Front Speaker recommendations

**12-23-07, 02:47 AM**

I have a Yamaha 7.1 Channel HDMI Receiver (HTR6080) with PSB Alpha Mini and a Mirage P58 for a 5.1 system with Sony 1080p 52" Widescreen LCD HDTV BRAVIA (KDL52XBR4). I am planning to slowly upgrade the speakers starting with buying two towers. What would be a good choice? PSB Image tower T65? What about Poke (RTiA5) or Klipsch (Synergy Series F-2), Infinity Beta 40 3-way or Energy Reference Connoisseur 3-way RC-30?

How important is voice matching? I read one place that indicates if I am using the speakers more for movies and HD TV then it is not as essential as for music. I do not want to change all five speakers now.

Current room size is not too large but I am planning a move and could end up with a larger room for the home theatre.

**Sonnie** · **12-23-07, 03:15 AM**

Hello LD and welcome to the Shack!

If you have have PSB now and enjoy those, the T65 would be a good choice. I owned those (former model) back a few years ago and was very happy with them.

Personally I believe it is important to match your center and front mains, so I would at least try to match those up. I'm not sure it's so important for the rear surrounds to match... at least for me it hasn't been.

What kind of budget are you working with?

**Captain Crunch** · **12-23-07, 08:54 AM**

I agree with Sonnie on both accounts.
Try to match the fronts.......The speakers you have now are very capable so get something that matches them to complement them well.
And the surrounds are not as important. But PSB has some nice surrounds that would go great with those.

**12-24-07, 02:04 AM**

Thank you for the replies Sonnie and Capt Crunch!
The more I looked today it was between the Polks and the PSBs. Locally there is only one dealer around here which sells the PSBs which makes it harder to deal. There seems to have a lot more Polk dealers around here. However, you are right that I really have had great results from the PSBs. Budget? For the front two I was hoping to keep it around $1000 or less.

**Sonnie** · **12-24-07, 02:44 AM**

Well if the local PSB dealer won't bargain, you might see if there are any dealers in nearby cities and call them. Saving a few hundred dollars might be worth the drive.

Polk speakers are available from many authorized online dealers at very reasonable prices. The RTi A5 towers are considerably less than retail and you could probable get the matching center included for $1000 or less.

**CharlieU** · **12-24-07, 08:46 AM**

Quote:

lordderth wrote:

Thank you for the replies Sonnie and Capt Crunch!
The more I looked today it was between the Polks and the PSBs. Locally there is only one dealer around here which sells the PSBs which makes it harder to deal. There seems to have a lot more Polk dealers around here. However, you are right that I really have had great results from the PSBs. Budget? For the front two I was hoping to keep it around $1000 or less.

I have a pair of T55's, a C60 and S50's. I found an authorized dealer online that sold B-Stock and saved a bunch even having them shipped across the country. The system sounds great standing on it's own. Adding a sub made it even better. My own opinion is that getting the T55 over the T65 made it easier to integrate the sub with all the speakers.

**12-25-07, 02:14 AM**

That is the problem Sonny. Thee are more Polk oppurtunites that PSB. Several local Polk dealers and of course online.

**12-25-07, 02:17 AM**

Saw a couple of ebay dealers for PSBs but there is no warranety but I wonder if I need a warrenty.

**CharlieU** · **12-25-07, 08:04 AM**

Quote:

lordderth wrote:

Saw a couple of ebay dealers for PSBs but there is no warranety but I wonder if I need a warrenty.

Google "PSB speakers" and in the Sponsored Links you will see "authorized dealer". My B-Stock has the same warranty as new.

Charlie

**Sonnie** · **12-25-07, 11:56 AM**

I have purchased many items from ebay with no warranty. Actually I believe my PSB speakers I purchased did not have a warranty.

It's doubtful you'll ever need the warranty and generally if you did, it would be a driver needing replacement and the drivers are not expensive and not hard to replace. But... a warranty may give you peace of mind.

**jackfish** · **12-25-07, 10:40 PM**

You can get PSB Image T65s for $880/pair at sellspeaker.com but I don't know their business.

**Sonnie** · **12-25-07, 11:51 PM**

Here's a pair of T65's for $719 on Audiogon. I just stumbled across them looking through the speakers. Dealer claims to be able to provide full warranty. These would be a steal.

**12-29-07, 01:46 AM**

Thanks everyone! I have been reading all the great advice I have been getting on this board. I appeciate the info.

**Captain Crunch** · **12-29-07, 08:03 AM**

Quote:

lordderth wrote:

Thanks everyone! I have been reading all the great advice I have been getting on this board. I appeciate the info.

Your welcome!

**MrPorterhouse** · **12-29-07, 11:44 PM**

I would also recommend sticking with the PSB's and those T65's would be a great choice. You won't need a waranty with those speakers. If you were able to score a waranty, all the better. Since you already like the PSB sound, these are really your best option, now it is just a matter of finding the best deal.

**conchyjoe7** · **01-03-08, 04:24 PM**

That Audiogon ad is from Upscale Audio in California. They are one of (if not the) the finest high end dealers in the world. I lived there many years and their reputation is impeccable...you would NOT go wrong buying anything from them.

Regarding warranties for speakers...No, chances are slim that you'd need to use it but if you did and they're fine (i.e. expensive) speakers, you can bet their drivers are as well. I had a tweeter go on a brand new pair of KEF 104.2s years ago and that would have been a nightmare had I not had the warranty. Instead, I was not only treated to a prompt replacement of the bad one by KEF, but they were worried about matching and actually sent me 2 so I could be sure I was getting +/- .5db matching. I liked that A LOT! Some tweeters these days run some hefty $$$
Cheers,
Konky.

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