Is it very important to have matching speakers? Will old speakers sound out of place in a HT system? Should they be left for stereo play back only? Any thoughts?

Hello Tann,

If you're on a budget, you could certainly relegate the old speakers to surround-channel duties. Depending on how tonally coloured they are, you may notice the differences in coloration between your main speakers and the surrounds on some material.

Working in your favour is the fact that our ears are remarkably accommodating to a speaker's tonal "character" and after listening for a few days, many enthusiasts come to accept the sound of their speakers--even though they may be fairly awful--as their "reference." Only in a careful, instantaneous comparison (preferably "blind") will the older speaker's flaws become cruelly apparent. Then again, it may have been a fairly neutral speaker. No harm in trying them out in surround roles until you're ready to upgrade.

Regards,

I would guess that your definition of "old" should be clarified. If you mean your present speakers which are due for replacement - they can be utilized as your budget dictates. If your definition is more towards relics or antiques, they probably would be difficult to properly integrate sonically with modern speakers.

You mention leaving "them" for inclusion in an audio system. This again would assume you place little value on reproduction of music. If they are not good enough for HT applications, they would be even less desirable for music applications.