Why are the towers more expensive? If the 5B is a better speaker?

I want to buy one of these two systems but not in a rush. 

What are the Pros and Cons in comparison? 

-How big is your room?

-What's your listening distance from the source material?

-What's your primary source? (movies? music?)

The 5B's are necessarily better...they're better described as "different."  To compare a bookshelf to a tower is very apple/orange.

If you're a movie lover, and don't listen to a lot of music, the 5B's are a great play, particularly mated with a great sub (that's what I did).  If you listen to a lot of music, towers are probably going to be your best bet.

All that said, none of these speakers are much of a slouch in any area.  I listen to music on my 5B's and it melts my ears.  A great speaker is simply that...a great speaker.

Answering those questions above will help people make recommendations, though.

Good luck, and welcome!

PJ - about what percentage movie to music listening do you do?  I currently have the 5Ts in a 5.1 system but due to various factors (living with a roommate, having neighbors,  etc.) I have found very little time to truly take advantage of their pure two-channel music capabilities, I would estimate currently using the system 85% for movies and TV and 15% for music.  I feel like downgrading to the 5Bs (with i29 stands) would not only save me $500, but would also retain the current performance capabilities on movies that I enjoy with the 5Ts.  From talking with the gurus and others on the forum, the difference in movie-playback performance between Aperion towers and bookshelves is negligible. Can you give any more info on the 5Bs' capabilities in music playback?  Not sure what else you might have to compare them to, but any info would be appreciated.

Only thing I'm torn about now is that I'm not sure the $500 in savings now will be worth it in the long run, considering my current living situation is not by any means permanent.  I love the 5Ts, they look and sound fantastic, would be really hard to box them up and send them back.  My trial isn't over until April 7th so I have until then to make the decision.  Will definitely be a tough one.

Also how do you like the i29 stands up front?  Sturdy and solid?  Did you fill them with any ballast?

I'm at about 85/15 as well.  Mostly movies.  Mine are mated to a 12D, so there's no issue with the low end.

Like you said, I don't really have anything to compare them to, but I'm very pleased with them.  I don't find them lacking at all.  And the stands are quality, too.  I didn't weight them down, but didn't really need to.  Not a lot of foot-traffic in my apt.

However, unless you really need the money, I'd keep the 5T's.  Yours, like mine, are intended to be a long-term investment in quality sound, so to have them now is a great play. I almost did the same thing, but realized that I'm going to want sound in multiple rooms when I buy a new house in a couple of years.  At that point, I'll move my 4 or 5Bs to the bedroom, and crank out a new set of 6Ts and a 6C for the living room, both of which would be a ridiculous level of overkill in my current place.

Hope that helps.

Hello Toby and welcome to the forum!  

The 4Ts have about 30 Hz more bass extension than the 5Bs and have a fuller sound through the mids since the surface area of two four inch woofers is larger than one 5.25 inch woofer.  So if you have a room that is medium sized and if you plan on listening to a good deal of music the 4Ts are definitely worth considering.  If your room is more on the small side and you plan on using the speakers for primarily movies the 5Bs work great. 

As for why they are more expensive, the 4T cabinet is about twice as big as the 5B in terms of volume.   So more wood both for the cabinet and the veneer, or more lacquer in the case of the high gloss black finish, makes our costs go up considerably. 
 

My room is 14x20.

Im about 10 feet from my TV (40in XBR)

 Mostly movies now but only because I dont have a stereo inside...prolly going to be 60/40 movies

Well 40% for music is a pretty good chunk in my opinion. 

You might think about the best of both worlds system:  4Ts, 5C, 4Bs and an 8D.
 

the more I watch movies, the more I should go with the 5B's?

 What If I watch movies 80/20 ? 5B Fusion? 

The Gurus are off on weekends, so I thought I would chime in on this.

I don't think it is really that the 5Bs are better for movies...It is that if you don't listen to music all that much, you will not be getting the extra sonic benefits that the 4T would give you. I believe it to be a bang for the buck so to speak. If you are not listening to music much, it would not be worth the extra cash, and you could move that cash into other areas of your AV setup, like a bigger sub!!!!

With that said, I have 4 5B, a 5C, and a 12D. Most of the music I listen to is concert DVDs. The 5Bs are no slouch when playing music. I have no regrets on my purchase. An added + is that the 5B was a better choice for WAF (not sure if that is a factor for you...Google it if you don't know what it is).

Remember that you have a 30 day in home trial, shipping included. Also, if you go with the 5B, you can always upgrade to the towers within a year of purchase for the price difference. However, you do pay shipping for both return speakers and new speakers, although Aperion can get you discounts on this. I would recommend that you get what you want upfront if you can, to avoid those extra costs.

Good luck on your decision. Regardless of what you choose, I know you will be happy with your Aperions!

Thanks Scottiemon, All input is appreciated.

What if I were to go with 5T and 4B's. Would they mesh well without a sub? Can the 5T's hold me over for a year with their bass.

My price range is 1,600 for speakers and I want the best I can get. 

I know Im all over the place but this seems a bit confusing. 

@Toby: Always go with the best option for your money early.  And many (including me) would recommend that you piece together your ideal system rather than settling for something you'll wish you had waited for.  Don't be afraid to start with a 2-channel setup, add a center, add a sub, and then add surrounds.  You can still get an enjoyable experience out of it.  Another added plus that many don't factor in, is that with upgrade-itis, which we all seem to get, by piecing your setup together over time, your "upgrading" is to fill your full system out.  It keeps that itch scratched over many more months.

@deuce1973: I have a 12D also.  It's a sick sub, especially for the size.  I have a 15x20 living room, and the sound that comes from it is massive.  One of the things I like about it most is that it isn't localized; if you place the sub correctly, you won't be able to tell where the bass is coming from...only that it's there.  I don't have a lot of things to compare it to sub-wise, but I've not needed to either.  This bad boy is great, and will continue to be excellent even if/when I ever move to a larger place.

Thanks PJ, Do you think if I get the 4B's they will mesh with the 5T's?

And will I be able to get by without the sub for a while? 

I will move the 4B's to the back placement(7.1) when I get the money for the 5B's and sub 

I think Ive settled on the 5T and 5C alone for now. 

I'll sleep on it tonight. 

Great advice PJ