Thanks, Jim. I would actually want something "nicer" (in the sense of wood grain), but I think I'd order the all black with black grills because the speakers would be placed very close to the screen. Basically, the speakers would be next to the screen, so any light hitting the speaker and then the screen would be bad.
As of right now, I can't decide whether to go Linkwitz Orions or HT3s. The Orions interest me on many levels, but I'd like to build my own amps to go along with them. I'm just not sure I have the time at this point in my life to devote to a project of that nature (and I'm more worried about the box design/building than anything else). I love the speakers I have now, but they're simply too big for the room, particularly once I "reverse" the room in order to fit a front projector into the scheme. The good thing about the HT3s is that they're great speakers (according to those whose ears I trust) and they would be "plug and play" in that I wouldn't have to modify anything. The bad thing is that I think I would lack the experience of a certain visceral thrill in knowing that I put together (which is a euphemism for screwing in drivers into something I built from instructions and a "flat pack") the Orion speakers and "built" (again, a euphemism for putting components into a box) the crossovers and amps. As a former enginerd and as someone who dabbles in acoustic theory, I find the theory behind the Orions to be (somewhat) persuasive and I would like an opportunity to hear whether the theory matches reality.
So, the HT3s "lose" in the area of "sexiness" -- as defined by someone with glasses and a pocket protector -- but "win" in the area of simplicity. As to which would "win" in the area of sound (are there losers and winners between great speakers?), I'd have to compare both in my own home and with my own equipment in order to find out. And since that's unlikely to happen, the one that will "win" will be the one I buy.
Anyway, thanks for making such options available for us consumers.
