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View Full Version : 170SE or 200's for surround



dbart
02-04-2006, 06:12 AM
Seeing that the 170 is rear ported and the 200's are sealed, which would be the better choice for wall mountable surrounds?

sensibull
02-04-2006, 07:09 AM
Please don't take this the wrong way, but this topic has been covered many times already. Doing a search may net you a significantly more comprehensive answer, but the consensus seems to be, go with the 200s if you a) want to truly "wall-mount" them, meaning flush against the wall, b) want a surround with a smaller aesthetic impact. Conversely, go with the 170s if you a) listen to multi-channel music, or b) want and/or need a higher-quality speaker as your surround. The 170 is the better speaker overall (greater range and extension), but it requires some space behind it (3-4" minimum) and is significantly larger and heavier, demanding a quality mount attached to a wall-stud.

Hope that helps.

dbart
02-04-2006, 10:31 AM
Thats it in a nutshell, thanks Sensibull

GaryB
02-04-2006, 12:37 PM
While sensibull didn't imply otherwise, I think it should be re-iterated that the HTM-200 is an excellent little speaker, perfectly-suited for surround use. As long as you're using it with a sub, and employing an 80-100 Hz crossover, the gains by moving up to a CBM-170SE surround will be subtle at best, even for multi-channel music.

The CBM is considerably more capable as a front-channel speaker, of course, especially if used full-range.