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Recommended Receiver for Monitor Audio Silver RS6

4247 Views 12 Replies 7 Participants Last post by bardena, May 25, 2014

bardena

Discussion Starter · Mar 7, 2014

Hi Everyone,

I bought a pair of Monitor Audio Silver RS6's after being quite impressed with them at the speaker shop. Plugging them in at home ended up being a bit underwhelming, I'm SURE due to my entry-level receiver (I had previously impulse-bought a Yamaha v475 receiver to fulfill my a/v needs).

My needs are fairly simple: I would like to find a receiver that will make the speakers sound great, and which my HDMI devices will plug in to. At this point I don't plan to expand the home theatre beyond the two front speakers, but may change my mind in the future and add a center channel and shoot, someday maybe a couple of rear speakers. Although I require HDMI, I don't require any other frills other than a great amp.

Ideally, I will find something used for under $400 but am open to stretching the budget if necessary—goal is to make these speakers sound fantastic.

Recommendations?

Thanks for your help!

Andrew

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GIEGAR

· #2 · Mar 7, 2014

Hi Andrew, welcome to AVS!

Very nice set of speakers you've got there. Can I take you back a step? The Yamaha itself will be very low on the list of culprits for the "underwhelming" performance of the RX6's. It will not play the RX6's thunderously loud, but they should still sound good. The sound that you hear from speakers is dominated by your room characteristics and the position of the speakers in it. If you feel comfortable, please post a pic of your setup in the room. Or alternately, do up a quick plan view sketch. in the meantime, here's a few things to consider as starting point:

Carefully examine the placement of your speakers in the room. Front speakers should be positioned as shown below. Ideally, you should place the speakers so the room is symmetrical about the viewing axis (0 degrees below). Experiment with toeing the speakers in a bit.
Double check that the speakers are wired in correct polarity.
Ensure you've run the Yamaha's auto setup routine correctly and checked the results.
Go through the Yamaha's menu and look for any strange defaults (like DRC) and switch them off.

Recommended speaker layout ( source ).

After you've done the best you can do with your speaker setup and room, the next aspect to look at is putting that $400 (and more) towards a solid quality subwoofer. Properly set up, a good sub will provide better quality low bass throughout the room and ease the burden on your AVR and speakers.

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bardena

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 7, 2014

Thanks for the thorough reply! And it's good to know my receiver may not be the complete story. I feel that the speakers sound good (although as you mentioned, not "thunderously loud"), just a long-shot from sounding AS good.

The speakers are likely toed in too much in my setup
I've confirmed they are properly wired (using a bridge between the four plugs per tower)
I've run the Yamaha setup routine, and I'm about 10' away from the speakers. I tend to think that part of the problem is the room may be small for the setup: 16'6"w x 14'6"d (photo attached)
I will look again at any setup flaws

One thing to note that definitely is a no-no and lending to the sound quality being a bit flat is that I don't have a pure source for audio. I stream music through the AppleTV via HDMI (FLAC when possible, high-quality MP3 otherwise) – relying on Yamaha's internal DAC, which may not be the best quality. Unforutnately I don't have room for a turntable and don't happen to own any CDs.

Do you spot any big red flags in the above, or the photos? I'm very excited to get this setup dialed – and make any necessary adjustments to sound as fantastic as it can. I would indeed love to add a sub – I'll surf the forums to find recommendations for a smaller room, and that might sound great with my RS6's. But if you have any recommendations or links to share, I'm all ears (eyes, as it may be).

Thanks for your help!

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Transmaniacon

· #4 · Mar 7, 2014

First thing I notice is those speakers are too far back. You are getting some reflections off the side of the TV stand, and that is detrimental to the sound quality. Pull them forward so they are at least flush with the front of the TV stand, while still keeping them toed in (The inside edge of the towers should be flush). A coffee table is never ideal, but that is something you will have to deal with. Those speakers are 91dB, and 6ohm, so you shouldn't have any issues playing them loudly.

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beaveav

· #5 · Mar 7, 2014

Those look like the RX6, not the RS6. Probably just a typo.

In any case, your setup looks very nice, but I agree that you should move the speakers forward several inches.

Also, if possible, move the white leather chair and footstand farther away (to the right). They're in the way a little too much.

And finally, probably not much you can do about it, but having the coffee table right in between you and the speakers is bad for acoustics. Luckily it's not a glass table, but it's still not ideal.

I understand if you don't want to move it, but consider moving it and seeing if that helps.

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dagdrivaren

· #6 · Mar 9, 2014

Not that I'm an expert on this by a long shot but isn't it rather likely that the biggest culprit is the accoustics of the room?

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GIEGAR

· #7 · Mar 10, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by bardena /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24451274

Thanks for the thorough reply! And it's good to know my receiver may not be the complete story. I feel that the speakers sound good (although as you mentioned, not "thunderously loud"), just a long-shot from sounding AS good.

The speakers are likely toed in too much in my setup

I've confirmed they are properly wired (using a bridge between the four plugs per tower)

I've run the Yamaha setup routine, and I'm about 10' away from the speakers. I tend to think that part of the problem is the room may be small for the setup: 16'6"w x 14'6"d (photo attached)

I will look again at any setup flaws

One thing to note that definitely is a no-no and lending to the sound quality being a bit flat is that I don't have a pure source for audio. I stream music through the AppleTV via HDMI (FLAC when possible, high-quality MP3 otherwise) – relying on Yamaha's internal DAC, which may not be the best quality. Unforutnately I don't have room for a turntable and don't happen to own any CDs.

Do you spot any big red flags in the above, or the photos? I'm very excited to get this setup dialed – and make any necessary adjustments to sound as fantastic as it can. I would indeed love to add a sub – I'll surf the forums to find recommendations for a smaller room, and that might sound great with my RS6's. But if you have any recommendations or links to share, I'm all ears (eyes, as it may be).

Thanks for your help!

Thanks for posting the photos Andrew. You have a very nice looking, relaxed space.

What's apparent to me is the abundance of hard, acoustically reflective pieces of furniture and surfaces close to the speakers and between the speakers and the seats. Others have suggested moving the coffee table and bringing the speakers forward several inches, which I 100% agree with. Other potential sources of colouration in the sound you're hearing are: the white glass doored cabinet to the left, the front of the entertainment unit and (to a lesser extent) the bare window to the right. If you wanted to take a hardcore, "sound is everything" approach, here are the things to do:

Remove the coffee table
Find a different place in the room for the white cabinet (this is also a prime spot for a new sub!)
Shift the white chair and footstand back a little
Install heavy drapes on the window

As with most things though. there's trade-offs, so you might not be able to do all of these things. Your viewing position is 4'6" from the rear wall, which is pretty reasonable. Is it just a flat surface, or does it have something to break it up and diffuse the sound?

Andrew, I wouldn't loose any sleep over digital audio sources, DAC's and the like. The measurable differences in audio signal between these devices is orders of magnitude below what the human auditory system can reliably distinguish. The real gold is in good quality speakers and sub(s) and setting them up as well as possible in your room.

Lots of good value subs out there. This is my pick: Rythmik Audio F15 Direct Servo subwoofer .

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bardena

Discussion Starter · #8 · May 20, 2014

Hey all–

Apologies for such a delay after fantastic advice.

After shifting things around quite a bit, I do believe the culprit is the acoustics of the room and the cabinet. It pains my soul, but I believe the cabinet to the left must go if these speakers are to perform the way they are meant to.

I have since:

Removed the coffee table
Shifted the white chair back
Installed heavy drapes on the largest window (out of view)

Next Steps (Subwoofer?)

If I've still got an ear or two – I'm looking for a good sub to add to the mix. At this point, my audio source is less than awesome; 50% streaming and 50% CD. But yesterday I purchased a Rel T-0 but am finding that spending $500 on a 6.5" sub that doesn't have a well rounded performance (ie. music and HT) is a tough pill to swallow. Music sounds great, but video and lower bass leaves me unimpressed.

I'm looking for recommendations of subs that will balance good HT performance with great music performance. The longer term plan is to stuff a record player in there somewhere at some point, so music performance is very important. I think the http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F15.html that @GIEGAR recommended looks great, but may be a bit more than I'm looking to spend for my first sub.

Thanks again all, looking forward to hearing what the recommendations are!

Andrew

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volfan dhp

· #9 · May 20, 2014

There are any numbers of good subwoofers out there. Look around the subwoofer forums and possibly ask for recommendations based on your room. HSU, PSA, SVS, Rhythmik get the most suggestions depending on your budget. The sub that looks most intriguing to me at the moment is the BPS 212 from Reaction Audio, it is on sale for around $500 and with it's design and features may be a good fit for what you are looking for

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beaveav

· #10 · May 20, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by volfan dhp /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24740705

There are any numbers of good subwoofers out there. Look around the subwoofer forums and possibly ask for recommendations based on your room. HSU, PSA, SVS, Rhythmik get the most suggestions depending on your budget. The sub that looks most intriguing to me at the moment is the BPS 212 from Reaction Audio, it is on sale for around $500 and with it's design and features may be a good fit for what you are looking for

+1. Ask in the subwoofer forum here. Give your budget, room size, listening habits, etc, and you'll get excellent recommendations.

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GIEGAR

· #11 · May 23, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by bardena /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24739054

Hey all–

Apologies for such a delay after fantastic advice.

After shifting things around quite a bit, I do believe the culprit is the acoustics of the room and the cabinet. It pains my soul, but I believe the cabinet to the left must go if these speakers are to perform the way they are meant to.

I have since:

Removed the coffee table

Shifted the white chair back

Installed heavy drapes on the largest window (out of view)

Andrew, good to see you making some adjustments to the room setup. I think you'll reap some cheap wins there.

Quote:
Originally Posted by bardena /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24739054

Next Steps (Subwoofer?)

If I've still got an ear or two – I'm looking for a good sub to add to the mix. At this point, my audio source is less than awesome; 50% streaming and 50% CD. But yesterday I purchased a Rel T-0 but am finding that spending $500 on a 6.5" sub that doesn't have a well rounded performance (ie. music and HT) is a tough pill to swallow. Music sounds great, but video and lower bass leaves me unimpressed.

I'm looking for recommendations of subs that will balance good HT performance with great music performance. The longer term plan is to stuff a record player in there somewhere at some point, so music performance is very important. I think the http://www.rythmikaudio.com/F15.html that @GIEGAR recommended looks great, but may be a bit more than I'm looking to spend for my first sub.

Thanks again all, looking forward to hearing what the recommendations are!

Andrew

With that in your future, I'd recommend a sub with a "rumble filter" or an adjustable high pass filter that can be set to around 20Hz. Most Rythmik subs are fitted with a rumble filter and they explain a bit about them in this FAQ . If you visit the subwoofer forum for input as suggested above, be sure to mention your vinyl plans and the desire for a rumble filter.

If you wanted to spend less, have a look at the Rythmik F12 and perhaps plan on a second one down the track to exceed the output of a single F15.

Another very good value, high performing sealed sub is the SVS SB-2000 . Unfortunately, it doesn't have a rumble filter though.

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mepstein10

· #12 · May 23, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by GIEGAR /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24462348

Thanks for posting the photos Andrew. You have a very nice looking, relaxed space.

What's apparent to me is the abundance of hard, acoustically reflective pieces of furniture and surfaces close to the speakers and between the speakers and the seats. Others have suggested moving the coffee table and bringing the speakers forward several inches, which I 100% agree with. Other potential sources of colouration in the sound you're hearing are: the white glass doored cabinet to the left, the front of the entertainment unit and (to a lesser extent) the bare window to the right. If you wanted to take a hardcore, "sound is everything" approach, here are the things to do:

Remove the coffee table

Find a different place in the room for the white cabinet (this is also a prime spot for a new sub!)

Shift the white chair and footstand back a little

Install heavy drapes on the window

As with most things though. there's trade-offs, so you might not be able to do all of these things. Your viewing position is 4'6" from the rear wall, which is pretty reasonable. Is it just a flat surface, or does it have something to break it up and diffuse the sound?

Andrew, I wouldn't loose any sleep over digital audio sources, DAC's and the like. The measurable differences in audio signal between these devices is orders of magnitude below what the human auditory system can reliably distinguish. The real gold is in good quality speakers and sub(s) and setting them up as well as possible in your room.

Lots of good value subs out there. This is my pick: Rythmik Audio F15 Direct Servo subwoofer .

I thought I'd chime in since I also have MA. I have my MA paired with a HSU VTF-1, I've found they work really well together. HSU generally makes really good subs, but I would recommend demoing a few subs in your setup and going with the one that sounds best for your tastes.

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bardena

Discussion Starter · #13 · May 25, 2014

Quote:
Originally Posted by GIEGAR /t/1521358/recommended-receiver-for-monitor-audio-silver-rs6#post_24750479

Andrew, good to see you making some adjustments to the room setup. I think you'll reap some cheap wins there.

With that in your future, I'd recommend a sub with a "rumble filter" or an adjustable high pass filter that can be set to around 20Hz. Most Rythmik subs are fitted with a rumble filter and they explain a bit about them in this FAQ . If you visit the subwoofer forum for input as suggested above, be sure to mention your vinyl plans and the desire for a rumble filter.

If you wanted to spend less, have a look at the Rythmik F12 and perhaps plan on a second one down the track to exceed the output of a single F15.

Another very good value, high performing sealed sub is the SVS SB-2000 . Unfortunately, it doesn't have a rumble filter though.

Thanks all! I opened up a thread regarding the three subs that are at the top of my list at this point. If I'm going to be honest with myself, I probably care more about HT than I care to admit. I want a sub that will perform well with music, but also shake the earth when I need it to during Tron. Please weigh in here if you have an opinion one way or another between the LV12R, PB-1000 or Reaction Audio BPS 212 (thus looking primarily at ported subs that are reported to perform well w/ music):

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1533198/subwoofer-to-pair-w-monitor-audio-rx6

Very excited to add this sub.

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