question about home speakers

Speakers are a very personal choice. You'll just have to listen to all of them and make up your own mind.

My general thoughts though:

- If it sounds good in stereo (CDs) it'll probably sound good in surround (DVDs).
- Make sure you get a decent centre speaker. The majority of movies use this channel much more than the other speakers.
- If your amplifier can't drive the speakers it's all for naught. If the speaker store doesn't have the same amp that you use at home, go to the effort of bringing it into the store and get them to hook it up to the speakers.

Loud speakers are still the most significant improvement you can make to any system. Be it stereo, theatre or whatever your needs. And there's only one way to audition them....take your music of choice, (that you know how it should sound) ask any reputable sales person to turn the lights down, and choose what sounds best to you.

I can make several recommendations, but I have to say Canadian loudspeakers are in the forefront of everything else made.

Keep in mind, high end is usually reserved for 2 channel stereo.

Bonnie

As inferred by xarir, speakers in the range you are looking at are not always "less good" or better as they tend to have their own "character". It's a very personal thing and you have to know what you are looking for soundwise.

MsKiss is right, in that speakers can be a significant improvement, but if everything up stream is of inferior quality it could also be a big mistake, particularly with transparent, uncoloured, unforgiving speakers. I've never been into surround sound, but if I were I'd probably want to make sure I had a good source foremost. The DAC of the source ( cd player / dvd player ) is an important element. I'm not sure if all dvd players have an output for an external DAC, but I might go that route. Some "hi end" companies actually make their own DVD players. I may be wrong but it seems that people in general forget about the source when it comes to DVD surround sound.

Personally I'd be very curious and lean toward the Totem package, but Monitor also make some good speakers. You can't go wrong with energy either.

I would suggest taking a look at speakers from Definitive Technology.

DT has developed "bipolar" speakers -- a technology which has duplicate sets of speakers in the front and back that give an "imaging" effect not found in other speakers. Additionally, they towers have built-in powered subwoofers which not only provide a much richer sound (since there are two subwoofers you get not only more power but also more spatial low-frequency sound).

Here is their web site http://www.definitivetechnology.com/

I have a set of BP 2000s in the front and a pair of BP 2002s in the back and the system blows you away (and if you take off the covers, they you get a BBBJ ... LOL)

Good luck in your search.

I have a Bic Venturi center channel. Came very highly rated and stacks up impressively (mostly better) against models costing hundreds of dollars more. Only paid $200 for it. The center is by far the most important speaker for movies.
I use Cambridge soundworks Model six bookshelfs for the front channel and bose for the rears.
An unusual setup I know but they sound great and I spent less than $1000 for them all. there is nothing to say that your speakers have to come from the same company. They don't, but you do need to make sure they are compatible acoustically speaking.
Sometimes high price doesn't mean better. I spent a lot of time doing my homework before buying and feel I got excellent bang for the buck with a system that compares favorably with those costing much, much more.
Jocko

I bought Mirage speakers and I love them www.miragespeakers.com

I believe you can buy them from Bracks Electronics www.bracks.com (I think)

Ask here -- www.avsforum.com

Cheers,

-djk