This is my first serious attempt at making a serious AV system (my previous ones were 5.1 computer speakers rigged to a game system). I started researching/saving in June 2008. Originally I was going to just get some B&W 686s with a Marantz SR8500. Eventually I gave into temptation and decided to go with some bigger speakers. In August 2009 I bought some B&W 685s a Marantz SR8002.
The Kuro was more or less a happy accident/after thought as I was in need of a good TV at the time but never thought I could get a Pioneer. However after seeing the price drop for 500ms I almost got one. Unfortunately I pulled the trigger too late as I was about to buy about a week after prices jumped. A month later I spotted a 500m on Craigslist and jumped on the chance.
I still have some things I need to change. Next year might see some B&W CM7s. I also need a good blu-ray player that isn't a Playstation 3. But all things considered I'm pretty pleased with the setup I have.
If you're thinking about a floorstanding speaker then be sure to check out the Quad 21L2 - it sounds much like the sweet-sounding B&W CM5 (bookshelf) but with more bottom end punch, higher build quality and with greater clarity. The Quad's are an easy electrical load for an amp so you could use them to great effect with a tube amplifier as well further down the road. They cost substantially less than the B&W's do too.
Hi Jkokeshmr2, I used to own an inexpensive pair of B&W monitors & had a lot of fun playing with 'em. I bet your Marantz/B&W combo sounds great. One thing you forgot to add to your wishlist (above) is speaker stands; they can make a huge difference. This is because less vibrational energy will be absorbed by your table and more will be propagated into the air. A good stand will help with the audible ringing or resonance caused at certain frequencies by the table's dimensions & it's construction. You'll end up with more bass because it won't get cancelled out by inefficient coupling to the stand and/or to the floor.
I'm not sure exactly how much you know about setup so please forgive me if you already know the following:
Everything object in the universe has a frequency at which it resonates (or rings) - even great expensive lead shot/sand filled hi-fi speaker stands to some degree - but not everything resonates within the audible spectrum. Once you eliminate the ringing you'll be able to listen longer before fatigue sets in and makes you want to turn your stereo off and do something else. That applies to all components and racks as well as tweeter domes, woofer cones, furniture, etc.
In the mean time you could optimize what you have by placing the speakers flush against the inside corners (the corners of the table closest to you when seated) as well as using a computer mousepad under the speakers to isolate them from the table.
Here is a simplified procedure I use to setup my speakers, though there are many other good methods you could use, mine will get you 90% of the way there in a very short period of time:
Assuming your room is a simple rectangle shape, measure the length of the room from front to back & divide that number by three. So, for example, if your room is 15 feet 3 inches from the wall behind your sofa to the wall your tv is up against then you'll get a measurement that is 5 feet 1 inch.
Next, take your tape measure and some masking tape and measure out (example 5' 1") from the front wall - that's the wall behind your speakers & tv - on each side and put a small piece of tape next to the baseboard on the carpet. Run a long piece of tape to connect the two small tape pieces together all the way from the left side of the room to the right side. After that move the speakers up to this line (and about as far apart from each other as they are in the photos) so that the tweeters are precisely (ex. 5' 1") from the wall behind them. Your speakers are now at the 1/3 point from the front wall.
Next, take your measuring tape and measure out (ex. 5' 1") from the center of the back wall (i.e. the wall behind your sofa or listening position) and put a piece of tape on the floor. Next measure how far your ears are from the back of the sofa (probably about 10" judging from the photo) and subtract this distance from the (5' 1") measurement e.g. 61" - 10" = 51" or 4' 3". Put a piece of tape at 4' 3" away from the back wall on the floor and drag your sofa so that the back edge (& your ears) lines up with the tape. Check this by sitting in the listening position and measuring 4' 3" from the center of either ear to the back wall & make any fine adjustments. Your ears are now at the 1/3 from the back wall.
The whole procedure should take you about 10 or 15 minutes and after you get comfortable with this method it'll only take you about 5 minutes.
Put on something with low bass (I use the song "Regular Pleasures" by Patricia Barber from her album "Verse" because it absolutely POUNDS - buy it!) after setting your receiver's bass & treble controls to center, loudness button off, surround sound off, bass management off, equalization off, subwoofer disconnected &/or off, etc., etc. - just simple stereo only.
If you did it right (and your room is acoustically symmetrical) then you'll be hearing bass that sounds impossibly deep from a bookshelf monitor & wondering (if you have one) if you left your subwoofer on.
The final step is just to move your tv as close to the front wall as possible and then "toe in" or angle your B&W's so that each tweeter is pointing directly at the center of the wall behind you.
After you're finished it's time to listen to music. What you're listening for are the images (like a female jazz vocalist for example) that seem to originate from your front wall or tv screen in your case. This should be quite distinct & easy to hear. Listen and get used to the sound at these locations. The closer the speakers are to the side walls the warmer the sound & the closer the speakers are together the more articulate. The more you toe in (up to pointing directly at you the crisper or sharper the center image and trebly the sound becomes and transversely the less you toe in the more diffuse & softer the sound will be. You should try to strike a balance between all of these characteristics.
Most importantly have fun and order some decent 24" tall stands. Good stands (for your particular situation) are 24" - 26" tall, employing steel construction are sand-fillable and have longer carpet spikes. Make sure you aren't ruining a gorgeous hardwood subfloor before spiking! Some examples would be Lovan Affiniti 2's, anything by Solidsteel or the Pangea Audio DS03 to name a few.
