Which discrete home cinema system

[BermyAndy]

Title kind of explains it all. Im after a home cinema system but with pretty discrete speakers

I currently have Sky HD, a blu-ray player and Sonos for my wireless streaming.

Im drawn towards the Bose Acoustimass system as this is just speakers and amp only and so I can keep all my existing gear and replace with something that has the speaker style im after yet I recognise that I am paying alot for the branding and not necessarily getting alot back in quality

But what else is out there? I dont want large floor standing speakers, just the small cubes. I am also considering from Richer sounds the Harman Kardon AVR355 receiver with KEF KHT3005SE speakers but think they may be a little bulky

So the question to you guys is: £2k budget, average sized london living room, but looking for discrete speakers other than a bose... what would you go for?

Thanks in advance

[grumbledoak]

I'm no HiFi nerd, so I won't try to rattle off names.

But, if you wall-mount the speakers they don't need to be tiny. My (Technics) speakers must be 12" x 8", but as they aren't in normal line of sight it doesn't matter.

[spiralp]

Have a look at Monitor Audio Radius speakers. Contempary looks and good sound. Should be well within your budget. Then possibly a second hand Arcam amp to drive them.

[Plotloss]

Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micros, Gallo TR-1 Subwoofer, new Onkyo TX-SR607 + Change from £2K

www.anthonygallo.co.uk

Drop me a mail if of interest.

[Austin3000]

Plotloss said:

Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micros, Gallo TR-1 Subwoofer, new Onkyo TX-SR607 + Change from £2K

www.anthonygallo.co.uk

Drop me a mail if of interest.

I have been looking at the Anthony Gallo Micros and Kef 3005 but despite them been in the same price range I can find no comparison test.

How do they compare?

[BermyAndy]

Plotloss said:

Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micros, Gallo TR-1 Subwoofer, new Onkyo TX-SR607 + Change from £2K

www.anthonygallo.co.uk

Drop me a mail if of interest.

YHM!

A very rambling one though...!

[navier_stokes]

B&W do some very nice satellite speakers along with a mighty PV1 sub for around £1600.

[Plotloss]

Austin3000 said:

Plotloss said:

Anthony Gallo Nucleus Micros, Gallo TR-1 Subwoofer, new Onkyo TX-SR607 + Change from £2K

www.anthonygallo.co.uk

Drop me a mail if of interest.

I have been looking at the Anthony Gallo Micros and Kef 3005 but despite them been in the same price range I can find no comparison test.

How do they compare?

On outright performance, asthetics aside the 3005 just pip the Micro's, mainly due to the MASSIVE centre. If there is a wife/girlfriend in the mix then the Gallos take it all day long, they're fun, nice looking AND they perform very well whereas the Kefs are a bit more in your face.

The Gallo sub is better than the Kef item, I'm currently using a TR-1 sub and probably will continue to until my M&K 150 system arrives.

[Peter G]

I'd definitely suggest trying out the KEF KHT3005SE package at around £1000-1200.

http://www2.kef.com/GB/SurroundSound/KHT/3000

I heard them at the Bristol Hifi show last year and they really stuck in my mind as being the best I'd heard from a discrete system.

Powered by someting like a Pioneer VSX-1018AH, Onkyo TX-SR705, Yamaha or Denon also make competitors, all of which would be under your 2k budget.

[Vagabond]

I have 5 AG Micro Ti's for my home cinema setup, and listened to the Kef's in an audition room. There really is very little in it, if you want a more powerful centre get 4 Micro Ti's and an A'Diva Ti for the centre.

Look much nicer than the Kefs and can be plonked anywhere on their rubber ring stand, barely noticeable and you'll find yourself wondering how the hell such small speakers can produce such big sound.

Get a BK Gemini mk2 sub, or XLS200 if room is large, and you'll have an amazing and discrete system.

DO NOT get the AG or Kef subs, they are a rip off when BK Electronics manufacturer such incredible subs, the Gemini is tiny but outperforms the Kef or AG sub by a big margin http://www.bkelec.com/HiFi/Sub_Woofers/Gemini.htm

Edited by Vagabond on Wednesday 29th April 10:59

[headcase]

BermyAndy said:

Im drawn towards the Bose Acoustimass system as this is just speakers and amp only

Just to clarify, the bose Acoustimass system is just a speaker set, you need to supply a seperate 5.1 amp to power it, if you are going the bose route i would recommend a Lifestyle system over a V system due to incompatibility issues between the V system and a new Sky HD box.

Sony also do a nice little system with very small speakers and HDMI compatibility. (cant quite remember the model no though)

[sprouting]

take a look at the focal domes, a highly regarded descreet & stylish package

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/index.php?act=viewPro...

[Vagabond]

Those focal domes look really nice, there is another speaker company that makes cool looking speakers that sound good: http://www.podspeakers.com/Products/Micropod_SE.as...

They have a good range of different options.

Personally Id stick with Anthony Gallo given I know them and am very impressed with them. 4 Micro Ti's and an A'Diva Ti centre, combined with a BK Gemini or XLS200 subwoofer, but it wouldnt hurt to go and demo the Focals and Scandyna, I know scandyna have a few showrooms in London, so you could go and have a look.

[Austin3000]

Vagabond said:

Those focal domes look really nice, there is another speaker company that makes cool looking speakers that sound good: http://www.podspeakers.com/Products/Micropod_SE.as...

They have a good range of different options.

Personally Id stick with Anthony Gallo given I know them and am very impressed with them. 4 Micro Ti's and an A'Diva Ti centre, combined with a BK Gemini or XLS200 subwoofer, but it wouldnt hurt to go and demo the Focals and Scandyna, I know scandyna have a few showrooms in London, so you could go and have a look.

What is it about the Anthony Gallo sub that you didnt like? And what makes the BK subs better?

Are they just louder?

Don't suppose you know of any places that sell/demo AG stuff in or around the Leeds area do you?

[Sods Law]

SQ plus/Prestige in manchester used to have the AG speakers in their demo room, at their unit by the trafford centre not too far from leeds. im trying to decide whether to loose my Mission 702e for the gallo units.

I also have a spherical sub box 1cuft that will be joining them.

Dave

[bogie]

Gallos everytime for me - the Micros and Adivas really are worth the cash, partnered with a nice sub of course. Ive since moved house 18 months ago, and upgraded to Gallo Reference for my AV set-up (due to room size), but if I needed discreet again, Id not hesitate to go back.

[Vagabond]

Austin3000 said:

Vagabond said:

Those focal domes look really nice, there is another speaker company that makes cool looking speakers that sound good: http://www.podspeakers.com/Products/Micropod_SE.as...

They have a good range of different options.

Personally Id stick with Anthony Gallo given I know them and am very impressed with them. 4 Micro Ti's and an A'Diva Ti centre, combined with a BK Gemini or XLS200 subwoofer, but it wouldnt hurt to go and demo the Focals and Scandyna, I know scandyna have a few showrooms in London, so you could go and have a look.

What is it about the Anthony Gallo sub that you didnt like? And what makes the BK subs better?

Are they just louder?

Don't suppose you know of any places that sell/demo AG stuff in or around the Leeds area do you?

There's nothing really wrong with the AG sub, but BKelectonics are the company for subs, and for £200 you will get a sub that will outperform subs costing hundreds more.

They make them to order though, so 2-3 weeks waiting period.

The subs arent necesssarily louder, but will handle playing the lower frequencies at a louder volume without distorting due to the quality of parts being used. They are also very fast and precise which means they handle music very well and sound clear and crisp, not an easy accomplishment when trying to move a 10" driver.

Superb value for top quality workmanship, and combine beautifully with the precise nature of AG speakers.

If you check the Anthony Gallo website you can use their online facility to check suppliers near your postcode.