Cambridge Audio Minx Loudspeaker Discussion Thread - Page 2

You're really trying to "loosen" them up, aren't you? Glad to hear they didn't blow. Somewhere there's probably a Cambridge Audio engineer weeping though...

Hello Jimwilson and Perpendicular. I appreciate your comments regarding Minx speakers and Orb speakers....both on this and other AVS forums.

Please help this newbie decide on my sound setup, so I can make my purchase and get on with other things in life

I am about to install a 46" Panasonic plasma (Model tc p46s30) above my fireplace mantle shelf. The mantle is in the center of the long side of my 22 ft x 14 ft family room, with receiver and subwoofer located in one corner of the room. Surround sound has always annoyed me, and the explosions and background music tend to make dialog unclear.

My main goal is clarity of movie dialog, with music listening the secondary priority. I don't need or want booming or low, low frequency bass, but recognize the subwoofers importance. We want to confine our left and right speakers only to sit on our mantle on either side of the TV, so the speakers are only about 4 ft apart max, so not much separation.

To now, I was about to go with the Orb Classic Two system, consisting of two Orb Mod 2s and their Super8 subwoofer. But the wife hates the look of the softball shaped Orbs, and prefers the look of the 3" cube Minx small speakers and the smaller Minx subwoofer. So we are now considering the Minx S212 stereo, 2.1 system in lieu of the Orb Classic Two 2.1 system.

Would greatly appreciate your opinions on the following:

1. With my lack of any real speaker separation, am I just as well off staying with 2.1 sound, or am I missing significant sound improvement by not opting for 3.1 sound with a center channel? (With Orbs, I could use a Mod 1 for the left and right channels, and a Mod 2 for the center channel?)

2. If I "settle" for 2.1 sound, is my money better spent on only a 2.1 receiver? Seems to me, the 2.1 receiver for the same money would offer more quality than a 5.1 or 7.1 receiver, because it has less complexity. But 2.1 receivers are no longer commonplace.

3. With 2.1 sound, I can pick up an Onkyo Model TX 8050 receiver for $340, with internet capability, a front USB, 80 watts per channel, and a line subwoofer out. Is this too much or not enough receiver? If the kids turn the volume way up, I don't want the speakers to blow out!

4. Can you recommend an alternate receiver I should be considering for 2.1? I like the look of the Cambridge Topaz stereo receiver, but it does not appear to have the dedicated subwoofer out port. Could this receiver somehow be made to drive the subwoofer?

5. With 3.1 sound, we are forced into a more classical 5.1 receiver, but I will only use left, right and center channels. With the Orbs, I can easily change the wiring for 3.1, but it looks like the Minx setup will not be so easy for 3.1. Can you recommend a good 5.1 receiver, if I go with 3.1 sound. I would buy the 3.1 receiver, but only wire it for 2.1.

6. With the 5.1 receiver, will any sound quality be sacrificed by using it only in a 2.1 or 3.1 configuration?

7. I am not an Audiophile, and don't believe in spending 75% more for a 3% improvement in sound quality. I read an article where even high end audiophiles are returning to "simple" 2.1 equipment for the purest possible music reproduction...although I realize that dialog clarity is a whole nother consideration.

8. Forgetting nitpicking about who has the better subwoofer, and given the same speaker setup, would you rate the Orbs or the Minx higher for dialog and music clarity?

So what would you guys recommend in my situation?

Many thanks in advance,
Bill

Perpendicular,
Many thanks for your opinions.
BillTiernan

I am thinking about...
3 x Min20 for front left, right and central;
2 x Min10 for back surround;
x200

Is that OK for mixing Min10 and Min20? If so, how to set the crossover freq.? As it has a minx20 and minx10 icon. What level should I set?

THANKS!

Hey Jeffrey (aka Perpendicular); does this sound familiar?

Because, when it comes to the Minx speakers you're the guru...

Hi!

Not just the Minx, but the Orbs too!

Aum Namah Shivaya!

Bazzy!

thanks!!!

Hi,
I have a marantz sr7005 that has a published rating of 125 watts per channel x 7 and was wondering if that would be too much power for a surround set of the Minx 10s? The specs say 10-50 watts per speaker but would I damage/blow them?

very good...thanks! i had talked to an authorized online store Cr--------- and the guy basically looked at the specs for the min 10 and told me i had too much power and not to get them.

So basically I didn't listen to the guy and ordered 3 Min 10s for the front stage and will be using a mission sub (made in canada still) to try it out first. If I like them and I'm very hopeful that I will, I'd like to add more Min 10s for either a 5.1 or 7.1 set-up. Then if the mission sub is not matched well, maybe get the sub from cambridge too.

Or do you think I should get one Min 20 for a center channel?

Your not happy with the Min 10s as your frontstage?

How big is your room? That will play a key role in the decision. Unless it's very small I also think you should consider using the Min 20 for the front 3 channels, and the Min 10 for surrounds. For sure, the center should be a Min 20 -- it's just too critical a speaker to skimp on.

Jeff: Appreciate your input and for starting this thread. It was hard trying to find information on the Minx. I'm going to give the Min 10s a shot and go from there but I might not be as completely happy either since I've always had conventional floors/bookshelf speakers. The price seemed ok until you buy 5 or 7. What size room do you have Min 10s?

Jim: My HT room/area is about 10x12. I guess that would be on the small side?

The original speakers I was looking at were the DefTechs promonitors but thought they were too big for my space. Then I saw the Boston Acoustics Soundware XS but along the way, the Minx came up and thought they were better speakers and the unconventional speaker design would be better for soundstage sort of like Mirage speakers where sound is not focused like a "flashlfight" which is what I think the Boston XS would be...sorry, not sure if I make sense.

10x12 would be considered small, so you won't need much to fill a room that size. However, I'd still advocate a Min 20 for the center. The rest of the channels you can probably get away with using the Min 10's.



I wouldn't summarily discount the DefTech's - they are very nice speakers for the money. But you're right, given the size of the viewing area I would probably stay with the smaller variants. Something like the ProCinema 800 might suffice.

For the lost frequencies issue, is that ok to upgrade the sub from x200 to x300?

Or just buy other brand sub instead of CA minx sub?

I am now a proud owner of Min 10s x 3 for the frontstage. With just the fronts for my 10x12 space, it fills the area very nicely. My initial impressions, neither pros or cons, from just watching one movie "Rio".

-they do sound different than conventional speakers.

-they have a finesse approach to sound but is very clear and smooth. very easy listening.

-they have a fullness unlike other small speakers i've listened to that just blends away and you don't even know they are there. but i'm not sure if that's because it's trying to do everything without separate drivers and just sounds like "full range" speakers. i'm not sure how to describe it... /shrugs shoulders.

Overall, they sound great for my given small space and the size is what i'm looking for! Now, to get two more Min 10s for the surrounds (5.1).

Avfann can ask what sub your using alongside the min 10s?

My room size is 15 x 10