This is my first attempt at a real stereo/HT system (even my parents never had anything other than stereo, and even that was 1970's vintage).

I have decided upon a 5 channel package from ascend, but am just trying to figure out what front speakers to get. I would say my listening will be split 50/50 between music and tv/HT. My big reason for the upgrade though is dvd-audio/sacd listening. There is no other stereo in the apartment (save our two computers). I am just trying to decide if I want to go 170's for fronts and rears with 340c for center, or 340's across the front with 170's as rears.

The room these will go in is large, and an akward place to have a HT system. The main room is 16 x 20, with the 16 x 10 kitchen next to it, only a bar counter seperates them. My apartment is a loft in an old knitting mill, so half my inside walls are brick, the other half are drywall. The ceilings are 14 foot, and exposed 2x6's (solid, nothing but wood showing). Also, the floors are polished concrete. To compensate for this I have a large rug (with padding) in the center of the living room, and a smaller one by the bar. There is also a tapestry on one of the drywall walls, and 4 very large and heavy velvet curtains ove the windows. Finally, there is a large (double bed futon), L sectional couch, and large leather recliner around the outside of this room. With everything in there I haven't noticed any echoing whatsoever, but I also don't have any sort of real sound source in there as of yet.

I know the 340's may be better because of the size of the room, but I have read that the 170's are more monitor like and neutral, which is what I want. Will the 170's on stands still be able to fill up a room this size (paired with the VTF-2 MK2, or will I deffinitely need the 340's? Price is a concern here as I am a student, so working is only secondary. Aesthetic concerns are irrelevant, my girlfriend wants good music too, and would much rather have some speakers around that have some balls than little cubes.

I know this was long, but any insights would be helpful. Thanks!