Home Theater

[IrishSS]

Ok, maybe this is a question best suited for Leon, but anyone's advice would be appreciated. I just got a new center channel speaker, the JBL S-Center http://www.jbl.com/home/jbl_html/pro...rId=STU&SynId=. Very nice, and i got a great deal, only paying $140 for it.

Here's the question. I'm looking for a pair of main speakers to add to my system. I was looking at the JBL S310's http://www.jbl.com/home/jbl_html/pro...rId=STU&SynId=, but havent found a store in my town that has them. Ive listened the the S312, which only has a 12" woofer instead of a 10". I talked with a salesperson, and he said he thought the JBL S38'shttp://www.jbl.com/home/jbl_html/pro...rId=STU&SynId= sounded better and clearer then the S310's. Other than a larger cabinet and a 2' bigger woofer, am I really gaining all that much with the 310's?

Also, should I be looking elsewhere for speakers? Different brands, models? Suggestions? I've heard Leon preach the Energy Take-5's. Better than the JBL's?

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I got money burning a whole in my pocket, and a Home Theater set-up waiting to be used to its fullest potentials!

Thanks, Ian

[Leon]

Hey dude.

I suggested the Energy Take 5's because those are a good value. For about $349.00 you can get a five speaker set. The Take 5's are a lower end model and the speakers are pretty small, so it really depends on which JBL you are comparing it to.

If you are going with a 5.1 setup, then don't worry too much about the woofers in the mains.

The problem is, you already have the center speaker, which is probably the most important speaker for Home Theatre. Most of the dialogue and action will come out of that speaker. Also, you want to get main speakers that match your center. Imagine watching a movie where a car drives across the screen from left to right. If your mains and center don't match, the sound going from left to center to right will not sound seamless.

The best thing for you to do is to go and listen to them. Bring a music CD that you like, and a DVD with lot's of action (Saving Private Ryan, The Rock, Gladiator, etc.) and play them there. Listen to your current JBL setup, and listen to the Energys. The Klipsch Quintet is also in that price range. Just listen, listen, listen and decide what you like the best.

Here is the specs for the Energys:
http://www.energy-speakers.com/products/take5.html

Cheap Price:
http://www.wholesaleconnection.com/
Audio --> Speakers --> Main --> Energy

If your budget is higher, you can go with my setup:

Fronts: Paradigm Monitor 7s
Center: Paradigm CC-350
Rears: Paradigm Mini-Monitors

The total for that was $1,200.00

http://www.paradigm.ca is their website.

[Apex]

I have a JBL setup right now actually including the S-Center. One thing you must consider is the speaker will sound different according to your room size/configuration, the wiring, and your receiver. Most JBL's tend to be a bit bright, so I'd suggest matching them up with a more neutral power source (ie. Denon or Onkyo for instance). If you match them up with a receiver that is naturally very bright (ie. lower to mid end Yamaha's) you're going to have some pretty painful high end sound. Of course, this is more of a music issue than a home theatre issue...

Here's my setup:

Toshiba SD6109C DVD player with integrated Onkyo built 250watt receiver (VERY low power, only 50 watts per channel. Clean power delivery though)

Center: JBL S-Center ($120 when I bought it)

http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/C...ct_24246.shtml

Fronts: JBL HLS-610 (about $200 a pair) Read up here:

http://www.audioreview.com/reviews/s.../index_J.shtml

Rear: JBL TLX I believe. I forgot. I'm on vacation now (other side of the nation) or I'd check. ($80 a pair or so. Disposable)

Sub: JBL PSWD112 12" 250watt powered subwoofer. ($160 shipped)


Leon has it right on the nose. Most of the action comes from the center and the S-Center is an awesome choice. You want to match it acoustically with your left and right front speakers. This is extremely important. The S-Center is a great match with both the 310's and 312's from what I've personally heard (mainly in home theatre setting). If you don't match this, some scenes will sound REALLY weird (ie. when conversation goes from right to left, people's voices will change as it moves from speaker to speaker!).

What I'm going to do with my setup is get some S312's or 310's for the fronts, move those HLS 610's to the rear, ditch those cheap things I have back there. Basically, the rears matter VERY little. They just fill in the soundspace. You want it to match, but the difference is much smaller.

Read the reviews, make sure you see what people are comparing them to (ie. for the HLS 610's, people compare them to Energy, NHT, Polk, Paradigm, MB Quarts, Boston Acoustics, B&W, Warfedale, KEF Cresta, PSB, even *cringe* Bose). Also, when you go listen at your local soundroom, take into consideration the wiring they're using (most likely CHEAP stuff), the power source, and the room configuration.

Best of luck. I'm sure you'll get something nice.

[IrishSS]

Ok, thanks for all the great info first. Now, here's what I have in my set up now. Sony DVP-S560D DVD, Sony STR-DE845 Receiver, the S-Center, two older Sony Speakers, nice sounding, but the woofers are blown (whoops, don't watch the bathroom shoot-out from the Rock at too high a volume!) and a small set of Sony surround speakers. I have 12 gauge wiring for all my speakers.

Now, I guess what I've though about doing here is getting the S38's and using them as my mains, then once I get some more $$$, moving those to the back and getting some higher end ones for my fronts. Are the S38's going to be sufficent as mains? Or are they best suited as surround channel speakers? Am I better off fronting the $$$ and getting the S10's now?

I guess the thing is the S38's are smaller (definite Bonus) and cheaper than the S10's, and I can get them locally. Also, any places you guys recommend buying from to get these online?

Thanks again, Ian

[Apex]

Well, how much are you spending locally? Remember, local means tax, internet means (most of the time) shipping and no tax.

Most often, the S38's are sold in pairs (about $500?). The S310's are $279.99 Each plus shipping with coupon.

S310's from Amazon

Use code AMZN-ELECTRNC for $50 off a $200+ purchase, buy each separately using 2 accounts, of course.

Overall, you're not really saving THAT much money going with the S38's.

Don't forget, you're going to NEED a subwoofer. It's not as critical that you match the subwoofer to the rest of the speakers as it is matching the speakers to each other. Does that make sense?

[IrishSS]

I can get the S38's for $299 for the pair locally, as my local Video Only price matches any place I can find on the net. I can't get the S310's around here, so I'd have to go via the net. I've found them for $200 each. I live in Oregon, so there is No Sales Tax! But the shipping is about $80 for the pair. So, for the pair of S38's, Im looking at $299. The pair of S310's would be $480. Is it worth the $200 more to get the S310's?

EDIT: I found the S310's @ Ecost.com for $409 for a pair, and free ground shipping. So now, is it worth the extra $110 to get the S310's?

Also, what Sub would you recommend? I'm really not in to Bass that much, but I do notice that the proper amount during a movie can seriously enhance it. Right now I have a Sony one that came with the surround set.

[Edited by IrishSS on 12-23-2000 at 03:52 PM]

[Apex]

Wow, $409 is nice for a pair. I live down the street from ecost, so tax for me. That's probably worth the $110 difference. I'd say go for it. There were a few places that are $199 plus shipping each, but that's not going to match the ecost price.

In terms of a sub, it does make a big difference for home theatre, especially when you're playing DTS movies with a lot of action (ie. Saving Ryan's Privates, T2 Collector's Edition, Bone Collector, etc).

I guess it comes down to how much you want to spend. If not much, then those 15" 200watt audiosource ones will probably be good enough. If you want better sound, you're going to have to spend $$$.

[IrishSS]

Should I ever use the DTS sountrack though? I don't have a 6.1 setup, and isnt that what DTS is? Wouldn't I be losing some audio effects by using DTS? I tried Gladiator on DTS and DD, and it seemed like DD was a better sound for my setup. Anyway, I'm gonna call Ecost tuesday to see if they can get me the S310's. Right now, it says they're outta stock.

[Apex]

DTS is a LOT better if your system can decode it. Basically DTS (I'm not going into the details, I'll leave that for audiophiles) contains a lot more "information" than Dolby5.1. Sounds will seem a lot more vibrant. This is completely separate from 6.1 and 7.1 setups.

[IrishSS]

Ok, this may be a completely stupid question, but how did you hook your speaker wire up to your S-Center? The plugs are similar to something I've seen before, but it seems to be missing the center plug. I realize that you're on vacation, so you may not be able to tell me how ya did it. But if you do remember, please let me know.

[Apex]

There are two 5-way binding posts on the S-Center. You just attach it to two banana-post ended wires. What kind of output is on your receiver? They vary for center channel.

[IrishSS]

Originally posted by Apex
There are two 5-way binding posts on the S-Center. You just attach it to two banana-post ended wires. What kind of output is on your receiver? They vary for center channel.

Ok, I just hooked the wires over the posts and did it that way. What are all the other holes for though?

[Edited by IrishSS on 12-24-2000 at 12:45 PM]

[IrishSS]

Do either of you have a universal remote, like the Sony RM-AV2100? I was thinking of picking one up, because I am seriously getting sick of all the remotes floating around on the coffee table.