Smartest way to spend $400 on used equipment?

[Rambo4]

Hi, I am about to purchase a new (to me) set of speakers to double in music and home theater applications. My choices are at the moment a pair of Mission M33's, Athena AS-F2's, Angstrom Omega 28's, and Mordaunt Short Avant 904's. They are all within a few dollars of each other in a discount audio store locally. Does anyone have any opinions on where I should lean. At the moment I am looking at the Athena's because of the incredible reviews this floorstander has had. But I am unsure with the other companies in comparison.

Also, my other equipment is all Athena. save for a Velodyne 5000R sub.

Would these speakers be too much for a room 18 x 14 x 8?

Thanks for any input.

[Sonnie]

I don't see the Athena's being too much at all for your room. My room is smaller and I have Martin Logan's.

You mentioned "other equipment"... do you mean "other speakers"? Are these to be used in a 5.1 system or for music only?

[Rambo4]

Hi Sonnie, the AS-F2's are going to be serving both purposes in the same room. For now anyhow. By "other equipment" I should have said "speakers". I have two AS-B1's, two AS-B2's (front mains temporarily now), two AS-R1.2's and one AS-C1 center. I was just trying to decide two things being relation of speaker size to room size and whether to get the flagship model of a series I already own, or start the long process of a steady upgrade to a new speaker manufacturer.

I have since purchased the F2's and have them safe at home. I have never had speakers that sounded so good. They are temporarily connected to my old HK 110 receiver in the family room, which is open concept with the kitchen and upstairs, and I am VERY happy with the sound and my purchase. I think I can put the audio buying on hold now for a while, (save for a BFD perhaps...) and actually sit down and enjoy some movies and music.

I am apprehensive to set a 80 hz crossover on these though, and as my HK 635 in the media room has independent crossover settings I think I will only cross them over at 40 Hz and likely the rest at 80. I'll try it anyway and see.

[tonyvdb]

I personally have Missions and think they are fantastic but they are from their line from 20 years ago when they really put allot of money and design into them. The newer lines have not been as good over the past decade so your other options will probably give you better sound.

[Sonnie]

If you like the sound of the F2's then certainly I would suggest keeping it all the same.

[conchyjoe7]

Here's http://www.audioadvisor.com/searchprods.asp a great spot for Athena products at good prices, but I think they're sold out of the F2.2s. You can call and see if more will be available if you're interested. If not, I did notice they have both the LS-300 and LS-500 in stock at great prices. Hope this helps...
Cheers,
Konky.

[eugovector]

If you alreadyhave Athena's from that series, stick with the Athenas for Timbre matching in Home Theater.

[Rambo4]

Went with the Athena's. Sound is better than any equipment I have had in a long time. ( Except for the old school gold Pioneer amp I had hooked up to my turntable in high school. Nothing was younger than the seventies in that system. I still have yet to hear Fleetwood Mac - Rumours sound so sweet on digital... )

Unfortunately, my wife didn't care for the speakers "look" in the media room, so they are now part of the music only system in our family room. Still, they sound amazing.

[frosti7]

Try to find second hand speakers for this budget, the speakers that you mentioned wont satisfy you for the long run