I've found a couple of speakers that I need your advice on.

Anybody know how good the "Merak-MC634" center speaker is? It has 2x6.5" & 1x.75".
Is $50(US) too much?
I really had my heart set on the Axiom VP150 but it's just out of my price range.

There's also another Merak center with 2x5.25" & 1x1" (no model number) @$23(US)?

I can't afford too much right now, that's why I'm looking at the Merak's (at least they're made by Axiom!).
Any other "affordable" center speaker advice?

I've heard very good things about the Merak MC6 center channel. For 50$ US it's probably well worth it.

Can you listen to it before buying it?

No, I can't listen to it. It's in Arizona, I'm in Ontario, Canada. Shipping would probably be a fortune for it as well.

yes, it might be expensive.

duties would be 7%, if applied, as well.

Yes, I can offer you advice on the most "affordable" center speaker of them all: none. In your previous posts you've pointed out that you'll be primarily confined to your bedroom and that your budget is very tight. In those circumstances it appears that you'll probably be listening in the "sweet spot" midway between the mains and that the "phantom" center speaker created there should sound very good. Try it at least temporarily and spend your money on other components at this time.

I had one of those and it was OK. If you can find a Merak MC6H center channel speaker, my advice is GRAB IT!! The MC6H uses the same large trapezoidal anti standing wave shaped cabinet as the one you're considering and uses the same pair of 6.5" drivers. The difference is in the tweeter. The MC6H uses a great big 7" x 3" horn tweeter.

It is sensational. Great for music and for home theater.

I also have a Klipsch KLF-C7 center, which I use in my big HT system. The Klipsch is a great big refrigerator sized and expensive speaker with a pair of 8" drivers and an enormous horn tweeter. It looks like a Merak on growth hormone without the trap shaped cabinet. The Merak doesn't give up much to the Klipsch!!!

As an experiment I picked up a Radio Shack super tweeter (up to 40KHz supposedly). I'm sure I can't hear much over 15KHz but they say the ultrasonic output adds harmonics down where you can hear. I dunno. All I know is that without the RS super tweeter the Merak sounds great and with it, it sounds even better.

Now I guess I should say a word about the system I use the with the Merak - 4 M22 type gorgeous Michaura M55 speakers, Merak center, RS Super Tweeter, Dahlquist PDQ15 15" sub, Sony STRDB 1070 receiver, Onkyo M282 2 channel amp for front left and right channels (second M282 on its way, don't know if I'll use it for side surrounds or for the Merak center and some as yet to be determined back surround), Toshiba SD9200 DVD Audio. DVD Audio puts out music info in the ultrasonic range. Sounds absolutely wonderful.

I used to have an Infinity CC3 center speaker (expensive) which the Merak just blows away.

Merak MC6H, embarrassingly excellent, downright cheap. check Ebay, can be found for ~$50.00.

Hey 2x6spds - thanks for the info!
Did you know that for the price of your total system I could buy a house in my small town?
Seriously though, I really do appreciate everybody's input. I'm so new to all this that I don't even know which make or type of wires/connectors to buy to hook all this stuff up.
Oh well, I won't learn if I don't ask (several times probably).
Again, thanks everybody!

Ah 1pha, it only appears expensive. Although the Michaura towers were supposed to sell for something like $1000 a pair, they could be found on uBid for $100 each plus shipping. The M55s went for about $19-39 each. (Loved them so kept coming back for more). The M66s I got from ebay for about $250 a pair. The Onkyo M282 amps were going for under $140 on uBid.

Anyone can buy a great system by throwing a lot of money at the problem. The trick is finding really great stuff for a reasonable amount. That is why Axiom is so wonderful, their speakers are giant killers, getting you 90+% of the wonderfulness of multi thousand dollars speakers but at a very reasonable price point.

Here's an example of some great recent finds - picked up a pair of vintage mint condition Pioneer silver face receivers (SX850 and SX727) for $200 for the pair. Stumbled on a pair of Dahlquist M905 speakers for $50 (real Dahlquists from the 70s/80s, MSRP new was $850 in 1975 dollars!) In some ways, this garage system (SX850 + M905s) is one of the best systems in the house - overqualified for car washing music.

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