What speakers are you using?

Howdy all,

Well, after I thought I was finished with my speaker shopping, it turns out that I ran into a problem with AV123's customer service manager. I'm not going to give details or bad mouth the company, but I might end up having to return my speakers and I am curious as to what kind of mains my fellow outlaws are running. I'm ultimately going to get a 7.1 system....but I only really know if the big names, and I don't want to overlook a good set of speakers.

Just for the record though....I love these RS750's I have...it's a sad day for me in the midwest if I have to return them due to customer service. I guess I have been spoiled by Outlaw.

So, whatcha all using?

I mention them fairly regularly around here (finally even posted a full equipment list a few weeks ago), but here they are anyway.

Mains: Paradigm Reference Studio/60 v2
Center: Paradigm Reference Studio/CC v2
Side Surrounds: Axiom M3ti
Rear Surrounds: Paradigm Reference Studio/ADP v2
Subwoofer: Outlaw LFM-1

*Ascend Acoustics CBM-170's
*B&W 600 center
*RA-Labs micromonitor surrounds
*PSB Subsonc 3 sub

Ascend has the larger CM340's for main channel duty, and I've been told they would be a natural comparison to the Rocket 750's(w/sub).

Upstairs:
=========
Model 1050 feeding two M200's which feed two Rocket 750's (one each).


Downstairs:
===========
Model 950 feeding one Model 750 plus one Boston Acoustics PV-1000 powered subwoofer ... the Model 750 feeds four Boston Acoutics VR-M50's and one Boston Acoutice VR-MC.

I know Gonk...and I'm sorry that I made you re-state them again. It's convenient to just go down a list on the forum though. Thanks for all the replies thus far!

I am looking at Paradigm and Klipsch now...maybe Kef, but like I said...I don't want to miss a good speaker becuase I haven't heard much about them.

Thanks again!

Definitive Tech 2004tl mains
Definitive Tech bp2300 center
Infinity bookshelf RS 220 9or something like that for rears

Mains: NHT T5's
Center: NHT M5
Surrounds: NHT M5's
LFE Sub: Pair NHT SubTwoi's & Polk PSW650
Center Sub: NHT SW10
Surround Sub NHT SW10II
Outlaw 950/770

JBL S-38II Main&Surround (Plus Super Tweeters)
JBL S-centerII (Plus Super Tweeter)
2 JBL PSW-D112 Subwoofers (Moded with larger 320w Amps)
Have a Look
http://llasher2.photosite.com/HT/

Lasher

Very old and obsolete ones! :p

You can't use new speakers on 40+ year old amps.

Actually, 30 years old. :p

Magnepan MG-I's (slightly modified)
each with it's own M-200
One of these for the center
Jamo 201's surrounds
Subwoofer based on one of these
:p

Mirage OM-5 mains.
Mirage OM-C2 Center.
Eventually (hoping) Mirage OM-R2 surrounds and rears.

I was running an Outlaw 1050 with 1977 Klipsch Cornwalls and 4 Klipsch Heresys. For two channel I had a hot rod Dynaco ST-70 tube amp with vintage Scott 355 pre-amp.

I like Rockets but if you are looking for an alternative then GR-Research would be someone I would investigate in that price range.

quote:
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Originally posted by soundhound:
Very old and obsolete ones!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In my book, only things that no longer satisfy a need or criteria are obsolete. Just because an item is old does not make it obsolete. Just look at the age of the Universe; way over 10 billion years old and it is nowhere near obsolete. If age was a criteria for obsolescence, my stable of Bugatti Royales would have been scrapped years ago, if I had any.

front: Acoustat 2+2s
rear: Acoustat 1+1s

No center channel although I have been thinking about using some extra Acoustat parts to make one.

Paul

NHT VT1's (mains & rears)
NHT VT1c (center)
NHT SW2 & SW3 (subs)

These 12 yr old NHTs are no longer sold, and the new NHT offerings aren't nearly as efficient!

NEO...

A fellow Wichitian....that's pretty cool!

For everyone else...

Thanks for all of your posts. I think this is a good thread for anyone that wants to know what kind of equipment us bandits use.

To add to my initial post....Av123's custom service and I have worked out a deal and I will now be keeping my Rocket speakers. They think I am hard headed...but I just wanted a fair shake, and got it. Not that I would deter anyone from trying them because I had a little hiccup...but, I think anyone who is in the market for an upgrade to their system, aught to give these puppies a listen. Truthfully, even though I didn't pick the Axioms over these...I think everyone should give the M60's a listen too (notice I didn't say the M80's that I actually compared). I think the brightness of the M80's is due to them needing to be a room with A LOT OF VOLUME. I think the M60's are probably the ones that you should give a listen too, in a normal living room space.

Thanks again for everyone to posted about their speakers, in the wake of what could have been another lengthy speaker search for me. I'm happy to announce that AV123 and I are back on good terms, and regardless, stop by their site and see if there is anything that suits your fancy. Btw, to those that have answered my line conditioning questions in the past...I noticed they are selling a line conditioner...hmm...might have to give that more of a looking at.

Thanks All!!!

Incog

Polk Audio
LSi15's
LSiC
LSiFX
LSi7's
Sunfire TrueSub EQ

My babies, for which my wife claims no ownership:
Infinity IL60's w/12" sub in each
Infinity IL36 center
Infinity IL30 surrounds
Infinity OWS (on wall speakers) rears (using one of the 770 channels to drive the two back spkrs)
DBX 15" sealed passive sub(using of the the 770 channels to drive this puppy)

My 770 is loaded, but performs flawlessly.

Fell in love with the sound of Boston Acoustics (BA) VR tweeter many years ago. I now have the following :

primary listening area:

Mains: BA VR-M90s
Center: BA VR-MC
Surrounds: BA VR-MXs
Center Rear: BA VR-M/EX
Subwoofer: Yamaha YST-SW800
Outlaw 950/770

secondary listening area:

Mains: BA VR-M60s
Center: BA VR-MC
Surrounds: Atlantic Technology 254 SRs
Subwoofer: BA PV-600
Yamaha RX-V2200

My office music system

Outlaw 1050
2 x M-200's
Polk Lsi-9's
HSU STF-1
Pioneer DV-45a

I have the 1050 with E&M's all around and a Tempest Octagon subwoofer.

"obsolete" and "trainwreck"...2 words my wife uses to (lovingly?) describe me. They might also describe my 2nd zone, Infinity Monitors driven by a 200 wpc Heathkit amp, both 30+ years old but still sounding good.

Got a great deal due to lovers quarrel between Denon and Mission. Denon was Mission's distributor in North America.

Mains: Mission M74
Center: Mission M7C1
Surround: Mission M7DS
Rears: Mission M71
Sub: Mission ACS 700 (Thinking of changing to LFM-1)

Gonk,

How do you know what version of Paradigms you are using (i.e. "v2")? I've looked at all the paradigm manuals I could find, and yet can not find the version number?

I remembered from when I bought them, but it is also listed on the rear of the speakers below the binding posts.

My HT speakers:

Mains: Sound Dynamics RTS-P100s
Center: Definitive Technology CLR2500
Surround Speakers: Sound Dynamics RTS-7s
Back Surr. Speakers: Sound Dynamics RTS-7s
Subwoofer: SVS PC Ultra

My HT speakers :

Mains: Lsi 15's
Center : LSiC
Surround : LSiFX

I really dig the polk sound....

Outlaw 755 feeding them, with a denon as a pre for now... holding out for the 950 replacement...

My system is not yet assembled. That project starts next week. The speakers on-hand at the moment are:
Mains: Tannoy Westminster TW
Surround: Tannoy GRF Memory TW (temporary)
Center: Tannoy DMT 12 II
The GRF speakers will move to a 2 channel system in the tea room. I'm on the prowl for some DMT 15 II's. 7 x M200 on-hand. Tube amp kits on the way for future biamp and active crossover experiments.

.

To add to the M&K club, though not as full fledged as Wayne, I have:

Mains: SW-95s
Center S-150
Surr: SW-85s
Subs: VX-100s

You'd be surprised. Some of those old amps can take quite a bit of abuse!

I'll join the old, obsolete speaker group. It's the only way to get big woofers! All those cute little new ones have tiny, unmanly woofers.

I think that's the joke.

It was.

More M&K:

Outlaw 1050
M&K K-5 - front 3 channels
Polk F/X300 (I think that's the model!)- surrounds
Braun LW-1 passive stereo subwoofer
Parts Express 150 watt subwoofer amp

Just moved in with my fiancee so system isn't completely set-up yet, i.e no rear surrounds. Still works great for baseball though...

Damn yanks...

Def Tech 7.1 set-up

Mains: BP7001SC
Center: C/L/R 3000
Surrounds & Rears: BPVX

Mains: Klipsch RF-3s
Center: Klipsch RC-3II
Side Surrounds: Klipsch RS-3s
Rear Surrounds: Klipsch RS-3IIs
Subwoofer: SVS 20-39+

Onix Reference 2
Onix Reference 100 Center
Onix Reference 1 - surrounds

Plug: All Canadian speakers:

Front:

Totem Acoustic Mites L/R (awesome small monitor)
Totem Mite TC center channel http://www.totemacoustic.com/english/products/bookShelf_mite.htm

Rear:
Axiom QS8 surrounds. quadpole, twin titanium tweeters and dual aluminum woofers. totally envoloping surround
http://www.axiomaudio.com/qs8.html

Subs (not Canadian): dual mono TBI MagellanVI
http://www.audaud.com/audaud/OCT04/component/comp1.html

This is a small, esthetically pleasing system that does not visually take over my somewhat sophisiticated living room. Sound? It is stunning. It's ability to recreate 3 dimensional space is astounding.

I guess I better put my own system in here...hehehe

Outlaw 950 pre-amp
Outlaw 7100 amp
Outlaw ICBM
Pioneer DVD-563A
Onix Rocket RS750's (front)
Onix Rocket RSC200 (center)
Onix Rocket 2xRSS300 (surrounds)
Outlaw 2xLFM-1's

If it's not obvious...I've turned into a internet direct purchaser. Thanks to Outlaw...

Note: There might end up being two more RSS300's in my room someday...and I have the DENON DVD-2910 on the way.

1 Outlaw 950 Processor
1 Outlaw 750 5 channel amp
2 Outlaw M200
PSB Speakers

Image T55 Front
Image C60 Center
Image S50 Surround
Image B15 Back Surround

known i'm in the search for the subwoofer to complete my system. any sugestions.

LFM-1

I'd second that. I like my LFM-1.

I'll agree with them...I love both of my LFM-1's. My walls are hating me...but my ears are loving it.

Mirage Om-7 Fronts
Mirage OM-C2 Center
Mirage OM-R2 Sides
Mirage OM-C3 Rear
SVS 20-39 PCI Sub 1
Klipsch KSW-12 Sub 2

Another Mirage owner, sweet!

Hey Incognito sorry to here you had problems a av123I have seen that MLS as always done what ever it takes to help a customer.

Outlaw 950
Outlaw 7100
Mains Rocket RS750
Center Rocket RSC200
Rears Infinity (too old to remember model)
Denon 2200

Love the Rockets by the way

Polk RT55 fronts (supplemented with 2 Velodyne HGS-II 10in)
Polk CS100p center
Polk F/X1000 rears
Velodyne HGS-II 18in subwoofer (lfe)

Tommc,

Nice system!

Actually, we got things worked out without MLS needing to be troubled. I haven't heard anything bad about their service, or products. I love these Rockets...I'm still having an imaging problem....but I'm hoping it's room accoustics, and not a bad tweeter or something. All of that said...the speakers are awesome...my only concern now is how to hang those heavy darn surround speakers on the walls.

After owning the Def Tech BP2001s (LF & RF) and the CLR 3000, I recently made a change to the Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors for my LF & RF. I test drove the Paradigm Studio 60 v.3, the Def Tech PM 700s and the Onix Ref1. All of these speakers were good in their own right, but the Tylers blew them off the stage IMHO, the soundstage and imaging is incredible. Check them out http://www.tyleracoustics.com/. I am now trying to get permission from the boss to purchase an additional Taylo Reference Monitor for center channel duty. Happy Listening!

Yamaha RX-V995
Outlaw M200 (LF, C, RF)
Tyler Acoustic Taylo Reference Monitor (LF & RF)
Def Tech DR7 (old speaker pulling center duty until I can purchase the additional Taylo)
NHT Super Zero (Surround Duty)
NHT SW2P (10' Sub)

I'm demo-ing new speakers, and have read a lot of reviews. I'm looking to demo the Boston Acoustics VRM90s next. I have read good things about newform's R645v2, has anyone heard these in person, and care to comment?

http://www.newformresearch.com/

I was just doing some research on speakers and amplifiers for a friend of mine who is about to take the plunge on a home theater and ran across this thread. I noticed that Incognito felt that the M80Ti’s were too bright, because this is a common complaint for that speaker Axiom can supply a resister upon request to calm down the high end. I think that it is a 2-ohm resister that you can put in series with the tweeters, but you would need to speak with Alan Lofft or customer service at Axiom to get the proper information and cost, if any. Axiom has a toll free number on their web site www.axiomaudio.com. Because of the size of my room, the Parasound amps that I use, and some hearing loss from listening to loud music over the years, I did not find the speakers overly bright. I have had a few of my audiohaulic friends say that they were on the edge of being too harsh for their liking, but still acceptable. As many other people have posted, speakers are all about your personal preference so the best advice is to listen to as many as you can before you spend the money. I feel that Axiom is similar to Outlaw as far as giving excellent customer service and good value with its product line. I have found very few products that compare favorably to products costing twice as much, but the Outlaw 950 and the Axiom M80-Ti/VP150/QS8 do it on a daily basis, and do it well. I am sure that there are other speakers that fall in the same price range and are of similar quality and sound but I did not find them when I was on my quest. I have yet to find anything that can compare to the 950 in its price range, it was well worth the wait and probably the best audio purchase that I have ever made.

For the past 3 months I have been running Martin Logan Aeon-I’s as my front speakers but have not removed the Axiom M80-Ti’s from the living room (Home Theater). The sound is very different from the Axioms but I am not sure if I like it any better. For movies I feel the M-80’s have the upper hand, they go deeper and play louder, they also timbre match the surrounds and center. For 2-channel stereo I think the Aeon-I’s sound slightly better. They have acceptable bottom end, smooth mids with a nice clean top end. I have done a ton of a/b comparisons and still I am on the fence. I am leaning toward using the Aeon-I’s for a dedicated 2 channel system that is currently using a pair of DIY speakers that I made a few years ago and using the M80’s for my HT. Sooner or later the WAF will force my hand when I am told to remove two of the speakers from her living room, but until then play I must… LOL Just my 2 cents.

Wow that was a long post just to mention the resistors were available…

Fronts: Acoustat 2+2's directly driven from Acoustat Servo-Charge Tube amps.
Center: None
Surrounds: Acoustat 1+1's with MK-121C Medallion interfaces.
Subwoofer: Outlaw LFM-1

I sit nearly 20' from the front so the absence of a center channel is not a serious liability. Since the system fires down the long axis of the room, even when seated off center the dialog channel doesn't shift off the screen too much. Also, integrating a center channel speaker with electrostatics can be problematic. With that said, I would still like to experiment with a center channel speaker. I have been accumulating some salvaged Acoustat parts and components with the hopes of putting a DIY project together. A rear center surround is something I would like to try too.

Fronts: ESS AMT3
Amp : Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400
Center: Phase Technology
Amp : Outlaw M200
Rears : ESS AMT3
Amp : Mesa/Boogie Strategy 400
LFE : 2 DIY 15"
Amp : Sampson S1000

Hello All

My recently purchased HT gear:

Onix Rockets 750 Mains (soon to be 850's)
Onix Rocket RSC 200 Centre
Onix Rockets RS 300 Surrounds
Onix Rockets RK 250 Rears
Outlaw LFM-1 Sub
Outlaw 950 Pre/Pro
Outlaw 770 Amp
Marantz DV 8400 DVD
NEC HT 1100 DLP Projector

Lots of hours reading on various forums persuaded me to purchase these fine pieces. What can I say, incredible sound and vision that hopefully will keep me satisfied at least for a few years. Demoed the Onix vs Axioms in my home for 30 days. Axioms are a very fine product as well, but the Rockets are just that much better in sound and especially looks.

Great Value from both Outlaw and Onix Rockets

Don't ask.......

Mains: Ascend Acoustics CMT-340M
Center: Ascend Acoustics CMT-340C
Surrounds: Ascend Acoustics CBM-170's
Sub: HSU VTF3-MkII

Driven with Yamaha HTR-5790 for the surrounds and processing and 3 Outlaw M-200's for the front 3.

Outlaw 950
Parasound HCA-855A
Mains Klipsch RF-35
Center Klipsch RCX-4
Sub Klipsch KSW-10
Surrounds Klipsch Quintet

this may be a little bit light for you diehards but,..
b& w 601 series 1 (passive bi-amp) front (B & K VMR 654)
infinity sterling-center
infinity ss-2001 surrounds
monitor asw-210 sub
center and surrounds powered by OUTLAW 1050(i have to be here somehow,right?

Outlaw 1050
Mains Kef Q55.2
Center Kef Q95.2C
Surrond Kef Q15.2
Sub Velodyne VLF1012

living room
------------
powered by Outlaw 770
Aperion 522D-PT (x2)
Aperion 522D-VAC
Aperion 522D-LR (x4)
SVS PB2+

bedroom
------------
powered by Outlaw 750
Aperion SW-12
Aperion 522D-LR (x4)
Aperion 522D-C

Front M&K S-125
Center M&K S-125C
Surround M&K SS-150
Sub Def Tech PF15
Powered by Outlaw 950/755

In storage...to be listed on Audiogon one of these days...
Front Paradigm Reference Studio 60 v1
Center Paradigm Reference Studio CC450 v1
Center Paradigm Monitor CC-170 v2
Surround Paradigm Monitor ADP-170 v2

Outlaw 950
Rotel rb976
Front Def Tech bp 2004tl
Center Def Tech clr 2500
Surrounds Infinity rs225

• MAINS B&W CM4
• CENTER B&W CMC
• SURRS B&W CM2
• SUB SVS 20-39PC-PLUS

After having read all of these, decided to add my speakers to the list.

Rt3000p fronts
FX1000 rears
CSi? center [like it for the rear adjustable foot to tilt]
Velyodyne CHT 10" sub

Spare room
RT800i fronts
RT55i rear
LS350 center
Cerwin vega 12" sub
Powered by Onkyo A/V

I lurk here all the time, but I thought I'd toot my horn today....

Mains: Axiom M22s
Center: Axiom VP100
Surround Speakers: Axiom QS8s
Back Surr. Speakers: Axiom QS8s
Subwoofers: SVS PB12-ISD, Axiom EP175 (set on mono)

Outlaw 950 pre-amp
Outlaw 7100 amp
Outlaw ICBM
Sony DVP-NC685V DVD/SACD/CD
Pioneer DV-655A Universal Player
BENQ PB6200 Digital Projector
Da-Lite Model B Screen - 72 x 96" - 120" Diagonal
Panasonic PT-53WX53G HDTV
Samsung SIR-T165 Digital TV Set Top Box

Thinking of upgrading to a Denon 3805 (using the preouts with the 7100) if Outlaw don't come up with a newer Pre/Pro soon.
Any comments welcomed .

Just added another 2 for surrounds so I'll add mine.

5 M&K K-5 speakers (L,C,R,LS,RS)
2 Polk FX/300i (RB)
1 Braun LW-1 passive subwoofer (A present from a friend for helping him install part of his system. It features twin 10" drivers in a wooden box big enough to be a coffee table. Actually, it is serving as my coffee table!)

The sub is powered by a Parts Express 150watt subwoofer amp. Everything else runs through my 1050.