Cambridge SoundWorks HT setups - Page 5

Thanks! I'm putting a ceiling fan in on monday as an afterthought. I should have had it wired before I hung the sheetrock but way back then I wasn't thinking about air circulation/ventilation. O well, by my third basement I'll have it down.

As for the speakers, I was just going to place them on the tv stand on either side of the tv. I'm going to use the little rubber stick-on feet that come with them. The tweeters should be at ear level from listening position.

Any updates anyone?

Ugg, no.
The carpet guy turned out to be a thief. I hired him from servicemagic.com, signed his contract and put %50 down then never heard from him again.
I'm currently in negotiation with servicemagic to get my money back.
I'm looking at other carpet installers (with great scrutiny) so its going to be weeks more until finished.
What a nightmare.

To anyone with a MC305, what is the crossover frequency set for it?
Though the spec indicated that it could hit a low of 80Hz, it is true? or did it lose much bass after 100Hz?

I am trying to decide if i should get a Newton Series II MC305 or a ProCenter600./800. Any comments?

I believe 100 is the proper setting for them as 80 is -3db if i remember correctly.

Darn. I was hoping that it could hit 80hz with little prob so as i can make my decision between CSW MC305 or DefTech ProMon 600..

Whats wrong with the 100hz X-over? A decent sub that's set up properly should blend fine without any localization.

Also know that Deftech over inflates their specs a lot. I'm not exactly sure how their satellite speaker works (says something about a passive radiator) but know that there's only one 3.25" driver as opposed to two 4". I do not see how those Deftechs would get to 65hz as their spec implies. They also spec their 6.5" bookshelf as hitting 24hz, so that shows how much their ratings are inflated.

I haven't heard the set you're looking into, but I have listened to some of their higher end stuff (powered towers) and wasn't left too impressed. The bass was impressive in quantity but lacking in detail, almost boomy. The room I heard them in was square which is bad for bass response, but I still wasn't too impressed considering they were in the higher end range. When I listened to them it was with music though, and they are a theater oriented brand, so maybe that's why I didn't care for them too much (I'm not saying they were bad, just considering what they cost, I was expecting them to blow me away, but ended up favoring my budget system by a lot).

Correct me if i am wrong.. for anything >80Hz..it is possible to localize the sub...
So to resolve this issue most people would place the sub below the TV Screen....However i would prefer my sub to be place in a corner of the room hidden from view. Basically, I would like to feel/hear and Boom rather then see it ....as such I would prefer to 80Hz X-over.

True it might be difficult to detect the source of sound for 80Hz to 100Hz..however wouldn't it be better if i am able to completely remove that possibilities

Yap that is correct the recommended X-Over for ProMon 600 is around 100-120 Hz..even though the spec indicated that it can hit much lower..

By well set up sub I mean using the crawling technique (which usually ends up being the corner of the room) and proper volume settings. You shouldn't be able to localize it at 100hz.

Thanks might try that... then how about S205?? What should be the recommended Cross over setting?

I had the MC300 for years, and found that 80hz worked just fine for me.

I use 60hz on my S200s as my M80s can easily do 40hz and my MC400 about 65, so I guess I do miss a bit in my surrounds but I've never felt like there was a huge gap. My receiver doesn't have individual crossovers for each channel unfortunately so I choose to give my mains more bass instead of the sub.

I have always thought of finding one of the old Basscube 6S passive units on eBay or something to try on the surrounds to see what it'd sound like, but I haven't done so yet.

Given that the current 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS encoding where it is multi-channel discrete digital surround sound format, would a pair S205 with it dipolar/ bipolar still have it usefulness... or would it be better to have 5x MC305 for the 5 speakers.???

Depends on tastes really. I actually prefer the dipoles because of room limitations and I like the sense of ambiance they give. I had used monopoles as surrounds for years before getting my S200s and I'll take the heavily defused sound of the S200s for war movies any day.

That said, if you're interested in multichannel music, don't bother. They simply aren't made for that.

Sorry just wondering those war movies that you spoke off, are they DTS encoded? If they are not, i figure that S200s would be great.

So would i be correct to say that if i am into multichannel music/movie..i might want to consider avoiding s200s??

I'm pretty sure most of my movies are Dolby Digital 3/2.1. I have a few DTS movies (and I usually use DTS when I can because I like it better) but Dolby is a discrete 5.1 channel format just as DTS is. There isn't any matrix taking place like there is with Prologic II or Neo6 to make up the rear channels. For movies like Saving Private Ryan or Black Hawk Down, I'd hate to give my S200s up.

Indeed though, if you're into multichannel music avoid them. I am very strict with only using two channel for music unless it's an album that was recorded to be played in quadraphonic, in which case the rear channels are usually ambient so the S200s work out well for that.

Updates?

As a matter of fact, I'm pretty much done my basement project! It was well worth the wait, despite the frustration of a dishonest carpet installer who ended up taking my 700 deposit and dropping off the face of the earth.

The pictures are below but I'll go ahead and describe it too: the room is 18x12 feet with 8 foot ceilings. There are 8 recessed lights, separated into 2 zones of 4 lights, each on their own dimmer. I added a ceiling fan on a remote control.

The sliding door to the right of the entertainment center leads to the laundry room and the swing door to the right of that is storage under the stairs. Behind the bifold doors next to the bookcases is a storage closet.

We haven't finished decorating, probably going to put some paintings up and a mirror. The alcove between the closet and the stairs is the perfect size to keep wine racks. So far the room lacks personality but I don't care because the tv and speakers kick ass.

The electronics include:
TV: Pioneer 5020FD Plasma
Reciever: Marantz 7002
Blu Ray/DVD/SACD Player: PS3
Comcast cable/DVR service
Airport Express for wireless music streaming via optical cable
Wii

Main Speakers: CSW M85 Bookshelves
Center: CSW MC305
Surrounds: CSW S305s
Sub: CSW P1005

The TV has the most beautiful picture I have ever seen; the blacks are deep and inky with tons of detail. There is absolutely no judder, pixelation or artifacts. Bluray movies look crisp, detailed and amazing; the first movie we watched was Wall-E and were blown away. I'm in love with my TV.

After breaking in and calibrating, adjusting and tinkering, the M85s really started to shine. Human voices sound rich and lifelike, the highs are crisp and bright but never harsh. And the bass! Boulderdashcci you were absolutely right, just a little tinkering with placement had these babies turning out deep rich beats you can feel in your gut. For 2 channel music I don't even use the sub.

They're very musical and give a detailed soundstage at reference volumes. However, they seem to lose some detail at lower volumes, which is too bad because I'm sandwiched between two other townhouses and must keep the bass and volume down in the evenings.

I'm a little dissappointed by the S305s but its not their fault. They're bi and di-pole and also direct radiating speakers. I've discovered that I don't like the sound at all in bi- and di-pole modes so I only use them as direct speakers. For that they sound fine but with the drivers on the sides not being used I feel its kind of a waste. I should have just gotten an extra pair of MC305s.

I'm still figuring out the P1005 subwoofer. Its got two 10 inch drivers and a 1000 watt BASH amp. I'm new to subs so I'm not exactly sure what they're supposed to sound like but I think I'm developing a sense of how I want it to sound. It can definitely get loud-the volume knob goes to 11, proving that engineers have a sense of humor.

Though it can go boomy and loud, it can also get tight and detailed. Its fun for music, I crank it up and watch the cat vibrate across the floor. I'm not quite satisfied with how it performs for movies yet though I believe that this has more to do with all of the knobs and settings on the receiver and control box. I'm afraid of really opening it up, the last thing I want to do is blow the drivers.

I'll keep you posted but for now I've got to get to bed

Sucks about that carpet installer, but the room came out very nice. I don't know that I'd put a mirror up for acoustic reasons, but paintings/pictures shouldn't hurt provided you don't use a glass frame.

Are you planning on getting stands for the M85s? That actually improved bass for me quite a bit, especially when I got them on spikes. This also gives you a lot more flexability for placement than you have with them on the TV stand. I'm pretty sure the reason these speakers are so choosy with placement is the dual rear port. After some time with them, I think it's less about the ports being in the rear, and more about cancellation due to reflections. I noticed toe-in affects the bass quite a bit too, not just distance from the walls. It's really a shame these are being discontinued, IMO they're competitive at their $500 price point and when they were at the $300 sale price which they were frequently, they blow everything in that class away. I saw Mogwai and The Twilight Sad last Friday at Wilbur Theater, came home and have been listening to that stuff all weekend on my system, and they really hit little details accurately. They can't shake my room to the point where it feels like my house is going to cave in like that show felt, but the little nuances are all there.

The reason the bipole mode on the 305s isn't doing anything is because you have them directly behind you. Bipole and dipole speakers are made for the side wall, above the listening position, about 1-3' back. Being in the bookshelves as you have them you aren't really giving them enough room to disperse the sound, and not in the right direction either. But, for the config you have, direct mode is probably optimal, so yeah, a pair of MC305s or something probably would have been better.

One other thing, have you looked into Verizon FiOS at all? I don't have HD but the SD service is amazing, notably better than cable/dish, like to the point where I don't feel like I need an HDTV. Not to mention the internet is ridiculously fast, and it ended up being cheaper than Comcast for us. I'm not sure what they get for HD/DVR stuff though.

Seriously though, room and setup looks great. Keep us updated.

Thanks for the feedback! I haven't ruled out speaker stands but decent ones aren't cheap and for now I'm broke What stands do you use?

As for the mirror, this is a sacrifice to the lady in my life She likes the way they make a room feel larger and more open. I only hope it doesn't affect the acoustics of the room to much but it is what it is.

Putting the surrounds in the back of the room instead of the sides is a compromise. The gf didn't want the speakers to be too intrusive so I put the jacks in the back wall near the ceiling. The S305s in direct mode sound great back there and match well with the other speakers for multichannel music.

I have a few multichannel sacds including Dark Side of the Moon, Beck's Sea Change, Bowie's Lets Dance and a few more.
Dark Side is incredibly immersive and mind blowing at higher volumes; makes me wish I still did drugs

I continue to tinker and play with settings. I've moved the sub to the corner near the TV from behind the couch but have not noticed marked improvement in bass.
What kind of subwoofer do you have? Do you have any advice for setting it up? I've been trawling the sub forums for tips but I'm not satisfied yet...

Almost forgot; I'd kill to have Fios but its not yet available in Jamaica Plain or Boston. I currently have Comcast, which is ok but expensive. Their DVR service works fine, I don't know how I lived without it. The HD channels look good at 1080i but even so I understand that they compress the signal which of course reduces the quality. Baseball games look great though.
Do you know if Verizon compresses their hd content? Do you know when Fios is coming to Boston?

I use Sanus Natural Foundation 24" stands, but they kinda suck. They resonate a lot and the M80s are far too heavy for them (downside of the extra weight from how solid they are I guess). I've been looking at VTI VSPs to replace them, or just having my dad make me a pair of steel ones.

That said, stands give you a lot of tuning (placement) options so they really help you get the sound you're looking for. Going to carpet spikes also tightened up the bass quite a bit for me.

As for my sub, I have the P205. I got it really cheap when they closed the Needham store so it was kind of an impulse thing....I like it I guess but I've always wanted an HSU VTF1. I have it at about 10oclock on the dial, crossover open, the eq button set at the 25hz option, and crossover at 60hz at the receiver. For setup, read through this guide. Pretty simplified way to find the best spot.

Edit: I had thought FiOS was already all over Boston. We have it down here, and I think even RI has it now. Wonder why it's not in the city yet.

So I got the bass just about where I want it. I moved the couch and placed the sub in the main sitting area and crawled around. It worked like a charm! I ended up putting it behind the couch, 1.5 feet from the wall and a foot from the back of the couch. I have it oriented so one driver faces the wall the other into the room.

Placement made a huge difference. I also abandoned Audessey because it killed the bass. I didn't like what it did for the sound in my room at all; it's supposed to give a flat response across all frequencies so maybe I just don't like the way that sounds. I ended up using an spl meter and measuring tape to set the speaker levels and I'm satisfied for now

I have my sub controls set with low-pass open, phase to 130, volume to about 10 o'clock; EQ freq to 20Hz and EQ level to 0. Crossover at the receiver is set to 60Hz with the sub channel set at +1.5 dB. With these settings the ocean scene in Beowulf had the walls shaking. Volume set to 6 o'clock was even better but the little green light flickered to red on the most bass-intensive scenes which according to the manual means that 'the subwoofer is reaching max output.'
It didn't sound like it was distorting but I'm not familiar enough with strong sub-bass to really have an ear for clipping/distortion yet. For now I'll keep it dialed back and continue to experiment with the dials. I'm just about where I want it to be.

As for FIOS, they got all the surrounding burbs before they get into Boston. I think it has to do with the overhead of digging up streets to lay the cables as opposed to just stringing them on poles. No poles in the city. That doesn't explain Jamaica Plain which is pretty 'burby but as soon as Verizon's here I'm dumping Comcast.

Looking at a last gen Marantz SR6001 to replace my little entry level Onkyo. While the Onkyo does alright at lower volumes, the M80s start to compress when I get it up higher. Dunno how much of an improvement this would be, but if Accessories4Less' return policy is liberal enough I might just pull the trigger and try it out.

It's either that or a set of Wharfedale EVO2-10s as "play" speakers that I really don't need at all.......

I have been reading this thread a lot. I have been a big CSW fan for years. When I saw your post about switching to the Marantz, it reminded me of the upgrade path I traveled. I am currently using a Yamaha RX-V1700 with my most recent CSW HT set up (5 MC 305 and P1000 sub) and it sounds much better than the Onkyo 705 I had before. I also tried a Marantz 6001 and HK 254 and I did not notice much of a difference when compared to the Onkyo, but the Yamaha sounds much better to my ears and seems more powerful too. Oddly enough, I also recently switched out my T205s from my main music system for a set of the Wharfedale EVO2-10 you are considering - they are amazing! I got the maple finish. I have them paired with a HSU VTF-1. Even without a sub they are great. I would suggest trying a pair. I really did not need them and thought I would be disappointed compared to the T205 but I was wrong. You will love them. Without a doubt best buy I made in a long time. I plan on selling my T205s.

I'm being talked out of it on another forum.....May look into room treatments before pulling the trigger on a receiver.

So in an odd turn of events I ended up with Royalsfan's set of Evo2s as he wanted a different finish. Should be fun to have something to A/B against the M80s.

Anyone here own or ever owned the CSW T500s?
Im starting to get a crackling sound out of one of them. It may be the amp going bad or maybe a loose connection? Anyone had this problem?

Swap the one that's having issues out for a different channel and see if it still does it.