Help with Surround Choices

[JustSomeGuy]

I currently have a pair of 170SE for mains and a 340SE for center duty. I'm looking to expand to a 5.1 system for HT use. I'm not exactly knowledgeable when it comes to audio so I'm hoping someone with more experience than I can lend a hand. I'm aware that most people are going to want to recommend that I use another set of 170's or even 200's for surround duty but that's just not going to happen. I like audio but I also like aesthetics and I'm not keen on a set of boxes precariously perched on my walls. So, I've been looking around and I've come across the following speakers. Ideally I'd like to try and match these to the fronts as much as possible. I'd also like to stay around $300 should anyone have any other recommendations.

Polk FXI3 (http://www.polkaudio.com/homeaudio/specs/fxi3/)
Infinity BETA S250 (http://www.infinitysystems.com/homeaudio/product_detail.aspx?prod=BETAES250BK&series=BET&cat=SAS)
Klipsch SS.1 (http://www.klipsch.com/product/product.aspx?cid=31&s=specs)

Thanks! :o

[JustSomeGuy]

People! Please calm down and don't all post at once now.
Whew...it was getting crazy in here with all those replies. What are we up to now? Two? Jeebus! :eek:

[curtis]

I think the issue is that nobody wants to take ownership of suggesting something that is less than ideal.

Also, many of us probably have not heard the speakers you have listed.

That said, it is probably that these speakers do not match well to the Ascends, but they will work. It would be best if you could demo them in your own home and then judge what works best for you.

Sorry...I know that didn't help a whole lot.

[JustSomeGuy]

I think the issue is that nobody wants to take ownership of suggesting something that is less than ideal.

Also, many of us probably have not heard the speakers you have listed.

That said, it is probably that these speakers do not match well to the Ascends, but they will work. It would be best if you could demo them in your own home and then judge what works best for you.

Sorry...I know that didn't help a whole lot.

Well then I'm in fine company because I haven't either. Being the non-audio guy that I am, I was hoping that by simply comparing the frequency responses, efficiency, etc. that someone might be able estimate whether one choice was better than another.
Really, all I'm looking for here is a decent set of speakers for side surround duty that don't look like boxes hangin' off my wall. Ideally these speakers would match the Ascends that I currently have but I know that's not going to happen so I'll settle for something close. I'm open to opinions folks.

Thanks.

[Lou-the-dog]

That's a tough one. Ascend does not offer a multi-pole flush mounting design that you seek. Axiom QS-8's have come up as a recomendation before BUT they are currently over $500 a pair.

Randy

[JustSomeGuy]

That's a tough one. Ascend does not offer a multi-pole flush mounting design that you seek. Axiom QS-8's have come up as a recomendation before BUT they are currently over $500 a pair.

Randy

Yup, I'd give my nod to 'em as well but can't really justify spending that much on surrounds.
Picked up a pair of Rocket ELT's but the wife didn't dig the cherry veneer so back they go. I just wish Ascend made bi/di-poles. This would be so much simpler then.

[kmfflyer]

I followed a similar route with a pair of 170SEs as mains and just received a pair of HTM-200s for surrounds along with a 200 center. I did hook up the 200s in my home office for a couple of days in a 2.0 system and they almost didn't make it up on the walls (well only one is up on the walls right now - still fishing wire for the other). They sound very, very similar to the 170SEs.

Looking at the dimensions of the other options you have listed, they are all bigger than the 200s. Are you ruling out the 200s because they're not dipolar or because of the size/shape/color? Flush mounted, I'm not sure they would look precariously perched on the walls.

[JustSomeGuy]

Well I'm getting pretty tired of researching these damned things so I just gave up. I plunked down $420 for some Axiom Q4's and I'm crossing my fingers that they'll live up to they hype as well as work fine with the Ascend system. God it really hurts to spend that much on some surrounds. :(

[JustSomeGuy]

I lied. I went back and upgraded to QS8's and while I was at it, I ordered a pair of 340's ( to compare to the 170's which I'm still auditioning). I thought for sure the wife would rough me up a bit but she actually took it quite well. :p

[curtis]

I thought for sure the wife would rough me up a bit but she actually took it quite well. :p
That means you can try and push the envelope a little more..... :)

[sharerware]

JustSomeGuy - I'm very curious to see your take on the Axiom QS-8s with the Ascends. What made you change from the QS-4 to the QS-8??

[JustSomeGuy]

JustSomeGuy - I'm very curious to see your take on the Axiom QS-8s with the Ascends. What made you change from the QS-4 to the QS-8??

Well the main reason was that I didn't want to run the risk of upgrading again and then be left to find a use for a pair of $400 speakers. The second reason was that my room is fairly large with high ceilings. The QS4's might have worked well or might not have but I was pretty damned sure the QS8's were up to the job.

As for how they work, I've been calibrating the system with Avia and an SPL meter and like the results. I'm no audiophile and this is my first attempt at HT, hell my first attempt at any type of speaker setup, but the QS8's seem to fit in well with the Ascends. They are placed about 72" from the floor, on the side walls, and slightly behind the main listening position. Output is hard to localize ( good) and I don't notice any glaring differenes in sound quality while using Avia and jumping from the Ascends up front to the QS8's in back. Also the build quality of them, as with the Ascend lineup, is top notch. I'm happy with 'em.