Anyone still running Infinity Speakers like me?

My BU-80 is pretty much dead. If I apply
any volume it distorts bad. The C6, and
C24 capacitors are fried, so I'm hoping
when I replace them it will work again.
I found THE fix using google, and wrote
down the info. C6-10mF 100V, C24-100nf 50V
Man I wish I could find the link again...

I'm still running Infinity Speakers. I have four Infinity Compositions Prelude PF-Rs running fronts and surrounds with a Prelude PCC center. I actually had the RS-5 or the Reference 2000.6, which i believe are pretty much identical running as my surrounds before i picked up another pair of PFRs. They are pretty decent speakers and for the price you can get them now 100-200, they are pretty good. The CC3s are still admired center channels today and still command a hefty price. I've actually had all three, the CC1, CC2, and CC3, and the CC3 compared to centers i've experienced is still quite comparable.

However, the QPS-1s are trash. They were meant to pair with the Infinity Prelude PFRs but they just sucked. If you want an improvement, and keep your existing Infinity speakers, I definitely suggest looking at the Infinity Overtures, they have great value and they can be had rather cheaply. My friend just picked up a pair of Overture 2's the other day for a buck 75. You could always buy new fronts move your existing fronts to surround duty.

I'd also advise you to move on to a more powerful subwoofer. To be honest Infinity is not known for its home audio subs and the BU-80 doesn't really hit really deep or really hard and better values can be found in the internet markets.

Overall, after foraying into other brands, I've come full circle back to Infinity speakers (I've owned Micros, Primuses, Betas, Sterling) just because they've become an overlooked brand thus offering great value. Newer speakers aren't inherently better than old ones, many others will attest to that, but in fact you can find fantastic values on used speakers.

I have a 20 year old pair of Infinity Kappa 9 towers. Still plays very well driven by a pair of Denon mono blocks.

Any recommendations in the $150-$200
range? I really like the fact that the BU-80
was a down firing sub, and was actually
looking at the Yamaha as a replacement.


Yamaha Model: YSTSW215PN

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Yamaha+-...&skuId=8924391

Downfiring and frontfiring are pretty similar. What i would do is just stalk audiogon and craigslist for a good deal. You can find a good deal on a SVS or HSU sub occasionally, or you can just get yourself another BU for a pretty decent price. If you can find the Infinity PS8 PS10 or PS12 for a really good price, they're absolute bargains. I actually got a PS8 from Circuit city when they were around for 70 bucks!

I would stay away from Onkyo, Yamaha, Denon subs. You're probably better off looking the subwoofer forum for this kind of advice. My advice would be: look for used, internet direct brands, such as Hsu, SVS, Elemental designs, and you can find bargains from 150-300$.

I am still using RS-5s from 1999 that still sound great. I know that there are obviously better speakers out there, but I spent quite a bit of money on these back then (just out of high school) and I am still happy with them. My Entra Center is not the greatest and I am on the hunt for a newer center channel (looking for some models suggested over in the infinity primus thead). I am also on the hunt for some decent surrounds and a better sub.

1993 SL20s here. Still marching on!

1982 RS4.5s and a second system of 362s/162s/350/DJ-18. For music, I prefer the 4.5s. No sub needed.

I just got the 350 center and it is a significant upgrade over the 250.

Still running these:

Infinity SS 2003 (excellent bookshelf speakers)

Infinity RS-6000 dual 10" tower speakers

I have a set of Alpha 50's with a center (forgot the model) and the PS212 sub. I am retiring them as I restore my beloved Magneplanars to their proper place, but have found those Infinities aren't bad! I did have a pair of QLS-II's until about 5 or so years ago. After their initial tweeter issues were resolved (Infinity had some production issues with their EMITs back then) they were great speakers. The only thing I had to do in the 10 - 15 years I had them (after replacing a few EMITs) was get the foam surrounds replaced, which Infinity did fairly cheaply. - Don

Ah, another Infinity Alpha owner! I have the 50's running stereo in my downstairs system. Sure there are better speakers out there but the Alpha's sound great. I believe the center was the 37c, which I have in my closet currently unused.

a full set of Beta's here! Beta 50 fronts, C360 center and Beta 20 rears. Sub is a PS-12.

I searched Craigslist, and found an Infinity
BU-2 (12" 100w RMS) sub for $50! I've read
some reviews, and it does sound a little boomy
at times, so I'm going to mess with it, and add
some insulation in the box.

Good to hear. They're a value but eventually you'll want to step it up and get some real thump.

How about RS 4001 fronts RS 1001 on the side and MK VX4 sub all circa 1980. Still kickin as quasi 5.1 system. Any suggestions on a center to fit the old mans system.

lane

same here--except I don't have the big 50s in front. Just the Beta 20s and the C360. Sub is the SW-12.


Agree about the BU-80 in general, but Infinity has made and continues to make some very capable subs. The R.A.B.O.S. equalization is well worth not having an elite sub from SVS or HSU, though the new Cascade looks really good if you have a fat wallet! Now, if you're talking about the Primus subs, I agree your money is better spent at the internet direct companies.

The Rabos was great back in the day, but it doesn't replace proper calibration with proper software and mic. Even newer receivers and pres have eq capability to adjust your sub. However, i have noticed Infinity subs don't go very low. I've owned a couple and they've sounded great, but they never really dug into the 20hz-30hz range you really need for movies. But if you can find one for a very cheap price, they're a great value.

The cascades are going out pretty quick on ebay as harman seems to be unloading their refurb stock. The cascades didn't seem too popular among consumers. I mostly saw them at Fry's Electronics, but i'm sure they didn't move too many of those things. They sounded pretty good when I heard it, but i believe Infinity was more after a form factor than superb performance.

I used to have some infinity speakers. I sold them a few years back and to this day I still miss them so much.


I have pictures of them in my gallery ("My humble former system" link in my sig)

Unfortunately, I only have on good room to work with and it is set up as a dedicated theater. I really need a music room again.

My current Interlude IL40s and Beta C360 center are about to be replaced with the newer Cascades - I have a pair of 3v's for the front L/R and a pair of the 5's for surrounds and a Cascade center on the way and should be here next week. All in silver. I have an Elemental Designs A5-350 sub so I have below 80hz covered.

In the past 8-9 years I've owned the IL50s with built-in subs which I've sold - IL30s - also sold - 4 Beta 20s - a C250 and C360 - all also sold. I have a pair of Infinity TSS 750 satellite speakers for the exersize room powered by the zone 2 of my Integra DHC 40.1/Emotiva UPA-7 amp. The TSS speakers use the same 3/4" MMD tweeter as the Primus - also a decent tweeter. Seems like Infinity has a handle on good tweeter design.

My infatuation with Infinity actually started with the first time I heard the Prelude MTS speakers over 10 years ago. I couldn't believe the clean clear highs and mids that came from those speakers. I knew I had to have a pair of them - or a reasonable facsimile.

Anyway - with 2 kids and a mortgage taking the bulk of my $s I knew I had to settle for something more practical. When I first heard the Interlude line it was a pair of IL30s that caught my ear. It reminded me of the MTS - clean clear highs. I settled on a pair of IL50s - and IL40s for surrounds powered by an HK AVR 520 and used a phantom center until I picked up a JBL S-Center II a few years later.

I've heard (and owned) a lot of speakers since that first encounter with the MTS speakers but have heard nothing that is better than the CMMD tweeter - which include the Emit tweeters - my opinion of course.

The Cascades also have the CMMD tweeter so it should sound very familiar in the upper mids/highs It'll be an adventure and I hope they sound as good in my home as they did when I had the chance to listen to them in an acquaintance's home. He has the Cascade 9s & center & 7s for surrounds driven by an Onkyo SR875 - and a decent enough sub. FWIW I'm not motivated by style - it has to sound good - and the Cascades do sound good.

This will be the first time in many years that I'll have a 2 way speaker for mains. With the eD A5-350 for movies and aDIY 12" sub for music I doubt I'll miss the IL40s much - anyway I won't be selling them - they go into the bedroom for my 2 channel setup - replacing a pair of Emotiva ERM-1s.

The Cascades do sound good and i was quite impressed by the soundstage they throw up due to their narrow front baffle, it was very surprising and what i didn't expect at all. However, i wasn't too sure on the bass abilities, but this doesn't concern most people who combine listening with a sub. They roll off at around 80hz and you might even need to cross them higher than that which might cause a problem, and that's their top of the line floorstander, the Cascade 9! However, my concerns might be unfounded when you actually listen to them.

I would love to hear your impressions of the Cascades as many do not post on them on AVS. I assume you got it in the Harman ebay closeout ont he cascades and at those prices, they are VERY good bargains.

No im not.

The Cascades are designed around a subwoofer and are made for HT but will do for music just fine. I have 1 sub that I use for music - it kicks in on its own and goes to about 30hz before rolling off. The Cascades roll off at the 80hz mark like the Emotiva 6.2s and ERDs I had so I know what to expect. I was most impressed with the mid range of the Cascades - very clean and clear. The tweeter will be familiar to anyone thats ever heard the CMMD 1" tweeter which has always impressed me.

I just completed my set last night from Harman's ebay auctions. I'll have three of the 3v's up front with a pair of 5's doing surround duty. Should be set for a few years (yeah right!).

I have Beta 20's, a 250 center and OWS-1's for surrounds in my "everyday" room with a Dayton HSU8 sub. Very soft and warm sounding.

Also on hand are a pair Reference 5's, a pair of Kappa 5's, a pair of Cresendo 6's (kinda rough), a pair of Beta 50's, a Kappa center, a Video1 center and 2 pair of Infitesimal IV's. One pair not very good, one pair very nice with rare matching Infinity speaker stands in the original box. Edit: Sorry, they're not speaker stands but wall brackets.

Well I got the Cascade 3V L/R (pair) and the 5s (pair) yesterday. I've had the chance to watch Disc 1 LOTR Fellowship of The Ring last night. While there are no earth shattering differences between what I had before (still using the Beta C360 and waiting for the last 3V to get here) the mid range is better than the IL40s I've had for so long. The IL40s are better in the bass department but any 2 way speaker is going to lag in that area. The mid bass is strikingly better reproducing drums and other very quick sharp transient sounds. Drums are very difficult to get right for many speakers - these Cascades have that covered in spades.

The tweeter is exactly what I expected - and sounds wonderful. I listened to Diana Krall Live (computer flac file) in Paris - her voice runs through the crossover frequency and the transition is seamless. Piano notes are another difficult area for speakers - the Cascades do it all very well. The notes are sharp and bright without lingering on like some speakers do. The piano sounds as natural as I've heard without actually being being there. Reminds me very much of those Jazz clubs/bars I used to frequent on weekends in Seattle's Pioneer District when I was much younger. While I wouldn't pay MSRP for these speakers - I have no qualms about recommending these to anyone looking for HT speakers that can handle music easily as well. For a 5.0 setup for under $1K its a no-brainer. These things rock!

Listening to Pink Floyd Dark Side of The Moon on CD - this is a great mix - one of the best - and the Cascades were able to reproduce it very well.

OK - cosmetics? I like the hell out of these without the grilles - the grilles are a bit of a cheap-out for Infinity - they seem like an afterthought. I don't like them at all - but having no small kids in the house I can take the grilles off. They look awesome without the grilles - like no other speaker you've ever seen more than likely. The grilles are nothing but a fine weave cloth with a magnetic holder on either end - you simply put the grille in place and put slight tension on the fabric - this keeps the grille about 1/2" off the face of the speaker. Definitely not something for anyone with small kids - these won't slow down curious hands much - if at all.

I have the silver finish - I wanted something with contrast from what I've had in the past 15 years - black - and before that oak and cherry. These are great looking speakers - but if you have kids hang them on the wall. They come with the bookshelf stand - very heavy - substantial metal! You could use it as a weapon in a pinch.

While I'd had my eye on the Classia speakers for a very long time I took the chance and decided to wait for the Cascades to sell on ebay and I'm glad I did. I heard these Cascades last year at an acquaintance's home and was impressed with how well they sounded. They sound just as good in my living room. Can't wait to get the last piece of the puzzle - one more 3v for the center. It'll be here next Monday.

My last setup included the IL40s - Beta C360 center - and Emotiva ERD-1 bi-di-poles. The mono-pole design of the Cascade 5 is a more direct sound but isn't distracting at all. Sure sounds different. Both designs are good sounding and I suppose it's just whatever you find you like best. I find I like both - but I'm hearing some sounds more distictly with the 5's that I didn't hear with the ERDs. FWIW the ERDs are a great sounding surround speaker - I didn't care so much about having matching speakers after a cobbled together setup I'd have kept the ERDs - they are quite good.

Yep...

I have a pair of Infinity SM-155's as my main speakers... (both on Auralex Grammas)

an Infinity SM Video center speaker...

4 Primus 150's as surrounds...

and Infinity PS-212 subwoofer... (also on a Auralex Gramma)


I'm looking into performing some Mods on my SM-155's...

internal bracing (front to back / side to side)...

along with stuffing the buggers with Dacron Fiberfill...


Should be fun...

I scored a set of black Kappa 7.1 Series II recently, and finally got around to setting them up in the HT. The veneer needed some cleaning/TLC, but the drivers were all in working order (even the woofer surrounds).

The Kappas are standing in for a pair of AR TSW-610's. I find the EMIT R tweeters in the Kappas to be more laid back and detailed than the 3/4" Ti domes of the 610's.

After running Audyssey, I was surprised to see how much mid- and HF boost is being applied to the Kappas. The rest of the speakers are BA e70's, and they seem to be getting cut as much as the Kappas were being boosted. Then again, the e70's have the 1" VHRO tweets.

I notice that the Kappas produce a more diffused sound field, which seems to result in a "better-blended" LCR. I had been used to the highly directional 610's, but from what I gather, this quality may have been overdone in the TSW series (the "imaging fad" of the late 80's).

I haven't put enough listening time in yet to decide which I prefer. I suspect that the Kappas might have a hard time timbre matching with the rest of the system. Even though the 610's are supposedly a rung or two down on the quality/price scale, the driver materials used (Ti tweeters, poly woofers) are more similar to those of the BA's.

What are those? I saw a listing for them on Craigs and they just had the "woofer stack" They didn't state the model. They look awesome!

I'm currently running:

RS5's (Front)
CC-3 (Center)
RS2000.3's (Surrounds)
SVS PB12-ISD/2

Powered by a Denon AVR-4310CI. I was thinking about purchasing a new PSB system from SaturdayAudio or AudioAdvisorthat consists of:

T65's (Front) (or T45's)
C60 (Center) (or a C40)
S50 (Surrounds)

Anyone like to chime in on whether this would be a worthwhile upgrade?

I'll also post this is the PSB thread.

Thanks!