Upgrades to Monitor 60 (Erstwhile TSi)

[navinmra]

Hi all -
I've been holding onto these Monitor 60 floorstanders complemented by the big size CS2 center and Monitor 30 bookshelves for the rear. They've faithfully served me for 7 years through 3 different media room configurations as I renovated them and moved places.

With every media room reconfiguration, I have learnt more about their characteristics and am at a point where I feel I have extracted maximum sonic value from them and want to upgrade. Here are my key considerations:

1. Budget of say Rs 1L for the 5 speaker setup
   
2. 90% of my listening is music (Largely concert videos and CDs and a collection of LPs played through a Project turntable.
3. I occasionally watch movies and TV with the projector setup; I look for voice and dialog clarity on news and presence especially on HD sports channels
4. The polks suffer in the mid range and treble department - I want the upgrade to address this
5. Their off axis performance is terrible and that requires significant toe-in. I want to address that as well
6. My current media room has anutone acoustic treatment for the ceiling and around the projection screen - this has helped improve the on axis performance of the floorstanders. Ambient noise at night is around 30dB; which is when I have my most listening.
7. I liked the Paradigm Monitor and the PSB Alpha for their neutral sound during separate auditions.
8. I did not quite like the B&Ws, Mordaunt Shorts and the Tannoys. Too muted for my liking
9. I am going to drive the setup with my Denon 2113 which is a recent upgrade to the 2106

Now, I will be really grateful if you can suggest options based on the above preferences.

 

[reignofchaos]

If you are going to listen to music, why do you care about 5.1? Get a pair of stereo speakers.

It is best to leave HT out of a music listening system else you'll get a jack of all trades and master of none.

In your 1 lac budget, buy a pair of speakers, an integrated amp and a dac/cd player.

 

[iaudio]

navinmra,

Since you say you enjoy a lot of concert DVD's, 5.1 seems to be required. But like reignofchaos stated above, I would urge you to look at stereo. For INR100,000 I am not sure you would get speaker package that is a significant upgrade to your existing system. It would be better to focus on front speakers alone. Or front speakers and a centre channel if you are keen on 5.1.

 

[navinmra]

navinmra,

Since you say you enjoy a lot of concert DVD's, 5.1 seems to be required. But like reignofchaos stated above, I would urge you to look at stereo. For INR100,000 I am not sure you would get speaker package that is a significant upgrade to your existing system. It would be better to focus on front speakers alone. Or front speakers and a centre channel if you are keen on 5.1.

Thanks reignofchaos and iaudio. If I just upgrade the fronts alone, timbre difference with the center speaker is an issue (only for 5.1 concert DVDs and BDs though) Any idea how bad it gets?

 

[iaudio]

navinmra,

Since you say you enjoy a lot of concert DVD's, 5.1 seems to be required. But like reignofchaos stated above, I would urge you to look at stereo. For INR100,000 I am not sure you would get speaker package that is a significant upgrade to your existing system. It would be better to focus on front speakers alone. Or front speakers and a centre channel if you are keen on 5.1.

navinmra, That is what I mentioned in the last sentence. If you are keen on having a 5.1 set up, spend the 1 lac on upgrading the fronts and centre alone. Subwoofer and Rear surrounds can come in later.

 

[navinmra]

Makes sense iaudio...

 

[iaudio]

For example and just for example, look at monitor audio rx 6 with matching centre or psb image t5 with centre. Since it's a speaker package with sub, floorstanders are not really needed. You can use the money to get a better pair of bookshelves and subwoofer. IMHO, centre and sub make the major difference in 5.1 set ups.