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Official MK - Miller & Kreisel Thread?!? - Page 110

post #3271 of 3475
4/13/12 at 10:43am
M&K made and sold s-150s with angled centers (AC) for placement above or below tv displays. The non-angled centers are s-150C. I personally would shelf and wedge the angled center so that the array of tweeter and woofers are in exact alignment with the left and right speaker planes to the MLP. All three should ideally be aligned to target the center tweeters at the MLP ears.
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post #3272 of 3475
4/13/12 at 11:07am
Sounds good, thanks.
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post #3273 of 3475
4/13/12 at 8:41pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by snpanago View Post

M&K made and sold s-150s with angled centers (AC) for placement above or below tv displays. The non-angled centers are s-150C. I personally would shelf and wedge the angled center so that the array of tweeter and woofers are in exact alignment with the left and right speaker planes to the MLP. All three should ideally be aligned to target the center tweeters at the MLP ears.

I stand corrected.
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post #3274 of 3475
4/14/12 at 2:49pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by JVoth View Post


That's an interesting question. I thought only the professional line of speakers had the downward angled center channel. It would seem that M&K would design these home theater speakers knowing that people were going to place them at identical heights. I'm guessing that the angle coupled with the acoustical foam, is part of the design and has something to do with the off axis response of the speaker. I have the 750 THX system and the tweeters are angled on all of those models. M&K speakers have always been known for very good off axis response.

So a couple of things here. There was an s-150AC (angled center) and S-150C (non-angled). They did design their speakers for placing at identical heights, but the burden lies on the buyer to purchase the appropriate model for their application.

The 750 model speakers have a slight degree in the tweeter angle only because of the use of metal grilles and how the tweeter responded to the perforated metal vs traditional fabric.

As far as the question, if it was my room I would sell the S-150AC and buy an S-150C. If that was not an option I would plumb the face of the S-150AC with the other speakers. However either option you presented would work just fine. The only thing you would need to consider with option #2 is how far back is the listening position and how high up does the speaker need to be placed to hit the majority of the main listening position.
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post #3275 of 3475
4/18/12 at 5:12pm
I own a pair of M&K MX-70 subwoofers which I purchased new in 1993. Aging had finally gotten them to the point where they were both in serious need for re-edging. I sent Ken Kriesel an email requesting a referral for a competent shop close to San Diego, California where I could obtain service for the subs.

He directed me to Orange County Speakers in Santa Ana, California. I dropped them off the day after purchasing a new Marantz SR7005 AVR on April 2nd. I just picked the pair earlier this afternoon, connected them, ran Audessey setups and did some fine tuning. I am having the time of my life!

The speakers sound just like brand new and I have not been this excited about my subs since the day I bought and took the home for the first time. Unfortunately the repair, by necessity, had to proceed beyond just the simple re-edging job I initially wanted. The shop informed me yesterday that the subs would have to be reconed. I was in shock when I saw the dust caps. Generic replacements lacking my beloved "Discover Deep Bass" motto of M&K Sound. I used to love looking at the subs in the nude; I will be playing them now with the black fabric grill covers in place. A very minor disappointment compared to not having my two mini-monsters repaired and back and performing like new.

My hats off to the staff at Orange County Speakers in Santa Ana, California. It was well worth the time and effort for me to drive the 91 miles from my home to do business with them. I strongly endorse them to any living in Southern California or anywhere else in the world desiring expert service, affordable pricing and good turnarounds.
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post #3276 of 3475
4/19/12 at 8:13am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkaudio View Post

hi guys new to this thread. i have a couple questions.i bought a m&k s150 thx 5.1 system about 12 yrs ago.included are 3 s150..ss150mkll..mx150mkll. i kept them in storage up until a couple weeks ago,i went almost 12 yrs without ever opening the original boxes.i finally decided to two weeks ago.plans are to use them for my living room.problem is i cannot find a decent receiver to power them with.i was looking at the pioneer sc25/27 not sure if it would be a good match.and i am also having problems with finding good stands for the s150..now im almost leaning towards maybe wall mounting the fronts..would sound quality make a difference mounted vs on stands?

You have awesome speakers for a potentially awesome 5.1 sound system. I have had the same speakers so here are my 2 cents with my experience over the years. Choose a high power amp as a separate or a receiver that is rated for at least 4 ohms if you intend to drive your M&Ks effortlessly near or at reference levels. I used similar pioneer elite receivers, but subjectively, once I upgraded to an amp rated to drive 5 channels 8 ohms at 400w (4 ohms at 800w) my M&Ks were amazing at reference levels.
As far as sound quality mounted vs on stands, I do not have an opinion to share. However, what will be imperative is to be as precise as possible with toe-in of L and R speakers at the main listening position, with middle tweeters at ear level. If the center s150 cannot be placed on the same plane as the L & R, angle its tweeters at the MLP as well. Your room acoustics are probably more important than your mounting options and here, having a pre/pro or receiver with room correction software Audyssey xt32 (depending on your budget, of course) can help if your home theater room is far from ideal. Have fun!
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post #3277 of 3475
4/19/12 at 8:42am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkaudio View Post

i do plan on running them with a good power amp and pre in the future.as for now i just need a good receiver till then.i have my center speaker mounted 30" tall on my audio shelf.which is the height of the st-1 stands.im hoping to find some stands 30" so all 3 fronts are exact height.unfortunately i dont have the same money i once had when i originally bought these speakers so its pretty tough.ive seen many elite sc05-25 fairly cheap,ive heard the ice amps will be ok to power them.i will not be listening to them at reference level as i live in a condo now. problem im facing is finding one local.i prefer not to order online.not sure what other receiver for around 700 used would be a good fit.

Then you're on the right track, IMO. You should be very happy with an elite receiver; make sure you shop and compare features important to you, eg. HDMI switching, video processing, 3D, etc.
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post #3278 of 3475
4/19/12 at 9:14am
Quote:
Originally Posted by mkaudio View Post

ive been a two channel audio guy for many years,which is why i never opened up my m&k speakers.bought them thinking i was going to use them and never did till now.now that i am out of two channel im fairly new to home theater,i will not be using anyting 3d.what exactly does the hdmi switching do?

Forgive me for not being up on elite receivers as much as I used to be. Envision your present and future two channel and home theater needs. I imagine you will be having a nice HDTV at the center of your system; the best and simplest cabling connections to the tv (and even a second display, like a projector) will be HDMI. A receiver or good pre/pro will have enough HDMI inputs to connect all of your digital components for example: your cable or satellite receiver, blu-ray player, apple tv, Playstation 3, etc. Then one connection to your tv from the receiver's HDMI output. If you have a second display in your future, like a projector with a screen coming down in front of your tv, a receiver with 2 HDMI outputs, allows you to select any of the connected audio or video components, and send the video to either display with the audio sent to your speakers. Hence, HDMI switching.
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post #3279 of 3475
4/19/12 at 9:18am
Quote:
Originally Posted by snpanago View Post


Forgive me for not being up on elite receivers as much as I used to be. Envision your present and future two channel and home theater needs. I imagine you will be having a nice HDTV at the center of your system; the best and simplest cabling connections to the tv (and even a second display, like a projector) will be HDMI. A receiver or good pre/pro will have enough HDMI inputs to connect all of your digital components for example: your cable or satellite receiver, blu-ray player, apple tv, Playstation 3, etc. Then one connection to your tv from the receiver's HDMI output. If you have a second display in your future, like a projector with a screen coming down in front of your tv, a receiver with 2 HDMI outputs, allows you to select any of the connected audio or video components, and send the video to either display with the audio sent to your speakers. Hence, HDMI switching.

Even if you don't envision needing a second HDMI output, having enough HDMI inputs for your needs on the receiver you choose is essential, and a single HDMI output to your tv will perform the HDMI switching you'll appreciate.
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post #3280 of 3475
4/19/12 at 12:42pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by erhurd View Post

I own a pair of M&K MX-70 subwoofers which I purchased new in 1993. Aging had finally gotten them to the point where they were both in serious need for re-edging. I sent Ken Kriesel an email requesting a referral for a competent shop close to San Diego, California where I could obtain service for the subs.

He directed me to Orange County Speakers in Santa Ana, California. I dropped them off the day after purchasing a new Marantz SR7005 AVR on April 2nd. I just picked the pair earlier this afternoon, connected them, ran Audessey setups and did some fine tuning. I am having the time of my life!

The speakers sound just like brand new and I have not been this excited about my subs since the day I bought and took the home for the first time. Unfortunately the repair, by necessity, had to proceed beyond just the simple re-edging job I initially wanted. The shop informed me yesterday that the subs would have to be reconed. I was in shock when I saw the dust caps. Generic replacements lacking my beloved "Discover Deep Bass" motto of M&K Sound. I used to love looking at the subs in the nude; I will be playing them now with the black fabric grill covers in place. A very minor disappointment compared to not having my two mini-monsters repaired and back and performing like new.

My hats off to the staff at Orange County Speakers in Santa Ana, California. It was well worth the time and effort for me to drive the 91 miles from my home to do business with them. I strongly endorse them to any living in Southern California or anywhere else in the world desiring expert service, affordable pricing and good turnarounds.

Followup: Earlier this morning I talked to the tech, Jeff, who worked on my subs and asked him if my old, logo-embossed dust caps were still there and would I be able to glue them down over the new ones. I held the phone while he checked; he informed me that they had not thrown them away in the trash yesterday evening during cleanup. And yes, I could glue them over the new dust caps.

He spent several minutes giving me tips for the glue job as well as promising to provide me with the adhesive to do it with. He said he would mail all of these materials to me at no additional charge when I offered to pay for it. Pleased that I will be able to admire the subs without the grill covers. Part of the allure for my purchase of the M&K Sound products was their appearance as well as their phenomenal sound.

 

 

700


Edited by erhurd - 7/29/12 at 12:31pm
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post #3281 of 3475
4/20/12 at 7:52am
Congrats on unboxing those 150s. You are in for a treat. Like the other reply, I cannot emphasize enough that they will sound better with a high current power amp. My theater is roughly 1 gen older, with S100Bs LCR, Column Surround 35 RL/RR, and MX-145 sub. I started with a high end Yamaha Receiver, found it was only certified to 6 Ohms, while the M&Ks were 4 Ohms (sealed enclosure, multiple drivers...). I then ran through a number of amps and configurations until I found the Parasound 1205A. It's been driving my system ever since. It's easy to focus on Watts, but that can be highly misleading. Ever since, I've been focused on the size of the toroidal transformer: The 1205 has a 1.6kVa Toroidal Transformer and can deliver 45 amperes peak per channel. This translates to big power reserves and smooth delivery to demanding speakers like yours. The Parasound 1205 has been replaced by the New Classic 5125 (phased out last year) and now the 5250. You may be able to find either on ebay or Audiogon. Similar items from Rotel would be another great option. Not sure why, but there are a lot of Parasound/M&K pairings out there and I've been thrilled. Enjoy.
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post #3282 of 3475
4/20/12 at 8:01am
Re: stands vs. mounting:
Mounting will almost always place your speakers closer to the wall than ideal for sound. I've been using Bello SP300 stands for my S100Bs. At 30" tall, they're ideal for seated listening, and support 100lbs each. The design compliments the 100Bs as well. I use velcro on bottom of speaker and top of stand to protect against housecleaner/vacuum nudge. For the center, I have it just below the projection screen, probably 4 or 5" lower than L&R. Your center situation may vary.
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post #3283 of 3475
4/21/12 at 8:02am
Re: the SP300 stands, I've been using them for a few years and am very pleased. I initially had M&K LCR750s on them, and those speakers were a tall thin combination which my housecleaner managed to knock over more than once. NOT GOOD. Since switching to the denser S100Bs in combination with the velcro (top of stand and bottom of speaker) it's a sturdy platform. I also use SP300s with S1-C in my living room and couldn't be happier. Again velcro is your friend. Finally, I'm using SP200s (which oddly are 36") in my office for S-90s. Good height for the speakers, but not quite as elegant as the 30" stands.
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post #3284 of 3475
4/21/12 at 1:01pm
All, I'm downsizing and just posted a pair of M&K S1-Bs in excellent condition on ebay. Original owner. Look and sound great. Arlo

I've also posted a pair of Parasound 2250 amps on ebay this a.m. Bought May 5, 2010. Single owner. Ship in original double boxes.
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post #3285 of 3475
4/23/12 at 4:51am
if anyone local from me around the massachusetts area i decided to part with my m&k system..system includes (2) front s150 (1) s150c center (2) ss150mk2 and (1) mx150 mk2. system was bought from a authorized new in 2000.system was stored for 12 yrs untouched up until a couple weeks ago.i finally decided it was time to use them but realized it would be overkill for my condo.i tested them out with one movie to make sure everything was working correctly.and sounds fantastic.ive decided to go back to two channel .i have non m&k stands for them also for the lr. .i do have pics of them still sealed in the box right before i opened them.if anyone local is interested PM me.Less then 3 hrs of use. As new as it gets for an original pr of m&k.
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post #3286 of 3475
4/24/12 at 3:31pm
I am shopping for amp solutions and have a question. I have the S-150THX's LCR for up front and 4 SS-150THXs for the back four locations for the planned 7.1. So, before I stopped construction on the theater (5-6 years ago) I bought the M&Ks and a Pioneer Elite 39txi AV receiver. I had initially thought that this AV receiver would be adequate until upgrade to stand alone amps, but now I am getting concerned about running the 4 ohm speakers to reference levels without destroying this receiver.

I have been shopping Emotiva's site and am not opposed to purchasing an amp, but was wondering if I could get away with the XPA-3 for the LCRs and using the Pioneer to power up the surrounds? 300w from a second Emotiva, seems a little overkill for the surrounds. So do you all think this plan would 1) work and 2) be OK with my receiver? Thanks
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post #3287 of 3475
4/25/12 at 7:17am
emotiva xpa 3 or even better xpa 5 would be a great solution (they're on sale). any M&K's are always going to sound better with more power. however, most modern avr's are going to have powerful enough amps to drive your surrounds with no problems. I'd recommend a multi ch amp for front stage.

I don't know anything about your pioneer 39txi but if its 5 to 6 years old it is way behind the curve. You should seriously consider an emotiva xpa 3 or 5 and a cheaper avr upgrade to anything else.
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post #3288 of 3475
4/25/12 at 9:15am
hmmmm. The only real issue is the total of 7 speakers in the room! I was just hoping to "get by" with amping the mains, which should need the extra power and using the Pioneer for the 4 rear surrounds (which shouldn't need the 300w of the Emotiva).

The XPA-3 will do the fronts only, the XPA-5 will do the fronts and two of the surrounds, but that leave me with 2 more speakers and Emotiva doesn't make a 2 channel 300w at 4ohm amp for the others.

I sure wish they had a 7 channel amp.
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post #3289 of 3475
4/25/12 at 11:23am
Bronco,
If you visit Audiogon, you can find some great deals on high end multichannel amps such as Bob Carver's Sunfire, Parasound and all kinds of others. A combination of an XPA-3 and an XPA-5 will get the job done for you. You will have an extra channel, but if one goes down on you, you will always have a spare. Also, a combination of XPA-5 and XPA-2 will work. The XPA-2 is a higher power amp but I don't think you would notice the difference if you level matched your speakers with an SPL meter.
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post #3290 of 3475
4/25/12 at 11:43am
Get a used Sherbourn amp for around $700-$1200. 7 channels, 300 watts per channel(375 actually) and done!
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post #3291 of 3475
4/25/12 at 1:40pm
Ok, will someone clear up the wattage "need" for the SS-150THX speakers? I wouldn't think that the smaller speakers and the content that will come out of them, would need 300w of power.
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post #3292 of 3475
4/25/12 at 6:49pm
They need as much as you can afford. My guess is, without knowing your receiver very well, you can get by with your current receiver running 4 ss-150's. If you run all seven speakers off the receiver you might put it into protection mode if you play at reference levels for long periods of time. I recommend an external amp to anyone with M&K's.

You need to upgrade your receiver first and think external amp second. A $500 - $1000 receiver with an xpa-3 would be perfect.

I have an xpa-3 powering my s-150's and an anthem mrx-300 powering my ss-150's. The anthem is rated 80 watts per 2 ch at 8 ohms. It works fine.

Your receiver is lacking important features that are just as important as good amplification if not more so given your specific situation.
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post #3293 of 3475
4/25/12 at 8:31pm
Thanks for the info. That helps quite a bit. My Pioneer Elite 39txi receiver WAS the best of the best, THX Ultra (from Pioneer) in 2005! According the manual it's output was rated at 120w per channel at 6 ohms. I bought it second hand about 6 years ago and after verifying it was in perfect working order placed it in my closet waiting for the theater to be finished. I think it will handle the surrounds...for now... or at least until I upgrade to a dedicated amp for them later.

So looks like for me its going to be the XPA-5 or 3. I have to maintain some restraint on more electronics if I want to finish this darn theater!
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post #3294 of 3475
4/26/12 at 6:30am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoSport View Post

Thanks for the info. That helps quite a bit. My Pioneer Elite 39txi receiver WAS the best of the best, THX Ultra (from Pioneer) in 2005! According the manual it's output was rated at 120w per channel at 6 ohms. I bought it second hand about 6 years ago and after verifying it was in perfect working order placed it in my closet waiting for the theater to be finished. I think it will handle the surrounds...for now... or at least until I upgrade to a dedicated amp for them later.

So looks like for me its going to be the XPA-5 or 3. I have to maintain some restraint on more electronics if I want to finish this darn theater!

Just want to make sure you understand that rated at 6ohms means its not rated for your 4 ohm M&K speakers.

On another note, different brand amplifiers offer different sonic tones. Mixing and matching your amp brands is the same as mixing your speaker brands (a bad idea caused by a bad budget).

My advice (to everyone in electronics): If you ask the same question twice you know it's not the right answer you're looking for. It's a support group your after to justify the less expensive option.
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post #3295 of 3475
4/26/12 at 7:10am
Oh I completely understand you points. But my only and main concern was if my AVR would be able to drive the surrounds (temporarily) until later down the road when I add a dedicated amp, just for them....without destroying a $2500 reveiver.

My thoughts on the impedance issue... Most non ubber high end receivers are only rated for 8ohm speakers and will not drive 4 ohm M&K's...period, without shutdown and/or overheating, I understand that. But this AVR, being built for 6ohm loads...while not a $10,000 AVR... shouldn't have an issue running the M&K surrounds at 4 ohms, al biet not with the same dynamics as a separate amp. I was just looking for opinions on the above situation, not regarding the sonic differences. With that thought, noone here should be mix matching their amplifiers/receivers.

Thanks for the info.
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post #3296 of 3475
5/2/12 at 7:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by BroncoSport View Post

Height placement for M&K S-150THXs.

I am ready to build the shelves for my 150's, behind what will be an AT screen in my dedicated home theater and was wondering about the center channel height. Since the front of the speaker is angled down (like it was made for above the picture), if it is placed level with the L & R speakers... the sound will not be focused on the same listening position.

So.... should I place a wedge under the front and so, make the front plumb with the room and place it on the same plane as the L & R speakers ???

---OR---

mount the shelf for the center channel higher than the L & R so the speaker is aimed at the primary listening position???

Thanks in advance....

I'm in a similar situation with my M&K S150's. I'd love to learn what you end up doing.
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post #3297 of 3475
5/2/12 at 8:20am
Mario, I ended up mounting all of the shelves at the same level. I placed them at the approximate height where the lower 1/3 of the speakers should hit the front row right at ear level. I wanted to try and "share" the sound field with my second row, but with a 12" riser I know that the rear row isn't going to get quite the same effect.

Either way, I needed to mount the shelves to continue on with construction and that is what I decided on. I will tweak the height or possible angle them down a bit if that is what I believe I need, when the time comes. (I have to angle the center because I initially bought the S-150AC because the center "was" going to be above the screen. But now I have a giant roll of Seymour XD material for an AT 2.40:1screen ....so the locations got moved!
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post #3298 of 3475
5/3/12 at 8:39am
Wondering if anyone can help me to locate a source where I can find M&K Sound speaker badges for the fabric grills of my two MX-70 subwoofers. I have already emailed MK Sound several times since late March and have not (yet) received a reply.
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post #3299 of 3475
5/4/12 at 1:30pm
I have run a 7 channel B&K amp (THX) for years that I purchased used. Rock solid and a great used price.
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post #3300 of 3475
5/4/12 at 5:33pm
I have a brand new Emotiva XPA-5 sitting in my house now! Couldnt pass up the sale witj free shipping. To start with, the rears are going to be run through the Pioneer Elite. I will probably add a XPA-3 LATER!
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