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I want to upgrade my front stage...need help

post #1 of 22
11/1/09 at 3:50pm
Thread Starter 
Speakers I have owned:
-Paradigm Titans
-Polk M70's
-Energy C500's
...and for the last two years I have been more than happy with my AV123 onix x-ls front stage of three x-ls's.

I like a laid back speaker, no harshness or fatigue....I have tinnitus and revealing speakers give me pain.
I would like to get speakers that are more sensitive so I dont have to drive my avr so hard.
A more solid lower end would be nice as well.
Main purpose is movies and tv, but I do play mp3's through my laptop often enough and on occasion a cd.
So, I want to upgrade but have a budget and only want to do this if I will get a noticeable improvement.
I have a 12" sub that is good from ~25hz up and in my opinion doesn't want to be crossed above 120hz.(typically 80/90hz)

So to truly upgrade:
A. What range of budget would I need?
B. Which speakers should I be looking at?
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post #2 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:03pm
In a pure Home Theatre "If" I had to do it over, and had the room, this is what I'd do it with;

http://www.fullcompass.com/product/363834.html
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post #3 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:06pm
Thread Starter 
Much too big of a footprint......thanks though.
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post #4 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:10pm
What receiver do you currently have? Can you add an external amp?

What are your complaints about any of the speakers you have had besides sensitivity rating?
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post #5 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:13pm
Thread Starter 
The Ppolk and Energy speakers were both too bright for me.
The Titans couldn't play loud or low enough.
The x-ls's are a tiny muddy and uncontrolled in the low end, I'd love a little more kick in the 100Hz-200Hz range and they need tons of juice for even close to reference levels, otherwise I love them.
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post #6 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:16pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-A-G-L-E-S View Post

Much too big of a footprint......thanks though.

For sure !
I also had to go with a thin tower to get the screen and speakers in the same area.
JBL has lost a lot of ground market-wise in the last few years.

BUT;

As someone pointed out in a different thread; HT has different needs from music enjoyment.
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post #7 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:19pm
The Energy C-500s are bright? I had C-100s and would never consider them bright. What receiver do you have?
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post #8 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:24pm
Thread Starter 
Yamaha RX-V661.
They were a bit muted overall, but the highs(anything from that metal tweeter) were painful to my overly sensitive ears.
As a side note I do like detailed speakers, but they have to be soft with a soft tweeter, if that makes sense.
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post #9 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:32pm
I think the RX-V661 has preamp outputs. Try adding an external amp and that should help open up your AV123 speakers. It may be too taxing on your receiver to drive lower sensitivity speakers.
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post #10 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:36pm
Thread Starter 
Any reccomendations to run my 3 xl-s's?
I could just use my AVR for my surrounds.
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post #11 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:47pm
I know the Emotiva amps are a big hit in these forums. Maybe the XPA-3 will do the trick for you.
http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm

Or if you have a local audio dealer that sells amps, try one of their models to see if an external amp will help. That way you'll have an idea if you're headed in the right direction.
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post #12 of 22
11/1/09 at 4:57pm
If you look at the lab tests results of your receiver, its only 56 watts with 5 channels driven. Much less than the claimed 90 watts on Yamaha's website. I bet the external amp would really help!

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html
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post #13 of 22
11/1/09 at 5:03pm
I'm thinking you check out Definitive Technology Mythos 1's for your main speakers. They have very nice smooth mid range and very nice highs. There low end extention is pretty good but with a stellar sub they are incredible.
They are one of those speakers that can play both home theater and music and get you excited. All speakers play both but only few make you excited for both. Check them out. Then you could go with the full Mythos series to complete your theater experience.
I also suggest you upgrade your receiver. More power is always a good thing. The Yamaha is nice in it's own right but there are a lot of offerings out there that will give you a lot more. It might be what you are looking for.
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post #14 of 22
11/1/09 at 7:00pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt View Post

If you look at the lab tests results of your receiver, its only 56 watts with 5 channels driven. Much less than the claimed 90 watts on Yamaha's website. I bet the external amp would really help!

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/rec...-receiver.html

Thanks for the help!
May I ask what you used as a search to find that?
...and in google?
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post #15 of 22
11/1/09 at 7:10pm
Thread Starter 
Hmmm, looking at that is seems as though I get ~100w per channel when I play 2.1 music. Yet I wouuld still like to upgrade based on that performance.
so perhaps the amp isn't what I need?

Either way, my budget is ~$900-$1,000. If just an amp, I want to spend less than half that.
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post #16 of 22
11/1/09 at 9:45pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-A-G-L-E-S View Post

Thanks for the help!
May I ask what you used as a search to find that?
...and in google?

I just googled "yamaha rx-v661". I knew that Sound and Vision gives bench tests so when I saw the link on the first results page I knew where to go.
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post #17 of 22
11/1/09 at 9:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-A-G-L-E-S View Post

Hmmm, looking at that is seems as though I get ~100w per channel when I play 2.1 music. Yet I wouuld still like to upgrade based on that performance.
so perhaps the amp isn't what I need?

Either way, my budget is ~$900-$1,000. If just an amp, I want to spend less than half that.


That result was 99 watts at 1khz, not across the 20hz-20khz spectrum. An amp would still help. Measuring power at one frequency like 1khz is cheating. Who listen to music at one frequency? A single tone?
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post #18 of 22
11/1/09 at 10:01pm
Thread Starter 
Understood, maybe an inexpensive used one to try first.
We had two nice audio stores that both closed within the last year...now none left.
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post #19 of 22
11/2/09 at 12:11pm
sure try to find a used amp if you can. Should be some on Craigslist or ebay. Where are you located?
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post #20 of 22
11/2/09 at 1:03pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by afrogt View Post

I know the Emotiva amps are a big hit in these forums. Maybe the XPA-3 will do the trick for you.
http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm

Or if you have a local audio dealer that sells amps, try one of their models to see if an external amp will help. That way you'll have an idea if you're headed in the right direction.

I also own a Yamaha receiver htr5860. I recently got an Emotiva XPA-3 and my AV123 Rocket 850s are on the JUICE. I'm not really a big fan of Yamaha and their ratings and having listened to a few different recievers on my setup the Yammi really lacks IMO with a very lifeless sound.

I almost bought another reciever.. but with preouts the Yammy just sends the selected channels to the amp and it does it's thing and has a sound of it's own. If I were you, i'd get an amp (I doubt you can beat the Emotiva's for the prices). Seperate amps are the only way to get some real power on your speakers and really open them up. I'd put them #2 on my list of best upgrades I've done behind room treatments.
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post #21 of 22
11/2/09 at 1:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by E-A-G-L-E-S View Post

Hmmm, looking at that is seems as though I get ~100w per channel when I play 2.1 music. Yet I wouuld still like to upgrade based on that performance.
so perhaps the amp isn't what I need?

Either way, my budget is ~$900-$1,000. If just an amp, I want to spend less than half that.

XPA-3 bstock is $499 astock is $599
XPA-5 bstock is $699 astock is $799

Both models put out no less than 200watts @8 ohms with all channels driven.
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post #22 of 22
11/2/09 at 1:35pm
Thread Starter 
The XPA-3 seems like a good choice. I wonder how much real rms juice or more importantly peak juice my x-ls's can handle?
Off to try to look for a used XPA-3 first.
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