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All of the above are good, but don't forget some great sequels - add Mission Impossible 2 and Blade 2 to the list!

IF you can find a B-stock item (and that's a big if - they go fast!), then buy it. I bought a B-stock 25-31PCi (during the summer sale last year), and it was indistinguishable from new. Totally happy with my purchase! Be warned, though, that some of the SVS B-stocks are in very high demand, with people checking repeatedly through the day to see when these get posted. Best of luck!!

Personally, I can't wait for Episode II. I saw it in the theatre, and thought the action/storyline was better than Episode I. The only problem I had is that I watched Episode I the night before, and my SVS sub had the couch vibrating. Then I went to the theatre, and was totally disappointed that there was no LFE! DVD sound should be MUCH better than in theatre....if only SVS would come out with some cannons designed for theatres!

Trader - sounds like maybe you're not sold on the 4:3 set yet afterall (?) If you do go widescreen, make sure to CAREFULLY check out the fill modes on each. I think that my Toshiba has one of the best pictures available, but honestly, the fill mode is what really sets it apart. Most sets have a variable distortion mode that preserves the aspect ratio in the center of the screen, and widens it towards the edges (as discussed above). Toshiba does it MUCH better than any other manufacturer. My friend has an Hitachi unit, and we both agree that Toshiba's fill mode is much better. And if you're thinking that you'll be watching DVDs and such only 10% of the time, this is critical!!! I'll admit that I had underestimated this when purchasing my set, but luckily I happened to choose the best anyway!

Sounds like you already made up your mind! Opinions on this will be divided for many years to come - great picture quality is the big issue, and screen format is really secondary. Best of luck with your upcoming 4:3 set purchase.

I went through this same thing at the start of the year. Plasma is very cool, but in addition to price, there are still some technical issues to be worked out to prevent burn-in problems and the like. Regarding widescreen vs full screen, it's strictly a personal preference, and 4:3 MAY be the way to go for you. For reference, however, I'm now using my widescreen Toshiba for DVDs about 30% of the time (more than I had anticipated), and I think we're seeing more widescreen sales because widescreen home theatre is where your system will shine best. Plus, this being a significant investment, definitely consider likely viewing habits even beyond 2006 (which is barely three years off). Lastly, I'd like to add that Toshiba currently has the best expanded viewing modes. I was EXTREMELY concerned about spending a lot of money only to be forced to watch distorted images most of the time. Toshiba's fill mode is excellent, and I rarely notice it during network TV viewing, so it's really the best of both world's. Best of luck with your decision!

You don't mention much about your receiver - assuming that you are using these for surrounds, is your receiver rated for 100 watts to all speakers?? (Rating to surrounds is sometimes less) If so, and if you were to turn up your receiver, you would damage the SS-.5's. The SS-1's would match the power output (100 watts) of the receiver, and thus could handle anything that the receiver put out. So, it's really up to you, and how careful you'd be with the volume.

If you're serious, get your order in now. The PC+'s will probably start shipping next week (but there's a line of orders ahead of you). Unless you have unusual needs (pipe organ music listener or something), the 20-39 should more than satisfy you. Can't go wrong here!

Unless you have a really long run, you shouldn't need to spend $100 to get decent quality component cables. Try Acoustic Research's Pro Series. I bought mine through accessories4less.com - $34 to $45, depending on length.

I second the vote for a SVS 25-31PCi. Smallest. most portable, and least expensive sub they offer (amplified), but still offers plenty of punch. You won't be disappointed! If you want to save even more, keep a close eye on the SVS B-stock listings - they tend to go quickly, but if you're perserverent (and lucky) you may find one. I did! Also keep in mind that the SVS summer sale prices will not be around much longer (ends sometime in mid-September, I think), so it may cost you to wait past then....good luck!

Although I don't have experience with the LF-10, I do own a SVS 25-31PCi, and man, this can get PLENTY loud without bottoming out. I would recommend the PCi over the separate amp and SVS sub option - for the prices you mentioned, there's not much difference, and there is some value to getting an amp matched to the equipment and not have to worry about compatibility/filtering/etc. PCi amp is amazing! Plus, if you order the new SVS PCi, you can do a risk-free comparison test at home, and then either return the SVS or sell the LF-10 on Ebay. Best of luck!

By the way, what set did you finally settle on???

cdsang - also don't forget that you'll probably want a sub for best HT listening experience, and this adds significantly to cost. While my ultimate goal is to maybe update to the Reference series (or whatever the equivalent is in 10 years or so), like Tripod, I don't feel that I'm missing that much for the budget difference. I love my Synergy system sound. Also, for what it's worth, I picked up my Synergy series set (SF-2's, SC-1 and SS-1's) for about $925 (new, delivered, and with receipt from authorized dealer!), which left me enough to go after a good sub (SVS).

I almost bought from them, as they do have great prices. They have a storefront in upstate New York, and I called them to place an order and arrange a time for pick-up (I live nearby, and wanted to save on the shipping costs). They told me that if I picked up the speakers, they would be forced to charge me more because I was using their store instead of the website. What a crock! With the shipping charges, it was no longer quite as good of a deal, and I went elsewhere for my purchase. That said, I appear to be in the minority - Yahoo rates them extremely well, and except for my pick-up request, they appear to be a respectable outfit. You probably realize that they are not an authorized dealer, so warranty issue is questionable, but this is a whole 'nother topic. Best of luck!

Viewing distance and size is a concern, but I think that the 1:3 rule is a little too restrictive. For my money, 53" or smaller works well at 12' distance. 50" or smaller is good for 10 to 11 ft distance. I have a 50", about 11 feet from prime viewing areas, and I'm glad that I didn't settle for the 42" unit that I first looked at. That said, $2000 can buy you a very good set in the 50" range. I recommend visiting local stores to compare brands and models (although this is tough due to store setings on models), and once you settle on a specific brand and model, then turn to the web. Go to the Google search engine site, do a search for your model number, then take a little time and check out the online stores offering prices (make sure to check shipping prices too!). You can then buy online, or print out the lowest offers and try some local stores to see if they'll price match. I did this, and got Sears to take $400 off their "sale" price for a Toshiba 50" widescreen.

The reference series is supposed to be a step up from the Synergy series. I have SF-2's, and love the sound, which makes me wonder how much better the RF's can be. My guess is that the RF-3's are probably comparable to the SF-2's (if not marginally better), and you have to climb the RF series ladder to get the next big jump. Bottom line, if you like the SF-2 sound and you can pickup that Reference set on Ebay at a decent price, then do it. It's already discounted as used equipment, and you should be able to sell it years down the road for around the same price that you paid for it, so there's really little risk. Note that this set does not include a sub.

Also - Alison Krauss. Her stuff on the "O Brother Where Art Thou" soundtrack sounds absolutely superb. Anyone have any recommendations on Krauss CD's?

OK - here's a question for you DVD-a experts. I just purchased Natalie Merchant Tigerlily on DVD-a, because this was one of my favorite CD's. My existing DVD-player does not have 6-channel output, so I listened to it in Dolby Digital format, and simultaneously played the CD so that I could toggle back and forth to compare sound. To my surprise, I like the 2-channel CD sound better - much clearer. So - is the 2-channel sound better because I'm playing the dvd-a in DD5.1 format (not true dvd-a), or is it just this dvd-a (I've read marginal reviews on this one), or is it that my mains (SF-2's) are that much better than the rest of my system (SS-1's and SC-1) for music? I am looking to ultimately upgrade to a DVD player that can handle dvd-a, but I don't want to invest the $$ if it doesn't sound ALOT better than what I'm hearing now.

Just watched this last night - highly recommended to anyone into dramas! Great story, plot and acting (I think Denzel Washington was better here than in Training Day). Also (this is the Klipsch forum) sound was particularly good on this DVD - sharp, and great use of all speakers - won't blow you away like an action movie, but great nonetheless. Just my two cents.....

I have long been a fan of Sarah McLachlan. My other favorites of this genre are Natalie Merchant - Tigerlily, and Indigo Girls - Retrospective ("Closer to Fine" has clearest guitar sound of any CD/song I own). But I also am looking for other good recommendations. I've seen alot of talk on Diana Krall, but have yet to take the plunge - any recommendations on best Krall CD (or DVD) similar to music of the above artists?

SKOW - excellent choice! Now the next problem you'll have is searching out all those DVD's with the best house-shaking LFE (Haunting is the best, imho, with U571, Saving Private Ryan, and Star Wars Episode I all close behind). Also - where does one find these SVS-loving wives that you all seem to have? My wife is semi-tolerant, at best, of both the water-heater look and the couch-vibrating bass.

The other issue to consider is whether or not you need an amplifier. The CS lines require an external amplifier - fine if you have one, but an added expense if you don't. The PCi (and soon-to-be-released PC+) have built-in amps, and they're beauties! For my money, the PCi line is the best bang for the buck. The PC+ will have an even better driver (at higher cost), but the PCi (driver for which is already an upgrade over the old PC line) is no slouch. As already stated, you really can't go wrong with any SVS sub, and the summer sale prices are great! (Disclaimer - I own the "baby" SVS 25-31PCi, and I love it! No regrets at all...U-571 depth charges put a smile on my face every time I hear 'em!)

One more vote for getting a separate center channel. I tried the same thing after purchasing a new Toshiba widescreen model - Toshiba built-in speakers are actually quite good for television speakers, and it is wired for use as a center. But it took me all of ten seconds in a comparison test to throw that idea right out the window. Buy/find/steal a matching center!

Some people might use a surround speaker as a main as a way to save money (so they don't have to buy a center), but in most cases, they are probably sacrificing some quality in doing so. In your case, I assume that you already have one SC1 and would have to buy another. There would be a similar sacrifice in quality in using two centers for mains, and if you need to spend money to do it, is it really worth it? My guess is that your money would be better spent in buying true mains.

Augie - I think you did quite well for the money. KSW12 was definitely worth the extra money, and the SC1 is a good center (maybe the most critical piece in the HT setup). Don't beat yourself up over the surrounds - SS1's are better, but also cost more, and I think you'll be pleased with the SS.5 results. Also, if you do get the bug to upgrade further, you can always buy the SF2's and/or SS1's down the road without having to replace everything else. Congrats and enjoy!