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jonathan posted:Correct forum thread although quick audio questions thread works also. Gotcha, sounds like I can just pick up any decent subwoofer then. Any recommendations? Also what about the rear surround speakers? I read online that its more important for the center an l/r speakers to match than the rear surrounds. I this the case and if yes what would be good speakers to pair with my setup?
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# ? Feb 25, 2014 15:56 |
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# ? Jun 5, 2024 22:15 |
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I'm looking to replace my ten year old Sony receiver, which is making GBS threads the bed. I'm leaning towards Onkyo or Denon, but not set on them. Requirements are 5.1 or better, and audio compression / automatic loudness leveling / night mode volume leveling / whatever buzzword is on the market now. This must be effective regardless of the input signal. My current receiver only has the ability to level the volume of Dolby signals, and it doesn't do that too well. Specific example: when I am watching something through my htpc or Netflix, I want the ability to control volume leveling from a stereo source. This Onkyo HT-RC560 7.2-Channel Receiver is on sale for $300, is this a solid receiver? EDIT: Budget is $3-400, can go beyond $400 if the right product comes along. The Science Goy fucked around with this message at 02:22 on Feb 27, 2014 |
# ? Feb 27, 2014 00:25 |
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Bonobos posted:Gotcha, sounds like I can just pick up any decent subwoofer then. Any recommendations? I swear I answered all these questions in my first reply, yet I don't see them. I think I work too much. Anyway, 2 cheap subs are better than a single expensive sub. Last page there was a link to a sale on the Klipsch 12" subwoofer. 2 of those or 2 of the Polk 505 12" subwoofer would be very very good. Whichever is cheapest. 2 subs eliminates a lot of issues that a single sub will introduce in regards to how it interacts with your room and airspace. If you think of your floorspace as a grid with rows and columns, a single sub will cause loudness peaks and dips in alternating rows and columns in a pattern like a checker board. (Oversimplified) Putting 2 subs in the room will eliminate all the rows or all the columns. So placing the sub's across from each other in a room will make every seat (row) the same volume. Instead of a single sub which one seat will be tight accurate bass, and one will lack bass, and another will have bloated boomy bass. So yeah get 2 subs locate them across the room in corners or midwall and smile at the result. As for surround speakers, you don't need much of a speaker for surrounds. I prefer bipole or dipole speakers for surrounds, they disappear a bit better for movies and music. The best surround speaker is one that can easily be placed in an optimal position in the room, to the sides of the listening position and slightly behind, 2 or 3 feet above ear level and spaced out at least as wide or wider than the fronts. That may require wall mounting. Other than that, match the tweeter type to the fronts (silk dome, ribbon, horn compression etc) and that will be 95% of timbre matching.
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# ? Feb 27, 2014 21:05 |
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I seem to be having some issues getting my receiver to play low audio from anything but movies through my sub. I can try playing a sub audio test such as this, but it doesn't seem to pass through / cross over to my sub. I've tried playing it via HDMI, I've tried playing it on the receiver directly using a USB stick, and nothing. The audio file seems to work fine on my PC and my THX Certified logitechs, but not on the receiver. I have an Onkyo TX-NR616 Receiver, and a BIC PL-200 Sub. Also have the Andrew Jones speakers. This set minus the sub. I am using an RCA cable out to the sub, and again as stated it works with DVD/BluRays but not regular audio. Thanks for any help you can provide... Otherwise the setup and sound are amazing... I've been using it for almost 5 months now and only just noticed the sub issue. Zeo fucked around with this message at 02:52 on Mar 2, 2014 |
# ? Mar 2, 2014 02:48 |
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Your speakers are set to "full range" or "large". Do a Google search for "avsforum audyssey setup guide" and follow the guide. Essentially you have it set up to only use the subwoofer when there is a subwoofer track (the .1) instead of routing all sub frequencies to the sub always.
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# ? Mar 2, 2014 03:07 |
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jonathan posted:Your speakers are set to "full range" or "large". Yeah I thought this was the issue too and then changed them to 80hz (THX) from Full Range and it still doesn't seem to be crossing over but maybe I have to check that again. I'll check it after work and report back. Thank you!
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# ? Mar 3, 2014 17:47 |
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Weird... even when setting up the speakers with audyssey again and switching the output the sub is on there is no change (receiver outputs audio to both RCA sub outputs). All speakers are set to crossover at 80hz. The receiver is aware that the sub is there in settings. I wonder if maybe the jacks are dead or damaged. Going to check again and see if it's really working with movies or I'm imagining things. Why can't things just work...
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# ? Mar 5, 2014 19:17 |
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Zeo posted:Weird... even when setting up the speakers with audyssey again and switching the output the sub is on there is no change (receiver outputs audio to both RCA sub outputs). All speakers are set to crossover at 80hz. The receiver is aware that the sub is there in settings. That's the way it "should" be set up. You're going to need to double check connection and ensure the sub works properly. Hopefully its something simple and overlooked.
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# ? Mar 5, 2014 21:20 |
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So my friend and I ran through the full gambit. We're pretty sure it's just dead. The light on the back comes on, and the fuse is not blown. Probably just the driver. We tried with both RCA cables and speaker wire. Neither appear to be working despite getting a signal. Good thing the sub has like an 8 year warranty. I think it's $100 to ship the drat thing back though. Such a pain in the rear end considering I only got it 5-6 months ago. I don't even play it loud at all, so I'm not too happy right now.
Zeo fucked around with this message at 14:08 on Mar 6, 2014 |
# ? Mar 6, 2014 05:45 |
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KozmoNaut posted:Audioengine A5+? I wanted to follow up and say I went with the Mackies because I found a new pair locally for $115 per through some crazy sale. They're good enough for my SO to hear movies on the bed so they'll be fine for now.
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# ? Mar 6, 2014 18:06 |
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We are getting close to running wire & dry-walling my den area for my 5.1 setup. I have yet to pick out my in-ceiling surround speakers but I wanted to ask approximately how far in from the walls I should go with them? I'm limited a bit by the stud bay that's free but it's looking like they'll be about a foot off of the rear wall. which would put them right overhead for the sectional. The width of the front speakers is limited by the wall they're against. The wall the tv is on is about 8' wide and the tv is a 65" so ~5' wide w/ a ~5' wide a/v stand underneath it. The yellow boxes on this are options for sub placement. I'm leaning towards the rear wall but I've asked our contractor to run sub wire to both locations in-case we want to move it. Does this look alright? anything look terrible? It's not too late for me to go w/ bipoles/dipoles in the rear wall but it seems like that's not ideal for 5.1 and I'm in no hurry to try to do 7.1.
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# ? Mar 6, 2014 22:57 |
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Hey dudes, I'm looking for an AV receiver. I need it to be flex power, ie 110-240v, 50-60hz. I can get it from US or UK-based sites. I can't find any; what's up? This is the only piece of electronics I've found that has this issue, other than alarm clocks and lamps.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 11:18 |
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Dominoes posted:Hey dudes, I'm looking for an AV receiver. I need it to be flex power, ie 110-240v, 50-60hz. I can get it from US or UK-based sites. I can't find any; what's up? This is the only piece of electronics I've found that has this issue, other than alarm clocks and lamps. Most home AV equipment still uses transformers in their power supplies, either laminated steel cores in cheaper or older equipment, or toroidal cores in newer equipment. These typically have a set conversion, for example 230V in, 12V out, all AC. This is then fed into a rectifier to convert to the DC that most electronics components require. Because of this set ratio, you would need either an additional set of windings on the same core, or a completely separate core with the alternate conversion ratio you need, for instance 120V to 12V. Obviously, this would be very costly to add, for a feature that very few people would ever use. All of this becomes completely irrelevant with switched-mode power supplies, such as computer power supplies. They generally accept anything between 100-240V and 50-60hz, as long as the total wattage is sufficient. Most flex power equipment you're going to find will be using a switched-mode power supply, because it's the cheapest and best way to do flex power. So why do most AV equipment manufacturers still stick with transformers? Mostly because they're cheaper, but also because some people have the completely misguided idea that going with a switch-mode power supply will somehow harm the sound. Of course, this is complete and utter bullshit as long as the power supply can deliver the needed power, but such is the world of hifi.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 11:56 |
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KozmoNaut posted:Most home AV equipment still uses transformers in their power supplies, either laminated steel cores in cheaper or older equipment, or toroidal cores in newer equipment. These typically have a set conversion, for example 230V in, 12V out, all AC. This is then fed into a rectifier to convert to the DC that most electronics components require.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 12:12 |
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Dominoes posted:Thanks for the great explanation. Of note, my 500-watt bass amp is flex power, which checks since it's class-D/switching. The power supply type is separate from the amplifier type. It's not uncommon to have a class-D amplifier driven by a toroidal transformer, or for that matter a normal class-AB amplifier driven by a switched-mode power supply. Pretty much all external "brick"-type power supplies are switched-mode. For instance, the popular Audioengine A2 speakers use an external switched-mode power supply, but the built-in amplifier is a normal class-AB unit. Power is power, as long as you can deliver enough noise-free power when it's needed. Again, it all comes down to cost, and sometimes to weirdo audiophile preferences.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 12:19 |
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I'm enjoying the learning.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 12:22 |
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KozmoNaut posted:The power supply type is separate from the amplifier type. It's not uncommon to have a class-D amplifier driven by a toroidal transformer, or for that matter a normal class-AB amplifier driven by a switched-mode power supply. Pretty much all external "brick"-type power supplies are switched-mode. For instance, the popular Audioengine A2 speakers use an external switched-mode power supply, but the built-in amplifier is a normal class-AB unit. Power is power, as long as you can deliver enough noise-free power when it's needed. It also has a lot to do with the misconception that heavy = high quality. Toroidal (also called linear) transformers are heavy as poo poo. They like to get hot, too. I doubt you could call them cheaper; from what I've seen linear power supplies are expensive. It's not all bunk, though. Cheap switching power supplies can have issues with transients (i.e. how quickly they can go from no power to full output). This can be rectified with appropriate filtering during operation, but a cheap switching power supply can have issues. This website is great (although geared towards PCs, not audio) if you want to learn more about switching power supplies: http://www.jonnyguru.com/ http://www.jonnyguru.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=3 Edit: And not all switching power supplies automatically support 100-240v. If you remember, older computers had a switch on the back to manually select between them. The feature is so cheap to add to a switching power supply that it's pretty ubiquitous now. KillHour fucked around with this message at 23:06 on Mar 9, 2014 |
# ? Mar 9, 2014 22:46 |
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KillHour posted:It also has a lot to do with the misconception that heavy = high quality. Toroidal (also called linear) transformers are heavy as poo poo. They like to get hot, too. I doubt you could call them cheaper; from what I've seen linear power supplies are expensive. Oh yeah, "weight equals good" plays a huge part. My dad insists on sticking with a pair of old 2x700W Carver power amps for his band. They're some big old heavy motherfuckers, the mixing rack groans from their weight every time we have to move it. They could just as easily be replaced with a couple of light weight, inexpensive and über-powerful Behringer iNuke class-D amps, but my dad's adamant that something so light weight cannot possibly have enough power to play loud enough for live music. Also, it's Behringer, which is like the antichrist to brand-conscious pro audio geeks. Oddly enough, the bass player's 600W class-D bass amp is A-OK. Probably because it's a TC Electronic, not a Behringer. Darn thing weighs almost nothing, too. I don't think linear power supplies are that expensive compared to switched-mode power supplies of the same power and quality. There's a lot of mysticism going on there and driving the prices up. You could probably build a good DIY linear power supply with a decent-quality toroidal transformer for a hundred bucks or so, maybe a hundred and fifty.
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 22:57 |
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Found a website that specializes in import electronics: http://www.world-import.com/avamps.htm KozmoNaut posted:Oh yeah, "weight equals good" plays a huge part. My dad insists on sticking with a pair of old 2x700W Carver power amps for his band. They're some big old heavy motherfuckers, the mixing rack groans from their weight every time we have to move it. They could just as easily be replaced with a couple of light weight, inexpensive and über-powerful Behringer iNuke class-D amps, but my dad's adamant that something so light weight cannot possibly have enough power to play loud enough for live music. Also, it's Behringer, which is like the antichrist to brand-conscious pro audio geeks. Linear power supplies are expensive because of the huge amount of copper and iron you need for those coils. They sure are simpler, though. As far as Behringer goes, they're definitely not to the same build quality as some of the other pro stuff out there, but I would call them more "prosumer" than professional. I've heard nothing but good things about their iNuke amps, though (other than some complaints about looks). KillHour fucked around with this message at 23:10 on Mar 9, 2014 |
# ? Mar 9, 2014 23:06 |
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What is the best ~$100 BluRay player that can handle Digital and Analog inputs? -It needs to be able to connect to analog sources so that I can play music (DVDs/MP3s) to the Zone 2 setup -The Onkyo receiver only handles Zone2 via analog
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# ? Mar 9, 2014 23:45 |
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Jonathan I'm thinking back to when you recommended I get andrew jones pioneer speakers and it's pissing me off. They were seriously underwhelming and it set off a cycle of upgrading that cost me time and money. What I am proposing is that you punch yourself in the balls. Only then will I go back to thinking of you as a friend. Please write back once you have completed this task.
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# ? Mar 10, 2014 03:00 |
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I think the Andrew Jones speakers definitely need a sub. I auditioned them at Best Buy last weekend and without a sub they sounded crisp and clear but lacking in power. The sub filled them out and they sounded great. About as good or better than the spendy Polks on the same receiver without a sub. So uncola, I suggest you punch yourself in the balls. This thread is great btw. Learning a lot. I now have a new receiver in my living room (Yamaha AV-RX475) powering my Polk RTI A3 mains. I am shopping for a sub and center channel. Likely a Bic f12 or Polk sub. Semi settled on a Polk CSI A4 center channel. I didn't see any comments on Dayton subs. Any experience anyone? http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-Audio-SUB-1200-12-Inch-Subwoofer/dp/B00669L3HS/ref=cm_srch_res_rtr_1 Also, I currently live in a Condo. Is a sub a terrible idea until I can get a house? I will get my 2 channel basic Onkyo receiver back from the repair depot in a few weeks. I am looking at a second set of speakers for my bedroom. I won't have a sub option on the Onkyo so speakers need to be basic but have full sound. Due to my experience above on Andrew Jones I'm hesitant to go for a pair. Any opinions on these BIC floorstanding speakers? That's about my budget limit for a secondary audio setup. http://www.amazon.com/BIC-AMERICA-RTR-1530-15-Inch-Standing/dp/B00009WBYI/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt Stugazi fucked around with this message at 22:24 on Mar 10, 2014 |
# ? Mar 10, 2014 22:20 |
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MMD3 posted:We are getting close to running wire & dry-walling my den area for my 5.1 setup. I didn't see any responses to this so I'm assuming I'm alright w/ the surround speaker placement?
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# ? Mar 10, 2014 23:01 |
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So a page back I put out a budget and a general price guideline for what I wanted. Killhour made this suggestion for my center channel:KillHour posted:Center - http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI Something just popped up on slickdeals though and I thought I'd put it out there as it's very highly recommended and now I'm considering going for this instead. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polk-Audio-...fepn=5335869999 Anyone have any experience with this particular unit? The reviews over at newegg are pretty much all 5 stars.
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# ? Mar 10, 2014 23:12 |
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Are there any bluetooth receivers worth buying? Something like this: http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-YBA-11...aha+AV+Products I thought I saw one recommended a few pages back but can't find it. Do any have 3.5mm pass-throughs? The real issue is that my Onkyo 509 can't mix and match audio and video sources...ugh
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# ? Mar 11, 2014 23:24 |
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rizzo1001 posted:Are there any bluetooth receivers worth buying? Something like this: I use this one, and it works fine for me. http://www.monoprice.com/Product?c_id=108&cp_id=10827&cs_id=1082704&p_id=9472&seq=1&format=2 No passthrough, though. You're really not going to find a receiver that can show a video from one source and audio from another. You could use the zone 2 output somehow, I guess.
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# ? Mar 11, 2014 23:36 |
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My old Denon 1610 gave up the ghost. It developed a most annoying fault where low frequencies got a huge distortion no matter what speaker you tried to replicate it on. After a quick call to local Denon reps, they proposed I drag the carcass to them and they sell me a new unit at a discount. So I did, and now there's a brand spanking new AVR-X1000 on the shelf. I like Denon sound, the remote is familiar (which is important when you have family members who refuse smartphone or universal remotes) and MultEQ XT made the installation nice and easy. In the preference department, voice mixes are awful quiet or my hearing is shot. In either case boosting center channel a few decibels fixed it. It sounds just about as good as you can expect, given the challenging space its in. Let's see if I any annoyances or flaws pop up in the next week. I really wish I had a better subwoofer, but apartment building, budget restrictions and kitchen distortion prevent that. Ah well.
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# ? Mar 12, 2014 00:18 |
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Hob_Gadling posted:My old Denon 1610 gave up the ghost. It developed a most annoying fault where low frequencies got a huge distortion no matter what speaker you tried to replicate it on. After a quick call to local Denon reps, they proposed I drag the carcass to them and they sell me a new unit at a discount. Denon X1000 is $350 right now at best buy B&M so hopefully you didn't pay more than that. Chili posted:So a page back I put out a budget and a general price guideline for what I wanted. Killhour made this suggestion for my center channel: Generally, centers should be the same brand as the fronts and as close to the tier as you can get. KillHour posted:I use this one, and it works fine for me. The Denon E/X lines supposedly have a feature that lets you do this but I don't believe it has bluetooth. Only Airplay and other random music apps. Teabag Dome Scandal fucked around with this message at 06:16 on Mar 12, 2014 |
# ? Mar 12, 2014 06:04 |
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Raymn posted:
I thought some on the higher end Onkyos might have this as well; anyone know the name for this feature? Currently I can pair any video source with one analogue input, CD, so I have an rca to 3.5mm cable for music from cell phones. But I cant use the dlna network features and watch TV, or watch TV and play music through my wdtv. Its annoying as hell, I can't be the only one...do I just need more analogue inputs?
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# ? Mar 12, 2014 13:37 |
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uncola posted:Jonathan I'm thinking back to when you recommended I get andrew jones pioneer speakers and it's pissing me off. They were seriously underwhelming and it set off a cycle of upgrading that cost me time and money. What I am proposing is that you punch yourself in the balls. Only then will I go back to thinking of you as a friend. Please write back once you have completed this task. I can't tell if that post was made in jest, but I feel the same way. My friend asked me to set him up with something on a budget, and I recommended the Andrew Jones set & PSW10 based on this thread a couple of months back. When I finished setting it up for him, he thought it sounded amazing and "clear" but I felt they sounded muffled and dull. To me, the highs were pretty bad. I guess the takeaway message here is that they might be good for entry level speakers, but there are certainly better speakers out there if you're willing to spend a bit more.
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# ? Mar 12, 2014 20:07 |
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Lolcano Eruption posted:I can't tell if that post was made in jest, but I feel the same way. My friend asked me to set him up with something on a budget, and I recommended the Andrew Jones set & PSW10 based on this thread a couple of months back. When I finished setting it up for him, he thought it sounded amazing and "clear" but I felt they sounded muffled and dull. To me, the highs were pretty bad. I'm growing a little concerned about these speakers now and am thinking about going Polk over Pioneer. Jonathan suggested I get these :http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-FS...+floor+speakers But I'm looking around and noticing that Polk is slightly more but seems to hold up to scrutiny better. For example: http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-TS...anding+speakers Thoughts?
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# ? Mar 12, 2014 21:07 |
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Lolcano Eruption posted:I guess the takeaway message here is that they might be good for entry level speakers, but there are certainly better speakers out there if you're willing to spend a bit more. Preference is personal. That's why I keep saying in every second message to listen before you buy, to avoid exactly this sort of thing. We can only point towards stuff that isn't obvious crap, you'll still have to choose which one (if any!) you like enough to get stuck with for the foreseeable future. Also yes, up to a point you get what you pay for. If budget wasn't an issue... but it always is. Maybe a few words more. Most people reading this thread and getting their first hi-fi system have bought computers. With computers it's easy to measure speeds, sizes, performance. My 2TB disk is just as big as your 2TB disk, my processor is just as fast as yours. With audio systems this sort of measurement isn't as easy and doesn't work as well for various reasons. Room acoustics matter. A person living in apartment has vastly different space available than someone who has a dedicaded A/V room. Preference matters. I personally don't ever stick with recommended Audyssey settings. I find they set dialog volume too low, so I boost center channel. For music the headphones I have are completely different from the speakers I have. One is clear and crisp, other excellent for easy listening and jammin'. Speaker placement matters. Ambient noise matters, especially if it happens to interfere with automatic setup. Even purely technical things such as source material, sound mix and cables matter. To avoid these pitfalls, the only reliable way is to test the stuff by yourself, preferably at home but at the very least somewhere with a listening room. Your ears are the ultimate authority. In the end the only thing that matters is that you're personally happy with your setup. No one can say it is "wrong" if you don't have a flat frequency response curve, don't hit 20Hz or use non-HD sources for audio. It might be different if you did, and you might even enjoy it more, but that's not the same thing. Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 21:28 on Mar 12, 2014 |
# ? Mar 12, 2014 21:11 |
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rizzo1001 posted:I thought some on the higher end Onkyos might have this as well; anyone know the name for this feature? They probably do and if you check on the AVS forums it will likely be mentioned somewhere. The Denon version is called something unglamorous like Video Select or the like.
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# ? Mar 12, 2014 22:48 |
The audio out on my PC is broken and I had a lovely little usb soundcard from headphones that are also now broken. Is there a USB soundcard worth getting in the $10-40 range? I'd prefer a little one like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16829132022 (about 30 euros on Amazon.it) Rather than one that needs to be externally powered, but if it matters then I'll go with whatever's best value for money. e: For reference it'll be used with ATH-AD700s and sometimes just a lovely external radio/speaker system. Sulla Faex fucked around with this message at 17:16 on Mar 13, 2014 |
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# ? Mar 13, 2014 17:12 |
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I'm getting my 6th home audio system but this thread has more traffic than the general audio thread so I'm cross posting. I'm looking for for bookshelf-sized L, R and C speakers around $1200 total, maybe up to $1500. What would you guys do with that budget? current short list for mains [assume a matching center as well, I just don't want to look up all the model numbers]: quote:- B&W 685 or 686
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# ? Mar 13, 2014 21:08 |
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qirex posted:I'm getting my 6th home audio system but this thread has more traffic than the general audio thread so I'm cross posting. I'm looking for for bookshelf-sized L, R and C speakers around $1200 total, maybe up to $1500. What would you guys do with that budget? Welp, if you were in Portland I would offer you my Intimus 5B's and 4C at a discount I won't have a place for them in the new house.
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# ? Mar 13, 2014 22:40 |
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Is there a program that sweeps the spectrum and takes the information in via microphone so that I can look at the frequency response of my setup? Calibration isn't a big deal, just looking to see what some changes in settings actually do.
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# ? Mar 14, 2014 06:00 |
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Lolcano Eruption posted:Is there a program that sweeps the spectrum and takes the information in via microphone so that I can look at the frequency response of my setup? Calibration isn't a big deal, just looking to see what some changes in settings actually do. Problem is that microphones don't have perfectly even response either.
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# ? Mar 14, 2014 10:59 |
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Wasabi the J posted:Problem is that microphones don't have perfectly even response either. Of course, but as long as the frequency response of the microphone is fixed, which it is, it should be fine. Not looking to view absolute frequency response, just looking for changes.
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# ? Mar 14, 2014 15:40 |
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# ? Jun 5, 2024 22:15 |
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MMD3 posted:Welp, if you were in Portland I would offer you my Intimus 5B's and 4C at a discount I won't have a place for them in the new house. How did you like them?
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# ? Mar 14, 2014 17:06 |