Thinking about Diving In....

[curtis]

Do you have a picture you can share for those of us that need to visualize?

[GaryB]

In a room that size, with a good sub, and for nearly 100% home theater use, I think you would find an all-HTM system surprisingly effective, especially if you have the option of a 100 Hz crossover for the main (or all) channels.

I wouldn't try to talk you out of the 170SEs for L/R use, but unless you would be using them for 2-channel stereo listening (with or without the sub), the benefits would be minimal for 5.1 use with an HTM-200 center, IMO.

In my case, I went with CBM-170s for L/R use precisely for that reason (2-channel stereo listening) but I'm finding that even on those rare occasions when I get to really listen to music, I find myself slightly preferring the Logic 7 Music mode (matrix 5.1) offered by my h/k receiver, over straight 2-channel stereo.

[Jicbulk]

The above the TV mount for the 340 has been vetoed by my wife.

Larry

Get a new stand or get a new wife....

guess it would be possible to use the HTM-200 as a center with 170s for mains, but if I did that would it make any sense to wait for the SEs or would classics work just as well?

For the $ difference, stay with the SEs

Most of the advice I've unearthed says, "Make your Center as big as possible - it gets the most work during movies." So I'd say keep your 170SEs for L/R and see if a 170SE will work in the cabinet as a Center speaker - that will certainly be better than the HTM and should sound great in that size room. Are you putting a Sub in?

For my 340c, I went with the smaller TV mount, the 514 (the 521 is the one suggested in the thread) because I wanted to pull the speaker back closer to the wall - maybe you could sell the less obtrusive solution of the 514 to your wife...

[schellhase]

Curtis - I will try to take a picture and post it tomorrow.

Get a new stand or get a new wife....

For the $ difference, stay with the SEs

Most of the advice I've unearthed says, "Make your Center as big as possible - it gets the most work during movies." So I'd say keep your 170SEs for L/R and see if a 170SE will work in the cabinet as a Center speaker - that will certainly be better than the HTM and should sound great in that size room. Are you putting a Sub in?

For my 340c, I went with the smaller TV mount, the 514 (the 521 is the one suggested in the thread) because I wanted to pull the speaker back closer to the wall - maybe you could sell the less obtrusive solution of the 514 to your wife...

I have had her for 37 years and she puts up with my hobbies, she stays; the Salamander stand looks great, works well (except no space for a 370) and cost too much to have second thoughts, it stays too.

I have a Hsu VTF-2. An all HTM system is a possibility but right now I am looking for a system with a center that is 7.5"H x 7.5"D x less than 40"W.

I will look at the 521, but I am not optimistic about that solution.

Thanks,

Larry

[Jicbulk]

I have a Hsu VTF-2. An all HTM system is a possibility but right now I am looking for a system with a center that is 7.5"H x 7.5"D x less than 40"W.

With a VTF-2 and a crossover of 100Hz, 170SEs L/R with HTMs for Center and Surround duty should sound Amazing in a room that size.

I recommend you give Ascend a call and get their input - James was very helpful to me.

[schellhase]

Do you have a picture you can share for those of us that need to visualize?

How do I share pictures?

Thanks,

Larry

[Jicbulk]

Speakers all arrived today!

Traveling this week and won't get to hook them up until Friday at the earliest.

170SE L/R
340SEc
170Classic Rears/Surrounds

I'll post again when I've had a chance to crank 'em!

[Jicbulk]

I'll post again when I've had a chance to crank 'em!

Well I've cranked 'em. Amazing.

I've slowly been building my system over the last month, as I get more and more of the room done. I started with just the 170SEs for music, and was blown away by the range coming out of that little box.

Adding the Sub and setting the x-over @ 80 Hz made the combination even more impressive. Queen's "Princes of the Universe" (from Highlander/"A Kind of Magic") was a gleeful test....

Now I've got the Center (340SE) and Surrounds (170 Classics) hooked up. Last night I plugged in the Oppo and "Top Gun" after minimal setup. I know I've still got some tweaking but the first 10 minutes of the movie are just mind-blowing from a sound perspective.

Chalk up another Happy Customer!