[pistolpete]

Here is my problem:
In a little over a year I will be moving from a condo to a house and will be upgrading my 2ch system to a HT system. I am stuck at what speakers to get. For some time I was set on Thiels, however, I need large fronts and their CS3.6 ($4k) have just been replaced with the CS3.7($10k  ). Plus the rest of the speakers are not cheap. So, I have since decided to lower the budget and thought about Paradigm. I have always liked them but never owned them. I went and listened to the Studio 60v3s(the 100s were not in a good room) the other day and the mids were just ok but the highs were............well bad. Cymbals sounded like white noise to me. Could it have been the Rotel gear it was hooked up to?
Anyway, can you guys give me some ideas about what to listen to? I don't care for B&W and need large fronts. Would like the mains to stay around $3k. Sub will most likely be an SVS.
Current system:
Arcam CD 72
Parasound PLD-1100 preamp
Bryston 4B-SST amp
Dynaudio 42 speakers
Dayton Titanic III 10 sub (outstanding for music, best audio value I have seen, the 15" Titanic is not as good)
Thanks, Pete

[jonathanb3478]

I would check out www.selahaudio.com. They have a section under the manufacturers here.

I plan on doing a Peridot kit in the near future, but it seems that you might be able to swing that setup, prebuilt. The matching center is not horriblely priced, assemebled, either. The Peridot and matching center would run $4745. There are no prices listed for a matching surround for the Peridot, however. Ask Rick over there what a couple pair would run, and maybe you could swing it, all up.

To cut cost, you could go further down the line and get the 35F and 35C with a couple pairs of Hiddenite for the 4 rear channels. That would run you less than $3K, together. You could spend extra to get them done in precisely the exotic finish you like best. You would have 45 days to make sure they worked for you, as well.

Just a thought.

Regardless what you go with, good luck!

[jeffreybehr]

If you have room behind the speakers, do consider Eminent Technology 8s.  Only $1500 RR, their sound will be better than that of MOST speakers around.

http://www.eminent-tech.com/main.html

Here's my system.  http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vdone&1126390461&read&keyw&zzjeffrey%20s .  Its 2-channel performance is superb even if I say so myself--and others have said that too!

[Double Ugly]

Would like the mains to stay around $3k.

I recommend the $2995 retail SP Technology Timepiece 2.1s.  They aren't "large" (relatively speaking), but they're -3dB @ 29Hz and 30kHz.  That's more than sufficient for anything this side of pedal organs, and they have no problem filling even large rooms with sound.  I've used first generation Timepieces (2.0s) for the past 2 years, and never felt a sub was needed to complete the presentation.  

For surrounds, I'd probably go with the Essence AV-1s for surrounds and an AV-2 center to meet budget constraints.  All in all, it'd be a killer combo system.  And unless you're a complete bass freak, I doubt you'd ever use the sub for 2-channel.

SP Technology