Val,

I have not heard the Athena's personally. I only know them by reputation and some reviews. However, all of the things I've read lead me to believe that they are a speaker that interest me.

You could get the bookshelf/bass module combo or you could get the $500 floorstanders for the front (these are the ones reviewed in Stereophile). Get the $500 floorstanders, the matching center and the small bookshelves for the rear and you are done! And inexpensively!!

About receivers: You could get a monster receiver and source and call it a day. If that is your plan, I really like the sound of the B&K receivers. There are some discounted units available now as new models are on the way. The B&K's are built like tanks, have a 5 year transferrable (I think) warranty and are made in the USA. Customer support is excellent!! These units are VERY IMPRESSIVE to look at and are probably the best sounding HT receivers available.

But, before you do that, read up on the new batch of "digital" HT receivers that have hit the market. There are some inexpensive (and small) units hitting the streets that are very good sonically and inexpensive. My guess is 5 years from now, there won't be any "analog" receivers around. The ability for these "digital" HT receivers to keep a digital signal in the digital domain all the way through the amplification chain is what allows these inexpensive units to sound so good.

As mentioned before, the Sony all-in-one has received excellent press on the AudioCircle and AudioAsylum web forums and so has the Panasonic SA-FX45 HT reciever ($300 street price). The new line of Sony ES reecivers are "digital" at the STR-D2000ES level and above.

BTW, there is a good post on the AudioAsylum forum with a review of a "modified" Panasonic SA-FX45 receiver, modified by Wayne at Boulder Cable Co., that was auditioned against some very high end seperates that cost over $5000. The $1000 ($300 plus $700 for the mods) Panasonic won....easily!!

Anyway, do some homework and HAVE FUN!!!.

Enjoy,

TIC

reubent January 26, 2004 13:36

Val,

I don't particularly like Sony, however, this ES unit IS special and it is inexpensive. It also carries a 5 year warranty!! Personally, I did not like the Denon AVR-3300 that I owned and the Pioneer (top of the line consumer version xxx-x850) that I owned was really bad. Additionally, there are WAY TOO MANY B-Stock Pioneers on the market (even including Elite Series) for me to think they are reliable.

FYI, I am a 2-channel guy owning SET tube amps and very high end speakers and source components. For me, HT is secondary, but I do like nice stuff. Here is a list of HT recievers that I have owned, in order (yes, I realize I've owned the same model multiple times)

Sony STR-DB930 (nice, but is there something better?)
Denon AVR-3300 (Impossible remote, sounds no better than Sony)
Sony STR-DB930 (back to one I like)
B&K AVR-202 (on sale, go for it- Yuck, hate the user interface, but sounds good)
Pioneer VXS-D850S (P.O.S., nuff said)
B&K AVR-202m (price lowered to $950 new! tried it again, still hate the user interface)
Sony DA4ES (this is more like it! Sounds good, very easy to use. Best pro-logic yet for broadcast TV)

So, back to your question: Personal experience with Denon and Pioneer was not great. The Pioneer was especially bad and I don't like the user interface/ergonomics of Denon HT Receivers. I have a good friend that sells Klipsch and he even speaks badly about them. I would seriously look at the Athena for an inexpensive speaker with highish effeciency. They got a great review in Stereophile a couple of years ago.

My $.02 worth.

TIC

reubent January 25, 2004 16:41

Zoya,

Good point! Additionally, don't try to save precious floor space by mounting speakers on the wall.

TIC

reubent January 25, 2004 15:24

Well, if you are serious about reducing your investment, go no further than the Sony AVD-S50ES or AVD-S70ES All-in-ones. These are all-in-one units that have 5.1 channel DIGITAL amplifiers and include a SACD/CD/DVD player (the 70 is a 5 disc changer).

These units have received much praise for their great sound and many people have commented that they out perform some much more expensive separates that they PREVIOUSLY owned.

Do a search of the AudioAsylum or AudioCircle websites for some excellent information. And don't discount these because they are Sony or because they are all-in-ones. The digital amplifier technology used in these is VERY SIMILAR to some VERY EXPENSIVE audiophile brands.

Panasonic also makes a couple of HT receivers built around a similar digital amplifier technology. I think they are FX-25 and FX-45. Great reviews on these units too. They are "dirty cheap" but are often compared with much more expensive units.

If you feel compelled to spend more money, look at the new Sony ES "Digital" receivers. They sound great and they have great ergonomics, unlike some of the other receivers out there. Also, the B&K HT receivers sound great, but the ergonomics are a bit lacking IMHO.

For speakers, you might want to consider a "direct" brand like Axiom or Ascend. They get much praise and the price is pretty good. I know the Axioms are pretty easy to drive, so no problem with having enough power. I would also look at Athena as all of their speakers are easy to drive. AudioAdvisor sells the Athena line and often has good prices and they have a "no question" 30 day return policy. How can you go wrong.

Enjoy,

TIC

reubent January 25, 2004 14:19