Help with setup, coordination, speakers..

[GooseMD]

It seems like you guys can be very helpful, but way more knowledgeable than I am in terms of sound systems, etc. I recently moved and decided to start investing in a home theater. I am going in baby steps to create the best setup so I don't blow all my money at once and so I don't end up with a cheap setup. I started with a receiver (I bought a Pioneer 7-Channel A/V Receiver VSX-919AH-K) and two front floorstanding speakers (Polk Monitor 60s).

My main questions as of now are:
1) what would be my next best purchase for this setup? a sub? a center channel...?
2) in terms of hooking up the speakers, what is the best way to connect the wire to the speaker and to the receiver. I currently have 16 gauge Monster speaker cable and little banana connectors
3) If I currently only have these two speakers, what would be the most appropriate receiver settings to maximize this minimal setup?

Thanks guys, sorry for my lack of knowledge, but hopefully you can help

[rpmccauley]

Sub/Center would be your best next purchase. Pretty much every speakers is pretty essential for home theater so you can get the "full effect". If I were you, I would buy a sub first, maybe some cheap surround speakers. then eventually buy a nice center, and then even later buy nice surrounds.

[rpmccauley]

The banana connectors are the easiest, take the time to make sure you put them on properly and then from then its always a good connection. If you did bear wire or anything else you dont really get better quality. banana is best.

Since you dont have surround sound speakers, just do a 2 channel stereo setup for now.

Did that Pioneer come with a microphone for calibration (this question is for later when you get more speakers)

[Knucklehead]

Don't waste you money buying cheap surrounds. First off, I would get a center, either a CS1 or CS2, Secondly, buy your surrounds such as Monitor 30's or 40's, lastly, a sub such as the PSW10, PSW110 or PSW125. Welcome to Club Polk.

[GooseMD]

Is there a big difference between CS1 and CS2?

[Knucklehead]

CS2 has larger drivers and is the favorite of most of the Polk-heads on here over the CS1. I've heard a CS1 in a medium sized room and thought it sounded good. You can get the CS1 fairly cheap.

[jimmydep]

I agree with Knucklehead, get the center channel speaker next. The CS2 is a great match to the Monitor 60's. This is one speaker you don't want to cheap out on, since for HT it does the most work.


Welcome to Club Polk

Jimmy

[superjunior]

hey goose, sounds like your off to a great start with your gear. as knucklehead and jimmy said, a good center to match your m60's would be a wise next purchase. welcome to the club
jr

[kawizx9r]

Welcome to Club Polk! Looks like everyone else already began steering you in the right direction, get ready to fork over your wallet though haha, j/k but you'll find ALOT of knowledgeable people here.

[Erik Tracy]

It seems like you guys can be very helpful, but way more knowledgeable than I am in terms of sound systems, etc. I recently moved and decided to start investing in a home theater. I am going in baby steps to create the best setup so I don't blow all my money at once and so I don't end up with a cheap setup. I started with a receiver (I bought a Pioneer 7-Channel A/V Receiver VSX-919AH-K) and two front floorstanding speakers (Polk Monitor 60s).

My main questions as of now are:
1) what would be my next best purchase for this setup? a sub? a center channel...?
2) in terms of hooking up the speakers, what is the best way to connect the wire to the speaker and to the receiver. I currently have 16 gauge Monster speaker cable and little banana connectors
3) If I currently only have these two speakers, what would be the most appropriate receiver settings to maximize this minimal setup?

Thanks guys, sorry for my lack of knowledge, but hopefully you can help

Do you have any other components in your setup? HDTV, DVD player or Blu-ray, CD player, VHS....Beta??? ;)

I think we need the complete picture, first, but that's just me...

[wutadumsn23]

I also recommend the CS2 over the CS1 it is a very well rounded center and will perform very well with your 60's. I run one with my Monitor 70's and it does very well. A sub would be next, I would have to recommend the PSW125, it's not the best sub in the world, but as for what you have it will work very well. I have a 125 in my setup and it works very well for me in my room. What is your room size? that will also be a very important factor in determining what sub to get. Alot of people like SVS, Velodyne, and other high end subs, as they are fairly "future proof" meaning if the upgrade bug bites and you move up the ladder in Polk speakers the 125 may not be able to hang with what you get. You can get the 125 for around $350, but it can be had for less if you do a little shopping around. Check your local Craigslist or Ebay for deals on subs, there are a few 125's on Ebay now for around $200-$250. The CS2 can be had for around $150 at Newegg w/ free shipping. It doesn't look like your AVR has pre-outs so you won't be able to add an external amp in the future, but the 60's are realatively easy to push and don't require alot of power to sound good. I also agree with the recommendation on the Monitor 40's for your surrounds, I have them and they work great. Keep in mind they are a fairly large surround speaker so you will need some stands to put them on. You are off to a good start, enjoy your equipment and if there is anything else we can do to help just ask. Welcome to Club Polk.

-Jeff

[dragsome]

Quick question on another side note. I am looking into joining the polk club :-).

I want to get monitor 40s for the rear and either Monitor 60 or Monitor 70 in the front with CS2 center.
The receiver will be a Pioneer VSX-919AH-K.

Are the Monitor 70s worth $60 more per speaker or are the Monitor 60s enough for my setup. The room is 12 x 18 feet.

Thanks for your advice.

[apphd]

A lot of good advice here. It looks like the only question not covered is:

"3) If I currently only have these two speakers, what would be the most appropriate receiver settings to maximize this minimal setup?"

Most AVRs provide what is commonly referred to as a Phantom Center mode. With your AVR Pioneer calls it: F.S. Surr Focus and F.S. Surr Wide. Experiment to see which sounds best for you in your room. Depending on how well it does, it will help you decide if a sub or a center ch speaker is your next priority. For some peoples set ups and rooms they prefer this phantom mode better than using a center, but you will need to hear it both ways (using the center you decided on ) to decide what's right for you.

Welcome to CP

[apphd]

Quick question on another side note. I am looking into joining the polk club :-).

I want to get monitor 40s for the rear and either Monitor 60 or Monitor 70 in the front with CS2 center.
The receiver will be a Pioneer VSX-919AH-K.

Are the Monitor 70s worth $60 more per speaker or are the Monitor 60s enough for my setup. The room is 12 x 18 feet.

Thanks for your advice.

Welcome to CP instead of jumping in someone else's thread you should start your own. Short answer is go and listen to both. You are the only one that can decide if it is worth the extra $$ to you. Most people would say yes.

[dragsome]

Welcome to CP instead of jumping in someone else's thread you should start your own. Short answer is go and listen to both. You are the only one that can decide if it is worth the extra $$ to you. Most people would say yes.

Didn't want to spam the board with another thread if there was a similar one.

I don't have time to go out and test out the exact setup like it would be at my place if I was even able to find such exact setup somewhere.

A general consensus from knowledgeable people who also know the technical aspects of a home theater system is good enough for me to make my decision between Monitor 70 and Monitor 60 for an overall $120 difference in spending.

It is a huge step up for me either way so I am just trying to maximize performance or rather minimize my spending unless it is worth it in one way or another.

[obieone]

dragsome, another welcome to the forum. Please disregard the scorning post;) No harm, no foul.
To answer your question, ultimately, only you can answer that query, BUT, I'd suggest getting the 60's, CS1, and spend the savings on a better subwoofer.
JMO

[quadzilla]

My main questions as of now are:
1) what would be my next best purchase for this setup? a sub? a center channel...?
2) in terms of hooking up the speakers, what is the best way to connect the wire to the speaker and to the receiver. I currently have 16 gauge Monster speaker cable and little banana connectors
3) If I currently only have these two speakers, what would be the most appropriate receiver settings to maximize this minimal setup?


1) It depends on what you want to do with it. If you want to listen to music, I would go with a sub. If HT is your focus, I'd go with the center, since in a movie, up to 90% of the sound can come from the center.

2) I'm a recent convert to the school of bare wire. Nothing wrong with bananas, but they're mainly for convenience. The gauge wire you run is more dependent on length than anything else. For 16 ga., I wouldn't go over about 8-10 ft. However, I did notice a lot more high-end extension once I got rid of the Monster 600 I was running and went to anti-cables. Nay-sayers may now chime in as to how zip cord doesn't sound any different than the better speaker cables. But I like it.

3) Just let the Pioneer automatic set up run and be happy. Unless you want to get into house curves and manual calibration and SPL meters and room treatment and a whole slew of other things, it's best just to go with whatever MCACC gives you. It does a really good job too, but does have it's limits.