• WANTED: Happy members who like to discuss audio and other topics related to our interest. Desire to learn and share knowledge of science required. There are many reviews of audio hardware and expert members to help answer your questions. Click here to have your audio equipment measured for free!

$1000 Dollar Setup, Speaker Recommendations

egothrasher

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2020
Messages
32
Likes
11
If I were to plan for a $1000 setup, what would be your recommendations. Planning on getting just the two front, center and a subwoofer for now. Room is an apartment, so not large by any means. Would like a decent setup which I can build upon later (sides, rear surround etc).

After reading it seems the main focus should be the center and subwoofer. Having read you can't really get a good sub under 500. So, $500 for the sub, then what, $250 for the center and then that leaves $250 for the pair of speakers. It also seems you want to match the speakers with the center, same brand, better sound and consistency.

With that in mind, are there any floor standing speakers in the $250 range, or better off with bookshelf?

All tips and suggestions greatly appreciated!
 

Blumlein 88

Grand Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Feb 23, 2016
Messages
20,521
Likes
37,050
Maybe three JBL LSR306s across the front ($537 total), and then a sub. You aren't having to buy any amplifiers. If you get the LSR310 sub, it can do the crossover for left and right speaker. Then your center would be separate, and probably doesn't need a sub. There are better subs than the LSR310, but it has the advantage of feeding it the output signal and doing the crossover for stereo.

You also might consider three JBL LSR308's across the front ($657). In a smaller room you probably wouldn't need a sub. Or could add one later.
 

SuicideSquid

Addicted to Fun and Learning
Joined
Jan 20, 2022
Messages
699
Likes
1,647
If I were to plan for a $1000 setup, what would be your recommendations. Planning on getting just the two front, center and a subwoofer for now. Room is an apartment, so not large by any means. Would like a decent setup which I can build upon later (sides, rear surround etc).

After reading it seems the main focus should be the center and subwoofer. Having read you can't really get a good sub under 500. So, $500 for the sub, then what, $250 for the center and then that leaves $250 for the pair of speakers. It also seems you want to match the speakers with the center, same brand, better sound and consistency.

With that in mind, are there any floor standing speakers in the $250 range, or better off with bookshelf?

All tips and suggestions greatly appreciated!

I think your budget is out of whack. You're going to get a much better system by investing in your front speakers and forgoing a sub, than dropping $500 on a sub and cheaping out on the part of your system that's producing 90% of what you hear. There's also no real reason to buy a centre channel if you're not doing a full 5.1 setup.

Do you already have an amplifier? If not, I suggest looking into powered speakers, as you can get a lot more bang-for-your-buck for small/medium-sized listening spaces. The JBLs Blumlein88 recommended are a good option, as are the iLoud powered MTM monitors.
 

Zedly

Active Member
Forum Donor
Joined
Mar 9, 2020
Messages
191
Likes
351
With that budget, you're not going to be able to get everything you want. If you are looking to build a home theater over time, then you can start small and grow as you can afford it. A well-measuring pair of speakers can produce an excellent phantom center, which lets you delay buying a dedicated center. So I suggest starting with a simple 5.1 receiver and a pair of good bookshelf speakers. Then, save up and add the subwoofer. The next step could be to get a center or some more speakers for surrounds or get towers and repurpose the bookshelves as surrounds. There are a lot of options. At Accessories4Less, you can get a refurbished Yamaha RX-V385 5.1 receiver for $300 and a pair of Polk R200 speakers for $600. IMO, this would be a great way to start without compromising too much.
 
OP
E

egothrasher

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2020
Messages
32
Likes
11
Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback so far. How are the Jamo S809's? I was thinking of pairing those with the 803 for the rear. Built separately I could get it all for under $600, which includes two tower, center and two bookshelf.
 

Beershaun

Major Contributor
Forum Donor
Joined
Oct 3, 2019
Messages
1,864
Likes
1,910
I'd recommend the Elac dbr62's. They are fantastic in your price range. Will go well with a Sub when you are ready to add one. Agree with those who recommend skipping the center channel. Any AVR will send the sound to the left and right when there is no center channel present so you won't miss anything.

Amir's review of the Elacs
 

flyzipper

Active Member
Joined
Sep 13, 2020
Messages
184
Likes
208
Location
Ontario Canada
What's your source and amplifier? Do you already own an AV Receiver?

As much as I like love subs, I'd spend $600-700 on the LCR, and $300-400 on the surrounds, and enjoy that more than a sub in a small apartment.

As @Blumlein 88 suggested, you could grab the JBL 306's for the LCR and add a pair of 305's for surrounds.
You could pull the same trick with Kali, ADAM Audio, etc.
 
OP
E

egothrasher

Member
Joined
Jul 17, 2020
Messages
32
Likes
11
What's your source and amplifier? Do you already own an AV Receiver?

As much as I like love subs, I'd spend $600-700 on the LCR, and $300-400 on the surrounds, and enjoy that more than a sub in a small apartment.

As @Blumlein 88 suggested, you could grab the JBL 306's for the LCR and add a pair of 305's for surrounds.
You could pull the same trick with Kali, ADAM Audio, etc.
It's going to be for a home theatre setup. Receiver most likely a 7.2 Denon, with 4k/120hz capability. Most likely will do the LCR for now, and then add on sub and rears later. Just a matter of picking the right bookshelf speakers.

Zeos Highly recommends the Elac B5/6. Unfortunately these aren't made any more and the newer version haven't gotten as great reviews.
Now ELAC has released a BS41, which is supposedly a revamp of the B series, just with a 4 inch. Maybe they'll release a BS51/61.
 

Steve Dallas

Major Contributor
Joined
May 28, 2020
Messages
1,201
Likes
2,784
Location
A Whole Other Country
Thank you all for your suggestions and feedback so far. How are the Jamo S809's? I was thinking of pairing those with the 803 for the rear. Built separately I could get it all for under $600, which includes two tower, center and two bookshelf.

The Jamo S series does not appear to measure well:

 

Roland68

Major Contributor
Joined
Jan 31, 2020
Messages
1,360
Likes
1,126
Location
Cologne, Germany
If I were to plan for a $1000 setup, what would be your recommendations. Planning on getting just the two front, center and a subwoofer for now. Room is an apartment, so not large by any means. Would like a decent setup which I can build upon later (sides, rear surround etc).

After reading it seems the main focus should be the center and subwoofer. Having read you can't really get a good sub under 500. So, $500 for the sub, then what, $250 for the center and then that leaves $250 for the pair of speakers. It also seems you want to match the speakers with the center, same brand, better sound and consistency.

With that in mind, are there any floor standing speakers in the $250 range, or better off with bookshelf?

All tips and suggestions greatly appreciated!
If you are from Europe, look around for a large Heco Victa set or individual parts. Front 700/01/02, Center 100/01/02, Rear 700/600/500/300/200 (also as /01/02), between €350 and €600 depending on the configuration.
For the rest of the budget you can get new and used subwoofers.
For the budget it will be difficult to find anything new on the level.
You might find a DIY subwoofer with a Visaton TIW 250/300/400.
 
Top Bottom