[inthepit]

I've narrowed down my search for a 3.0 setup to


Monitor Audio RX8 and RX Centre for the center
http://www.monitoraudiousa.com/produ.../specification

or


Paradigm Studio 60 + CC490 (590 simply won't fit).
http://www.paradigm.com/en/reference...-1-81.paradigm


I can't A/B the centers (in fact i haven't heard either of them). I don't have a strong preference for either the RX8 or Studio 60's (though MAs are winning the GAF competition due to the walnut finish). The thing that gets me is the the CC490 has 4 drivers instead of 3 in the center so I feel like I"m tricking myself that I must have more drivers. Has anyone done a similar comparison or have and specific comment on the MA RX Centre? I think I want the MAs just need a push or some validation that I'm not going to be disappointed in the center channel. I don't listen to anything near reference levels and I'm about 10ft from the speakers.


I'm doing about 80% tv/movies 10% games and 90% (Edit: 10%) music

Thanks


For reference:


Onkyo 805 AVR

Rythmic F12 on the way


Old System:


NHT Classic 3, ThreeC

 

[cdy2179]

Not being able to hear them makes it really tough. I wouldn't let the number of drivers sway your decision it doesn't mean one will perform better than the other. If looks are a big deal you could let that decide but it would be best to listen to the centers.


I'm assuming you're buying from a dealer... it seems like if you're about to drop that much money on speakers with them they'd be happy to open some boxes and let you hear them... i'm surprised they don't have some on display already.

 

[Santapimp27]

i think your percentages are a little mixed up? lol


and i would try to listen to both if possible. or atleast listen to speakers from each brand and whichever sound you prefer, get that brand

 

[amicusterrae]



Quote:
Originally Posted by inthepit /forum/post/18182628


I can't A/B the centers (in fact i haven't heard either of them). I don't have a strong preference for either the RX8 or Studio 60's (though MAs are winning the GAF competition due to the walnut finish). The thing that gets me is the the CC490 has 4 drivers instead of 3 in the center so I feel like I"m tricking myself that I must have more drivers. Has anyone done a similar comparison or have and specific comment on the MA RX Centre? I think I want the MAs just need a push or some validation that I'm not going to be disappointed in the center channel. I don't listen to anything near reference levels and I'm about 10ft from the speakers.

You are tricking yourself

You don't NEED the extra bass driver in the Paradigm. It's giving you 2 additional Hz of bass extension. Not noteworthy for any speaker comparison, let alone centers. What I'd be more concerned about are the tweeters. The Paradigm employs a waveguide, while the MA does not. Incidentially, the Paradigm boasts smooth on and off axis performance, while the MA does not disclose such measurements. This is something you want because it means the speakers are room friendly. You haven't mentioned anything about your room. Are you only going to be sitting in the sweet spot? You said you don't really prefer the towers of one over the other. Maybe go listen again and focus on the tweeters. Try sitting off to the side, outside of the sweetspot at the demo. Monitor Audio is a well respected manufacturer. But, I'm always suspicious of a company that only publishes the bare minimum specs. Maybe you can find a review with comprehensive measurements. They ain't in the Playback review!

 

[inthepit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Santapimp27 /forum/post/18183002


i think your percentages are a little mixed up? lol


and i would try to listen to both if possible. or atleast listen to speakers from each brand and whichever sound you prefer, get that brand

My percentages? You mean my Sub and AVR? The AVR works great and I just have no need to upgrade it. It's got pre-outs if I think I need them but I can also bi-amp the L/R speakers if needed.


As for the Sub I had an Outlaw LFM-1 Plus but had to sell for GAF. Ryhtmik was the best sub under 800 I could find to fit into the smaller space where the sub is going to reside.

 

[inthepit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by amicusterrae /forum/post/18183118


You are tricking yourself

You don't NEED the extra bass driver in the Paradigm. It's giving you 2 additional Hz of bass extension. Not noteworthy for any speaker comparison, let alone centers. What I'd be more concerned about are the tweeters. The Paradigm employs a waveguide, while the MA does not. Incidentially, the Paradigm boasts smooth on and off axis performance, while the MA does not disclose such measurements. This is something you want because it means the speakers are room friendly. You haven't mentioned anything about your room. Are you only going to be sitting in the sweet spot? You said you don't really prefer the towers of one over the other. Maybe go listen again and focus on the tweeters. Try sitting off to the side, outside of the sweetspot at the demo. Monitor Audio is a well respected manufacturer. But, I'm always suspicious of a company that only publishes the bare minimum specs. Maybe you can find a review with comprehensive measurements. They ain't in the Playback review!

I'll usually sit the center or *just* left of center of the center. Thanks for the feedback though and helping my reptile brain figure stuff out. The other thing leading me to the MAs is that the center is sealed where as I think the CC490 is ported but either one would have to live inside the media center I"m having built.

 

[Todd Lee]

No, he means:


80% + 10% + 90% = 180%


I'm guessing you listen to music 10%, rather than 90%.

 

[cdy2179]

If the 490 is front ported it'll be fine, if it's rear ported it's add some acoustic problems such as boominess and really muddy up the bottom end... I actually have some paradigms in a media flat screen stand and I had to triple up acoustic panels behind them to absorb all the noise the port were causing... they sound good now but I wouldn't want to watch a movie using them (locating a all three speakers in a 5' wide cabinet that low to the floor is very far from ideal).... that's what my media room is for.


If they're rears I'd wouldn't bother... go with sealed or front ported if you plan to use them in and enclosure.

 

[inthepit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by Todd Lee /forum/post/18183438


No, he means:


80% + 10% + 90% = 180%


I'm guessing you listen to music 10%, rather than 90%.

Oh hah, yeah edited orginal.

 

[inthepit]



Quote:
Originally Posted by cdy2179 /forum/post/18183496


If the 490 is front ported it'll be fine, if it's rear ported it's add some acoustic problems such as boominess and really muddy up the bottom end... I actually have some paradigms in a media flat screen stand and I had to triple up acoustic panels behind them to absorb all the noise the port were causing... they sound good now but I wouldn't want to watch a movie using them (locating a all three speakers in a 5' wide cabinet that low to the floor is very far from ideal).... that's what my media room is for.


If they're rears I'd wouldn't bother... go with sealed or front ported if you plan to use them in and enclosure.

CC-490 is definitely rear ported I think that does it for me. Time to negotiate with the MA dealer...

 

[SUPERMANROB]

See if they will let you take the RX8's home to audition. I'm not sure about the RX'8's but the RS8's needed a little bit of space from the wall because they got a little boomy if they weren't at least 1 1/2 ft from the wall.

They 6's weren't so fickle. Did you compare the 6's to the 8's you may not need the extra bass the 8's give you with the Ryhtmik sub.

 

[RonaldoCombs]

I haven't heard the RX series yet but always preferred the RS6 to the RS8. The RS8 is too boomy for me - don't know if they've fixed that in the RX series yet.


Porting aside, the Paradigm center is the superior design, the MA center is the more compromised MTM arrangement.


Ron