Infinity Primus Owner's Thread

[Cobra2001]

You can check 2 other sites, if you are OK with refurbished or discontinued (I think now Primus is discontinued). The following is from Infinity web site:

Thanks man. I'll check them out before I settle on vanns. I see from this thread that you have a similar setup to what I'm trying to put together. You still happy with the speakers after owning them for awhile?

[axs]

Thanks man. I'll check them out before I settle on vanns. I see from this thread that you have a similar setup to what I'm trying to put together. You still happy with the speakers after owning them for awhile?
Yes. I have 360s, C25, 150s and PS12 in my second HT setup. The price was too good to pass on.

[Cobra2001]

Yes. I have 360s, C25, 150s and PS12 in my second HT setup. The price was too good to pass on.

Thanks. BTW, I just sent you a PM with one final question.

Cobra2001

[fullmoon]

I'm kind of late to this thread and this might be old news but there is a redisigned Primus series.

http://www.hometoys.com/show_news.php4?section=enhancedview&id=18711346

[Rao1]

Could not resist anymore. I have ordered pair of 360s from Vanns. I am hoping I can adjust current center channel and sub with 360s.

I have received pair primus 360s . Sound quality is far far better than TSS 750. I have listened to couple of metallica and enigma CDs , so far very pleased with 360s. I was hoping to use TSS satellite for center but after listening to 360s' I don't want to listen to TSS 750 anymore.
But, I have encountered a problem yesterday. I was listening to one of the mp3 CDs. At a particular track, my receiver (onkyo sr 703 ) suddenly switched off itself. I switched on it again, but at exactly same track it would switched off. After a while I continued with other tracks, but I could only hear from left speaker. Although, I can hear some sound from right speaker, it does not match with left speaker. It seems that one of the drivers is damaged. Can you think of any reason for this ? BTW, I am using 16 gauge speaker cable, which is correctly connected to +/ terminals on receiver.
I am exchanging that speaker for the new one but I would like to know the reason so that it would not happen again.

thanks.

[Gigapod]

...
Can you think of any reason for this ?
...

It seems either the tweeter or the midrange, or a component in the xover, failed on that speaker. There are many possible causes, but right now I would say it was just premature failure of one of the drivers or a component in the xover.

[axs]

I have received pair primus 360s . Sound quality is far far better than TSS 750. I have listened to couple of metallica and enigma CDs , so far very pleased with 360s. I was hoping to use TSS satellite for center but after listening to 360s' I don't want to listen to TSS 750 anymore.
But, I have encountered a problem yesterday. I was listening to one of the mp3 CDs. At a particular track, my receiver (onkyo sr 703 ) suddenly switched off itself. I switched on it again, but at exactly same track it would switched off. After a while I continued with other tracks, but I could only hear from left speaker. Although, I can hear some sound from right speaker, it does not match with left speaker. It seems that one of the drivers is damaged. Can you think of any reason for this ? BTW, I am using 16 gauge speaker cable, which is correctly connected to +/ terminals on receiver.
I am exchanging that speaker for the new one but I would like to know the reason so that it would not happen again.

thanks.
Which speaker you are talking about - 360s or TSS-750? Are you sure it is speaker, which is bad?

First check all wiring to make sure nothing is shorting, if needed power off receiver, disconnect and reconnect all the wires. Sometime one single strand of wire may be touching other terminal and will short.

Another easy way to test will be disconnect everything except 2 fronts (360s) and play the same track again and see what happens.

If you still have same issue and you hear only left speaker, then swap speakers and see what happens in that case? or even try will all TSS-750 speakers and see if they work fine.

All I am trying to find out is whether it is speaker or receiver itself or speaker wire is shorting?

[Rao1]

Which speaker you are talking about - 360s or TSS-750? Are you sure it is speaker, which is bad?

First check all wiring to make sure nothing is shorting, if needed power off receiver, disconnect and reconnect all the wires. Sometime one single strand of wire may be touching other terminal and will short.

Another easy way to test will be disconnect everything except 2 fronts (360s) and play the same track again and see what happens.

If you still have same issue and you hear only left speaker, then swap speakers and see what happens in that case? or even try will all TSS-750 speakers and see if they work fine.

All I am trying to find out is whether it is speaker or receiver itself or speaker wire is shorting?

Problem is with one of the 360s. I had connected 360's as front speakers and was listening to 2 channel mode when the problem occured. Infact, it happened when I increased the volume really high. I did swap the speakes to check if there is any problem with receiver. It seems that one of the drivers is damaged in that speaker as I can hear some sound . I spent almost a day connecting/reconnecting speakers/cables and finally I gave up and called Vanns to send a replacement. It is still a puzzle to me why receiver would switch off for a particular track!!! I am afraid of playing the track again!!!.
BTW, you were right about center channel. TSS 750 center satellite does not go well wih primus.

[axs]

Problem is with one of the 360s. I had connected 360's as front speakers and was listening to 2 channel mode when the problem occured. Infact, it happened when I increased the volume really high.
How high volume you are talking about? Did you turn it to the max or just 60-70%?

It is possible that you may have received a damaged speaker. The 360s are rated for 10w-200w and SR703 is a 100w/channel receiver, so I doubt that it can pump enough power to damage the speakers. However, speakers (specially tweeters) also get damaged due to amp clipping. This can be a possible reason, so be careful for future and do not max out the volume. Your receiver has pre-outs for all channels, so if you feel that more power is needed, get an external amp to drive the front speakers.

It is still a puzzle to me why receiver would switch off for a particular track!!! I am afraid of playing the track again!!!.
What track it that? Send me a PM, may be I will try that if I have it.

Receivers go into protection mode, if you are overdriving/overloading them or there is some kind of short etc too. Most likely you overloaded the SR703, so to protect itself from any permanent damage it shut itself down.

While you are waiting for replacement speaker, you may want to connect TSS-750 and play something (at moderate volume ofcourse) to make sure receiver is still good (all channels).

BTW, you were right about center channel. TSS 750 center satellite does not go well wih primus.
Yes, I had this suspicion. You can still get C25 and keep TSS-750 satellites for surround speakers.

Good luck.

[getmyrunon]

I've been thinking about putting together a nice, cheap home theatre for a while. I was going to take care of the audio last, but something has come up: Frys has the 250s for $69 each this Black Friday. Judging by most of the opinions in this thread, I would be dumb not to get them at this price, right?

I'm not even sure what kind of receiver / surrounds / center I want to pair them with, but the price seems so low I'm just gravitating toward a purchase, and then I'll figure out the rest later.

Talk some sense into me? I'll use these for gaming / movie watching / occasional music listening.

[Gigapod]

I've been thinking about putting together a nice, cheap home theatre for a while. I was going to take care of the audio last, but something has come up: Frys has the 250s for $69 each this Black Friday. Judging by most of the opinions in this thread, I would be dumb not to get them at this price, right?

I'm not even sure what kind of receiver / surrounds / center I want to pair them with, but the price seems so low I'm just gravitating toward a purchase, and then I'll figure out the rest later.

Talk some sense into me? I'll use these for gaming / movie watching / occasional music listening.

At $69 each I would get four of them. For a nice, inexpensive receiver that matches well the Primus 250's I would check the Pioneer 516, it seems it was also on special for $88 (after rebate) - check the receivers forum.

[getmyrunon]

A few more questions. I'm a total audio n00b, so bear with me. I'm more concerned about the $$ than the quality, because I'm fairly positive that whatever I wind up with will blow me away.

Would a velodyne VX-10c sub work well with 4 of the 250s / a c25? It's also on sale @ frys for 129. Seems the receiver rebate is no longer alive - any other cheap receiver reccomendations? I don't need a 7.1 set up, and I don't need HDMI. Is the Onkyo SR-304 too underpowered to work well with the speakers? (65w).

[Gigapod]

...
Would a velodyne VX-10c sub work well with 4 of the 250s / a c25? It's also on sale @ frys for 129.


From the specs (-6dB at 36Hz, 100W RMS) it seems it would work quite well. You would get a better answer in the subwoofer section of this forum, though.

Seems the receiver rebate is no longer alive - any other cheap receiver reccomendations? I don't need a 7.1 set up, and I don't need HDMI. Is the Onkyo SR-304 too underpowered to work well with the speakers? (65w).

Imho the Onkyo 304 (5.1, 65W/ch) at $169 is not as good a deal as the Pioneer 516 (7.1, 100W/ch) even at its normal sale price of $179. Again, you would get a better answer in the receiver section.

But 65W/ch is quite enough to drive the 250's, unless you happen to listen to music at very, very loud levels; and the active subwoofer would help too. Remember that when listening at normal volume levels, on the 250's, most of the time the receiver is using on average 1W. At 64W you have an extra 18dB of headroom before clipping...

[wje]

Imho the Onkyo 304 (5.1, 65W/ch) at $169 is not as good a deal as the Pioneer 516 (7.1, 100W/ch) even at its normal sale price of $179. Again, you would get a better answer in the receiver section.

If the Onkyo was a serious consideration, I'd look at the 504, as a refurbished model and get it for about the listed price of the 304. Also, Circuit City will be offering the Pioneer 512 tomorrow morning (Friday) for $119.

[axs]

I've been thinking about putting together a nice, cheap home theatre for a while. I was going to take care of the audio last, but something has come up: Frys has the 250s for $69 each this Black Friday. Judging by most of the opinions in this thread, I would be dumb not to get them at this price, right?
At $69 a piece, you can't go wrong with this one. BTW, this is the lowest price, I have seen on 250s.

Another thing worth checking is Vanns.com package deal with 2x250s, 1xC25, 2x150s and PS10. If you do the math and are looking for buying all these separately (even at $69 each for 250s), you may end up paying more for the whole package.


I'm not even sure what kind of receiver / surrounds / center I want to pair them with, but the price seems so low I'm just gravitating toward a purchase, and then I'll figure out the rest later.

Talk some sense into me? I'll use these for gaming / movie watching / occasional music listening.
For center, perhaps the only choice you have is primus C25 (unless you want to get another 250 for center). You can even get 250s for surrounds, many people use identical speakers for surrounds. However, Primus 150s will just do fine for surrounds.

Receivers are equally important and you should get the one with decent amount of connection options and enough power. Posting the information about what components you have, what type of connections is needed and a budget will be helpful. I also think you will get better response for receiver related questions in receiver/amp forum.

[axs]

A few more questions. I'm a total audio n00b, so bear with me. I'm more concerned about the $$ than the quality, because I'm fairly positive that whatever I wind up with will blow me away.

Would a velodyne VX-10c sub work well with 4 of the 250s / a c25? It's also on sale @ frys for 129. Seems the receiver rebate is no longer alive - any other cheap receiver reccomendations? I don't need a 7.1 set up, and I don't need HDMI. Is the Onkyo SR-304 too underpowered to work well with the speakers? (65w).
If your budget permits, consider sr504 or vsx-816 instead. IMHO, extra $$ are worth the features and connectivity options you get with these.

[Gigapod]

... there is a redisigned Primus series.

http://www.hometoys.com/show_news.php4?section=enhancedview&id=18711346

Interesting. I also found a single picture in this blog entry:
http://blog.ultimateavmag.com/cedia2006/091606InfinityPrimus/

[Rudy165]

Interesting. I also found a single picture in this blog entry:
http://blog.ultimateavmag.com/cedia2006/091606InfinityPrimus/

I think I need that center channel really bad.

[Gigapod]

I think I need that center channel really bad.
:)
I agree, it does look like one mean center channel, with 2 midrange drivers and the tweeter slightly above/between them.
I am not very impressed by the upgrades to the other speakers, though, at least aesthetically speaking. I'd like to read some reviews on how they sound, not that I intend to upgrade so soon, but I am curious about how Infinity set to improve on the original Primus line.

[Gigapod]

Having spent a few days listening to the Primus 360's only, and then a few more days with the 250's only, I still cannot say that I prefer one pair of speakers over the other. But at least I have learned to tell them apart in some music pieces. One of these is Bach's Toccata BWV 565, played at reasonable volume levels (but still below window shaking) and with the help of the subwoofer for the lower notes.
The 360's and 250's definitely must have very different frequency response curves, because switching between them is like switching between two different equalization profiles. Certainly some persons will prefer one over the other, so if one was to choose between them, my advice would be to go listen to them with a few pieces of music on a CD and choose according to one's tastes. But also don't forget to listen to some music with both pairs of speakers playing at the same time; it's an interesting experiment.
I am switching over to a normal surround layout today and will continue my experimentation with Dolby ProLogic II decoding (http://www.dolby.com/consumer/technology/prologic_II.html) for my stereo music tracks.

[Rao1]

How high volume you are talking about? Did you turn it to the max or just 60-70%?
Good luck.

Thanks for the information. I did some research on amp clipping (http://www.rocketroberts.com/techart/amp.htm)
and now I know what exactly would have happened. The tweeter got damaged because of amp clipping. I was trying test speakers and receiver at higher volume, probably around 80% of max power. I have re-connected my TSS 750 and looks like my receiver is in good condition.
I want to add an amplifier when I set up primus again. Do you recommend any amplifier to go with onkyo and primus ? I looked at Onkyo M-282 amplifier for $200, looks good to me.

[axs]

I want to add an amplifier when I set up primus again. Do you recommend any amplifier to go with onkyo and primus ? I looked at Onkyo M-282 amplifier for $200, looks good to me.
I think Onkyo TX-SR702 have enough power to drive 360s, but if you like to add external amp anyway then check these out too
http://www.outlawaudio.com/products/2200.html

You will need 2 of them (one each for front L/R).

[khale7]

Any thoughts on the Infinity PRIMUS THEATER PACK? With a onkyo 604.

Thanks

[Gigapod]

Any thoughts on the Infinity PRIMUS THEATER PACK? With a onkyo 604.

Thanks
It's a good combination for an entry-level HT system, with good stereo music playback.

[Gigapod]

...
I want to add an amplifier when I set up primus again.
...
Hi,
If I understand you well, it seems you want to add an extra amplifier to drive your main speakers because you believe you have driven your Onkyo SR-703 to clipping levels, and that blew a tweeter on one of your Primus 360 speakers.

The SR 703 is rated at 100W/channel into 8 Ohms at 0.08% distortion, but that's way below clipping.

At 100W, your Primus speakers would be putting out 113dB at 1 meter - each. That's around 115dB give or take a few dBs if you were standing somewhere not too far from them, and it's way too high sound level for any normal person to bear, even for a few seconds.

A jack hammer at 1m is around 100dB. To give you an idea, 115dB is what you would get if you were standing in the middle of 4 or 5 jack hammers.

In other words, you are probably never going to listen to music at that sound level, and you probably didn't during your test.

If you do listen at these levels, then you don't need an extra amplifier, you need more efficient speakers, like the Klipsch, which are considerably more expensive than the Primus. Be warned that you can damage your hearing, though. Also the cat will leave the house and won't return, and the neighbors will complain... ;)

Or get yourself some good closed headphones. With these you can damage your hearing, but nobody will notice... :p

The M-282 is rated at 105W/channel into 8 Ohms. That's 0.2dB louder than your Onkyo SR 703, so it won't change anything at all.

Imho you did not drive your Onkyo to clipping levels, you were just unlucky and one of the drivers or one of the xover components on the Primus 360 failed.

[weatherman98]

Disregarding room dimensions and listen-before-you-buy tests, which of these is the best buy? System would be powered by Yamaha RX-V2600 and paired with a Velodyne VRP1000 sub for now. With the exception of a better sub (maybe), I'd rather not upgrade beyone this for quite some time.

1. Infinity Primus 360, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 150, 1pr, rear surround
" " 150, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 610

2. Infinity Primus 360, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 140, 1pr, rear surround
" " 160, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 628 or $ 538 with the Primus 250 vice 360

3. Infinity Primus 250, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 150, 1pr, rear surround
" " 150, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 520

4. SVS 5.0 system
2 pr SBS-01, front and surround
1SCS-01, center
$599

I'm leaning fairly heavily toward number 1. What do you owners think?

[axs]

Disregarding room dimensions and listen-before-you-buy tests, which of these is the best buy? System would be powered by Yamaha RX-V2600 and paired with a Velodyne VRP1000 sub for now. With the exception of a better sub (maybe), I'd rather not upgrade beyone this for quite some time.

1. Infinity Primus 360, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 150, 1pr, rear surround
" " 150, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 610

2. Infinity Primus 360, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 140, 1pr, rear surround
" " 160, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 628 or $ 538 with the Primus 250 vice 360

3. Infinity Primus 250, 1pr, fronts
" " C25, 1, center
" " 150, 1pr, rear surround
" " 150, 1pr, side surround or presence channels on Yammie
$ 520

4. SVS 5.0 system
2 pr SBS-01, front and surround
1SCS-01, center
$599

I'm leaning fairly heavily toward number 1. What do you owners think?
If you decide to go with Infinity Primus speakers, I would also suggest #1.

SVS (SBS01/SCS01) package also gets a lot of good review around here, so that also might be worth checking out.

Good luck.

[weatherman98]

or, here's another option...

what about number 1 with Interlude 50's instead of Primus 360's for the same price? Which is better then?

[Gigapod]

or, here's another option...

what about number 1 with Interlude 50's instead of Primus 360's for the same price? Which is better then?
Hi weatherman98,

The Interlude 50's are not tone/level matched to the Primus speakers, so I wouldn't recommend mixing them in a HT setup. Besides, they each have their own active subwoofer, which would be redundant if you buy a Velodyne VRP1000. And in the end, the Primus 360's would probably sound better.

I would follow axs' advice and go for your original #1 solution.

Just my $0.02.

[Cowboy420]

#1 gets my vote.. :D

[weatherman98]

thanks all! In addition to #1 being the best option, is it a good deal? I'd like to get a good value along with good audio!

[Cowboy420]

I think its an outstanding deal. I payed a bit more for mine becuase they hadn't been price slashed as much. Even at the price I payed im TOTALLY happy with it. :D

(2) 360's $400
(2) 250's $300
(1) C25 $100
(1) SVS-PB10 $500

[Gigapod]

thanks all! In addition to #1 being the best option, is it a good deal? I'd like to get a good value along with good audio!
Considering your are getting 7 speakers total for $610, imho it's an excellent deal. As for value, well, I recommend you wait until you hear your system in your home and make up your own mind! Or read the comments here from previous owners! :D

[Rao1]

Hi,
If you do listen at these levels, then you don't need an extra amplifier, you need more efficient speakers, like the Klipsch, which are considerably more expensive than the Primus. Be warned that you can damage your hearing, though. Also the cat will leave the house and won't return, and the neighbors will complain... ;)

Or get yourself some good closed headphones. With these you can damage your hearing, but nobody will notice... :p

The M-282 is rated at 105W/channel into 8 Ohms. That's 0.2dB louder than your Onkyo SR 703, so it won't change anything at all.

Imho you did not drive your Onkyo to clipping levels, you were just unlucky and one of the drivers or one of the xover components on the Primus 360 failed.

LOL.. :)
You may be right. I am very new to HT system. Do not know much about amplifiers. I regret for not visiting this forum before buying TSS 750. However,I do believe that it was something to do with amplifier power and volume. I was listening to poorly recorded Indian movie song at very high volume, which was not that loud and that song contained some weird instrumets too.

[axs]

LOL.. :)
You may be right. I am very new to HT system. Do not know much about amplifiers. I regret for not visiting this forum before buying TSS 750. However,I do believe that it was something to do with amplifier power and volume.
It is not all that bad. You have now 360s and all you need to do is get C25. Use the satellites for surrounds. May be you can go for a 7.1 setup now, this way only TSS center channel will be a waste or you can use 2 of the satellites in zone 2 for some casual listening in kitchen or a bedroom. Another option is to see if you can sell it off on eBay etc.

I was listening to poorly recorded Indian movie song at very high volume, which was not that loud and that song contained some weird instrumets too.
What do you use for playing these songs - A CD/DVD player or an MP3 player (iPod etc)? Obviously quality source material is important, but using Lossless formats will give you much better quality than lossy format like MP3.

[johnaussie]

I agree. I have the Pioneer VSX-816 (7x100W) driving the Primus 360's (main) and 250's (surround). The Primus are relatively efficient and the Pioneer drives them effortlessly, getting barely warm even after many hours playing at reasonable levels. The auto-calibration feature is quite neat and the remote is very complete, although it does take a while to learn how to use the wealth of features available on the Pioneer.

Neither the Pioneer nor the Primus are "audiophile-standard" components but I think both brands provide good value. For example, the Pioneer receiver's front panel and buttons are plastic, and the Infinity Primus speakers are finished in "wood grain" vynil. Does that have any effect on how they sound? No.

Reviews:

Pioneer VSX-816-K/S (7x100W): check the digitaltrends review.
Pioneer VSX-1016TXV (7x120W, THX2, HDMI): there's a review on CNET.


Any other thoughts on a nice complement/matched receiver in the $400 - $600 range for the following setup:
Front: 360's
center: C25
surrounds: 160's
sub: PS-12

Looking at the Denon 2307CI on sale - but wondering if the Denon might be too warm for these speakers? Any help would be appreciated.
Listening to music 40 %
movie and Home Theatre 40%
football HD 20%

I like the options of using the HDMI connections in the Denon - but it is not a deal killer - sound is more important.
Can you give me guidance on the best match?

[Gigapod]

Any other thoughts on a nice complement/matched receiver in the $400 - $600 range for the following setup:
...
Can you give me guidance on the best match?
You have many, many choices for a receiver in this price range; and as you can see, I paid a lot less than that for mine (my Pioneer 816 cost me < $300), so you may get some better advice in the receiver section of this forum.
Anyways, the power requirements to drive your Primus HT setup are quite modest, because the Primus 360's are relatively efficient speakers, at 93db/W.
Meaning, basically any receiver you buy, costing > $400, will do fine with the Primus in terms of power. The only concern could be that, according to lab tests, the impedance of the Primus 360's: it can dip below 4 Ohms at some frequencies; so I would favor a receiver than can handle low impedance loads (I believe Yamahas in the price range that you specified do well with low impedance loads).
But your choice of receiver will probably be based on connectivity options, if you like the remote or not, availability in your area, and other criteria.
So I really recommend you ask around in the receiver section of this forum, and check a few reviews on the Web.
I found a review of the Denon here: http://reviews.cnet.com/Denon_AVR_2307CI/4505-6466_7-31987324.html
The reviewer seems to have some reservations regarding the remote control and the HDMI capabilities, but otherwise deemed it a good product.
Note: many manufacturers will not honor the warranty on receivers purchased from unauthorized dealers. So in any case, I recommend you buy only from an authorized dealer.

[CGB21]

After almost two weeks of daily use and quite a few listening sessions, I still hear little difference between the 360's and 250's when playing jazz, classical or electronic music (my Jazz recordings date from the 1950's and may not quite have the level of detail required for speaker comparisons). However, when switching between them in the middle of a note or song, one can tell they have different frequency responses, not so much in the high frequencies, but between 200~2000 Hz, which is basically the range of human voice. The 250's seem to emphasize slightly the midrange frequencies, the 360's seem more neutral, with a flatter response. The difference, however, is very subtle.

I cannot say I prefer either. Some instruments seem to stand out better on the 250's, and some on the 360's. It seems that playing on both sets of speakers simultaneously (mode A+B on the receiver) gets me the best of both worlds. :p

I have played music at louder levels and both speakers can hold their own; the sound is still similar. They could play even louder but I wouldn't want my neighbors banging at my door... :eek:

I don't have bookshelves that I can use for speakers and I am not very satisfied with speaker stands, which is the main reason I prefered the 250's vs. 150's as surround speakers. So I am now going to move the 250's to their surround position.

I also just got delivered a 12" active subwoofer which I bought used for $130, a german Magnat Alpha 30a. It does reach frequencies into the low 20's and has its own 180W amp; after turning down its volume control it matches quite seamlessly the Primus 360's and 250's (I am crossing over at 80Hz on the receiver).

I have done all my listening tests until now in "Direct" mode on the receiver: no level-matching, no equalisation whatsoever. My future tests will be done in a 4.1 setup, with Dolby II Pro music surround mixing and the Pioneer's automatically calibrated acoustic equalisation settings.

CGB21, since you already have the 250's and the sub, you may want to add the 360's to your setup. IMHO they would be worth the investment.


Thanks much for the further information. I think I'll get the 360s when I upgrade my system and move the 250s to the back (my current rear speakers are severly miss-matched). Your surround system should sound great. A Pioneer auto-setup receiver got a good review in "The Sensible Sound" magazine.

[CGB21]

:)
I agree, it does look like one mean center channel, with 2 midrange drivers and the tweeter slightly above/between them.
I am not very impressed by the upgrades to the other speakers, though, at least aesthetically speaking. I'd like to read some reviews on how they sound, not that I intend to upgrade so soon, but I am curious about how Infinity set to improve on the original Primus line.

I asked an Infinity phone rep about the new line a couple a months ago, and he did not know anything, but thought it would be mainly style/cosmetic. It looks like the larger center channel, based on the numbers, is designed to go with the larger 360 style speaker. This makes sense because the C25 is small and could use a little more omph for use with bigger speakers. I don't think there will be any problem with tonal matching between the two lines. They probably use the same drivers.

[type456]

Have any of you compared the Primus 140 with the 150? The Primus Theater pack seems like a good deal for those that have a small room. Seems to me that this is Infinity's equivalent to Athena's Point 5 system which is a great setup for a small room home theater. How's the center channel that comes with the theater pack?

[throwback559]

Is any1 has the PS12 what do you have the settings at ?

[Gigapod]

Is any1 has the PS12 what do you have the settings at ?
You would probably get a better answer in the subwoofer forum, but in any case please give more details on your setup; it's impossible to answer your question without knowing what your other speakers are, layout, room size, receiver, music style, etc.

[Gigapod]

I asked an Infinity phone rep about the new line a couple a months ago, and he did not know anything, but thought it would be mainly style/cosmetic. It looks like the larger center channel, based on the numbers, is designed to go with the larger 360 style speaker. This makes sense because the C25 is small and could use a little more omph for use with bigger speakers. I don't think there will be any problem with tonal matching between the two lines. They probably use the same drivers.
Hi CGB21,
My turn to thank you for the information. I guess Harman Intl. decided to launch the new line in 2007, because I still haven't seen any sign of the new speakers in retail channels.
I agree entirely with your analysis of the larger center channel. I am thinking about waiting until I can get one to buy mine.

[weatherman98]

Have any of you compared the Primus 140 with the 150? The Primus Theater pack seems like a good deal for those that have a small room. Seems to me that this is Infinity's equivalent to Athena's Point 5 system which is a great setup for a small room home theater. How's the center channel that comes with the theater pack?


Don't flame me or stomp on my pee pee if I hang it out in ignorance here, but I think the center channel for this system is the C25 that everyone in this forum has discussed.

Haven't compared the two bookshelves either, maybe someonel else has and will respond...

[axs]

Don't flame me or stomp on my pee pee if I hang it out in ignorance here, but I think the center channel for this system is the C25 that everyone in this forum has discussed.

Haven't compared the two bookshelves either, maybe someonel else has and will respond...
The bookshelf speakers in primus theater pack is primus 140s, but center channel is different. It is certainly not, C25.

C25 has dual 5.25" drivers, but center channel in primus pack has dual 4" drivers. Physical dimension, FR and weight too are different.

[sandiegoruss]

I was setting up my speakers with my HK AVR7300 last night. The HK manual says to go look at the specs for your speakers to determine the crossover (I have 360s in front, 150s for surrounds, c25, and the PS12 sub). It has quadruple crossover, so I can set crossover for each element.

The specs for the 360s say the crossover freq is 350hz, the 150's say 3,300 hz, the c25 3,000 hz. Choices on the AVR are 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 200 hz.

Umm, how do I match 3000 hz to any of those settings?

I reviewed this thread and set everything to small and the crossover at 80, but why are the numbers that infinity sets with their specs so different than everything else?

Am i comparing apples to oranges?

[Gigapod]

...
Am i comparing apples to oranges?
Yes! :)
Anytime you have to make the transition between a driver and another in a speaker, you have a crossover frequency. But the crossover frequency that you set on the receiver is the one that controls the crossover to the separate subwoofer in a 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 setup (the subwoofer is the ".1" part, in this case, your PS12, which you should connect preferably with a simple RCA cable to the specific output at the back of your receiver).
You can get more details in the subwoofer part of this forum, but the general advice here as regards the Primus 360's and Primus HT gear is to set the subwoofer crossover frequency at 80Hz. So basically you already have your receiver setup correctly! ;)

[weatherman98]

The bookshelf speakers in primus theater pack is primus 140s, but center channel is different. It is certainly not, C25.

C25 has dual 5.25" drivers, but center channel in primus pack has dual 4" drivers. Physical dimension, FR and weight too are different.


Thanks for the correction, and thanks for treading lightly!

[weatherman98]

Yes! :)
Anytime you have to make the transition between a driver and another in a speaker, you have a crossover frequency. But the crossover frequency that you set on the receiver is the one that controls the crossover to the separate subwoofer in a 2.1 or 5.1 or 7.1 setup (the subwoofer is the ".1" part, in this case, your PS12, which you should connect preferably with a simple RCA cable to the specific output at the back of your receiver).
You can get more details in the subwoofer part of this forum, but the general advice here as regards the Primus 360's and Primus HT gear is to set the subwoofer crossover frequency at 80Hz. So basically you already have your receiver setup correctly! ;)


In other words (if I'm understanding your reply correctly) you're saying the infinity listed crossovers are the crossovers between the two drivers in the speakers, right? (ie within the 360's, 350Hz and lower goes to the woofer and above goes to the tweeter)

[Gigapod]

In other words (if I'm understanding your reply correctly) you're saying the infinity listed crossovers are the crossovers between the two drivers in the speakers, right? (ie within the 360's, 350Hz and lower goes to the woofer and above goes to the tweeter)
Weatherman98,
that's ... almost correct! ;) Since the 360's are three-way speakers (four drivers, but that includes two woofers), they have two crossovers, one to make the transition between the two woofers and the medium, and one to make the transition between medium and tweeter. It is these frequencies that Infinity mentions in their specifications.
But you got the right idea. :)

[axs]

I was setting up my speakers with my HK AVR7300 last night. The HK manual says to go look at the specs for your speakers to determine the crossover (I have 360s in front, 150s for surrounds, c25, and the PS12 sub). It has quadruple crossover, so I can set crossover for each element.

The specs for the 360s say the crossover freq is 350hz, the 150's say 3,300 hz, the c25 3,000 hz. Choices on the AVR are 40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 200 hz.

Umm, how do I match 3000 hz to any of those settings?

I reviewed this thread and set everything to small and the crossover at 80, but why are the numbers that infinity sets with their specs so different than everything else?

Am i comparing apples to oranges?
I think Gigapod kind of answered some of your questions in later posts, so I will just add on to his answers.

When you are setting crossover frequency on receiver (manually or by auto setup) you should consider the frequency response (FR) of your speakers and set the value accordingly. Since you have option of setting crossover frequency for individual channels, here is what you can do:

1. Fronts (Primus 360s) have FR of 38hz-20khz, so you can perhaps try 60hz for fronts. Experiment with both 60 and 80hz and keep the one you like most.

2. Center (C25) has an FR of 80hz-20khz, so try 100hz for center channel.

3. Surrounds (Primus 150s) have FR of 58hz-20khz, so experiment with either 80hz or 100hz. Again keep the one you like best.

As for PS12 (sub woofer), set the crossover frequency (at the back of the PS12) to max (150hz). It is a knob on the back of the sub.

Set all the speaker to "small" on your receiver.

Remember crossover frequency is not a brick wall, so the individual channels will still get some contents below the crossover frequency you set on receiver and that is the reason you do not set crossover frequency at the lowest frequency your speakers are capable of producing.

Hope this helps.

[Rao1]

It is not all that bad. You have now 360s and all you need to do is get C25. Use the satellites for surrounds. May be you can go for a 7.1 setup now, this way only TSS center channel will be a waste or you can use 2 of the satellites in zone 2 for some casual listening in kitchen or a bedroom. Another option is to see if you can sell it off on eBay etc.
My primus set up is up and rocking again. I have moved satellites to surrounds for the time being.


What do you use for playing these songs - A CD/DVD player or an MP3 player (iPod etc)? Obviously quality source material is important, but using Lossless formats will give you much better quality than lossy format like MP3.
Currently I am using DVD player but I am planning to buy creative zen mp3 player and rip all songs into WMA format and connet it to receiver.

[axs]

My primus set up is up and rocking again. I have moved satellites to surrounds for the time being.
Great. Be careful this time. Also make sure to run auto setup again.

Currently I am using DVD player but I am planning to buy creative zen mp3 player and rip all songs into WMA format and connet it to receiver.
I use Apple Lossless format and it sounds great from my laptop/iTunes combo.

How is your DVD player connected to the receiver? Digital or analog?

[usace]

I picked up a pair of the 150's at Circuit City on black friday. They had two of them left and they were on closeout for $30 each. I'd love to pick up another pair somewhere along with a pair of 250's for the front and a c25 center somewhere. Unfortunately I didn't find this thread until after the black friday sale at fry's otherwise I could have picked up a cheap pair of 250's. Anyway, does anyone know where the cheapest place is to find the primus line right now? Are there any sales coming up in the near future? It would be great if we could keep this thread updated on the current best price for these speakers, or if anyone knows of upcoming sales. If I come across anything during my searches I'll report back.

[axs]

I picked up a pair of the 150's at Circuit City on black friday. They had two of them left and they were on closeout for $30 each. I'd love to pick up another pair somewhere along with a pair of 250's for the front and a c25 center somewhere. Unfortunately I didn't find this thread until after the black friday sale at fry's otherwise I could have picked up a cheap pair of 250's. Anyway, does anyone know where the cheapest place is to find the primus line right now? Are there any sales coming up in the near future? It would be great if we could keep this thread updated on the current best price for these speakers, or if anyone knows of upcoming sales. If I come across anything during my searches I'll report back.
Perhaps your best bet will be vanns.com, when they have package based on 250s and/or 360s

A 5.1 primus 250 based package was for about $600 (including PS10 sub and free shipping). You may want to call them to check if they still have that offer (it is not showing up online though)

[Gigapod]

My primus set up is up and rocking again. I have moved satellites to surrounds for the time being.
...

Having had a chance to hear both, how do you compare the Primus 360's to the TSS speakers?
- Superior?
- Vastly superior?
- Infinitely superior?
;)
I hear lots of people talking about speaker "break-in" or "burn-in", I wonder if this really happens with modern speakers like the Primus that use mostly synthetic materials? Or is this just a figment of our imagination?

[usace]

Perhaps your best bet will be vanns.com, when they have package based on 250s and/or 360s

A 5.1 primus 250 based package was for about $600 (including PS10 sub and free shipping). You may want to call them to check if they still have that offer (it is not showing up online though)

Thanks. I'll keep checking them. I'm purchasing the primus speakers to replace an onkyo HTIB setup, and figured I'd buy them a pair at a time to spread the cost out a bit. So, I'm keeping my eyes open for any closeouts on individual ones. Maybe Fry's will honor the black friday price on the 250's if I call them.

[Jeremy Tebo]

Thanks. I'll keep checking them. I'm purchasing the primus speakers to replace an onkyo HTIB setup, and figured I'd buy them a pair at a time to spread the cost out a bit. So, I'm keeping my eyes open for any closeouts on individual ones. Maybe Fry's will honor the black friday price on the 250's if I call them.

That's what I replaced (Onkyo speakers) as well, quite an upgrade! Is Circuit City all sold out? When I bought mine a few months ago they had to check all of the stores in the metro area and I ended up having to go to two different stores to get the whole set. (250s, 150s, c25) Might be worth a small drive to save shipping.

[juiceblrc]

gigapod said:

I hear lots of people talking about speaker "break-in" or "burn-in", I wonder if this really happens with modern speakers like the Primus that use mostly synthetic materials? Or is this just a figment of our imagination?

I think there is a break in period. My primus sounded very bad at first. I was so disapointed. They sounded like tins cans & had no bass. I turned them on everyday for 2 weeks while I went to work. Everyday they sounded a bit better than the day before. Now, they sound great & have a lot of bass. Now, I am very happy with the speakers.

[Cobra2001]

I believe vanns still has the best prices, although as axs mentioned they don't have the 250 and 360 bundles anymore. I believe the reason for this is because they are sold out of the 150s. Once they get more 150s in, I'm sure they be able to offer the whole package again. That's what I'm looking to do.

About two weeks ago when I was looking to buy, that was the plan. Unfortunately I waited too long and now have to hold off until the deal becomes available again. I'll report back if I see it on their website again.

[leeranch]

Question for all: Does it change anything to use a speaker like the 160 on it's side? Would love to use 250's up front but only have room for 160's on side (10 1/2" H available). Can buy 4 160's, 1 C25, 1 PS12 for $630, no tax, full warranty, + UPS. THANKS

[Rao1]

1. Fronts (Primus 360s) have FR of 38hz-20khz, so you can perhaps try 60hz for fronts. Experiment with both 60 and 80hz and keep the one you like most.

I was just wondering why main speakers are manufactured to produce low frequencies after all, since Subwoofers can do the job much better and most people buy sub anyway.

[Rao1]

Great. Be careful this time. Also make sure to run auto setup again.

I use Apple Lossless format and it sounds great from my laptop/iTunes combo.

How is your DVD player connected to the receiver? Digital or analog?
I did run autsetup but I had to do more manual settings to adjust my center channel with primus. Good thing about Onkyo receiver is it has quite a lot manual settings available for individual channels.
The onkyo document says it is IPOD ready (i don't know what it means ) but manual does not say anything about connecting other MP3 players to the receiver. I have lots of songs in wma format so I prefer to buy an wma player. Do you have any idea ?

thanks

[Rao1]

Having had a chance to hear both, how do you compare the Primus 360's to the TSS speakers?
- Superior?
- Vastly superior?
- Infinitely superior?
;)
I hear lots of people talking about speaker "break-in" or "burn-in", I wonder if this really happens with modern speakers like the Primus that use mostly synthetic materials? Or is this just a figment of our imagination?
The primus is vastly superior compared to TSS satellites,especially for music. I guess, it won't be fair to compare TSS satellites with primus, considering the TSS price.
I read about speaker "break-in" in other threads. I am not quite sure about that. However, they seem like sound better after few hours. May be it is just end result of our excitement about new speakers :)

[axs]

The onkyo document says it is IPOD ready (i don't know what it means ) but manual does not say anything about connecting other MP3 players to the receiver. I have lots of songs in wma format so I prefer to buy an wma player. Do you have any idea ?

thanks
For connecting iPod to SR703, you will need to buy Onkyo DS-A1 remote interactive (RI) dock for iPods.
http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=DS-A2&class=Accessory&p=i

Check page# 18 of owner's manual for details. There are some more details on Page# 35 also.

Another way to connect iPod (or any other MP3 player for that matter) is to use a headphone->stereo RCA jacks Y-Adaptor and connect it on one of the analog audio L/R connections on the back of the receiver.

[axs]

I was just wondering why main speakers are manufactured to produce low frequencies after all, since Subwoofers can do the job much better and most people buy sub anyway.
I agree that a sub can produce LF more accurately, but for a better integration the main speakers (whether they are towers or bookshelves) and the sub must overlap each other by an octave. Remember crossovers are not brick wall and the main speakers will still get some contents below crossover frequency and vice versa.

[johnaussie]

Will the binding posts on the back of the 360's (or the 160's) accept 12 AWG speaker wire - are they large enough? or do you have to use only 16AWG? (raw threaded connection or banana plug)

And what bulk cable do you use? I am looking at a sale on monoprice.

Speakers are arriving from vanns tomorrow (well maybe Monday I guess) -- 7.1 set -- need to wire them and the sub.

[Gigapod]

Will the binding posts on the back of the 360's (or the 160's) accept 12 AWG speaker wire - are they large enough? or do you have to use only 16AWG? (raw threaded connection or banana plug)
...
7.1 set -- need to wire them and the sub.
The binding posts at the back of the 360's will accept 12AWG wire, but unless you are using a very long run of wire, it's a little bit of an overkill;14 or 16 AWG are OK. This was discussed in this thread a few pages back.
For the sub, you should really use the line-level input (mono RCA cable).

[Gigapod]

Question for all: Does it change anything to use a speaker like the 160 on it's side?
...
Unfortunately, yes it does change a lot.
The 160's have two drivers, a medium and a tweeter. The tweeter is a few inches above the medium, but as you can see they are aligned vertically. With this alignment, the 160's have measured vertical and horizontal dispersion characteristics.
If you put the 160's on their side, these dispersion characteristics change completely. You'll get a very different sound.
If you don't know where to put them, use stands. Unfortunately that makes them as difficult to place as normal floor-standing speakers, and sometimes just as expensive. :eek:

[Gigapod]

...for a better integration the main speakers ... and the sub must overlap each other by an octave...
Hi axs,
I had some difficulty in understanding your post so I dug in a little.
What you mean is that if we have bookshelf speakers with a frequency response of 60Hz-20kHz +/- 3dB, and a subwoofer with a frequency response of 30-200Hz, we should set the crossover frequency at 120Hz, right? or at 90Hz? Or just test various xover frequencies between 60 and 120Hz to determine which one sounds best?
:confused:
For my Primus 360's and 250's I just set the xover at 80Hz on my receiver, even though I was able to determine that they can indeed play tones down to 40Hz for the 250's and low 30'sHz for the 360's.

[axs]

Hi axs,
I had some difficulty in understanding your post so I dug in a little.
What you mean is that if we have bookshelf speakers with a frequency response of 60Hz-20kHz +/- 3dB, and a subwoofer with a frequency response of 30-200Hz, we should set the crossover frequency at 120Hz, right? or at 90Hz? Or just test various xover frequencies between 60 and 120Hz to determine which one sounds best?
:confused:
For my Primus 360's and 250's I just set the xover at 80Hz on my receiver, even though I was able to determine that they can indeed play tones down to 40Hz for the 250's and low 30'sHz for the 360's.
Gigapod,

A little experimentation does not hurt at all, as different people hear things differently. So experiment with few different crossover frequencies (depending on speakers FR range) and keep the one, you like best.

Having said that ideally and for a seamless integration of mains and sub, they should overlap each other by one full octave. As you know the crossover is not something where main speaker will stop at 80hz and sub will take over from 79.999hz. The mains will still get contents below crossover frequency and sub will also get some contents above crossover frequency. So your main speakers should be flat (+/- 3dB) for a full octave below crossover and sub should be flat for a full octave above crossover frequency. In this example, if crossover is set at 80hz, main speakers should be flat up to 40hz and sub should be flat up to 160hz. This way any spill over content, will still be reproduced with good amount of accuracy by either or both mains/sub.

The receivers which allow you crossover setting for individual channels, you have more flexibility, but for receiver which have just one crossover frequency for all channels - it is a good idea to take the smallest speaker in your setup and set crossover keeping its FR in mind. Not doing so will result in loosing the contents, which are sent to those speakers below the crossover frequency.

Sorry for the long post and hope it helps in clearing some doubts/confusion.

[axs]

Will the binding posts on the back of the 360's (or the 160's) accept 12 AWG speaker wire - are they large enough? or do you have to use only 16AWG? (raw threaded connection or banana plug)

And what bulk cable do you use? I am looking at a sale on monoprice.

Speakers are arriving from vanns tomorrow (well maybe Monday I guess) -- 7.1 set -- need to wire them and the sub.
Both 360s and 160s will be fine with 12awg speaker wire. 16 gauge wire will be fine for 35-40 feet runs, I am using 16 gauge (radioshack brand) speaker wire for about 40' run for my surrounds. No issues at all.

If you need speaker wire in hurry and can't wait for delivery from online retailer, I would suggest checking out Radioshack, Home Depot or Lowes. You should be able to find good quality speaker wire within reasonable price range.

[Gigapod]

...
Sorry for the long post and hope it helps in clearing some doubts/confusion.
Thanks, it's a great post!

[johnaussie]

From POST #195
Thanks for the info. Thats interesting. If your amp has a speakers A & B switch, and the speakers are roughly in the same place, and someone can switch and adjusts the volume for you, that would be the best way to compare. I would think the increased base extention should be noticeable, if not also the midrange. I remember reading a Sterophile post suggesting to put spikes on the bottom of the 360's to help prevent any slight bass resonance if used on a rug.

Per the last sentence in the above thread..
Where can you buy suitably sized spikes to put on the bottom of the 360's to replace the rubber feet? I would like to get the spikes online and mount them on the bottom of the 360's before use this next week. I would assume the spikes must have mounting threads or a mounting base?

[johnaussie]

axs and Gigapod -- Speaker gauge input received.
thanks for the effort you guys have taken in replying to "newbies" questions about these speakers. Obvioulsy all others who have posted replies offer valuable input along with these 2. I really appreciate it the knowledge shared from current users of these Primus'

On Monday I will be welcoming the arrival of:
360 Front
C25 center
160 surround
160 rear surround
PS-12 sub (not arriving for a week)

and a Pioneer 1016

now I will need to find slim, solid stands for the surrounds (min of 35 inch height - to base of speaker)

[Gigapod]

...
Where can you buy suitably sized spikes to put on the bottom of the 360's to replace the rubber feet? I would like to get the spikes online and mount them on the bottom of the 360's before use this next week. I would assume the spikes must have mounting threads or a mounting base?
Hi Johnaussie,
I think I read somewhere that the 360's have non-standard rubber feet, which you can't just unscrew and replace by standard speaker metal spikes.
Also spikes are not always required (depends on what kind of floor you have, I think).
So perhaps I would suggest you wait until the speakers and receiver arrive, unwrap, setup and test everything out, run the calibration procedure, enjoy some music and - with some popcorn and soda - movies, and don't worry too much about spikes at this stage, since you can always add them later.
OTOH the speaker wire is essential! ;)
BTW, excellent choices for your HT setup!
PS: Do you have a good DVD reader and optical cable to connect to the Pioneer?

[axs]

now I will need to find slim, solid stands for the surrounds (min of 35 inch height - to base of speaker)
I use the following with primus 150s
http://www.amazon.com/Sanus-EF-SATB-Foundations-Adjustable-Satellite/dp/B0002481EQ/sr=11-1/qid=1165085143/ref=sr_11_1/102-3552984-5348166

They are adjustable from 28-42" in height and also come with three different size top plates. I think biggest top plate they come with is about 5" x 5". Compusa has better price for these.

160s are a little heavy, so check the specs before getting these.

[axs]

I think I read somewhere that the 360's have non-standard rubber feet, which you can't just unscrew and replace by standard speaker metal spikes.
Also spikes are not always required (depends on what kind of floor you have, I think).

You are right. 360s have plastic feet and there is no way of putting a spike on them without drilling a hole, which I think is not a good idea.

johnaussie,
If you really think spikes would have made any difference, you may want to try something like this later.
http://truesoundcontrol.com/products/SUBDUDE.html?gclid=CMOW_eDF9IgCFQ-DOAod9yAutQ

BTW, the Stereophile article, which was referred in Post#195 was perhaps this one (check out bottom of 5th paragraph)
http://www.stereophile.com/budgetcomponents/605infinity/index.html

[Gigapod]

...
If you really think spikes would have made any difference, you may want to try something like this later.
http://truesoundcontrol.com/products/SUBDUDE.html?gclid=CMOW_eDF9IgCFQ-DOAod9yAutQ

Ouch! $50 each... :eek:

[Gigapod]

I use the following with primus 150s
http://www.amazon.com/Sanus-EF-SATB-Foundations-Adjustable-Satellite/dp/B0002481EQ/sr=11-1/qid=1165085143/ref=sr_11_1/102-3552984-5348166

Note: the silver ones are a bit less expensive, for some reason(?).
160s are a little heavy, so check the specs before getting these.
The 160's are 16 lb each. Humm no go, actually these stands are spec'd for 10 lb max. :(

[axs]

The 160's are 16 lb each. Humm no go, actually these stands are spec'd for 10 lb max. :(
I guess so.

For some reason, I was under impression that these stands are rated for 15lbs (must have made a mistake or specs might have changed). In any case, I am using them for 150s, which are 13.5 lbs each. I am using the biggest top plate that came with these stands (approx. 5" x 5")

[johnaussie]

so the 160's will be 2.6 lbs heavier (than the 13.5lb / 150's) on the stands. Can you add weight to the stands at the bottom to provide more bottom-heavy stability (say stick lead underneath). I hope so since i think the price is right on amazon for these - and I need 2 sets for surrounds and rear surrounds. I will be using the spikes into carpet for more stability.

I am thinking that the rears will be above my head and behind me by about 12 inches (up and behind) and the sides will be at slightly above ear level, 2 feet to left and 2 feet to the right of listening area /big overstuffed chairs.

[axs]

so the 160's will be 2.6 lbs heavier (than the 13.5lb / 150's) on the stands. Can you add weight to the stands at the bottom to provide more bottom-heavy stability (say stick lead underneath). I hope so since i think the price is right on amazon for these - and I need 2 sets for surrounds and rear surrounds. I will be using the spikes into carpet for more stability.
Not sure, perhaps you should check out some other stands, which can support its weight.

Are wall mounts an option for you?

You can check out something like the following:
http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product_Code=BTH+BT77&JRSource=GAW.campaignname

I am thinking that the rears will be above my head and behind me by about 12 inches (up and behind) and the sides will be at slightly above ear level, 2 feet to left and 2 feet to the right of listening area /big overstuffed chairs.
Generally for a proper 7.1 setup, you should have at least 4-5 feet space behind the listening position. Seems like yours is only about 1'. Check out the following image from Dolby depicting a 7.1 setup (note the space behind the couch)

http://www.dolby.com/images/consumer/home_entertainment/room_d4.gif

[jbird_ragnarok]

I purchased a pair of 360's, a c25, and 150's about a month ago. I am using a yamaha 659 to run them. Ever since hearing several different set ups in the college fraternity, i've always felt yamaha running infinitys sounded nice. But after messing around with the settings (i made sure 360's were set to large), and even running the auto set up, i just can't seem to get any bass out of the 360's. I get more bass out of my car stock speakers that are ten years old. I just purchased a HSU sub, hopefully that will remedy the problem, but it just seems odd, the towers should produce some bass. Anyone else have this experience?

[Gigapod]

... but it just seems odd, the towers should produce some bass. Anyone else have this experience?
If you have accidentally inverted the wires to one of the towers then you would get this kind of symptom.
It's also possible that you are used to a lot of bass, and are finding odd the gently sloping down bass response of the 360's (it starts to go down at around 75Hz).
See the graph here: http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/605infinity/index3.html
But this is actually the way these sepakers are supposed to sound: quite neutral.
Adding a subwoofer you'll be able to push the bass up again as much as required to suit your taste.

[LocoRob]

If you have accidentally inverted the wires to one of the towers then you would get this kind of symptom.
It's also possible that you are used to a lot of bass, and are finding odd the gently sloping down bass response of the 360's (it starts to go down at around 75Hz).
See the graph here: http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/605infinity/index3.html
But this is actually the way these sepakers are supposed to sound: quite neutral.
Adding a subwoofer you'll be able to push the bass up again as much as required to suit your taste.


I also found at the local store by me that the 360's lacked a lot of bass response. Was very surprised, even the Beta 40's that were on the floor next to it had slightly more, but still nothing very good. I would expect from these speakers that with some music playing you would have very definitive bass response, and watching movies you would get that nice feeling of an explosion, or a harley davidson reving with a bit of throatiness.

didn't seem there... so now I'm further looking for a good, but yet economical setup for my father's 5.1.

[Gigapod]

...or a harley davidson reving with a bit of throatiness.
didn't seem there...
Nope, that kind of bass requires different equipment. More exPen$$ive too...
And you have to nail the pictures to the walls really safe... ;)
The new technology is in rotary subwoofers, check http://www.rotarywoofer.com/ but it's not cat-safe! :D
BTW if you are more interested in bass performance, you should post in the subwoofer section of this forum, people there have a better knowledge of these issues.

[LocoRob]

Nope, that kind of bass requires different equipment. More exPen$$ive too...
And you have to nail the pictures to the walls really safe... ;)
The new technology is in rotary subwoofers, check http://www.rotarywoofer.com/ but it's not cat-safe! :D
BTW if you are more interested in bass performance, you should post in the subwoofer section of this forum, people there have a better knowledge of these issues.

That has got to be one of the craziest inventions I've seen yet today for music!!! Haha!!

[axs]

It's also possible that you are used to a lot of bass, and are finding odd the gently sloping down bass response of the 360's (it starts to go down at around 75Hz).
See the graph here: http://www.stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/605infinity/index3.html
But this is actually the way these sepakers are supposed to sound: quite neutral.
Adding a subwoofer you'll be able to push the bass up again as much as required to suit your taste.
Actually 360s measure quite well for something in this price range. Only major deviation from their published FR seems to be in 38-40hz, which is perhaps -5db (instead of +/- 3db as stated) and in 75-200hz which seems to be around +5db. For less than $400/pair floorstanders I think it is not bad.

Adding a sub will certainly help.

[mjblant]

Here is the system I am considering, only problem is there is no place that I know of around San Antonio that I can go listen to it. Anyone have any ideas?

System 1: INFINITY PRIMUS
Receiver - DENON 3806
Front Speakers - 2 x Infinity Primus 360
Center - Infinity Primus C25
Side - 2 x Infinity Primus 160
Rear - 2 x Infinity Primus 160
Sub – 1(2) x Infinity Powered PS 12

[johnaussie]

I just purchased that exact speaker system - identical 7.1
what does the Sub 1(2) X mean? Two subs?

my receiver however is on order and is the Pio VSX-1016 (arrives tomorrow)

I am setting it up this weekend. I will let you know my impressions.

I will be getting the new Oppo 981HD to serve as my DVD player (and DVD-Audio as well as SACD player) this player was just released yesterday by Oppo

[APorter]

I'm going to buy my father-in-law a 2.1 setup to go with his first HDTV he just purchased. After doing a lot of research I've decided on the Infinity Primus 150's and Pioneer VSX-516 both from Vanns.com. Anyone using Pioneer receiver with these speakers? Time to go find a get cheap subwoofer.

[Robonaut]

So, has anyone heard anything about the new (http://www.infinitysystems.com/homeaudio/series.aspx?SerId=PRI) line of Primus speakers?

They look fairly sweet--better than the Beta's I think.

I wonder if the sound quality will be able to compete with the internet-only brands like Aperion and Ascend?

[mltv]

So, has anyone heard anything about the new (http://www.infinitysystems.com/homeaudio/series.aspx?SerId=PRI) line of Primus speakers?

They look fairly sweet--better than the Beta's I think.

I wonder if the sound quality will be able to compete with the internet-only brands like Aperion and Ascend?

Haven't heard them, but the look almost identical to me as the old line in terms of drivers. The PC350 center is interesting, something they didn't have before. But the rest of the line appears to have received a facelift.

As for competing with Ascends, I think Primus already did that :)

[Gigapod]

I'm going to buy my father-in-law a 2.1 setup to go with his first HDTV he just purchased. After doing a lot of research I've decided on the Infinity Primus 150's and Pioneer VSX-516 both from Vanns.com. Anyone using Pioneer receiver with these speakers? Time to go find a get cheap subwoofer.
The Primus 150's and the Pioneer 516 are a good match for an entry-level 2.1 system, if you can find a good subwoofer to go with them. If you wanted to skip the subwoofer, you could buy the 160's.
Very cheap subwoofers add very little bass, and some have nasty resonances and really distort the sound. I prefer a 2.0 system to a 2.1 system with a bad subwoofer.

[axs]

Time to go find a get cheap subwoofer.
Check out this one from partsexpress.com
http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/pshowdetl.cfm?&Partnumber=300-633

Check out Athena as-p300 and Infinity PS8 also, if you can find them at good price.

[APorter]

The Primus 150's and the Pioneer 516 are a good match for an entry-level 2.1 system, if you can find a good subwoofer to go with them. If you wanted to skip the subwoofer, you could buy the 160's.
Very cheap subwoofers add very little bass, and some have nasty resonances and really distort the sound. I prefer a 2.0 system to a 2.1 system with a bad subwoofer.

The width of the 160's is more room than what I have to work with. Speakers wil have to be placed on the console along wth the LCD and I only have 16" total for two speakers.

The Sony SA-WM250 has gotten get reviews for a 8" sub and its so cheap that I may just buy it for him as a non-Christmas gift since most can be found used.

[calvinlc]

I presently own Primus 150's in the rear, a JBL 12" Northridge sub, a KLH center channel (which does surprisingly well) and Infinity SM-102's in the front (2-way speaker with a 10" woofer). All of this is being run off of an HK AVR receiver. The center channel is going to be replaced with a C25, but I struggle with the two front speakers. I tried my Primus 150's in place of them for a short period of time after I bought them and to be quite honest, the SM-102's sounded much better to me. I am wondering how the 360's would compare to the SM-102's...if anybody here has heard the SM-102's. I love the Primus line of speakers and would like to go with the thinner taller towers up front, but the sound from the old SM-102's seems to be quite nice. Any opinions would be appreciated. Also, does anybody know if Authorized Electronics is an authorized Infinity dealer? Thanks!

[Gigapod]

...I am wondering how the 360's would compare to the SM-102's...if anybody here has heard the SM-102's.
...
I haven't heard them, but I found this:

http://www.infinity-classics.de/infinity/models/Monitor-series-1975/Studio-Monitor-SM102/body_Studio_Monitor_SM_102.html

It's very difficult to compare speakers, let alone speakers with very different driver layouts and from different generations (the SM-102's date from 1990), even if they are from the same manufacturer.

I have both the 250's and the 360's, you can find my comments comparing them a few pages back in this thread.

Just from the technical data, I would say the 250's and 360's have slightly better lower bass response than the SM-102's. But that's relatively irrelevant since you have a subwoofer.

There is no doubt the 360's or the 250's will be a better match for the C25 than your SM-102's.

[Cobra2001]

I had a question about the Infinity sub. Are there any added benefits to getting the PS-12 vs. the PS-10 other than being able to play it at louder volumes without getting "boomy" bass?

I have a small condo and don't necessarily need the larger sub since I won't be playing it at extreme volumes, but I'm the kind of guy that if I'm going to build a system I want to do it right.

I'm planning on pairing this with the 360s up front by the way. My parent's have a JBL satelite system they bought at BB and I thought that always sounded good so I'm sure either the PS-10 or 12 would sound better than that.

Thanks for any advice you can give since the only thing I'm on the fence with now is the sub.

[axs]

Also, does anybody know if Authorized Electronics is an authorized Infinity dealer? Thanks!
Perhaps they are not, but check out the list of authorized dealers at Infinity's web site. The following is a link to Infinity's authorized online retailers.
http://www.infinitysystems.com/homeaudio/online_retailers.aspx

[Gigapod]

...
Are there any added benefits to getting the PS-12 vs. the PS-10 other than being able to play it at louder volumes without getting "boomy" bass?
...

A larger diameter cone has to move a lot less to get the same volume of air moving; so the PS-12 will (theoretically) always have slightly less distortion at any power level, compared to the PS-10. That's in theory; I haven't heard either, much less compared them sonically.
I think the only advantage I would see in practical terms is that the PS-12 is more "upgrade-proof" compared to the PS-10, so it's a better investment, imho.
Perhaps you can ask the same question in the subwoofer section of this forum, surely somebody there will have tried/tested both subwoofers and many others too, and should be able to give you more qualified advice.

[cappi]

anyone have any idea whats the difference between the 360 and the new p362?

[axs]

anyone have any idea whats the difference between the 360 and the new p362?
I may be wrong, but from published specs, it mostly seems like cosmetic changes only.

[calvinlc]

[QUOTE=Cobra2001]I had a question about the Infinity sub. Are there any added benefits to getting the PS-12 vs. the PS-10 other than being able to play it at louder volumes without getting "boomy" bass?

QUOTE]

I have a JBL E250 Northridge 12" sub teamed up with my Infinity's and it sounds awesome!

[cappi]

my room is 16x24x8.5' should i get the 250s or 360s

[Cobra2001]

A larger diameter cone has to move a lot less to get the same volume of air moving; so the PS-12 will (theoretically) always have slightly less distortion at any power level, compared to the PS-10. That's in theory; I haven't heard either, much less compared them sonically.
I think the only advantage I would see in practical terms is that the PS-12 is more "upgrade-proof" compared to the PS-10, so it's a better investment, imho.
Perhaps you can ask the same question in the subwoofer section of this forum, surely somebody there will have tried/tested both subwoofers and many others too, and should be able to give you more qualified advice.

What you say makes sense and thanks for taking the time to answer my question. I would get the PS-12 were it available right now at vanns. Maybe I'll just wait a little longer before I make my purchase... Also thanks for the tip about checking out the subwoofer forums. I'll be sure to do that as well. :)

[Gigapod]

my room is 16x24x8.5' should i get the 250s or 360s
They'll both do OK. Depending on how loud you like to listen to your music/movies, the 360's may be a safer investment.

[cappi]

They'll both do OK. Depending on how loud you like to listen to your music/movies, the 360's may be a safer investment.

thanks for the respond, now if i get the 360(actually will get the new p362) what center peice should i go with, the new PC350 or stick with teh pc250 (c25)

and for the rears should the 160s be ok?

driving it with teh pioneer 816 and the ps12 sub


60% movie, 10% music and 30% gaming usage =)

thanks in advance~ happy holidays!

[axs]

now if i get the 360(actually will get the new p362) what center peice should i go with, the new PC350 or stick with teh pc250 (c25)
Without having listened to it, it is difficult to say anything for sure, but I would be tempted to give PC350 a try.

and for the rears should the 160s be ok?
Yes, they will be great for surrounds.

[cappi]

ehyyyyyyyyz, just place my order for a pair of 362s, pioneer 816 and pc350 center. extremely excited cuz this is my first HT system. =)

no sub or rears as of now...limited bugdet..

now i need to get wires, would i need something like this?http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=100-155

do i need those banana clips?

one more question, what is teh difference between 12,14 or 16gauge wires? which on do i need?

Is that all to need to get me going? sry for all the questions as i am new to this. thank you so much

[axs]

now i need to get wires, would i need something like this?http://www.partsexpress.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?&DID=7&Partnumber=100-155

That will work, but you may be able to find decent speaker wires for even cheaper. Check out monoprice.com, bluejeancable.com, Radioshack, Home Depot or Lowes for reasonably priced speaker wire.

This one from Lowes should be sufficient for you, unless you have very long runs for an individual speaker (link may not work, just search for it)
http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=214940-578-PM62122&lpage=none

do i need those banana clips?
Banana plugs are nice to have, but they are not mandatory. If you need to disconnect/reconnect your speakers often, you should consider using banana plugs. Check out this one from monoprice
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=104&cp_id=10401&cs_id=1040115&p_id=2943&seq=1&format=2&style=

one more question, what is teh difference between 12,14 or 16gauge wires? which on do i need?
Thick wire is better for longer cable runs. Smaller the number, thicker is the wire, so 12 gauge wire is thicker than 14 gauge.

Is that all to need to get me going?
For now, yes.

[cappi]

thanks for the suggestion, would the 14ga wires u suggested from lowes work nicely with my front p362s? or 12ga would be better?

i am going my local home depot and radioshack to check them out tomorrow.

[axs]

thanks for the suggestion, would the 14ga wires u suggested from lowes work nicely with my front p362s? or 12ga would be better?

i am going my local home depot and radioshack to check them out tomorrow.
Since your front speakers will not need longer runs of wire, even 16 gauge will be enough, but for simplicity just get one spool of 14 gauge and you can use that for your surround speakers also (when you get it). FWIW, I use 16 gauge wire for about 40' run for my surrounds and they work just fine.

[cappi]

ok. due to the sales, im getting 2 ACOUSTIC RESEARCH AVRP24 for rear back and 2 polk audio r300 for L/R surrounds to make 7.1

recap:
front-infinity primus pc362
center-infinity primus pc350
L/R surrounds-polk audio r300
L/R rears-ACOUSTIC RESEARCH AVRP24

sub-infinity ps12
receiver-pioneer 816 (might switch to pioneer 1016 or onkyo 604)

any comments? how is this set up?
and should i switch receivers?

thax

[cappi]

or should i stick with a 5.1 system with two p162 rears?

[Gigapod]

or should i stick with a 5.1 system with two p162 rears?
Generally it's not advised to mix speakers from different manufacturers in a 7.1 setup, except perhaps for the subwoofer because of its very limited frequency range. The reason is that the human ear is extremely sensitive to even the slightest differences in tonality in the frequencies that are covered by human voice (roughly in the range 200-2000Hz).
So, imho, sticking with a 5.1 system with two p162 rears is a better choice. And it would be more visually acceptable also. But that's just my $0.02. :D

BTW if your budget allows you may consider the Pioneer 1016 over the 816.

[ChrisRA]

Are the 252's replacing the 250's?I saw apair of Primus 252'son Ebay but have not heard of these coming out. Has anyone else seen these? If so what are your thoughts on them.

[axs]

Are the 252's replacing the 250's?
Yes. Primus 250s are discontinued and are replaced by P252.

I saw apair of Primus 252'son Ebay but have not heard of these coming out. Has anyone else seen these? If so what are your thoughts on them.
I have not heard them, but from published specs on Infinity's web site, they don't seem that much different and it looks more like cosmetic changes than anything else.

[axlemay]

Hi I have primus 150 in front and maybe replace it with primus 360. And I saw in electronics-expo which is mention sold as pair for 299$ including shipping. Would you think this is on pair because its a great price?

[cappi]

Hi I have primus 150 in front and maybe replace it with primus 360. And I saw in electronics-expo which is mention sold as pair for 299$ including shipping. Would you think this is on pair because its a great price?

thats cheap, should i cancel my order of a pair of p362 (380$/pair) and get this 360? Since they have teh same specs.

ORRRR two 362s upfront and 2 360s on rear. lols overkilling?

[axs]

Hi I have primus 150 in front and maybe replace it with primus 360. And I saw in electronics-expo which is mention sold as pair for 299$ including shipping. Would you think this is on pair because its a great price?
Price is good and it is for a pair.

Just check with Infinity, if Electronics-Expo is authorized to sell it online. I remember calling Infinity to check on this one some time back and they told me that if I buy from their store (not online) Infinity will honor warranty.

Did not make a lot of sense to me, but that's what Infinity folks told me. Electronics-Expo will match their web price, if you buy it from their store too. BTW, they are only in NJ, I think.

[axs]

thats cheap, should i cancel my order of a pair of p362 (380$/pair) and get this 360? Since they have teh same specs.

ORRRR two 362s upfront and 2 360s on rear. lols overkilling?
Where did you find P362s? I thought they are not shipping yet.

[cappi]

Where did you find P362s? I thought they are not shipping yet.

i found a pair on beachaudio.com, but they didnt ship it yet.

[axs]

i found a pair on beachaudio.com, but they didnt ship it yet.
That's what I thought. I don't see them anywhere else except for few entries on eBay and beachaudio

I think you will have to wait for some more time.

[axlemay]

Yes electronis-expo was one of the authorized dealer.But is electronc-expo good online store with regards to their customer service because I don't hear much on this forum.Mostly from vanns and crutchfield.

[axs]

Yes electronis-expo was one of the authorized dealer.But is electronc-expo good online store with regards to their customer service because I don't hear much on this forum.Mostly from vanns and crutchfield.
I have not purchased anything from them online, so can't comment based on my own experience.

Check out what other people say on resellerratings (search for them under store ratings)
http://www.resellerratings.com/

[cappi]

so what do you gusy think? 2 p362s front and 2 360s on the back.

[axlemay]

Thanks. And it seems theres a lot of dissatisfied customers from them.

[cappi]

Gigapod, you have 2 360s for front and 2 250s for surround coorect? How are you liking that setup and what do you think if i do 2 362s front and 2 360s for surround?

[Gigapod]

Gigapod, you have 2 360s for front and 2 250s for surround coorect?
Yes, and the sound is just great when playing on all 4 speakers, music with Dolby Pro Logic II or movies 5.1.
How are you liking that setup and what do you think if i do 2 362s front and 2 360s for surround?
As far as I can tell, the 362's and 360's are very similar (differences are mostly cosmetic), so you should be fine, but it won't sound very different from 4 x 362's or 4 x 360's.
If you can get a good price on the 360's, I would go with 4 of them. If you can get a good price on the 362's, I would go with 4 of them. :D
I guess we'll be seeing some good offers on the 250's and 360's as retail channels clear out their stocks of the "old" models to make room for the "new" ones.
And don't forget to follow the good advice from axs: only buy from an authorized reseller who will honor the warranty on Infinity speakers.

[afidel]

I have a room that's 16.5x11.5 feet that I want to put some Infinity speakers into. I plan on using two 360's for the fronts, the C25 or possibly the new 250 for center channel, and where I get stuck is surrounds. The room looks like the attachment, with the wall with the picture window and the the wall opposite the tv being load bearing exterior walls. Because of the large sectional there isn't any room for traditional surrounds, so I'm looking for alternatives. The Infinity reseller theaudiovideosource.com has the Infinity OWS 1 listed with the Primus equipment, and it definitely appeals to me as a surround solution. I would place one along the wall with the picture window between the window and the corner, and place the other on the opposite wall. The normal listening position would be on the corner of the sectional, which while not ideal is the wife and my favorite position since we bought a sectional deep enough for two to cuddle on =) My questions are, is this a good idea for a surround solution in general, and would the OWS match the Primus equipment well enough to not color dialog and such overly much. Thanks for any advice you guys can give this home theater novice =)

[Gigapod]

...is this a good idea for a surround solution in general, and would the OWS match the Primus equipment well enough to not color dialog and such overly much.
...
I had never heard about these OWS speakers until I read your post and checked them out, but yes, they seem like a good compromise since they use the same kind of drivers as the Primus.
Given the constraints of your HT room, I would say you have found quite a good solution. :)

[a_ponce80]

I am really happy with my primus speakers. I bought them almost a year ago from crutchfield without listening to them. I bought the c25, 360's for the fronts & 160's for the surrounds & a ps-12 sub. They work excellent for movies and music. The next thing I want to get is an amplifier for the 360's I know they are rated @ 200watts each. I don't want to spend too much money $500.00 max. I have been looking on ebay and two amps have caught my eye. The first 1 is the adcom gfa-555II & the 2nd one is the yamaha m-70.
They both are rated 200wpc. Is anyone familiar with these, are they a good match for the Infinity's or can someone recommend another amp in my price range. I am new at this so any help would be appreciated. Thanks. By the way right now I am powering all my speakers through my receiver. A pioneer vsx-1015tx rated at 120watt per channel. :)

[Gigapod]

...By the way right now I am powering all my speakers through my receiver. A pioneer vsx-1015tx rated at 120watt per channel. :)
Hi,
I think the Pioneer 1015 is a *great* receiver, and at 120W per channel it's a good match for your Primus speakers.
I am not sure about the reason to switch to a separate amp for the 360's? Is it because you feel you'll get better/louder sound using an external amp?

[jswriter]

I just bought a pair of Primus P162 bookshelves for my PC audio system. I like the new style grille. $175 shipped for a new set of speakers ain't too bad.

[ghbryant]

Am looking to upgrade my old Kenwood HTIB system to better compliment my new 50” Panny plasma. Although the room is large (approx 12x30 w/ 10ft ceilings) the “viewing area” is at one end with a sitting distance of 8-10ft. With help from this forum (thanks to all) have decided to go with a PS10, C25, 150’s for surround, and an Onkyo 604.

My debate is whether to use 250’s or 360’s up front. Based on Gigapod’s recent comparison, am wondering if for a dedicated surround system (no music other than the occasional on air concert) I would notice little if any difference. I’m all about getting the final battle sequence from Return of the King (my current demo sequence) to sound like much more like Peter Jackson intended.

Unfortunately no place locally to demo and although $100/pr price difference is not really an issue, the 250’s better fit my room/furniture setup. So…for the optimal Primus home theater experience, should I spend the money and squeeze in the 360’s or save $100 and maybe spend it on a PS12?

Any and all opinions appreciated!

[Cobra2001]

Am looking to upgrade my old Kenwood HTIB system to better compliment my new 50” Panny plasma. Although the room is large (approx 12x30 w/ 10ft ceilings) the “viewing area” is at one end with a sitting distance of 8-10ft. With help from this forum (thanks to all) have decided to go with a PS10, C25, 150’s for surround, and an Onkyo 604.

My debate is whether to use 250’s or 360’s up front. Based on Gigapod’s recent comparison, am wondering if for a dedicated surround system (no music other than the occasional on air concert) I would notice little if any difference. I’m all about getting the final battle sequence from Return of the King (my current demo sequence) to sound like much more like Peter Jackson intended.

Unfortunately no place locally to demo and although $100/pr price difference is not really an issue, the 250’s better fit my room/furniture setup. So…for the optimal Primus home theater experience, should I spend the money and squeeze in the 360’s or save $100 and maybe spend it on a PS12?

Any and all opinions appreciated!

Just note that the size difference between the 250s and 360s for your room/furniture setup is minimal.

The 360s are only about an inch wider, 3 3/4 of an inch higher and about an inch deeper.

I'm all ready to get the 360 bundle at vanns but the only thing holding me back is the fact that it comes with the PS-10 and I want the PS-12. I called them up yesterday and they no longer sell the PS-12 at all :( so I would have to look elsewhere.

[Gigapod]

...the 250's better fit my room/furniture setup.
...
Any and all opinions appreciated!
If the 250's better fit your HT room layout, then by all means go for them (but what Cobra wrote is true: they are not that different in size; but they are quite different in weight!). I am still convinced that the 250's and the 360's are sonically very hard to tell apart, for normal HT use. Also remember the subwoofer will be handling the grunt of the THX special effects, so imho the PS12 holds a slight advantage over the PS10.
Finally, when you add the C25 and 150's in the equation, the difference in cost between the 250's and the 360's becomes very small.
Wish everybody a Happy New Year and enjoy the sound... :)

[ghbryant]

I am still convinced that the 250's and the 360's are sonically very hard to tell apart, for normal HT use.

Finally.... the difference in cost between the 250's and the 360's becomes very small.


Gigapod...

Don't mind spending the money if I'll get something in return, but sounds like in your estimation, the difference (for home theather) is minimal at best

Do you see any reason/advantages to go with the 360's for my use?

Always looking for that elusive justification... just in case the wife asks!

Thanx

[Gigapod]

Gigapod...

Don't mind spending the money if I'll get something in return, but sounds like in your estimation, the difference (for home theather) is minimal at best

Do you see any reason/advantages to go with the 360's for my use?

Always looking for that elusive justification... just in case the wife asks!

Thanx
No reason at all except that the 360's will handle 200W vs. 150W for the 250's: that's "ear-splitting loud" vs. "ear-splitting loud too"... ;)
Believe me, the 250's + the C25 + the 150's + either the PS-10 or PS-12 will sound loud enough to wake the neighborhood.
In case your wife asks, you can proudly declare: "there was a larger model but I decided to buy these to save some space and money...". She'll be happy and you don't have to tell her they sound the same and you spent the extra $100 on something else. :D

[ghbryant]

No reason at all except that the 360's will handle 200W vs. 150W for the 250's: that's "ear-splitting loud" vs. "ear-splitting loud too"... ;)
Believe me, the 250's + the C25 + the 150's + either the PS-10 or PS-12 will sound loud enough to wake the neighborhood.
In case your wife asks, you can proudly declare: "there was a larger model but I decided to buy these to save some space and money...". She'll be happy and you don't have to tell her they sound the same and you spent the extra $100 on something else. :D

:) Just what I need to hear!

Thanks much

[a_ponce80]

Yes I feel that the 360's would benefit from more power from an external amp. I would still be running my center channel and my 160's throught the pioneer though.

[a_ponce80]

I'm thinking about raising my 360's off of the floor about 6 inches. Has anyone tried this before if so does it improve the sound any? Thanks.

[axs]

I'm all ready to get the 360 bundle at vanns but the only thing holding me back is the fact that it comes with the PS-10 and I want the PS-12. I called them up yesterday and they no longer sell the PS-12 at all :( so I would have to look elsewhere.
They no longer sell PS12 because, both PS10 and PS12 are now on the discontinued list, so perhaps no more new supplies.

These 2 are replaced by PS210 and PS212 and both have more powerful amps now.
Check this out:
http://www.infinitysystems.com/homeaudio/series.aspx?SerId=PSS

[Gigapod]

Yes I feel that the 360's would benefit from more power from an external amp. I would still be running my center channel and my 160's throught the pioneer though.
I confess in my small apartment I am used to listening at levels below or around 1W, because the 360's are already very efficient speakers.
A 200W amp will provide less than 3dB more power compared to your Pioneer 1015's 120W, so imho it's unlikely you'll notice any difference. Also in music and movies a good part of the work is performed by the active subwoofer.
If you want *really* loud music/movies I suggest a pair of Klipsch horn speakers; they are more expensive than the Primus but their even higher efficiency makes them sound much louder at the same power levels.

For our ears it takes 10 x more power (that's 10dB) to sound "twice as loud". The 2.5dB that a 200W amp would offer over a 120W receiver would just sound "a little bit louder".

I like Yamaha equipment, I don't know the Adcom.

[a_ponce80]

Thanks for your advice. I was mostly wanting the amp for stereo listening. I do like to crank it up and just love the sound of my Infinitys. By the way are your towers on the floor? I think I read somewhere that elevating them six inches or so improves the sound. Any expierence with this? thanks

[Gigapod]

I'm thinking about raising my 360's off of the floor about 6 inches. Has anyone tried this before if so does it improve the sound any? Thanks.
It does change the sound, but moving the speakers in a room also changes the sound in a similar way. You would have to try. Ask somebody to seat at the usual listening position and do an A/B comparison with one speaker raised and one speaker on the floor, using the A/B switch on the receiver (this kind of testing has to be done with the "Direct" mode enabled - no equalization).

[Blake Allen]

Hi all,

I just got a pair of Primus 360s and I've just got to say these things are great. For the first time since I got into this whole home theater thing a couple years ago I don't have any urge to upgrade.

After returning a couple of systems with dinky little satellite speakers I really got started with an Onkyo htib, and then replaced the front speakers with Infinity alpha 20s and the rears with primus 150s. I never could decide if I really liked the 150s or the 20s better -- the 150s seemed clearer, more detailed, and had better low level dynamics, but the alphas had the bass and high level dynamics advantages you would expect from a 6.5" speaker vs. a 5.25" inch one. Also, the alphas seemed warmer and that gave electric guitars a really pleasing sound through them. The alphas' treble always seemed a bit too laid back, though.

Anyway, I tried to solve this dilemma by getting some Primus 160s, but they seemed to be quite a bit different than the 150s -- the midrange was thinner and they treble seemed a lot brighter, so I went back to using the alphas as my mains. Finally, after reading the stereophile review of the primus 360s a few too many times, as well as this thread, I jumped on the deal on the 360s from electronics-expo's online store ($300 shipped). The 360s are exactly was I was looking for -- the detail, clarity, and low level dynamics of the 150s, and a bigger, more open sound with way more high level dynamics than the alphas could even come close to.

I'm still using the receiver from the Onkyo htib, and I was a little worried about whether or not it would be able to handle floorstanders, but it seems to be doing just fine. It is the ht-r510 from the 760 htib; it seems to be *very* similar to the tx-sr501.

I'm curious about why I like both the 150s and the 360s so much but don't like the 160s. Does anyone else find the 160s to have a thinner midrange and be a lot brighter than the 150s? The 160s were refurbished, and I wonder if maybe something was still not quite right with my pair, but since they are packaged individually and can be sold individually it seems unlikely that I would have gotten two that have the exact same problem.

This has gotten a little long winded, but anyway, the 360s are great -- if anyone reading this likes the 150s but wants something bigger, I'd definately recommend the 360s, especially at the price they are going for now.

Blake Allen

[a_ponce80]

It does change the sound, but moving the speakers in a room also changes the sound in a similar way. You would have to try. Ask somebody to seat at the usual listening position and do an A/B comparison with one speaker raised and one speaker on the floor, using the A/B switch on the receiver (this kind of testing has to be done with the "Direct" mode enabled - no equalization).
Thanks Gigapod I will have to try that. I'll see what I end up with and post the results.
The way my towers are set up(right on either side of the T.V.) I really can't move them around.

[a_ponce80]

Hi all,

I just got a pair of Primus 360s and I've just got to say these things are great. For the first time since I got into this whole home theater thing a couple years ago I don't have any urge to upgrade.

After returning a couple of systems with dinky little satellite speakers I really got started with an Onkyo htib, and then replaced the front speakers with Infinity alpha 20s and the rears with primus 150s. I never could decide if I really liked the 150s or the 20s better -- the 150s seemed clearer, more detailed, and had better low level dynamics, but the alphas had the bass and high level dynamics advantages you would expect from a 6.5" speaker vs. a 5.25" inch one. Also, the alphas seemed warmer and that gave electric guitars a really pleasing sound through them. The alphas' treble always seemed a bit too laid back, though.

Anyway, I tried to solve this dilemma by getting some Primus 160s, but they seemed to be quite a bit different than the 150s -- the midrange was thinner and they treble seemed a lot brighter, so I went back to using the alphas as my mains. Finally, after reading the stereophile review of the primus 360s a few too many times, as well as this thread, I jumped on the deal on the 360s from electronics-expo's online store ($300 shipped). The 360s are exactly was I was looking for -- the detail, clarity, and low level dynamics of the 150s, and a bigger, more open sound with way more high level dynamics than the alphas could even come close to.

I'm still using the receiver from the Onkyo htib, and I was a little worried about whether or not it would be able to handle floorstanders, but it seems to be doing just fine. It is the ht-r510 from the 760 htib; it seems to be *very* similar to the tx-sr501.

I'm curious about why I like both the 150s and the 360s so much but don't like the 160s. Does anyone else find the 160s to have a thinner midrange and be a lot brighter than the 150s? The 160s were refurbished, and I wonder if maybe something was still not quite right with my pair, but since they are packaged individually and can be sold individually it seems unlikely that I would have gotten two that have the exact same problem.

This has gotten a little long winded, but anyway, the 360s are great -- if anyone reading this likes the 150s but wants something bigger, I'd definately recommend the 360s, especially at the price they are going for now.

Blake Allen
I am using a pair of 160's in my HT setup for my surround back channels. I have them set to small. Bullets and stuff like that sound fine. I do agree with you on the 360's though great speakers but to get that pounding bass you definitley need a sub.

[Gigapod]

...
I'm curious about why I like both the 150s and the 360s so much but don't like the 160s. Does anyone else find the 160s to have a thinner midrange and be a lot brighter than the 150s?
...
Hi,
This is just a conjecture, but the only reason I can think of is that the 160's that you used had a slightly different frequency response in the midrange, and the human ear is very sensitive to frequency response differences in that range of frequencies because they correspond to the range of voice.
Don't be surprised at ho