Speaker Options for Pioneer SC LX85

Welcome to the forum.

The MA Apex is the best pack of those you listed. We tend to match the Pioneer sound with Dali and the Fazon 3 with perhaps an upgraded sub if that doesnt push your budget. 

An alternative that we have been specifying with good results is the Paradigm Millenia package. These are priced with the MA Apex but work an absolute treat in home cinema.

Unless you have a great layot or a nice big room I would stick with better 5.1 now and move to 7.1 later. Two subs is another thing altogether and my adive is always one big sub rather than two small units.

My ones see sig, would be a great option, not sure if it fits your requirements though.  One for people to consider for the amp, my local shop currently has my setup with that amp, and it sounds killer!

Check my sig...
Took probably 50 plus hours to settle in but it's sounding excellent!

Thanks for all the suggestions.

The Klipsch although look nice, look very bulky speakers which I am not allowed...

The monitor Apex looks out of budget at the moment.

Have been looking at the Dali Fazon 3. What sub would you recommend to replace with its current E12F?

Also, has anyone used the KEF T305? I would like to know how they compare to the Dali Fazon 3.

Cheers

H

For anything than the Apex, the LX85 is a bit of an overkill, in the sense that you could've saved money by going for the LX75 & used the extra cash for better speakers. I believe in system synergy. The speakers & AV receiver should be demoed & bought together once you're happy with the sound, & not buying an AV receiver first & then deciding on speakers.

What's your budget for speakers & the sub? You must listen to the options with a proper demo & decide what's best to your ears. We all have different preference to sound & will suggest you according to our preference. Ultimately, it's you who has to live with it.

I was going to get the AV Receiver and speakers together (I was actually looking at getting the new lx76) but ended buying the SC LX85 as was getting a very good deal for it.

My budget for speaker is around £1900 absolute max.

I will get demonstrations done for the speakers, but just wanted to get a feel of the better products so I can tell the vendor which speakers I am more interested in.

Also, I have seen the B&W MT-60d... Any comments on these? This is really getting very confusing for me!!!

http://www.whathifi.com/review/bw-mt-60d

Should definitely be on your shortlist for demo. There are happy forum members with Pioneer / B&W MT series' combination.

Thnaks for all the advice. I have booked some demos for the Monitor Audio Apex and the  B&W MT-60D.

I just have one question that is confusing me. From what I have read and heard, more volume (in terms of enclosure) will make a speaker sound better. Is it then considering the Kef T305 speaker as they are much larger in size (though thinner) compared to the satellites like the B&W M1 and Monitor Audio Apex A10.

I was thinking in the lines of the Kef T301 speakers with a sub like the B&W PV1D.Let me know what you guys think of such a set-up (or if anyone has got it).

Cheers

Unless you really want something unobtrusive, I would always recommend speakers that are a little more conventional over ones that are flat. There are compromises with flat speakers regarding the drive units. The KEF T301 package is good for its size considering they are the thinnest speakers in the world, but there will always be compromises with speakers built to a design brief. Monitor Audio's Shadows are better in that they have more cabinet volume, and drive units haven't been 'flattened' so much. I would still recommend the likes of MA's Apex and B&W's MT packages over these 'flat' speakers. 

As far as subwoofers are concerned, B&W's PV1D is a good little sub, and will have its own built in EQ (which the Pioneer doesn't provide). KEF's R400b is of a similar design, with slightly larger drivers and a larger cabinet volume, so will reach deeper and shift more air. SVS's SB12 NSD is a good budget alternative, and if you're after depth, it's bigger brother, the PB12 NSD, is available for not too much more. This is a lot of sub for the money, but its size may be a deterrent for many. 

 Thanks for all the replies.

My next question is about speaker cables. I need speaker cables for the Kef R100's. 

Which cable would you recommend (cheaper the better). Also would a 4core cable and bi-wiring be better over a 2core cable and using the speaker plate be as good?

Larger speakers need a larger space to work well, the effiiciency and design of most modern speakers means small doesnt mean small sound - you will get a big sound from the apex.

There is something special about a larger driver used in the right way - however there is also a lot special about the precision of a smaller driver in a small room i.e. a normal living room - the sattelite sub speakers are designed for AV setups.

The LX83 and apex sounds seriously good together and there is not a lot in it between the lx83 and 85 so its a very good guaranteed match - I have 2 apex as rears and GX up front, my cousin has apex x 5 - they are great speakers for the money I have listened to them a lot at his house and they always impress

When it comes to cabling I reckon most people scrimp on the rears as they think its not important and the cost is higher as the run is generally a lot longer x 2.

Well I would say consider the future - its easy to change the fronts as the runs are generally shorter and easy to move but to change the rear cables after its all been run / hidden is much more of a mission / cost

So buy something half decent that you will be happy with for a long time - buy good buy once