Welcome to BigScreenBiz.com

Just wondering what people thought the best cinema speakers are? We have always used JBL but some people are saying Klipsch and Electro Voice are also pretty good. Has anybody had any erperiences/ thoughts?

These are ALL good BRANDS, but there are also others, and they ALL make several models... You need to select your speakers to meet YOUR requirements for frequency range, efficiency, power handling, and accousical conditions... There are too many variables to give a "one fits all" answer...

I have used EV, Jbl and Klpsch. The best customer service and qualty come from Klipsch. Also Kipsch is well kown as as an upscale speaker giving you brand recognition if you advertise the name. If you go to Showwest visit Chuck Mulhearn or Mike Thompson at the Klpsch booth-you will not be disappointed.

The Cown IQ system? Do you know anything about that? Is it worthwile spending the extra money?

Try the EASE software

I make my own. 3/4" MDF and a lot of math. Being handy with a saw and knowing some basics, like speaker cabinets need to be air tight and you need to calculate the size of the vent is really important. Know the advantages and disadvantages of various designs and configurations will help you contour them to the room. Imitating a cabinet that works for you has severed me well. It runs about a third of what you’d pay used. Now, I made a lot of crap before I got it right. But if you have the time and a bit of an ear, you can save a lot of money. Now I will don my asbestos suit for the flaming sure to come from those convinced I’m an idiot and my auds sound like a grill speaker in a ’65 Ford...

Yeah AV, I too built my system... Been buildig 'em since the mono Hi-Fi days of the early 1950s... Takes a special kind of crazy, who's into do-it-yourself to enjoy doing this sort of stuff, but IF you do, there are excellent components available at very reasonable cost... Today's small auditoriums make it much easier to meet the specs for efficiency and power handling... 'Long as you build 'em to meet or exceed the specs, there's no reason you won't end up with a great sounding system...

Just a couple of points
home built speakers often do not have the hi freq coverage of the large format propratary constant coverage horns do nor do the drivers of off brands have the correct loading when coupled to them
Ease is expensive (we a copy of it) and if one uses it they will tend to stay with speackers that it has database support for
SPL, coverage patterns and polar response are important items to use and work with

I have a prefernece for the JBL large format speakers and the Altec A6/Mantray combo
The newer direct raditor klipsh are OK but the older horn stuff is tuby sounding and poorly EQ'ed
KCS Krix and EAW and Martin Audio are better alternates

[This message has been edited by Gordon McLeod (edited February 22, 2006).]

I don't care for JBLs, too muffly-bad crossovers. The Klipsch and EV are always great. A beautiful sounding small speaker is the EV SX-300. I used this for many applications (including and outside of theatre) and it is a great sounding speaker with nice crisp highs. Granted it doesn't have a monsterous low end with only a 12" woofer. But it is very clear and accurate. They make a great all around speaker for fronts and surrounds. All you add is a sub. They are arrayable too.

JG