SpinDoctor15

I went to the U.S. Air Force Academy with Jeremy, he was a Senior when I was a Freshman and we were in the same squadron. He "trained" us as Freshman, and although we were the underclassmen, he was always fair with us. He was a truly great person, and all of my classmates (as well as others in the squadron) looked up to him. When he died a couple years back, we were truly sad. I really wish people would think about someone other than themselves, that letter is no different than many opinions I've seen, time and time again... Freedom is never free, of course.

The pictures don't do it justice (taken on a small point-and-shoot digital camera in sub-optimal conditions), but you can get a feel for my setup: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=919825 I love my Pioneer Kuro plasma, the PDP-5080HD (it is the 2007 model, newer equivalent version is the 5020). I do a lot of gaming, and haven't had even a hint of image-retention (permanent version is called "burn-in"). I recommend plasmas to all of my friends who are in the market, in my opinion they provide the best and most realistic picture quality. LCDs have their advantages, and certainly outsell plasmas in the market, but I'm still not sold: refresh rates do not eliminate some ghosting issues, and they always look 2D to me. I think plasmas are more true-to-life. However, for the sake of argument: For Plasmas, my recommendation for a 50-60", in this order, and I wouldn't buy from any other manufacturer: 1. Pioneer 2. Panasonic 3. Samsung For LCDs (or even LEDs), based on my reading and research (on AVSForum.com and CNet.com in addition to other rando 'Net sites), in order: 1. Sony (the clear leader, although the most expensive!) 2. Samsung 3. LG or Vizio, they are getting better... in-fact, Vizio put out a very respectable, high picture-quality panel, but their user interface and connectivity options have been known to suffer Pioneer is going to be releasing a line of LCDs soon, so watch for that, they will be made with Sharp panels, but have Pioneer Kuro processing, yummy combo since I think most current Sharp LCDs are not good on their own. Ultimately, I would recommend looking for a Pioneer 5020 from a reputable dealer. I bought my Pio 5080 from InvisionDisplays.com in July 2007, the month it hit the market: I paid a full $1000 less than Best Buy price, paid no tax and no shipping, I picked it up at their local SoCal warehouse (company is in Seattle). I would recommend talking to the folks over on AVSForum.com, it's an excellent resource. Good luck with your choice!

I bought 2x 5-ft optical cables from Blue Jeans. Really top-notch quality and perfect for my application.

Anyone here have any experience with the Parts Express kits? A friend of mine recommended the Dayton 12" kit: http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-762 This might be an option for you, depending on what the "reviews" are on this sub kit...

Nah, I was busy on a business trip and didn't get access to the 'net again in time. I'll just keep looking for those 2.5s in Med. Oak. I don't really have the space to build my own center yet (800 sq. ft. 1-bedroom apartment). I'll keep all this info close-by though, for whenever we do get to a home. Thanks again.

Thanks for all the great detail on that STL! How about this product, the Klipsch IW-250? http://www.klipsch.com/products/discontinued/details/iw-250.aspx It looks like a 2.5 without a cabinet, since it's designed to be an in-wall speaker. If you built your own custom cabinet for application as a center speaker, would it be close to a 2.5 in terms of performance? The Klipsch website doesn't specify the stock number for the tweeter or woofers, but since it says 1" poly dome, I assume it's closest to the 2.5. The mounting plate and positioning of the speakers are a "dead ringer" for the looks of the 2.5. Let me know what you think!

Hi STL, The center looks great. I do have some remaining questions though: The crossover you used was designed for the KG 5.5, correct? If so, it was meant to drive the K-85 Tractrix and the 2x 10" woofers in a KG 5.5. Wouldn't using 4x 6.5" woofers with the same crossover alter the dynamics of the crossover's function? Do you find that the mid-range is boosted too much (or too little?). Did you consider calculating the optimal crossover setup and building (or having someone else build) a new board for your center?

Looks great! The placement looks really nice too. I don't know much about the electronics, etc. How did you learn about how to construct the speaker and what parts you needed: crossover, etc. Is the "Loudspeaker Design Cookbook" a good read?

As for playing the Wii on your plasma... After having done a TON of research, I've decided it's a thing of the past for Plasmas w/video gaming and people have holdover heartburn about the issue: I've been playing my 360 a lot on my 5080, and I haven't noticed even a hint of IR. I think Pioneer has done the best job attentuating this concern and the Kuros are leaps/bounds better than most other plasmas in my mind. I was pretty careful during a 100 hour break in period (the video freaks on AVS Forum recommend varying content and using reduced settings, I did not play XBox at all during this period), and it's worked out great. I play equal game time to the amount of time I watch DVDs or Over-the-air HD cable, so I think it's a pretty fair comparison. For games I primarily play: Halo CE/2/3, Ghost Recon: Advanced Warfighter, Rainbow Six: Vegas, Project Gotham Racing 3, and Marvel: Ultimate Alliance. The only ones I've been concerned about are PGR3 and Marvel: UA, since they have such distinct and bright HUDs and health meters, but it hasn't been a problem at all. I've even purposely tried to stare at the TV and get up close to the pixels, and there's no IR. I HIGHLY recommend leaving the "orbiter" function on all the time, as this is the mechanism that Pioneer claims reduces any chance of IR. You won't be able to see physically see anything happening, so there's no consequence in using it! These Pioneers are INCREDIBLE. Good luck! Jason

STL, Thanks for the replies! Do you have a link to a DIY guide for making your speaker, or even some photos? I assume I'd have to find a K-85 Tractrix and then which woofers did you use, the 6.5" ones from the KG 2.5 model? Also, what dimensions are your center? I am living in a one-bedroom apartment right now, so I don't have a ton of space, which is why a 2.5 might be good for the center... I'm planning on making a shelf to mount it on the wall above the TV, should work well there, here are some photos of my setup. Just taken with a point-and-shoot Canon (Powershot SD400):

Ok, that helps, you're right that specs often don't tell the whole story! I was under the impression that Klipsch never designed a dedicated center for the KG series, but after seeing the grill on my KG 2.5s, I noticed that they in-fact placed a support piece in the center of the long edge of the grill for a Klipsch logo badge, indicating to me that they did in-fact plan on some folks using these as center (or lay-down bookshelf speakers!) without having to stare at the Klipsch logo sideways. Since I don't have the space or the tools to build a custom center with a true K-85 tweeter (to match my KG 5.5s) I'll look for some 2.5s. Thanks for the inputs!

I'm kind of leaning that way, the 2.2s seem to sell for a bit cheaper than pairs of 2.5s... By the way, I saw the other thread that Juko started about the 2.2 and 2.5 differences, but it devolved into a discussion on the 3.5 and 4.5 models. Does anyone have any additional input about the 2.2 and 2.5 differences? Here's what I have so far: 2.2 vs 2.5 same tweeter different woofer (same size) different dome: phenolic dome vs. polymer dome (respectively) different manufacture dates: 1992+ vs. 1994+ (respectively) Thanks in advance!

I'm looking for another set of KGs for my center position, and I haven't been able to discern a clear difference between the KG 2.5s and the KG 2.2s, other than the facts that they were manufactured at different times and they have different woofers (2.5 has K-1019-S and 2.2 has K-1008-K). Are there any other differences that would make a significant dent in my system (2x KG 5.5 and 2x KG 2.5)? http://www.klipsch.com/products/discontinued/details/kg-2-5.aspx http://www.klipsch.com/products/discontinued/details/kg-2-2.aspx

You may have better luck in the "Garage Sale" section, good luck with your sale!

I have a Pioneer 5080, and it's nothing short of amazing. I did a TON of research on this television before I purchased it, and I'm really glad I chose this model. The 110FD should only be more impressive! I took some pictures of my setup with my KG 5.5 main speakers (KG 2.5 surrounds aren't visible in every pic). Here's the whole thread with lots more pictures! http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=919825