Monitor Audio Owners Thread - Page 284

I use an Onkyo TX-NR709 with my RX-1's. I've even been using them with a Gold GXC350 center channel I was breaking in. Works great and sounds great.

Look into the Denon 4311 for $1200-$1300. Coupled with Audyssey XT32 it's an amazing receiver. Also-it looks like Onkyo may be coming out with a cheaper model featuring XT32 as well.

If I find the Denon at that price, it looks like a fantastic unit. The Onkyo you mentioned (the 818, I believe), when it releases, is certainly on my list. I'm also considering Marantz and Yamaha, but I'm open to other suggestions as well.

The Gold GX300 are a little less power hungry at 90 db and 8 ohm compared to my 4 ohm RX8s. I do plan on adding some more power soon, that is why I switched to the 3312ci.

This maybe a little off from your question, but it may give you a thoughts into different types of configurations.

I have the RX2’s, RXCenter with 2 sets of RXFX’s for a 7.1 setup at the moment. I am using the Onkyo 5008 and the Audio quality is just fabulous. I will be adding some in-walls MA’s to make it a 9channel.

As you know, that’s quite abit of speakers for an AVR. Luckily they are not hungry speakers and the AVR can handle it since it is a 9channel receiver.

As you know with a receiver, the more channels you use, the power per channel goes down. I found a nice configuration that is fairly inexpensive way to give those speakers adequate power per channel.

I bought Onkyo’s M-282 2channel amps for each of my surrounds, and will use another for the height speakers, while allowing the AVR to power the front three.

Since the M-282 is an entry level amp and is great for surrounds, this works great and doesn’t cost you much.

M-282 is an 125wpc @ 6ohms
RXFX are 6ohms speakers @ 80w RMS

This is pretty much keeping the Onkyo 5008 at it's stated 2channel specs.

If u say so.

I'm not sure I agree with you saying that company upgrades drives your speakers any better. Doesn't drive mean more power?

I really would like to hear a difference with a before and after.

I sincerely hope anyone considering one of these "upgrades" does their homework on these companies beforehand.

I most certainly do say so.

Hi All:

Just wondering if anyone else had any feedback/opinions - Can a Pioneer Elite SC-57 competently drive any Monitor Audio 5.1 system? Let's even assume I temorarily went insane or won the lottery and bought a 5.1 Platinum system and am so attached to the SC-57 that I just had to keep it with no other amplification. Would even that work OK?

Cheers,
JD

If you are still not sure about it, you can get some more opinions in the receivers and amp forum. I did a search and they have an official thread on your receiver. One thing to remember is that you can always add an amp!

Link
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...er+elite+sc+57

Nope!!! It wouldn't.

OK Thanks. How about the Pio Elite SC-57 driving (with no additional amplification):

fronts: GX300
center: GXC150
surrounds (2):GX100
sub (1): GXW15

Would the AVR be able to do at least decently? Without clipping, etc.?

- JD

Thanks Reefdvr27. I'm familiar with the AVR thread, but it's not the most active or informative IMHO.

I'd really prefer not to add an amp, especially over the near term. The wife is going to flip out a bit over just the speaker upgrade! Another amp would mean getting a new stand, etc.

Maybe I'll try Monitor Audio suport and get their opinion on the match.

- JD

I would go for that - as always watch the extreme levels - the Pioneer
is good. And remember, the sub has its own amp.

HT labs
http://www.hometheater.com/content/p...-labs-measures

To me, that's pushing it. I would hope, like you said when you win the lottery, buy some amps.

Thought I would post a pic of my setup. RX8's plus RX center. the RXFX are on the wall behind me.

Equipment is in the closet on the left hallway and i'm powering the system with a pioneer vsx-52. For the person asking if that setup works, i'm more than happy with the sound. Also have a Supercube 4000 for the sub in the corner. not the best placement, but have to keep the wife happy.

These speakers are fantastic sounding and i'm more impressed every day i listen to them. I think they are finally broken in and i watch movies, TV, and game. NBA2k12 sounds like i'm in the stadium!

Very Happy Camper!

Thanks everyone for the input. I LOVE the tweeters on the GX series! It wasn't the greatest audition when I heard the towers (2 channels only under much less than ideal conditions), but they blew away everything else in the store. If I can talk myself into paying the premium over the Silvers - and hide the credit card bill from the wife for a while - I'll be very, very happy.

- JD

Gotcha ! !

Congrats!!! I know for sure, if the GX's were out when I decided to buy, I would have gotten them also. I wouldn't have gotten the GX300's, I feel a great sub would do the job.

Speaking of subs, If I were you, I would take that subs back, get your money and look into Internet Direct companies for a better sub for the money.

How much did they charge you for the sub?

Well the GX range are all 8 ohm rated speakers with reasonably high sensitivity, so they wouldn't be too bad for an AVR to drive.

Of course it depends on the size of your room and how far you will be sitting away from the speakers and how loud you will be playing them.

This calculator is a nice easy one to use to get an idea of the watts you will need... http://www.crownaudio.com/apps_htm/d...ct-pwr-req.htm

Now you just need to find an independent review on any AVR you plan to buy and find out how many watts it has with all channels driven... not its "one channel only" wattage rating.

Hey thanks HAMP568. Maybe my post was unclear, but I've still been sitting on the fence until I know for sure the SC-57 can drive the Golds, so I haven't bought them yet. Other posters here are also arguing that I could do better than the Gold sub - SVS, Rythmik, HSU, etc.

I'm pretty confident I could get at least 20% off the MSRP when I do buy - so the Gold sub would likely cost me around $2,500 or so.

- JD

Thanks Kiwi. I checked the site - I'm too dumb to be helped by it, I think. My room is 18 ft L x 12 ft W x 10 ft H. I want a 5.1 system, mostly for movies (75%) with some music use mixed in (25%). I have no desire to run it at ear-bleeding volume levels .... What would be the target for that, 80 Db continuous?

We'll sit about 12 ft back from the fronts and center, and 3-4 ft in front of the rear surrounds. The subwoofer would likely take up residence in one of the front corners.

Whadya think - will the SC-57 be able to drive the Golds nicely in that environment?

- JD

Yeah I think so.

12 ft = 3.65 m

GX300 has a sensitivity of 90

And to get even 90 dB at the listening position which is getting quite loud only requires 27 watts according to the calculator.

And since your surrounds are going to be quite close then they won't draw much. You should be fine with a decent AVR.

If the SC-57 can not - then none of them will.

Five channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 115.1 watts
1% distortion at 132.0 watts

And you are still over 100 watts, with 7 channels.

Seven channels driven continuously into 8-ohm loads:
0.1% distortion at 109.6 watts
1% distortion at 123.7 watts

You are getting over 100 watts per channel - I have been in a room
where a lower quality Pioneer has driven Klipsch Thx speakers in a
room much bigger than yours.

If you are looking for everybody to agree - then maybe if you are lucky,
you can make a decision by Christmas of 2013.

Thanks - since I've already broadcasted how dumb I am, here's another likely stupid question:

I know the SC-57 is a 9.1 channel amp and permits some bi-amping. If I only hook up a 5.1 system, would bi-amping, say, the 2 fronts allow me to access additional power from the otherwise unused 2 channels? Or is there just one shared "pool" of power among all the channels that can automatically be "shifted" among the hooked-up speakers to maximize power/efficiency.

- JD

While things like this will continue certain debates, till the end of
the world > Using the same receiver to bi-amp, is the same to
me as passive bi-wiring. You gain no extra power, or sound. It is
the same to me, as knocking on the door of a empty house.

I agree with the previous response to this question. You are sending the same full range signal twice but the crossovers are discarding some of it. Think of it this way. If you send 100W to the tweeter but the crossover discards the lower "half" of the signal so now you have "50W" to the tweeter. Then you send another 100W to the woofer but the crossover discards the top "half" so now you have have "50W" to the woofer. So now you have 100W to the speaker. Obviously I've way oversimplified, but that's the idea.

On top of that, most receivers are limited by the power supply, so if you are sucking 4/7 of the power for 2 speakers, that can limit what's available to the other 3.

Funny you say that. It is the way I'm going with my gx200's. I think that the high/midrange of these speakers is amazing. Not much to improve there.

OTOH, the LF section lacks some punch/ depth. Two 5.5" woofers cannot work miracles. I am using REW to integrate an SVS sealed sub (or possibly two) into the mix. Sorry I realize this may sounds like heresy to some people.

I did listen to the 300's, but to be honest I could not give an impression. The dealer had them sitting in the middle of the store. The nearest side wall was the store window, must have been some 15ft away.

I wonder why would anyone demo these speakers without a proper space. Or better buy them, given how they sounded?

OK - yeah I think I was confusing bi-amping and bi-wiring. I can see how if you had a pair of independent eaully powered monoblock amps, one driving the tweeters and the other the woofers, you would have more power by bi-amping. Since with the AVR its essentially 1 amplifier, you're not going to get any more power to any of the speakers by bi-wiring.

- JD

Yes, and you would need a crossover on the feed to the amps so each amp is only amplifying its part of the signal.