I need help!!!

[Echo42987 10+ year member]

OK...since you don't have a budget, I'll give you a middle-of-the-road setup, and you can tell me if that's too expensive, or to go higher.
Receiver: Denon AVR-3805 http://www.crutchfield.com/S-AvXh7bn7Th0/cgi-bin/ProdView.asp?g=10420&I=033AV3805B&search=denon+7%2E1 does 7.1 channel surround. 120 watts into seven channels.

Speakers:

http://www.klipsch.com/

http://www.energy-speakers.com/v2/

http://www.paradigm.com/

http://www.axiomaudio.com

http://www.ascendacoustics.com

http://www.athenaspeakers.com/

Alright that Denon is going to my choice of receiver. So now for the setup.

I was looking at Klipsch and was just simply amazed? What are there higher end models going to there lower end so I know where and what I am looking at. The Klipsch I was looking at were the Reference, Synergy and THX. What is low to high of those three.

For the Energy speakers very much loved the way they looked but how do the perform and also for those which are high to low? For these brand of speakers I was looking at the Encore and Take Series?

For the Paradigm I was looking at the Signature Series.

For Axiom I was looking at the Epic 80.

Wasn't very inmpressed with the Ascend Acoustics.

Then for the Athena I had no idea what I was looking at?

So jack or Lemans give me some help here. I feel like I'm walking into a whole new world after coming out of car audio lol. I feel like I did three years ago when I stepped into car audio. But I want to learn and need the help. I want to make my father proud. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/veryhappy.gif.fec4fed33b4a1279cf10bdd45a039dae.gif

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

At this point, you need to start listening to them to find out what you like. I know Athena and Klipsch are both sold at Best Buy, so you can compare those two brands...the others are audio-shop only. Axiom, Paradigm, and Energy all get excellent reviews, start reading, and see what fits your tastes //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif

 

[Echo42987 10+ year member]

Alright I'm headin' over to circuit city, best buy, and tweeter to check some things out

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Also, Lemans....... I think you're so totally wrong about "building your own speaker" I think that's what you said in an earlier post. People (audiophiles) just don't do that. They're not engineers.

ok "bean", look at me. i am 16 yrs old and a sophmore in high school. i'm not in any advanced math classes, at least nothing highly regardable. what i am saying is, i CANNOT be an engineer, but yet i build my own speakers. if you TRULY care about the sound, not the looks (which is what "audiophile" speakers are all about) then you are a true audiophile. an audiophile doesn't have to have money, a good example is me. but if u buy polk or paradigm's highest end speakers because you have the money, that doesn't make u an audiophile. AND true audiophiles would never pay that much money out the *** for some retail speakers because they can get the drivers for up to 1/16 of the cost and build them themselves. u need not be an engineer to use a computer (or hand written formulas if you wanna keep it traditional) and a saw, some silicone, some screws and some speaker drivers.

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

Alright I'm headin' over to circuit city, best buy, and tweeter to check some things out

ok stop. you just send u wanted the creme de la creme of audio, but you're going to best buy? come on man, get serious //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/rolleyes.gif.c1fef805e9d1464d377451cd5bc18bfb.gif . to buy a decent retail speaker, go to a small shop so you can listen in a small enough room that closely resembles your living arrangements.

 

[bean 10+ year member]

ok "bean", look at me. i am 16 yrs old and a sophmore in high school. i'm not in any advanced math classes, at least nothing highly regardable. what i am saying is, i CANNOT be an engineer

hey, don't get me wrong. I think it is truly outstanding that at 16 yrs old you obviously have a passion for this stuff. I totally have respect for what I can tell you already know about this stuff.... So, let me say it this way...... It's difficult to build something that rivals the sound quality of a KEF, or Martin Logan, or Wilson Audio, or B&W speaker in the garage.... That's all.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

OK...let's use a real world example.

I'm building a DIY pair of full range loudspeakers based off these: http://omegaloudspeakers.com/ts33.htm. If I use the same drivers (actually I'm using better drivers than they are) and the same cabinet specifications (with a very well built cabinet), why shouldn't I get them to sound *exactly the same* or better? They retail for $850...I could put my DIY version together for maybe half that. What do they have that I lack?

I realize there are some excellent sounding speakers out there, and some designs I woudn't even want to tackle...but there is nothing magical about commercially-made speakers at all.

 

[Echo42987 10+ year member]

Alright Frost I think I got it. Not sure if you know who this brand is, which you most likely do. I am going with Martin Logan.

The Front two speakers will be the Martin Logans Clarity.

($1,300 for one)

The two rears will be Script i.

($1,000 for one)

The Center Channel well be Cinema i.

($1,000)

The amp/receiver will be the Denon AVR-3805.

($1199)

For the TV I haven't really decided but it's gonna be a flat panel to go on the wall. I will take picks when I am done with everything so you all can see it. I heard these speakers yesterday and was more then amazed! The clarity of them were just phenomenol. You could actually here the pedals of the piano going up to hit the strings. I was more then pleased with it's performance and know he will love it. He is gone till saturday so I'm gonna go get all of it and when he gets home he's going to have a brand new system in his house!

Tell me what ya'll think?

To check out any of the Martine Logan Products and to read about them go to

http://www.martinlogan.com

 

[bean 10+ year member]

You will LOVE the Logan speakers

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

You're missing two channels, in case you noticed...you need side channels too //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/biggrin.gif.d71a5d36fcbab170f2364c9f2e3946cb.gif

And you need a sub to go with that...

 

[nosaj070 10+ year member]

ok "bean", look at me. i am 16 yrs old and a sophmore in high school. i'm not in any advanced math classes, at least nothing highly regardable. what i am saying is, i CANNOT be an engineer, but yet i build my own speakers. if you TRULY care about the sound, not the looks (which is what "audiophile" speakers are all about) then you are a true audiophile. an audiophile doesn't have to have money, a good example is me. but if u buy polk or paradigm's highest end speakers because you have the money, that doesn't make u an audiophile. AND true audiophiles would never pay that much money out the *** for some retail speakers because they can get the drivers for up to 1/16 of the cost and build them themselves. u need not be an engineer to use a computer (or hand written formulas if you wanna keep it traditional) and a saw, some silicone, some screws and some speaker drivers.

Lets see you design and build your own high end 3 way x-over....I don't see it happening. And to say that true audiophiles don't care how their speakers look...are you kidding me?

Anyway that martin logan stuff is excellent, but since you are already spending so much on that I would go ahead and recommend an SVS sub, to be brutally honest after hearing their highest end model (My uncle is loaded, no fair) I was absolutely blown away and really havn't heard a sub that sounded noticeable better.

 

[squeak9798 5,000+ posts]

u need not be an engineer to use a computer (or hand written formulas if you wanna keep it traditional) and a saw, some silicone, some screws and some speaker drivers.

So I assume you have the electrical background and proper measurement equipment to build a room/speaker specific and optimized crossover, with trap filters, zobel networks, etc? And you know how to calculate the phase shift associated with each crossover filter type? How much do you understand about baffle steps? And this is just the easy stuff........

Sorry lemans....not trying to put you down or anything. But, you seem to be underestimating the amount of true engineering that goes into true audiophile quality speakers. This is not something that can be matched by most out of their garage.

Just because your untrained friends can't tell a difference, it doesn't mean one doesn't exist to the experienced listener //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

So I assume you have the electrical background and proper measurement equipment to build a room/speaker specific and optimized crossover, with trap filters, zobel networks, etc? And you know how to calculate the phase shift associated with each crossover filter type? How much do you understand about baffle steps? And this is just the easy stuff........

Sorry lemans....not trying to put you down or anything. But, you seem to be underestimating the amount of true engineering that goes into true audiophile quality speakers. This is not something that can be matched by most out of their garage.

Just because your untrained friends can't tell a difference, it doesn't mean one doesn't exist to the experienced listener //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

ok perhaps you did not understand my use of the term audiophile. look at what frost posted in one of his posts in the thread, like 15 grand for a set of bookshelves, and THOSE are considered audiophile speakers. i define "phile" as someone with the passion for something that they want to be the best possible with their resources. if u go on diyaudio.com, you'll see bare mdf speakers that sound just as good as as the top of the line klipsch and paradigm stuff.

Lets see you design and build your own high end 3 way x-over....I don't see it happening. And to say that true audiophiles don't care how their speakers look...are you kidding me?

actually for your information, I am currently learning how to build a 2-way crossover. //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

 

[PV Audio 5,000+ posts]

So I assume you have the electrical background and proper measurement equipment to build a room/speaker specific and optimized crossover, with trap filters, zobel networks, etc? And you know how to calculate the phase shift associated with each crossover filter type? How much do you understand about baffle steps? And this is just the easy stuff........

Sorry lemans....not trying to put you down or anything. But, you seem to be underestimating the amount of true engineering that goes into true audiophile quality speakers. This is not something that can be matched by most out of their garage.

Just because your untrained friends can't tell a difference, it doesn't mean one doesn't exist to the experienced listener //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/wink.gif.608e3ea05f1a9f98611af0861652f8fb.gif

oh, and i DID say the part about the math and physics required, which is more than anything else the important part in speaker building. i have books up to the ceiling on speaker building and the basic physics required to build a great sounding speaker for my age, income and abilities.

 

[JimJ 5,000+ posts]

Lets see you design and build your own high end 3 way x-over....

Xovers...pfft, who needs 'em...crossoverless > complicated xovers.

//content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif