Mike, I was wondering why you went for the X-series instead of the A/V or even N? It seems that with upgrades etc the X and the A/V are fairly similar in price, so why did you end up with the X?
Todd
Todd,
When I first started looking at the GR-Research kits I had no idea between the different series of speakers A/V, N and OB. At that time the X-Series kits were not on the website so I was unaware of them. I have three HT/music systems in my home and a 2.1 music system in my office. At first I was looking at upgrading the 2.1 system in my office. Then I planned on upgrading a 5.1 HT/music system upstairs.
It didn't take long before I learned that the OB series speakers needed to be at least 3 feet away from any walls which put them out of the running for both the office and upstairs systems (none of the rooms are big enough). That left me with either the A/V or N series. I wasn't sure which one I would choose so I started building cabinets for both an A/V-1 and an N1X for the office.
After talking to people on this forum and some emails with Danny I decided on the N1X for the office and the N3/N3S combo for the upstairs. This was based on the feedback regarding the clarity and imaging of the Neo-3 tweeter. Then the X-Encore kits were put on the website and I became aware of them so I started asking questions. It turned out they had been available for quite awhile and a number of people had built them.
The feedback I received on them is that the Peerless T26SG tweeter used in the Encore models is one of the best dome tweeters available. People who have built both X-Encore and N-series speakers said the Encore's tweeters were not quite as good as the Neo-3 but very close. So which to choose? If there wasn't such a price difference I would have gone with the N series speakers. But the price difference is such that I got X-LS Encore and an X-CS Encore kits (fully upgraded) for the price of a fully upgraded N3 kit. If it wasn't for AV123 going out of business the X-series speakers would not have been available as kits. If they had been I doubt they would have been any less then the N series.
Because of the price difference the kits for a fully upgraded 5 speaker X-Encore system (X-MTM Encore, X-CS Encore and X-LS Encore) is about $1,400 while the kits for a fully upgraded N-series system (N3, N3S and N1X) would be a little over $1,700. For me that was enough of a difference I couldn't pass it up.
HOWEVER, I have a second system upstairs and I figured I could upgrade that one to an N-series system if I chose to later on. Then I'd keep the one I liked best in the man cave (OK so it's a converted child's bedroom (think really small) where I can read, listen to music and watch movies my wife doesn't want to watch) and put the other in the guest room. If that were not the case I would have probably chosen the N series for the same reason Jay did, I would rather spend a little more upfront then wonder what I might have been missing later on.
Hope that helps you follow my thought process.
Mike
