Need small surround speakers

Mightyburner · « **on:** 27 Nov 2006, 02:58 am »

I'm currently looking to "downgrade" my surround speakers from Paradigm Studio 20 V.3 to something smaller that can be wall mounted. The reason why I'm downgrading is due to a compromise with my wife. I currently have a Anthem AVM 30 processor, a Rotel 1075 amp, an Oppo 970 and a Rega Apollo CD player. My other speakers are Paradigm Studio 60's V.3 as my fronts and a CC-470 center channel. I also have an SVS 25-31 PC+ subwoofer.

Recently I've decided to add/improve my 2-Channel sound and I've acquired a Cayin 100T tube amp (from Sonic Spirits - thanks Phil!). My plan is to use the Cayin to drive my fronts and the Rotel to drive the center and surrounds. Given that my room is 27x13 with a long wall set-up, the Studio 20's which are stand mounted are right up against the back wall and about 4 feet from either side of my sofa. I figure with smaller surrounds I can wall mount them even further away and as high as 6 feet up. Given that I don't listen to much multi-channel music, and that IMO the surrounds in movies aren't too important in light of my seating limitations, I can get away with smaller surrounds and make the room appear less crowded and make some points with my wife. I know some of you are cringing due to my even thinking about not having matched speakers but again, I'm more interested in quality 2-CH sound now.

That said, I'm not looking for something real cheap either. I guess a budget of around $400-800 should be able to let me acquire some decent satellites. At this point I'm considering the Mirage Omnisats V.2 or the NHT L5's. Any opinions or suggestions would be appreciated. Sorry about the long post.

Mightyburner

TomS · « **Reply #1 on:** 27 Nov 2006, 03:21 am »

Take a look at the GR-Research AV1-RS available as kits from Danny or assembled from Al at RAW Acoustics.

Here is a picture of mine installed on back and side walls on this thread

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=30522.msg287080#msg287080

Tom

Mightyburner · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 Nov 2006, 03:35 am »

TomS,
This looks like it could work for me. I would need to mount the speakers a few feet above and to the side of my sofa so that they face each other. Being unable to tie my shoes, I would need to have them assembled. I didn't see a price for that. What crossover point do you use?

windwaves · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 Nov 2006, 03:40 am »

I have 3 L5s and never managed to get anything decent out of them. I have been using them as surround only for a while until I finally get rid of them all together. So watch it, it could be just me, but such is my experience.

TomS · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Nov 2006, 03:47 am »

I built my own from the GR-Research kits. Al Wooley at www.rawacoustics.com can fix you up. He has a circle here as well. These are great surrounds for certain situations (like mine).