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Super_Geo
10-26-2016, 11:37 AM
Hey guys,
Moved into a new place, looking to get recommendations on a good 2 channel HiFi setup.

The building I'm in is brick and has great sound insulation, and the room the speakers are going into is open concept and about 900sqft.

Looking for recommendations on a good 2 speaker and amp setup.

When I was living abroad, I had a Marantz PM6005 + Tannoy DC6 bookshelf speakers and loved it. Had to ditch the Marantz amp as it was 220V when I moved back, still have the Tannoys but they're not big enough for the room.

What would you guys recommend for a setup? Floor standing or bookshelf for the speakers, and I never plan on getting surround sound so will just try to get the best 2 channel amp I can for a good price.

Total budget is flexible, but thinking of keeping it between 2-3k all-in. Will mostly be used for music (nothing too bass heavy) and some TV.

msommers
10-26-2016, 11:57 AM
I'll come back later but overall I would strongly suggest used. Check Canuck Audio Mart

Is your music digital/streaming or CD/vinyl?

Super_Geo
10-26-2016, 12:01 PM
Will be almost all digital/streaming.


Originally posted by msommers
Check Canuck Audio Mart

Holy shit this site is amazing!

Mitsu3000gt
10-26-2016, 01:42 PM
With ~$2-3K there are literally dozens of combinations to audition. I personally spent many months doing this when I was shopping. Not many bad speakers in that range, mostly personal preference. I've been though this exact process a few times now. Just pick a few weekends and start listening to stuff.

If you aren't getting a sub, I would try and get a pair of bigger towers. I would also put a carpet or area rug on that floor if it isn't already carpeted.

HiSpec
10-26-2016, 02:33 PM
I recently picked up a set of Pioneer SP-BS22-LR and SW-8MK2. Decent sounding for the price. They would sound better if I have more room for the sub. I can't seem to find the right xover frequency for the sub.
Also matched it with TEAC AI-101 amp.

Mitsu3000gt
10-26-2016, 03:22 PM
Originally posted by HiSpec
I recently picked up a set of Pioneer SP-BS22-LR and SW-8MK2. Decent sounding for the price. They would sound better if I have more room for the sub. I can't seem to find the right xover frequency for the sub.
Also matched it with TEAC AI-101 amp.

What crossover frequency are you using now? Too high and it will be easier to hear where the bass is coming from, which some people don't like. On those speakers, frequency response is quite flat down to 60 Hz, so that would be my starting point for music. 80Hz would be better for movies. Depends on your room too, since speaker placement can significantly affect bass output.

HiSpec
10-26-2016, 03:36 PM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


What crossover frequency are you using now? Too high and it will be easier to hear where the bass is coming from, which some people don't like. On those speakers, frequency response is quite flat down to 60 Hz, so that would be my starting point for music. 80Hz would be better for movies. Depends on your room too, since speaker placement can significantly affect bass output.

As of now, they are set at around 75-80Hz. I tried to set it to around 65-70Hz, but I found the mid-bass lacking, so I brought it up to where it is now. Slightly better but still playing around with it.

I have speaker spikes/cones and a foam pad for the sub. That made it significantly less boomy from the hardwood flooring with about a foot of space from each side.

Mitsu3000gt
10-26-2016, 03:47 PM
Originally posted by HiSpec


As of now, they are set at around 75-80Hz. I tried to set it to around 65-70Hz, but I found the mid-bass lacking, so I brought it up to where it is now. Slightly better but still playing around with it.

I have speaker spikes/cones and a foam pad for the sub. That made it significantly less boomy from the hardwood flooring with about a foot of space from each side.

Sounds like you're right in the range it should probably be at.

You can also manually 'calibrate' your sub with test tones and a dbl meter. At some point you wont be able to correct the boomy spots and nulls in the room without software though.

Buster
10-26-2016, 04:30 PM
Check out Emotiva's Airmotiv line.

I've got some in my office, and they are some of the best speakers I've ever owned.

https://emotiva.com/products/emotiva-pro/powered-monitors-0

b_t
10-26-2016, 04:51 PM
That's a big space... I'd recommend towers + amp, and add a sub later. Towers can go low but if you are listening to modern music you will still lose some information without a sub to fluesh out the <50hz region.

And I'd do a big +1 for Canuck Audio Mart as well. When the dollar was on par, buying hifi new wasn't so bad. Now that everything is 30%+ more it sucks. But absolutely don't buy anything you can't audition locally first.

I'd recommend you stretch your budget and get Martin Logan ESL towers then pair them with a used integrated amp. Traditional box speakers sound pretty good in that $2k range but electrostats sound absolutely unreal if you can deal with the limitations

Neil4Speed
10-26-2016, 05:02 PM
I would consider Magnapan MMG setup since you don't need the heavy bass. Love the sound signature of maggies.

msommers
10-28-2016, 11:51 AM
Sorry for the delay, SG.

An open-concept 900sq.ft room is pretty large and personally would not go with a bookshelf speaker at this budget - a floorstander is my recommendation.

Since you will be mainly streaming or playing music from a hard drive, we need a way for the music to get there. For ease of use and integration, a Sonos Connect system would be a great place to start. Moreover, you could look into an amplifier that has built-in ethernet or Air-Play if you have Apple products and streaming services like Tidal, for example.

The amplifier I would strongly recommend getting an integrated amplifier (whether tube or solid-state will depend on you - likely solid state to be honest with the budget). An integrated amp can have a DAC in it (among a slew of other things) but always pre and power amp sections - essentially the all-in-one option. Here are some options:
w/ DACs
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649291334-anthem-225-integrated-amplifier-like-new/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649293952-wyred4sound-mint-demo/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649308055-hegel-h80/

w/o
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649301059-musical-fidelity-a300/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649300341-plinius-8200-mkii/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649307023-unison-research-unico-hybrid-excellent-shape-excellent-sound-excellent-reviewsexcellent-deal/

Lastly are speakers. They are very personal and think you should audition things first to get an idea of what you like and don't like. Then go online and see what speakers have those characteristics - there are just so many. Again Canuck Audio Mart (CAM) is a great resource to help locate options as well. Tannoy's are awesome speakers and someone in Calgary is selling a pretty nice set.
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649305235-tannoy-xt8f/

Others:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649300652-focal-826w-in-gloss-black-finish/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649263336-spendor-a6/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649304931-b-amp-w-cm9-3way-floorstanding-speaker-rosenut/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649270585-totem-sttaf-speakers/

Cables I would recommend Blue Jean Cables - they're a quality option and not at a ridiculous price tag.

Again I would recommend used but only for the speakers and amp. Cables I wouldn't spend a lot of money on but if used only from someone very reputable as there are a lot of fakes, and the Sonos I wouldn't bother with used personally. If other stereo lovers are any indication, it's that this setup will last a year or two, because you'll get the itch to upgrade! That's why I don't think buying new for the amp and speakers are a good idea.

Just my opinion, hope that helps!
Matt

r3ccOs
10-28-2016, 12:03 PM
I'm oldschool and like some classic speakers from say Harbeth and Spendor... the vintage thinwall construction with high quality british and scandanvian drivers are awesome.

KEF makes some very delicious speakers that can be had at a much better commodity price than boutique speakers

I'm not the biggest fan of Focal
I do like Paradigm Signature and the vintage (V2 series Studio)
Vintage PSB Status gold with wattage are incredible speakers.

Monitor Audio's are very nice, especially the Gold & Platnium series... however the lower lines are more like Paradigm and oriented for home theatre

I personally love totem's sound, but they are all not the same; and suit different use cases. They have a unique signature (balance) but different tones; as they can vary in construction and drivers

900 sqft is a subjective size in space... you can get away with some really nice bookshelves and a fast yet deep musical sub like an REL and have just amazing sound.

It depends on how wide you can space your speakers as well and how much dispersion you require.

Pannels such as Planners or Martin Logan ESL type speakers have a very very narrow sweet spot, yet have such incredible speed and texture in the midrange. (but lack dynamics, and requires a sub)

Axiom Speakers are surprisingly good for the money; and make the speakers for Bryston, so they are very commendable.

I'd say Mordent short is also in the same boat.


as to electronics; don't cheap out... you have to spend as much or more money here to extract the sonic characteristics you want. This is where the power and resolution comes from.
The speakers just have to display this.

Dependent on your power needs of the speaker and your room; separates may not be required.

I like Bryston, I like Musical Fidelity stuff... I'm a fan of Naim, Parasound, etc... Some gear is brighter than others, and pairing is important.

An important piece is your kit, and if you are using a digital source... get a good DAC.
Hook a decent FLAC 24bit source (with a good supply with low jitter) to a good DAC like a M1DAC from MF... you guarantee that you are getting as good of resolution you can provide from the software you have.

Cables are important, but "less" important. I'd say once you get to a decent level of cabling (say even blue jean) you are talking about subtle differences of very little returns and as you spend more here... the more the returns deminish.

That said I spent good money on IC's, power cords, and richard grey power supplies and these are items I can use through my life... as the component changes, unless there is really a big need to change these chords, I won't.

Mitsu3000gt
10-28-2016, 01:38 PM
Don't spend any more than Monoprice prices on cables unless you can actually hear a difference in a true *blind* test. "Audiophiles" with supposed 'golden ears' fail this test every time it is conducted. If you think you can hear a difference though and are willing to pay for it, by all means go for it.

Some good reading before you buy anything:

http://www.head-fi.org/t/486598/testing-audiophile-claims-and-myths


"Cable vs Coathanger"

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/speakers-when-is-good-enough-enough.2512/page-2#post-15412

$700 vs $12,000:

http://matrixhifi.com/ENG_contenedor_ppec.htm

msommers
10-28-2016, 02:24 PM
Originally posted by r3ccOs
KEF makes some very delicious speakers that can be had at a much better commodity price than boutique speakers



+1 for KEF. I've been really eager to listen to the KEF Reference 1 with my Hegel. And some Tannoy and Monitor Audio as well.

Had the opportunity to listen to a Devaliet 400 + Tannoy canterbury gr...Ugly but god damn, so amazing. Too bad I'd need a second mortgage.

b_t
10-28-2016, 04:18 PM
Originally posted by r3ccOs

Pannels such as Planners or Martin Logan ESL type speakers have a very very narrow sweet spot, yet have such incredible speed and texture in the midrange. (but lack dynamics, and requires a sub)


Electrostats only lack dynamics if you don't have a good amp powering them - the ohm rating of the speaker drops a lot as the frequency you try and reproduce increases, down to the 1 ohm range.

Bad amps like those in cheap receivers will have issues delivering power to the speakers in these events, killing the impact of transients. This would have effects on the rest of the sound too - the whole thing will sound momentarily bad (collapsed soundstage, everything momentarily blurred together, maybe even audible distortion), when really these moments are where electrostats should get their time to shine compared to traditional speakers as the speaker "cone" is basically weightless vs. traditional speakers. They can do anything the music asks of them basically instantly.

OP's budget is high enough he can get a decent amp and avoid this problem. But yeah, IMO you absolutely need a sub with electrostats.

As far as the sweet spot goes, with Magnapans it is very narrow due to the straight panel. Martin Logan curves their panels a little bit so the sweet spot is maybe a few feet across - its just enough to cover all three spots on my sofa. And personally I find the listening experience in that sweet spot is so, so good I can deal with all the tradeoffs.

r3ccOs
10-28-2016, 05:01 PM
Originally posted by b_t


Electrostats only lack dynamics if you don't have a good amp powering them - the ohm rating of the speaker drops a lot as the frequency you try and reproduce increases, down to the 1 ohm range.

Bad amps like those in cheap receivers will have issues delivering power to the speakers in these events, killing the impact of transients. This would have effects on the rest of the sound too - the whole thing will sound momentarily bad (collapsed soundstage, everything momentarily blurred together, maybe even audible distortion), when really these moments are where electrostats should get their time to shine compared to traditional speakers as the speaker &quot;cone&quot; is basically weightless vs. traditional speakers. They can do anything the music asks of them basically instantly.

OP's budget is high enough he can get a decent amp and avoid this problem. But yeah, IMO you absolutely need a sub with electrostats.

As far as the sweet spot goes, with Magnapans it is very narrow due to the straight panel. Martin Logan curves their panels a little bit so the sweet spot is maybe a few feet across - its just enough to cover all three spots on my sofa. And personally I find the listening experience in that sweet spot is so, so good I can deal with all the tradeoffs.

ESL and Panners have a midrange unlike anything else.

The ribbon hybrids that many offer still don't compare.

Now... Hi-Fi is an never ending search for the perfect synergy that I don't think anyone EVER becomes satisfied, and rather than jumping into that game... which has resulted in countless speakers, tables, cables, amps, recievers etc... I would almost suggest looking at Meridian.

yes they are just "active" speakers... but they are not just active speakers
https://www.meridian-audio.com/

Off an IPAD running lossless... when I heard the 7000's series at friend's house; I was stunned.

No more looking for components, no more looking for cables, speakers and trying to match them for tonality you will never ever find...

The setup was just synergy... dynamic, musical, punchy, detailed, yet warm

Tons and I mean TONS of spacial imaging in both depth and width

No sibilence, and plenty of SPL without ever changing its characteristics

pretty to boot as well.

Everything about it technology wise, build and reproduction is IMO reference quality.

3 systems I really found incredible synergy of matched gear:

my Dad's old Carver Amazings running on ed Meitner gear (based out of here in Calgary called musitec)

my Dad's old 801 Matrix running on Krell monoblocks using a high end VPI turntable and grado cartridge

my old Sonus Faber Cremona running off Bryston 8B ST and a conrad johnson Classic and a Jolida CD player

PSB Stratus Gold & Parasound monoblocks with a simple Cary CDP

**I've heard far more "fancy" systems such as Wilson; but the aforementioned systems IMO is the most memorable in regards to how surprisingly good they worked together**

and to me... still; as much synergy those components had in each system, the Meridian setup is probably the best for PRAT and pace

b_t
10-28-2016, 07:48 PM
Originally posted by r3ccOs


Hi-Fi is an never ending search for the perfect synergy that I don't think anyone EVER becomes satisfied

this is actually really good advice... OP, maybe just get a Bose system? this hi-fi shit will get you eventually and bleed thousands out of your bank account at a pop :rofl:

the active speaker recommendation is also very good.

I actually only discovered Martin Logan because of my studio monitors... ADAM A5s. They are self-amped reference speakers with ribbon tweeters. A Google search for home theater stuff with ribbon tweeters turned up the Martin Logan Motion box speakers, then I saw the electrostats... a quick trip to K&W Audio later, and I had spent twice as much on front towers than I originally intended. The ADAMs are probably still better sounding than the MLs, but they are in a better room and wouldn't fill my bigger basement space that well. The stereo image is unreal.

You can run ADAMs in a house for hi-fi very easily too. A7Xs will do well in smaller rooms, but for a bigger room like OP a pair of A77X would be better but way out of his budget.

If anybody wants in-home demos I could host. Could demo
- Martin Logan ESL
- Paradigm Monitor 7s (old, better versions)
- ADAM A5
- Sennheiser HD 280 / HD 25 Pro headphones
- Beyerdynamic DT 880 headphones

Inzane
10-28-2016, 08:09 PM
Originally posted by b_t

- Paradigm Monitor 7s (old, better versions)


I love mine. They're from circa 2000 and still going strong.

Mitsu3000gt
10-29-2016, 05:36 PM
I've got a pair of older Monitor 5's and they are incredible for the price paid. Not the prettiest speakers but better than a lot of speakers that now cost 2-3X as much IMHO. Paradigm has always delivered huge bang for the buck. We have some older Studio 80's as well which would be tough to match today at double the price. I've got a newer pair of Studio 20v5's in my HT too which have been great.

r3ccOs
10-29-2016, 07:48 PM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
I've got a pair of older Monitor 5's and they are incredible for the price paid. Not the prettiest speakers but better than a lot of speakers that now cost 2-3X as much IMHO. Paradigm has always delivered huge bang for the buck. We have some older Studio 80's as well which would be tough to match today at double the price. I've got a newer pair of Studio 20v5's in my HT too which have been great.

I really thought the Studio 100's in the V2 were supurb... V3 onward, Paradigm introduced the signature series and as such I felt they didn't invest in the drivers in the Studio; focusing on balancing their premier line

Mitsu3000gt
10-29-2016, 07:58 PM
Originally posted by r3ccOs


I really thought the Studio 100's in the V2 were supurb... V3 onward, Paradigm introduced the signature series and as such I felt they didn't invest in the drivers in the Studio; focusing on balancing their premier line

We actually preferred the Studio 80v2's to the 100v2's, we demo'd them both expecting to buy the 100's and got the 80's. Couldn't really go wrong though. The Studio line never really got anything other than glowing reviews until they stopped it after v5 in favor of the Prestige line (which I have not heard yet). The Signature line is phenomenal, at the level of the S8's you're basically in the "best speakers in the world" segment, where the sky is the limit for the price and 100% personal preference takes over. Also the SUB1 and SUB2 :eek: Not that I can afford any of that :rofl:

I've also heard some Ascend Acoustics 3-way Sierra towers with the reference ribbon tweeter upgrade and they are unreal.

Neil4Speed
10-30-2016, 05:24 PM
This thread makes me so happy.... Thats all I have to add to this haha.

Its interesting my dad is using some Studio 80's V2 as his rears, I want him to move them up front and demo them after reading this thread.

89coupe
10-30-2016, 09:28 PM
I haven't heard anything remotely close to my Klipsch setup.

I've demoed the Paradigm Studio series and they don't hold a candle to the Klipsch Reference line.

http://02a3c16.netsolhost.com/hometheater/myklipsch7-1system.jpg
http://02a3c16.netsolhost.com/hometheater/brads-setup.jpg

r3ccOs
10-30-2016, 11:02 PM
Originally posted by 89coupe
I haven't heard anything remotely close to my Klipsch setup.

I've demoed the Paradigm Studio series and they don't hold a candle to the Klipsch Reference line.

http://02a3c16.netsolhost.com/hometheater/myklipsch7-1system.jpg
http://02a3c16.netsolhost.com/hometheater/brads-setup.jpg

very pretty

of all the opinions that you have, on almost all matters... not so much unlike me...

I think I'd disagree with this one as much as everyone has in regards to Inrich's "fully loaded" statements, about his extended cab truck.

From a visceral perspective; without a doubt horn loaded tweeters and big drivers will give you thump; especially if you have a well extended subwoofer.

your statement maybe valid if stated if you are referring to a setup in the same "price point"; as yes those speakers and a decent Marantz receiver is very good performing at a great value.

*I've had a very similar receiver (an old Marantz 8500) of which the amplification (not processing) circuitry remains similar to this day; and have had powered some very efficient and powerful Mirage OM-14's, Energy Veritas and later Vandersteens to "reasonable" potential

I've since moved to adcom power and classe processing; and never looked back.*

but to say that the Studio series from Paradigm doesn't hold a candle to your Klipsch's... other than SPL there is no way I can agree with that.

Where did you demo and how did you demo those speakers?

The studios would require substantially more quality of amplification than what you have to reach anywhere near its potential... so if you were to say properly use a power source (say even my processing/amplification) to do a double blind test between your the two speakers; there is no way (at least IMO) that the klipsch can keep up.

not to knock your setup as I'm sure its very engaging; but its not like you have class A components, cables, or power conditioning that would be able to power a component like the Paradigm Studio series...

even with that said, the Paradigm studios are nowhere near my type of speaker, but that line does admirably for HT.

Now, if you one up it to the signature; guaranteed with the right components, your Klipsch would sound like an AM/FM radio in a Kia in comparison

but audio is subjective ;)

the BEST setup I've heard to date for Home theatre, is a custom build Tom Danley tapped horn subwoofer and horn loaded yorkville speakers driven by Anthem M1 monoblocks per channel using moon processing.

http://www.danleysoundlabs.com/

cables all custom cryo'd by Morey James... but were mostly blended strands from Kimber and Straightwire.

what is crazy though... is even though ALL this money can be dropped everywhere from a cd player, to cables, dampening cones to shelving, and heck even upgrading connectors (i.e. eichmanns, WBTs, etc..) My stupid simple headphone setup comprising of my HD800's; modded with Cardas cables; connected to a Luxman 700u headphone amp pretty much is still the "best" listening experience I've had to date...

but I never have time to sit at my desk to just listen to headphones;

r3ccOs
10-30-2016, 11:36 PM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


We actually preferred the Studio 80v2's to the 100v2's, we demo'd them both expecting to buy the 100's and got the 80's. Couldn't really go wrong though. The Studio line never really got anything other than glowing reviews until they stopped it after v5 in favor of the Prestige line (which I have not heard yet). The Signature line is phenomenal, at the level of the S8's you're basically in the &quot;best speakers in the world&quot; segment, where the sky is the limit for the price and 100% personal preference takes over. Also the SUB1 and SUB2 :eek: Not that I can afford any of that :rofl:

I've also heard some Ascend Acoustics 3-way Sierra towers with the reference ribbon tweeter upgrade and they are unreal.

I remember listening to a set of Studio 40 V3's and was quite impressed... it was paired to I believe a sunfire sub at the time (I'm a fan of Bob Carver)

in fact... I'd say that they were the most transparent of the studio line (including the Studio 20's as they had no bottom end to cross over properly)...

I'm actually a fan of the little bit bigger than bookshelf monitor type speakers, as I find the speed and transparency more engaging.
less drivers tend to be far less directional and gives a more holographic presentation.

I was actually impressed with the latest line of Axiom M22's (v4s I think) coupled to a cheap but good HSU subwoofer.

Pretty sure it was driven off a simple integrated from Outlaw audio(RR 2150) and basic Kimber cabling.

it was quite dynamic, detailed, and also very holographic.
probably was very impressed with the balance with the HSU sub... smooth and punchy and it could really get "loud"

that setup is relatively affordable and may fit in the OP's cost if 2 channel is his objective.

if you are looking at new, I really wouldn't write off Axiom; they make Bryston's model T, and boy that is actually a very sweet speaker.

edit... this is ridiculous.. Hawks are great speakers (I think Seas or peerless drivers) & a very good sub...

http://www.kijiji.ca/v-stereo-systems-home-theatre/calgary/high-fidelity-extreme-high-end-speakers/1206920108?enableSearchNavigationFlag=true

spend some good money on a set of used separates, as the hawks can be a struggle to drive.... I don't think even the best integrated from Moon, Naim, Rega, or even Mcintosh (cept the MA8000) can extract the best out of the hawks. Even though they aren't the Forest or Model 1 (which definitely require separates) the Haws are very picky on the quality of the amplifcation

rage2
10-31-2016, 08:28 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe
http://02a3c16.netsolhost.com/hometheater/myklipsch7-1system.jpg
You need a bigger TV haha. It's dwarfed by all those huge speakers.

89coupe
10-31-2016, 08:39 AM
Originally posted by rage2

You need a bigger TV haha. It's dwarfed by all those huge speakers.

Yeh I know, that's a 60" and it looks tiny.

Just waiting for the price of 86" TV's to come down in price.

msommers
10-31-2016, 08:46 AM
Originally posted by r3ccOs


I would almost suggest looking at Meridian.

yes they are just &quot;active&quot; speakers... but they are not just active speakers
https://www.meridian-audio.com/

Off an IPAD running lossless... when I heard the 7000's series at friend's house; I was stunned.

No more looking for components, no more looking for cables, speakers and trying to match them for tonality you will never ever find...

The setup was just synergy... dynamic, musical, punchy, detailed, yet warm

Tons and I mean TONS of spacial imaging in both depth and width

No sibilence, and plenty of SPL without ever changing its characteristics

pretty to boot as well.

Aren't these speakers $30,000+/pair?

b_t
10-31-2016, 08:51 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


Yeh I know, that's a 60&quot; and it looks tiny.

Just waiting for the price of 86&quot; TV's to come down in price.

why get a TV at all?

you want to look like a baller and that room has no windows, so why are you messing around with screens that are less than 100"?

rage2
10-31-2016, 09:02 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe
Just waiting for the price of 86&quot; TV's to come down in price.
Delay no more.

http://us.lemall.com/us/tv/leeco_umax85/index.html

4k, 85", $3999 after rebate. :eek:

Not sure when we'll see these in Canada, but LeEco bought out Vizio last year and is selling shit below manufacturing cost this year.

Mitsu3000gt
10-31-2016, 09:03 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


Yeh I know, that's a 60&quot; and it looks tiny.

Just waiting for the price of 86&quot; TV's to come down in price.

That room looks like it would be a shame not to use a projector - any reason you're set on a TV? 86" is still probably a bit small for that wall and unless you're buying an OLED, projection will get you a better image as well. I would also bet it's a heck of a lot cheaper than any decent 86" TV.

89coupe
10-31-2016, 09:08 AM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


That room looks like it would be a shame not to use a projector - any reason you're set on a TV? 86&quot; is still probably a bit small for that wall and unless you're buying an OLED, projection will get you a better image as well. I would also bet it's a heck of a lot cheaper than any decent 86&quot; TV.

Lazy, lol.

Just haven't seen a projector that looks as good as TV yet. At least not for a reasonable price.

89coupe
10-31-2016, 09:10 AM
Originally posted by rage2

Delay no more.

http://us.lemall.com/us/tv/leeco_umax85/index.html

4k, 85&quot;, $3999 after rebate. :eek:

Not sure when we'll see these in Canada, but LeEco bought out Vizio last year and is selling shit below manufacturing cost this year.

My buddy is the LG rep for Southern Alberta so I can get some killer pricing, just haven't pulled the trigger.

Just haven't felt the need yet.

r3ccOs
10-31-2016, 09:15 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


Lazy, lol.

Just haven't seen a projector that looks as good as TV yet. At least not for a reasonable price.

Runco

flipstah
10-31-2016, 09:22 AM
Originally posted by rage2

Delay no more.

http://us.lemall.com/us/tv/leeco_umax85/index.html

4k, 85&quot;, $3999 after rebate. :eek:

Not sure when we'll see these in Canada, but LeEco bought out Vizio last year and is selling shit below manufacturing cost this year.

CHEEEP

Mitsu3000gt
10-31-2016, 09:28 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


Lazy, lol.

Just haven't seen a projector that looks as good as TV yet. At least not for a reasonable price.

Around the $3500 mark, you can get projectors brighter than any TV and with better blacks than the best Plasmas (RIP Plasma :cry: )

http://www.carada.com/default.aspx for your screen and you're all set.

Ceiling mounts are easy, or you can put a shelf at the back of the room.

I don't know the size of that room but you could probably do around 100" and it would be amazing.

The only downside with projectors right now is that we're kind of on the cusp of new lighting solutions (Laser, LED) combined with native 4K and it would be ideal to wait a little bit longer I think.

89coupe
10-31-2016, 06:22 PM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt


Around the $3500 mark, you can get projectors brighter than any TV and with better blacks than the best Plasmas (RIP Plasma :cry: )

http://www.carada.com/default.aspx for your screen and you're all set.

Ceiling mounts are easy, or you can put a shelf at the back of the room.

I don't know the size of that room but you could probably do around 100&quot; and it would be amazing.

The only downside with projectors right now is that we're kind of on the cusp of new lighting solutions (Laser, LED) combined with native 4K and it would be ideal to wait a little bit longer I think.

It's already setup for a projector. If you look closely in the first pic you will see two ceiling plates, one for power, one for audio/video.

msommers
11-09-2016, 10:01 AM
SG have you decided on anything?

I totally forgot about the KEF LS50. Haven't heard it yet but everyone raves about this thing!

b_t
11-10-2016, 04:59 PM
Any of you guys heard of a store called Radiocrafts before? They are a Klipsch dealer, and they've supposedly been around since 1941, but there is hardly anything about them online.

My subwoofer hunt has been extremely frustrating but I finally found a few recommendations for the Klipsch R-115SW. It looks fucking awesome, giant 15" sub in a ported box, and it's supposed to be basically the only store bought sub that can compete with Internet direct stuff.

Hsu, SVS, PSA, Rythmik, all those guys sound great on paper but I just don't plunk down mass amounts of money on gear without auditioning it first, and shipping is too expensive to grab one of these and send it back

89coupe
11-11-2016, 10:05 PM
Originally posted by b_t
Any of you guys heard of a store called Radiocrafts before? They are a Klipsch dealer, and they've supposedly been around since 1941, but there is hardly anything about them online.

My subwoofer hunt has been extremely frustrating but I finally found a few recommendations for the Klipsch R-115SW. It looks fucking awesome, giant 15&quot; sub in a ported box, and it's supposed to be basically the only store bought sub that can compete with Internet direct stuff.

Hsu, SVS, PSA, Rythmik, all those guys sound great on paper but I just don't plunk down mass amounts of money on gear without auditioning it first, and shipping is too expensive to grab one of these and send it back

My buddy is the supplier for Doug & Tony @ Radiocrafts

The Klipsch subs are decent but don't hold a candle to SVS Ultra series.

My buddy has dual R-115SW

About the only Klipsch sub I would consider is the THX Ultra2, a badass sub.

http://www.klipsch.ca/products/thx-ultra2-subwoofers#kw-120-thx

b_t
11-12-2016, 03:00 PM
After reading and looking at a lot I didn't think the SVS Ultra was going to cut it either, so I ordered a custom 18" from a guy out in BC, Funk Audio.

http://i.imgur.com/M4G4YuT.jpg

Way, way more than I wanted to spend. Oh well. I didn't need new couches anyway.

89coupe
11-12-2016, 05:29 PM
Originally posted by b_t
After reading and looking at a lot I didn't think the SVS Ultra was going to cut it either, so I ordered a custom 18&quot; from a guy out in BC, Funk Audio.

http://i.imgur.com/M4G4YuT.jpg

Way, way more than I wanted to spend. Oh well. I didn't need new couches anyway.

Sick! That's a badass sub, HUGE money.

When does it arrive? I considered them but was a little nervous with them being such a small outfit.

Did you see SVS's new PB16 Ultra?
https://www.svsound.com/products/pb16-ultra

msommers
11-12-2016, 06:02 PM
That's badass man

b_t
11-13-2016, 03:18 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


Sick! That's a badass sub, HUGE money.

When does it arrive? I considered them but was a little nervous with them being such a small outfit.

Did you see SVS's new PB16 Ultra?
https://www.svsound.com/products/pb16-ultra

Hahah I actually didn't get any fancy options, so mine is going to be in a pretty plain box. The crazy finishes are tempting but I was just after good sound. He prices his stuff in USD but gave me a break on the exchange too, which was awesome so it ended up costing quite a bit less than it would have been to get a SB16 Ultra up here. Actually a pretty good deal, IMO. The Funk sub has the same amount of excursion as the SVS, bigger cone, and another 900 watts of power so it should have muscle to spare.

It'll take a couple months... end of January, early February probably.

89coupe
11-13-2016, 09:09 AM
Originally posted by b_t


Hahah I actually didn't get any fancy options, so mine is going to be in a pretty plain box. The crazy finishes are tempting but I was just after good sound. He prices his stuff in USD but gave me a break on the exchange too, which was awesome so it ended up costing quite a bit less than it would have been to get a SB16 Ultra up here. Actually a pretty good deal, IMO. The Funk sub has the same amount of excursion as the SVS, bigger cone, and another 900 watts of power so it should have muscle to spare.

It'll take a couple months... end of January, early February probably.

There is one Canadian company that sells SVS, they sent me a quote for the 16.


Hi Brad, Thanks for contacting www.sonicboomaudio.com! Yes we will certainly be selling the new PB16 and SB16 Ultra as soon as it is available, which should be in about 2-3 weeks. The Canadian dollar selling price will be exactly the same as the US listed price after 6.5% import duty and exchange rate conversion, which works out to be $3499 and $2799. They are both available in either gloss black or black ash finishes. If you would like to place a pre order for one, please give our office a call at 905-944-8484 and we will be happy to process that for you. regards, Mason sonicboomaudio.com

b_t
11-13-2016, 01:28 PM
That's better than I thought it'd be, wow. The PB16 will probably have more output overall...probably a lot more output, actually. The SB16 I'm curious how it'll be but I don't think I'll have anything to regret there. I really didn't want to get a ported sub so I was only really looking at sealed stuff.

The whole thing with sub shopping online like this was all I had to go off was data bass numbers, and going by those, nothing touches the Funk hahah. This one guy's is perfectly flat all the way down to 10hz, extremely low distortion even at ridiculous volumes, they have extension from 10-400hz, no group delay, no memory effect, nothing.. even Rythmik with their servo tech has way more distortion and odd ringing effects at different frequency ranges. Only sub that came close was the JL Audio e112 but I would need like four of those to equal one Funk 18 haha

It's hard to blend subs with speakers as good as Martin Logans so, fuck a budget I guess :dunno: Trump's good for Canada oil, time to get the jump on that next boom hahah

89coupe
11-13-2016, 04:42 PM
Originally posted by b_t
That's better than I thought it'd be, wow. The PB16 will probably have more output overall...probably a lot more output, actually. The SB16 I'm curious how it'll be but I don't think I'll have anything to regret there. I really didn't want to get a ported sub so I was only really looking at sealed stuff.

The whole thing with sub shopping online like this was all I had to go off was data bass numbers, and going by those, nothing touches the Funk hahah. This one guy's is perfectly flat all the way down to 10hz, extremely low distortion even at ridiculous volumes, they have extension from 10-400hz, no group delay, no memory effect, nothing.. even Rythmik with their servo tech has way more distortion and odd ringing effects at different frequency ranges. Only sub that came close was the JL Audio e112 but I would need like four of those to equal one Funk 18 haha

It's hard to blend subs with speakers as good as Martin Logans so, fuck a budget I guess :dunno: Trump's good for Canada oil, time to get the jump on that next boom hahah

They have a sealed version as well.
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb16-ultra

msommers
11-13-2016, 05:54 PM
BT that sounds like a cool combo. Beyond stereo meet lol

b_t
11-14-2016, 11:36 AM
Originally posted by 89coupe


They have a sealed version as well.
https://www.svsound.com/products/sb16-ultra
Damn dude I mentioned that already. Do you read the whole posts? :rofl: The SB16 isn't going to hold a handle to the Funk, I don't think. Smaller driver with less power. Really at this point we are way, way beyond what you need for a house anyway, the Funk is going to have headroom I will likely never even use.

If you call up Nathan and talk to him, you can cut down on the extras. Take his driver & amp and put it in a plain box and you are right in that SB16 - PB16 price bracket.


Originally posted by msommers
BT that sounds like a cool combo. Beyond stereo meet lol

When I get it all together I definitely have no problem having a few guys over to geek. If you've never heard Martin Logans, you definitely gotta come over. It'll ruin box speakers for you forever

Super_Geo
11-16-2016, 02:32 PM
Originally posted by msommers
Sorry for the delay, SG.

An open-concept 900sq.ft room is pretty large and personally would not go with a bookshelf speaker at this budget - a floorstander is my recommendation.

Since you will be mainly streaming or playing music from a hard drive, we need a way for the music to get there. For ease of use and integration, a Sonos Connect system would be a great place to start. Moreover, you could look into an amplifier that has built-in ethernet or Air-Play if you have Apple products and streaming services like Tidal, for example.

The amplifier I would strongly recommend getting an integrated amplifier (whether tube or solid-state will depend on you - likely solid state to be honest with the budget). An integrated amp can have a DAC in it (among a slew of other things) but always pre and power amp sections - essentially the all-in-one option. Here are some options:
w/ DACs
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649291334-anthem-225-integrated-amplifier-like-new/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649293952-wyred4sound-mint-demo/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649308055-hegel-h80/

w/o
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649301059-musical-fidelity-a300/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649300341-plinius-8200-mkii/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649307023-unison-research-unico-hybrid-excellent-shape-excellent-sound-excellent-reviewsexcellent-deal/

Lastly are speakers. They are very personal and think you should audition things first to get an idea of what you like and don't like. Then go online and see what speakers have those characteristics - there are just so many. Again Canuck Audio Mart (CAM) is a great resource to help locate options as well. Tannoy's are awesome speakers and someone in Calgary is selling a pretty nice set.
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649305235-tannoy-xt8f/

Others:
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649300652-focal-826w-in-gloss-black-finish/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649263336-spendor-a6/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649304931-b-amp-w-cm9-3way-floorstanding-speaker-rosenut/
http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649270585-totem-sttaf-speakers/

Cables I would recommend Blue Jean Cables - they're a quality option and not at a ridiculous price tag.

Again I would recommend used but only for the speakers and amp. Cables I wouldn't spend a lot of money on but if used only from someone very reputable as there are a lot of fakes, and the Sonos I wouldn't bother with used personally. If other stereo lovers are any indication, it's that this setup will last a year or two, because you'll get the itch to upgrade! That's why I don't think buying new for the amp and speakers are a good idea.

Just my opinion, hope that helps!
Matt

Thanks Matt, I was tied up with work so haven't been checking in on this thread.

I just ended up buying the Tannoy XT8F (http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649305235-tannoy-xt8f/) you pointed out above after reading really good reviews on them. I chatted with the guy when he had them listed for 2200, got busy and didn't follow up, then he lowered the price to 1800 and I immediately got them.

Read up on the Hegel H80 you linked to above. Just saw a brand new one get listed at 1500 (http://www.canuckaudiomart.com/details/649312359-brand-new-hegel-h80-for-sale/?utm_campaign=response-received&utm_source=notification&utm_medium=email) on Monday, which seemed suspicious cause they're 2200 new and the guy only had 1 prior review. Found him on LinkedIn and he works at a recording studio in town, said he got the amp direct from the manufacturer but they weren't going to use it in their studio. Seems legit, so I got it off of him last night.

Really liking the new setup so far... appreciate the advice man!

msommers
11-16-2016, 08:24 PM
Sick setup dude!

Yeah we definitely should do a meet up one of these days. I have a Hegel H360 and little Totem Arro speakers, and have never heard Logans before (or those Tannoys actually).

b_t
11-23-2016, 12:15 PM
Had a good deal on an Anthem MRX510 pop up locally so I replaced my receiver as well... I was not expecting it to make such a big difference. I thought my old Pioneer amp was pretty good but clearly the Anthem has much more power and less distortion ... sounds phenomenal. The room correction also did a fantastic job blending the sub with my towers, although my room is pretty good so it's job was pretty easy.

Mitsu3000gt
11-23-2016, 01:05 PM
Originally posted by b_t
Had a good deal on an Anthem MRX510 pop up locally so I replaced my receiver as well... I was not expecting it to make such a big difference. I thought my old Pioneer amp was pretty good but clearly the Anthem has much more power and less distortion ... sounds phenomenal. The room correction also did a fantastic job blending the sub with my towers, although my room is pretty good so it's job was pretty easy.

Anthem receivers are great, and the ARC room correction is the best in the industry as far as I know. Nice find.

b_t
12-27-2016, 01:53 AM
My Funk should be ready this week! Can't wait. Although to be honest the Anthem did such a good job at room correction, my current sub sounds better than ever... still not much in terms of low end extension or output, but it is putting out some good, clean bass. Music sounds absolutely outstanding. I imagine with the Funk running it'll sound truly monstrous though... still trying to decide what movie to watch first to check out the low end extension.

Audioholics reviewed the PB16. The low bass output is insane.. if you have the budget and the space, this seems like the clear winner for massive low end. The Funk will still do more peak output, and digs a lot lower though ;)

http://www.audioholics.com/subwoofer-reviews/svs-pb16-ultra-subwoofer

Anybody get some sweet scores for Christmas or Boxing Day?

legendboy
12-27-2016, 04:43 PM
Are any of you guys into vintage gear? I am just getting into stereo equipment again but now i can troubleshoot and repair electronics.

Current amp is a 1977 Kenwood KA-6100 and Cannon-TLS (ESS) 1230's just refoamed.
I have a pair of CV D-5's and a sweet pair of Mach Ones (the keepers) waiting on the post office. Mach Ones are getting full VL mods.

I should post some pictures :)

Zorac
12-28-2016, 01:33 PM
Originally posted by legendboy
Are any of you guys into vintage gear? I am just getting into stereo equipment again but now i can troubleshoot and repair electronics.

Current amp is a 1977 Kenwood KA-6100 and Cannon-TLS (ESS) 1230's just refoamed.
I have a pair of CV D-5's and a sweet pair of Mach Ones (the keepers) waiting on the post office. Mach Ones are getting full VL mods.

I should post some pictures :)

use to have a pile of yamaha gear, only have a m-45 left now though. running a pair of MA silver 9i with it. not same level of vintage as yours, but the amp is 30 years old, and the speakers 16 years.

wish i could trouble shoot my own amps, gave it a try a few time, but never successful (but i never made anything worse, so i guess that's a small success!).

flipstah
12-28-2016, 01:53 PM
Originally posted by legendboy
Are any of you guys into vintage gear? I am just getting into stereo equipment again but now i can troubleshoot and repair electronics.

Current amp is a 1977 Kenwood KA-6100 and Cannon-TLS (ESS) 1230's just refoamed.
I have a pair of CV D-5's and a sweet pair of Mach Ones (the keepers) waiting on the post office. Mach Ones are getting full VL mods.

I should post some pictures :)

I'm into the vintage gear! My loudspeakers are JBL Decade that were refoamed, and I have a vintage Pioneer amp. Although, I did cave and defect to an H/K amp for the HDMI switch. :(

msommers
12-29-2016, 09:37 AM
b_t, post pics when you receive it! Subs require more calibration work than speakers, which generally need better placement than electronic correction. Acoustic treatment correction stuff can make a huge improvement, although I've always had large open-concept condos so it's kinda pointless for me...

Which Logans do you have again?

speedog
12-29-2016, 10:46 AM
Just so y'all know, my uncle's estate will have a few pieces of 70's or so vintage amps, preamps and receivers coming available that I'll post up on beyond - I'm hoping January depending on how fast the courts move on the estate. I'll update this thread later today with a more detailed list as I'll be over there today and yes, I still have a list of who has expressed interest in what. There is a matched set consisting of a Toshiba preamp, amp and receiver that I powered up and connected to a set of speakers and it sounded quite nice to my not so good ears - I've even considered keeping them for myself but to be honest I just don't listen to music when I'm at home and they would just sit collecting dust. Stay tuned.

msommers
12-29-2016, 10:48 AM
Yeah something tells me there might be some gems in there. Thanks Speedog !:thumbsup:

speedog
12-29-2016, 11:02 AM
I'll post up as much detail as I can today, there's also some speakers as well as some big 16 or so inchers not mounted. If I can't get rid of it here then it will probably be donated or into the dumpster as I can't be bothered with Kijiji or eBay or such.

From what I can remember, a NAD model 60 amp, Muntz 5000 amp, Marantz SR1000 tuner, Sansui QS1 Quadphonic Synthesizer, Toshiba SY-335 preamp, Toshiba SC-335 amp, matching Toshiba tuner, a few old portable cassettes elk flip recorders, an old mini reel to reel player/recorder with some prerecorded tapes and probably a bit more. My hope is people will buy to enjoy but at the same time I realize that some may very well flip for some quick profit in their pocket - such is life.

Oh and there are some old tube radios and old small portable analog TV's as well - at least one of the radios works, one probably won't take much to get going. Also some older solid state portable AM or AM/FM radios and older Walkmans as well.

flipstah
12-29-2016, 11:20 AM
I'll take some speakers.

speedog
12-30-2016, 01:29 AM
So some bad news to start, the NAD model 60 was scooped by my 16 year old nephew - he didn't care about it initially but I said he should try it out and now it's at his place. He's just loving it.

Also, the Toshiba trio (SY-335 preamp, SC-335 amp & ST-335 tuner) and a pair of Hitachi HS-420 speakers are going to go home with me - had tunes on the setup today for about 5 hours while I was at my uncle's place doing more clean-up and yupp, just sounds too nice. The speakers are around 1973 vintage and the Toshiba trio dates to around 1978, just when I was grade 11.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZRmNpdDA3eTBKZUU

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZeWx6VnhZM2NPLWM

So on to what should be available and please note that some beyond members have expressed interest in some of these items already as I have posted about them in the past in a separate thread specifically related to my uncle's place and belongings (link (http://forums.beyond.ca/st/399531/acquired-collection-of-old-possessions-would-there-be-interest-on-beyond/)). Each piece will be sold for a very, very good price - you won't get these at a better price anywhere else. We're not looking to make gobs of money, only to see that these find a new home where they might be used and appreciated instead of a dumpster.

Also, all items do power up but I haven't hooked any up to see if sound comes out other than the Toshiba trio I'm going to keep.

Marantz SR1000 receiver vintage 1980

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZR0hDUXR4bUNnQms

Muntz 5000 tuner/amp vintage 1970's

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZNXRHd2RTWm5oOEU

Sanyo DCX3000K receiver vintage 1972

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZNmhUYkoyemJvazg

Technics SA-EX300 receiver vintage 1997
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZVTZWVnV6dWFLZkE

Technics ST-K50 tuner vintage 1988

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZVXZXMzlaeGc5dXM

Vivid speakers (2) EM495, vintage late 90's?

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7Zd083YlozNEJkNHc

Tivo Series 2 DVR vintage unknown

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZNks4ME9keVhQRzg

Viking 54-18R AM/SW tube radio vintage 1938 - does power on and I've listened to AM on it. Missing 2 knobs.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZNkhmb21iT0dYRUU

Marconi model 127 vintage 1927 - not sure of work required to get running but appears it may be minor.

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7Zb2hJS1dkLVRwdDQ

3 old portable cassette tape recorders (2 pictured)

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZVWJMaU9aS0Y5bFk

Emerson portable VHF/UHF TV AM/FM radio

https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZaGt2NzViOTFidHM

GE Spacemaker color TV and AM/FM radio
https://drive.google.com/uc?export=view&id=0Byw4-nWaCQ7ZV2hqSXNraTVaMlk

b_t
12-30-2016, 06:31 AM
Originally posted by msommers
b_t, post pics when you receive it! Subs require more calibration work than speakers, which generally need better placement than electronic correction. Acoustic treatment correction stuff can make a huge improvement, although I've always had large open-concept condos so it's kinda pointless for me...

Which Logans do you have again?

Will do! My room is pretty good as far as bass goes.. my main listening position is only affected by one mode around 50hz so I'm thinking the bass should be pretty controlled. MLs are nice as far as treatment goes too, not too many sidewall reflections with such a directional speaker. I could probably stand to bring them a little further into the room, but they are still about a foot and a half off the back wall.

I just have the entry level ones, the ESLs. Bought em back when the dollar was on par.. they were a fantastic deal. I figured I'd keep em forever but if oil ever comes back, I'm going to snap a pair of higher end ones. Gotta get that better midbass

speedog
12-30-2016, 12:37 PM
Audio equipment image links fixed, Google Drive just doesn't like playing nice in the sandbox.

b_t
01-06-2017, 01:09 PM
http://i.imgur.com/az5INpk.jpg

It came in! Two days late, but it came in. This thing has exposed every structural weakness in my basement.. and I have to replace my projector screen. The pull-down screen is vibrating too much even without coming close to maxing the bass.

The carbon fiber cone has such a nice shimmer on it you can see the sub working from the main listening couch... awesome! Haven't spun any records on it yet but I will pretty quick here. It totally dwarfs my towers though, and it does a good job of highlighting the DefTech Supercube's niche :rofl:

http://i.imgur.com/oYduNYO.jpg

Mitsu3000gt
01-06-2017, 03:51 PM
Looking good b_t. A good calibration will remove a lot of those annoying resonant frequencies, or at least mitigate the issue. I've always liked Funk, I would be curious how those subs compare to the SUB2.

sneek
01-06-2017, 04:11 PM
Originally posted by b_t
http://i.imgur.com/az5INpk.jpg

It came in! Two days late, but it came in. This thing has exposed every structural weakness in my basement.. and I have to replace my projector screen. The pull-down screen is vibrating too much even without coming close to maxing the bass.

The carbon fiber cone has such a nice shimmer on it you can see the sub working from the main listening couch... awesome! Haven't spun any records on it yet but I will pretty quick here. It totally dwarfs my towers though, and it does a good job of highlighting the DefTech Supercube's niche :rofl:

http://i.imgur.com/oYduNYO.jpg

:love:

I actually have a pair or ESL's and a pair of Theo's and the difference isn't as big as you would think. The ESL's are more than enough for my condo but I do want a bit more bass without upsetting the neighbours. I have the Dynamo 700 sitting in a box right now so I guess I can't complain.

b_t
01-06-2017, 05:32 PM
Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Looking good b_t. A good calibration will remove a lot of those annoying resonant frequencies, or at least mitigate the issue. I've always liked Funk, I would be curious how those subs compare to the SUB2.

I ran ARC right away so I'm not even sure what it sounded like without correction. Mostly I just had to tidy up the basement... clear up things like loose change and lightweight plastic junk. Stopped most the audible rattling. Next I've gotta paint two MDF strips I cut to reinforce my audio rack because it's falling apart... then I need to get a fixed frame screen, because the loudest rattles left are coming from inside my pulldown's mechanism, and the screen is useless now anyway.

Data-Bass tested the Sub-2 actually. It is slightly louder than the Funk 18.0, and almost perfectly equal in volume to a Funk 21.0 down low, with less output up top. The 21.0's waterfall chart looks much better, suggesting it is tighter overall, and the compression charts make it look like it has much better performance down low vs. the Sub-2, and a lot more headroom before it starts to muck with your bass. Only thing is the Sub-2 is hard to measure due to its design, so it might still sound better in the room.


Originally posted by sneek


:love:

I actually have a pair or ESL's and a pair of Theo's and the difference isn't as big as you would think. The ESL's are more than enough for my condo but I do want a bit more bass without upsetting the neighbours. I have the Dynamo 700 sitting in a box right now so I guess I can't complain.

Ooooh Theos... I definitely want to step up at some point to the bigger speakers but it seems like all your extra money goes just to improvements for stuff handled by the mid-bass speaker(s) in the base. It doesn't seem like the electrostat panel ever changes (I think it just gets bigger?) so I think I can tough it out for now.

The Funk has very good midbass too, stays strong and undistorted up to like 500hz, so I'm running a really high crossover right now to try and cover for the speakers and it seems to work really well.

whatthe
01-07-2017, 02:44 AM
If you want to nerd yourself into audio heaven, I would suggest considering some DIY projects.

I've heard a lot of things that reproduce music well enough, but ultimately still seemed to lack realism. After going open baffle, and di-pole sub set-ups I find that I can't go back. I auditioned various setups at hi-fi stores both in and out my price range and didn't hear anything to change my mind yet.

I built some NaO Note IIs that I use as my mains. They are a pain from a wiring/complication standpoint with individual channels of amplification requiring a few amplifiers and DSPs... but end result is good for a larger room.

http://www.musicanddesign.com/NaO_Note_II_RS.html

I also built some Linkwitz Plutos from the ground up including the amplifiers which was an even bigger challenge of finding, selecting, and soldering every last component onto the PCBs. Given that they are self-amplified/crossed over, equalized, time delayed, etc.. all they really need is an ipod or your main stereo bits.

Some reading if you feel inclined...

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/The_Magic/The_Magic.htm

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/frontiers.htm

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/Amplifiers-etc/Distortion.htm

http://www.linkwitzlab.com/Pluto/intro.htm

Whatever the case, certain setups will work better in different rooms and even the options above have things I like and dislike. Don't just buy something because the cost starts at 'xxx' dollars. i.e. for cheaper passive setups, Ascend is a decent example of online 'factory direct'... similar to business philosophy of amplifier options like Outlaw and Emotiva. At any rate, their more expensive Sierras have better imaging and materials that suit a small room.. but most people will probably prefer the cheaper CMT-340s in a larger room with better efficiency and dispersion. Tried both for a friend of my brothers, and he stuck with the cheaper option despite the abundance of funds at his disposal.

legendboy
01-07-2017, 03:01 PM
Just about to start probing this amp i just picked up. Blows the mains fuse as soon as it is powered on

https://c7.staticflickr.com/1/292/31793995190_fdb3f9f750_k.jpg

legendboy
01-09-2017, 11:06 PM
Ended up getting a smoking deal on Kenwood M2A Basic power and C2 Basic Pre. Pre needs something fixed so using a Pyramid I had.

Now the mach ones are super loud. See how they sound after I do full xover components and some mods. Super stoked :D Do one at a time for comparison

https://c8.staticflickr.com/1/486/32083155031_b5443f7bc1_k.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/435/32073243112_615f1f61cb_k.jpg

https://c6.staticflickr.com/1/699/31411767333_7a4ab836ae_k.jpg

b_t
01-10-2017, 11:25 AM
Whoa, that's some sweet looking retro gear. And it has VU meters! That's one thing I really wish I had in my setup... especially classic ones with the needles and yellowish background

Put the new sub through its paces with test tones the other day... it makes audible sound all the way down to 7hz or so at the main listening position, with the sub EQ set to "flat" and the Anthem rumble filter at 20hz 18dB/oct. I wanted to keep the low end flat but filtering the bass there frees up a ton of headroom elsewhere in the bass range.

Just craziness. Was hypnotic watching the carbon fiber cone moving in and out on the real low notes. Watching the black hole scene in Interstellar, right before whats-his-name gets sucked into the Tesseract, was an entirely different experience than it was with my old sub... sustained 10-20hz bass with a lot of big peaks. The Funk is perfectly clean, undistorted, and much louder through the entire scene. Not a harmonic to be hear the whole time. I'm curious what SPL level I was getting out of bass that low - should have been over 100 decibels. My neighbors must hate me.

Music isn't even remotely a challenge for this thing. Sounds killer and so accurate, you can hear the timber difference between clean and distorted electric bass, and feel it too.

Having a tough time getting totally even bass response on the couch... I may end up getting a matching sub to make em a pair which makes me :D but also :( because the fuckin price tag, maaaan.

I went with purchasing a completed sub so I could be assured of the performance of the end product, and I think I got my money's worth considering the driver is easily $1,200 and the amp at least a grand. But I didn't think I would see a need for a second subwoofer so quickly... maybe DIY really was the way to go here.

cyra1ax
01-10-2017, 01:50 PM
I'm wiring my basement before we get the walls all closed up and was wondering if it's possible to daisy chain speaker wire. Essentially I'd like to have two terminations per front left and right channel, one high for a wall mount setup and one low for a tower setup. The wire would come from the amp to the high mount location, and then another wire would be run from the high mount to the low mount location. Obviously both connections wouldn't be used at once.

Inzane
02-14-2017, 01:57 PM
With budget consciousness in mind... What is the general opinion on Polk Audio speakers?

Our bonus room is a general purpose room (for the kids etc) but I also view it as a secondary HT room, which is where I put my wall mounted 60" Samsung recently (My primary is my dedicated theater room in the basement).

I already have in ceiling surround speakers, and just need front towers, a centre channel and a sub for this room to complete a basic 5.1 setup. I'll be running them off my old Denon AVR receiver.

I was looking on Visions site at the Polk TSi series and it looks like the CS10 center is a good match to the TSi300 towers, and those plus a 10" sub (PSW108) can all be had for around the ~$600 mark. (Probably less given Visions tend to be willing to haggle). Are these speakers reasonably good for the money?

Thanks.

01RedDX
02-14-2017, 02:35 PM
.

Mitsu3000gt
02-14-2017, 03:14 PM
If you want full 5.1 surround for $600 Polk will be fine. Margin on speakers is absolutely insane, try to grind down Visions a bit more if you go that route. You might also want to look into a 2.1 sound bar or something if you want to keep it clean and don't really care as much about the experience.

legendboy
02-14-2017, 04:53 PM
I'm waiting on my Polk 9c for my large ht room :)

Inzane
02-14-2017, 09:10 PM
Originally posted by 01RedDX
but don't expect stellar performance out of that sub.

Not complaining as I only paid $120 and don't listen to a lot of music on it. If you tweak the volume/low pass filter it's competent for a basic home theater but I think my 10-year-old Logitech Z-2300 sounds better and it's only 8"

I'm also eyeing the Polk PSW111 which is 8". It appears to review extremely well. I did notice it's not magnetically shielded. I'm not sure if that's a big deal or not. (For example, non-shielded is bad for computer speakers that sit close to a monitor). Does it matter for something like a sub that sits on the floor? :dunno:

Mitsu3000gt
02-15-2017, 10:18 AM
Originally posted by Inzane


I'm also eyeing the Polk PSW111 which is 8&quot;. It appears to review extremely well. I did notice it's not magnetically shielded. I'm not sure if that's a big deal or not. (For example, non-shielded is bad for computer speakers that sit close to a monitor). Does it matter for something like a sub that sits on the floor? :dunno:

Most people buy subs that are way too small and/or are way too underpowered for their rooms. If you just want to add some bottom end to a 2.0 setup, fine, but if you want a decent HT experience you aren't likely to get one out of that sub.

Am I correct in assuming this bonus room is above the garage, and quite open? If so this sub will be very underpowered, but if you just want a little bit of rumble to go with your movies, it might be OK.

Don't worry about the magnetic shielding, that is more for things like CRT monitors. LCDs aren't affected by it. These days there is little reason for it for most applications.

ganesh
02-22-2017, 08:36 AM
Any one here owns a Cyrus One?
It says it can be used in a HT setup as a Power Amplifier in AV by pass mode. Does any one knows how this works?

b_t
03-01-2017, 11:31 AM
You plug two RCAs into the jacks labeled "AV" then spin the one dial to the "AV" setting and that's all you have to do. Cool lookin unit... 100 watts a channel nothing to sneeze at either

ganesh
03-01-2017, 12:08 PM
Originally posted by b_t
You plug two RCAs into the jacks labeled &quot;AV&quot; then spin the one dial to the &quot;AV&quot; setting and that's all you have to do. Cool lookin unit... 100 watts a channel nothing to sneeze at either

Yeah. Thanks for the response. I did more digging into this and it looks like this will work as a Power Amplifier. I am planning to use my Yamaha Aventage RX-A 2060 as the Pre-Amp and Cyrus will be used for the front two channels.
Currently Cyrus One is retails for $1,499 and it is getting really good reviews. Not sure how much wiggle room is there
This week I am bleeding money :)

legendboy
03-20-2017, 05:16 PM
anybody have a 2 ch pro amp sitting around collecting dust? looking for 500wpc+

msommers
03-20-2017, 09:02 PM
Can I ask why you need so much power?!

legendboy
03-21-2017, 07:51 AM
Upping the SPL :D

I have a Crown i2000 with a bad dsp card comming today for temporary but need to buy something

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3672/33441324321_232cc5b86c_k.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3813/33570314055_d04b316ef0_k.jpg

https://c1.staticflickr.com/4/3776/33441318211_7d14d66e84_k.jpg

I'm at home on ei with no license studying electronics so basically just playing.

msommers
03-23-2017, 02:50 PM
Holy crap :eek: For those kind of watts at a reasonable pricepoint, you're going to be looking at Class-D amps, which likely means moreso receiver units than standalone amps.

If anyone is looking into trying a Squeezebox Touch transport system, I have my full package available. Essentially what this does is takes your files from a computer/server/NAS and controls the playback features with say an iPad or Android, an has a nice screen to display information. It's also updated to play all the latest file formats.

legendboy
03-24-2017, 09:34 AM
Originally posted by msommers
Holy crap :eek: For those kind of watts at a reasonable pricepoint, you're going to be looking at Class-D amps, which likely means moreso receiver units than standalone amps.

oh ya, pro switchers for this kind of power. The crown cdi 2000 i am using is 475 into 8ohm x 2

I just picked up a Nak 410 pre and one of these!!

http://www.hifi-studio.de/hifi-klassiker/diatone-mitsubishi/DA-15DC.jpg

mitsubishi da-a15dc :drool: