frumper15 wrote:If you are more about movies than music I would strongly recommend you find a center channel that you like and get the bookshelves that at least match the tweeters. A common strategy is good bookshelves then good center, then good mains and the bookshelves move to the back. A decent subwoofer shouldn't be left out for movies either. I am a little confused by the >$500 receiver and a $200 speaker budget, though.
Yes. For movies (or just about anything non-music) the center channel is the most important speaker.
$200 for decent left, right and center channel speakers is going to be tough to do. Monoprice has some cheap, half decent speakers for the money, but shipping, especially to Canada, kills the value.
I recommend that you hit the websites of your local box stores and wait for sales or see what you can price match. As long as you go with a brand like Klipsch, Energy, Polk, Boston Acoustics and such, you shouldn't be disappointed for the price you're paying.
For example, at Best Buy Canada, the
Klipsch Synergy bookshelves (though the smaller ones with 5.25 woofers) are on sale for $149 per pair until the end of the day. The
matching center channel is on sale too, for $129, $280 for all three. The caveat with this center is that the woofers are smaller than in the bookshelves (4" vs 5.25"). Over the $200 budget, but decent value for 3 front speakers. If you can afford a bit more for all 3, then upgrading to the
Klipsch F-10 tower speakers for left and rights would probably be worth it, on sale for $170 each, bringing the total to $470 for all 3 speakers. But then you'd have a relatively under performing center channel as the C-10 only has 4" woofers - which, as stated, is not ideal for a movie-centric system.
If you really need to go less than $200 for all three, you could try the precision acoustics, also on sale at Bestbuy Canada.
Center and
bookshelves for $160, but I don't know if I'd trust precision acoustics personally.
II suggest that you decide if you really want to replace all 3 front speakers (ideal) or just the left and right at this time. If all three, allocate about half of the budget to the center speaker and the other half to the left and rights. For example, at Futureshop, you have the Energy Veritas minis currently on sale.
The center is on for $199 and the
matching bookshelves are $250 for the pair - $450 for all 3. A bit pricey given your budget, but at all speakers match, at the slightly larger woofers in the Energy vs the Klipsch above should give you better frequency range across the front (and provide a better match with your subwoofer)