. I didnt get everything at once though.

Im not sure what your saying about the bose though, you could always get just bose speakers if you like them that much and a different receiver etc.

and Im not sure about the side firing speakers.

 

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

well the bose did sound awesome, but you said they were too expensive, but i can get a new one on ebay for a couple grand, which is what you spent on your system too...maybe u can tell me some other brands that sound as good as bose but maybe arent as expensive? or maybe u can answer my initial quesiton: do i need an amp or a reciever to hook up extra speakers?

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Axiom and Ascend Acoustics come off the top of my head for relatively cheap and excellent sounding HT speakers...and if you want to run more speakers correctly, you need a receiver that can handle the extra channels - although if you ask me, 7.1 isn't worth the upgrade from 5.1.

 

[93 saturn sl2 10+ year member]

Whats your budget?

Heres a very nice receiver

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Harman-Kardon-Surround-Sound-Receiver-AVR-135-/sem/rpsm/oid/109001/catOid/-12949/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

these speakers are good, do you want a big woofer cause you want floor spekers?

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Infinity-Floorstanding-Speaker-PRIMUS-250-/sem/rpsm/oid/75520/catOid/-12950/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

surrounds

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Infinity-Bookshelf-Speaker-PRIMUS-150-/sem/rpsm/oid/75519/catOid/-12950/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

center

http://www.circuitcity.com/ssm/Infinity-Center-Channel-Speaker-PRIMUS-C25-/sem/rpsm/oid/75521/catOid/-12950/rpem/ccd/productDetail.do

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Infinities always sound very harsh to me...IMHO, but their tweets are way too harsh for comfort.

 

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

my budget isnt really an issue...I want clean sounding speakers, with maybe a little more juice than the bose ones were offering...i figured i could add another 2 channel amp to the system to get some more sound coming from the screen...is this not possible?

 

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

also, where could i go listen to some good speakers? does BB or CC carry them? or do i have to go somewhere better...like the Axiom and Ascend Acoustics brands...where can i listen to em? cuz i dont wanna buy online without listening to em somewhere first...

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Buy

Other

Sound

Equipment

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

also, where could i go listen to some good speakers? does BB or CC carry them? or do i have to go somewhere better...like the Axiom and Ascend Acoustics brands...where can i listen to em? cuz i dont wanna buy online without listening to em somewhere first...

I understand your reticence to not buy something unheard...but...you'll find in home audio, that's going to limit your choices significantly unless you have a high-end shop around you that will actually spend the time to let you audition things properly.

 

[jaygeorge1979 10+ year member]

I hear ya mr. frost...so im guessing nobody here thinks bose is a good idea....i can respect that....so who here can tell me a similar speaker manufacturer that sounds as crisp and clean as bose?

Thanks for all the help