Monitor Audio Owners Thread - Page 285

I bought the Rx8's first..... But after listening to the GX300.... I had to get them...... Specially as I listen to a lot of 2 channel music without a sub late at night...... For movies the RX is more than good enough, but the ribbon tweeters of the GX line really bring string sounds alive!

I went in ready to buy the PL300 for music.... After thoroughly auditioning the PL and GX range, the GX300 was an amazing bang for the buck! I honestly couldn't hear much difference between the GX300 and the PL300... Neither did the owner of the store I bought it from....and the PL is a few thousand dollars more....

The only reason I went for floor standees for the rear was because I bought the gx300.... I had originally purchased the Rx8 for the fronts, but once I listened to the gx300... I had to have it.... And in singapore, even one week later, you can't take anything back to the store...

If I had to do it again, my rears would have been the gx50... Aesthetically though, the rx8 look very good as rear speakers! All channel stereo when listening to music or video concerts is certainly great! Adele live at Albert hall is certainly a treat!

Hello, has anyone else noticed a lack of mid range in the BX2's while listening to hard rock or metal? While using an apple tv as a source the high end and the bass greatly overpower the mids. When listening to vinyl the mids get better but I can still tell they are overpowered by the highs and the bass. Every other type of music sounds wonderful I may add. I guess it may be I really like those crunchy guitar sounds and would like them to stand out more in comparison with the vocals. I'm also wondering if moving up to the RX6 or RX8 would solve this problem.

I noticed that as well when I auditioned them. When the guys at the audio store switched over to RX6s, the improvement (and quality) in the midrange was immediately noticeable to me. I still wanted bookshelves (I just prefer the sound of monitors and subs to floorstanders) so I went with the RX2s. So if you can make the jump to the RX range, I'd highly recommend it.

thanks for the reply. How do you like your RX2's? Notice anything while comparing the RX2's to the RX6's or RX8's? Whathifi said the timing of the RX8's bass response was off. I was wondering if there was any truth to that.

I listen to many different types of music but Id say Im looking for something can perform well with hard rock and metal as well.

Very happy with my RX2s. For music (CDs, radio, computer files, etc) I don't feel the need to use my subs at all, which surprises me. I still have the subs hooked up for watching movies of course, but I turn them off for music and haven't missed them one bit.

The dealer I visited didn't have the RX2s in stock, so I didn't get an opportunity to directly compare them to the RX6s, but I don't feel like I've sacrificed anything. I will admit to a bias towards 2-way speakers though, they just sound more coherent to me. In the bass department, I think the RX2s are every bit as good as the RX6s, maybe better, but that's only going by memory. The RX2s are the only speaker in the line with an 8" driver. Different setups between my home and the dealer too, so we're really talking apples and oranges here - or at least different kinds of apples.

I haven't heard the RX8s at all, but I've read probably the same things you have about the bass. The RX6s had plenty for me, as do the RX2s and I listen to pretty much every genre of music.

Hope that helps!

yeah, that does help. So it sounds like you are very satisfied with the RX2's. I have to admit I'm curious to compare the RX2's and RX6's so I need to go to the dealer soon.

Also, What amp are you using with your RX2's?

I first had them connected to a HK 3490, but the sound (mainly the bass) was lacking a bit. I've since connected an Emotiva UPA-2 to the pre-outs on the 3490 and it's much better. It was when I did this that I found out I didn't need the subs for music.

I'll chime in here - I am using RX2, RXCentre and RXFX (no sub yet).
Probably 70% used for music listening via the RX2 only. They sound excellent for all kinds of music (I am listening to stuff from heavy metal to rock, pop, and classic). As mentioned, don't have a sub (can't make my mind up) but not really missing one at the moment.
Using the Denon 1912 EU-model with Audyssey MultiEQ XT, which makes quite some difference.

I did briefly listen to the RX6 when I was auditioning the RX2, but my bias was towards bookshelf to start with.

Nice. I'm using a Marantz SR6006 with the BX2's at the moment. Why do you guys like bookshelves over towers?

Count me in as another one that is partial to bookshelves over towers.

Reasons...

Can go up to a higher model line for the same dollars spent. i.e. I own a set of Gold GX50's bookshelves that are roughly in the same price range as the Silver RX towers. This gives me that beautiful ribbon tweeter that does sound a lot more natural/organic than the RX tweeters. And as I cross 60 Hz and below to subs, I'm not keen to spend money on a speaker that can play down 35 Hz and then not use it. So long as a speaker can play down 50 - 55 Hz I am good. So instead of spending money on bass that I'm not going to use... that same money went into better tweeters, cabinets, crossovers.

Smaller cabinets means less cabinet resonance.

Less drivers equals more of a point source. This gives me more placement options in my room as I can bring them out from the wall closer to the listening position for an almost near-field setup if required to avoid in-room peaks and nulls. General rule of thumb is that a speaker should be at least 3 times the height of its face away from you in order for the sound of the drivers to recombine. So between more placement options with 2-way monitors and subs handling 60 Hz and below... I have a lot more flexibility to help achieve a flat in-room response.

Not to say towers don't have their merits though. If I was just going to strictly have a 2 channel system in a medium to large room... some nice big towers would be the way I would go.

+1

How do you like the Marantz with your BX2s tostaylo?

With most types of music I am very happy with the combination of the Marantz and BX2's. With movies the clarity and accuracy are very apparent as well. Much more happy with it than I was with my old Pioneer VSX 920k. The amount of features the Marantz offers is hard to beat as well but as I was saying earlier I think the mid-range when dealing with hard rock and metal guitars is lacking. I feel like this is from the BX2's rather than the Marantz. But I guess I don't have any hard evidence to back that up.

One issue I have been noticing lately is the Marantz seems to hold back a bit. Like when you make it to the portion of a song that is supposed to have a peak in volume it sounds like that part is being intentionally softened to the same db levels as the rest of the song, if that makes any sense. I'm not positive this is a trait of the Marantz or If it has to do with my sources. As I understand it could this possibly be an issue of lack of dynamic headroom with the Marantz?

I have my BX2's hooked to a Yamaha RX-A1000, and I'm very happy... I must admit that I haven't auditioned the RX2's, and I really think I shouldn't, because then I'll need to buy them, and then my wife will need to dump me, so I won't...

Anyway, I listen to concert DVD's (mostly 5.1) and I love how they sound - for me, there's no lack of midrange at all. But I do need to turn up the volume quite a bit to have good response and dynamics - nothing that hurts anybody's ears, but probably louder than I can have my neighbors put up with at night (I live in an apartment). At low levels, yes, the sound is kind of muffled.

My musical taste is probably 'lighter' than yours, though. I need to get some heavy sections and give them some careful listen to be sure.

VMat

For movies, bookshelves paired with a good sub is a perfect set up. The reason I have towers now is mainly for music.... And I have a large room.

Ah. The low volume may have something to do with it. I live in an apartment also and don't really get to push the volume too hard.

Just as an FYI -

I've been in contact with the Monitor Audio technical services group. They are recommending something more powerful than the Pioneer Elite SC-57 for a 5.1 Gold GX setup. They basically said a 5.1 system with GX300s as the fronts wouldn't blow up the AVR or anything, but I'd only get like 75% of the potential performance of the speakers with the SC-57.

I'm still a little skeptical, but since Monitor Audio is motivated to sell me speakers (the more expensive the better) and doesn't sell amps, I can't see them being very highly conflicted when giving this advice.

Cheers,
JD

That's pretty much how I felt with that AVR. Nothing wrong with it, it's just some speakers need more power/current then some others do.

If I remember right, you already have the AVR? If so, I would still buy the speakers, and just add an amp later.

I could not believe the improvement when I moved from my Marantz to McIntosh. Monitor Audio is giving you great advice. You want your system to be price balanced. The Monitor Audio speakers show what electronics are capable of. Spec sheets do not tell you much, you must listen to the systems to hear for your self. I started with Silver's went to Gold's and now have Platinum's. Each improvement in speakers and amps made a difference. The Silver's still sound great on the more expensive electrons. If I were you I would buy the Gold's and just plan to update the electronics when budget permits.

Yeah Thanks - that'a a very sensible approach. I'll start off with just the AVR and if I feel there is anything lacking I'll look into getting a separate amp down the road.

- JD

I will take that 75% percent to start with.

THE RX8 needs a good amp and good placement in the room. The RX6 is more forgiving on amps and room placement.

However, a well set up RX8, with a good amp is much more open and musical IMHO than an RX6. That said, the RX6 works better in most situations.

Question for the GX owners. I just bought a pair of GX-100s from audiogon. I auditioned the GX-50s at my local shop prior to purchase. The previous owner said these speakers have "very few hours on them." What have you found a suitable break in time for these? Specifically, how long did you have them before you stopped hearing a difference in the sound? Compared to when I heard the GX-50s before, the speakers sound kind of harsh. The separation between the tweeter and mid-bass driver is pretty distant, as if there's a hole missing in the response; in the mids, obviously. The treble, as detailed as it is, almost sounds unnaturally high pitched. High hats sound too chimey and high, for instance. I'm hoping this is just due to them not being broken in all the way. They sound amazing despite this complaint though. I'm using a Rega Brio-R to drive them, which is considered a neutral-to-warm amp so it's definitely not the culprit. It drives my well-broken-in MA RX-1s beautifully.

Thanks in advance!!

I'd say that good room placement is always a good idea
Just on the amps - RX8 is the only 4ohm rated speaker of the series, all the others are 6ohm. That's the main reason for having to take more care when choosing an amp.

Can't go wrong with the RX6s.

Can you tell what you think / thought of the GX50's? I have GS20's now and was thinking of moving these to another room and going to a bookshelf in our family room. Ive heard the GX100 and loved them, Im just not sure about a bookshelf.

Consider I auditioned the GX-50s in a store's show room which was heavily padded. I've only heard the GX-100s in my own house which has hardwood floors and no wall treatments. I used the same amp for both though -- a Rega Brio-R. To be honest, they sound nearly identical to me. You're not really losing any bass getting the GX-50s, especially if you nudge them a little closer to the wall. Hell, My MA RX-1s seem to put out more bass than the GX-100s. Of course, the GX-100s are rated to go down an extra 12 Hz or so, but this is highly dependent on positioning if you'll even be able to hear those low frequencies over the GX-50s. I can notice it, but only under very particular circumstances.

Besides the size of the cabinet, the GX-100s have a larger mid-bass driver, which some would say is a bad thing. People generally assume smaller drivers means a faster, more detailed response. I'm no audiophile, but I can't really tell a difference between the 50s and 100s when it comes to this. The last significant difference is the crossover crosses over at a slightly higher frequency on the GX-100s. So, the mid-bass driver is handling a little more of the lower mids that are sent to the ribbon tweeter on the GX-50s. To my ear, this has opened up the overall mid presence ever so slightly on the 100s over the 50s. The 50s sounded kind of "scooped" to me, but then again so do the 100s. They favor the bass and treble, while the mids are a little relaxed. Oh...and the GX-50s are 86db/w/m sensitive while the GX-100s are 88db/w/m, if this matters to you.

I hope this helps. Any difference I'm noting are ever so slight, and could entirely be based on the difference in rooms that I heard the two speakers. I'd imagine they could be made to sound identical with particular placement. FWIW, the salesman at the store, who I really trust, says he likes the GX-50s more because he finds them to be more accurate and detailed due to the smaller mid-bass driver. And like I said, you really don't sacrifice much, if any, bass with the 50s. The only reason I bought the 100s was because they popped up for cheap on audiogon

I've been lucky enough to get a price I cant ignore from my dealer (she's literally like my drug dealer ; ) on the GX300 5.1 system to replace my RS set.

I recently installed everything in my new media room however and added a pair of old Denon bookshelves onto my floor-ceiling bookshelves which line the back wall for 6/7ch duties.

My question is - are the GX50's the best bet to replace these? Having read the above comment it would seem so.

The final setup would be:
GX300
GXC350
GXFX
GX50
GXW15

Due to the full-height bookshelves, two sets of GXFX arent practical (I dont think but am open to opinions).

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