ajxd Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 If I was more witty I would have said BOOMING MISTAKE Tardcore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 Got the subwoofer today and it's beautiful. Pretty jazzed but I'm waiting for it to get up to room temperature before I fire it up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted November 26, 2014 Author Share Posted November 26, 2014 UPDATE Took a gamble on a Marantz SR5008 (refurb) for $400. Didn't really want to go with a refurb versus used, but I'm saving enough that even if it shows up DOA and I have to deal with Marantz to get it sorted out, I won't really feel burned. Should show up Saturday. I'm holding off on speaker purchases until I can re-try my existing fronts (Def Tech 350s or Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s) with the new receiver. I have not connected the new sub to my existing AV rig yet, but I could not resist giving it a try with my 2 channel setup (Monitor Audio RX1s + Marantz PM8004). Even with crappy placement, the results were fun for some tracks. Given that sub/speakers are from the same line/model year, everything blended fairly well as expected and the two different EQ settings (music vs AV) seemed to do their job. Bottom line, the extra bass I get on some tunes isn't worth muddling the stereo imaging. Maybe I just need 2 subwoofers? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 I'd hold off on two. Most of the time I've seen people use 2 bc they don't know how to place one. I'd wait to get everything together, and then go for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted November 26, 2014 Share Posted November 26, 2014 Nice call and deal on the 5008 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 update Receiver showed up Saturday and I ran a variety of blu-ray/streaming content and am pretty happy with the results. It does particularly well with 'musical' content (streaming Californication over Hulu+). Only complaint is that the remote is pretty basic. My old Onkyo remote would turn on my TV and pass through basic controls to my PS3. Not a huge deal--a Harmony remote or possibly a higher end Marantz OEM replacement remote should solve the problem. I do have a bit of experimentation ahead of me. the new subwoofer has 2 different EQ settings to mess with and I need to re-audition my Wharfedale Diamond 10.1s versus the Def Tech SM 350s to see if the new reciever drives the 6 ohm / 86 DB sensitivity Wharfedales better than the old one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted December 1, 2014 Share Posted December 1, 2014 You need to turn on the "HDMI control" setting to have the receiver send power on/off commands to the TV and vice versa. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 1, 2014 Author Share Posted December 1, 2014 You need to turn on the "HDMI control" setting to have the receiver send power on/off commands to the TV and vice versa. Thanks for the tip. I looked in the menu for that sort of setting but I'll look again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 Considering trying something a little unusual. Apparently Wharfedale offered this L/C/R style passive speaker in their Diamond line for a little while. http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/whardmnd10lcr-p/wharfedale-diamond-10.lcr-soundbar-speaker/1.html?child=WHARDMND10LCRRWD#!more Not sure that it is audio-ideal but it would tidy up my small living room a bit. I cannot find much information--it seems like it was mostly available in the European market or maybe it was just a bad product. Any thoughts? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Cool Bose soundbar. Tardcore 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 2, 2014 Author Share Posted December 2, 2014 not quite, but you're probably not far off. form over function. That's how they get you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slinch Posted December 2, 2014 Share Posted December 2, 2014 Never heard of this thing before. Might be cool if you don't have anything else, but I wouldn't guess it's worth replacing your fronts with this. You're much better off adding a Diamond CS or CM center to your 10.1s. As for the 5008 + Diamonds combo, this is pure speculation, but if I had to put my money on it, I'd say the marantz doesn't have enough juice. The Wharfedales are seriously power hungry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 I gave the Wharfedales another shot with the new receiver/new sub and did not care for the results. I think they're better for music, but in a movie situation (The Dark Knight has been my test movie) they were unfocused and distracting. Not really sure how else to describe it. Very well could be a power problem. The good news is that Def Tech is back on sale at newegg. 350s are 200 and, more interestingly, the studiomonitor 450s were on sale for $300. I picked up a pair of 450s to use as mains and my existing 350s will move to center channel duty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted December 3, 2014 Share Posted December 3, 2014 Dual 350s for center? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 3, 2014 Author Share Posted December 3, 2014 Dual 350s for center? I'm thinking that I will probably use a single 350 for the center. My receiver only allows the extra high/back surround channel to be assigned to the fronts, so I would have to do some strange wiring to make it work without adding a stereo amp or running it through my PM8004 (has an amp-only mode) to run the center channel. edit: after actually thinking about it. I'm assuming using 2 speakers in the center position would just cause issues. I might try it just to see what happens. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 update The saga continues... I received the Def Tech 450s on Friday and got them set up with a single 350 as the center. The 450s are complete beasts. I read the h-w-d specs, but it really did not register how large these things are. The 450s as fronts sound good, but the single 350 in the center isn't doing it for me. I picked up a matching center CLR 2002 on ebay for cheap and am going to try that out and if it works out, just move the 350s to rears to replace the last of my Polks. Side note--Newegg just put the Def Tech 450s on sale for $250 and with an available amex credit, you can get them as low as $225 shipped. They won't give me a price match credit so I'm going to have to do a goofy re-order/return thing. Just throwing it out there in case anybody following along is interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajxd Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I see them at $299...? I know there was a sale over the weekend, possibly ended? Nevermind. In search its $300, in cart $250. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 I see them at $299...? I know there was a sale over the weekend, possibly ended? Nevermind. In search its $300, in cart $250. The price is a bit screwy. The first time I looked at it, it showed up as $250. Later it showed the old price of $299. When I reloaded, it went back to $250. Not sure what's going on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kannibal Posted December 9, 2014 Share Posted December 9, 2014 I have a CLR 2002 as a center (with BP7006 fronts), and I can't imagine you would find it lacking. It should match the weight of the 450's no problem. It is a great full range center channel speaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 9, 2014 Author Share Posted December 9, 2014 I have a CLR 2002 as a center (with BP7006 fronts), and I can't imagine you would find it lacking. It should match the weight of the 450's no problem. It is a great full range center channel speaker. glad to see an endorsement. The only misgiving I had is that the CLR 2000 is a better match on paper based on the driver size. Problem is that my AV stand doesn't have enough clearance for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 UPDATE Received the CLR 2002 over the weekend and it sounds great. Only catch is that the plastic clips that hold the end caps in place all snapped off on one side in transit. Sort of a bummer but I emailed Def Tech to see if replacement parts were available and got a quick reply (on Sunday, no less) offering to send me a set of replacement clips for free. I will probably have to drill out the remainder of the old clips to get the new ones in but it shouldn't be too big of a deal. Final setup: Marantz SR5008 Definitive Technology Studiomonitor 450s (fronts) Definitive Technology CLR 2002 (center) Definitive Technology Studiomonitor 350s (rear) Monitor Audio RXW12 (sub) bluejeans speaker/sub cables I think I have a little bit of fine tuning to do, but overall I am pretty happy with the results. Had some friends staying with me this weekend and we watched Guardians of the Galaxy (bluray) while having some drinks. They commented on how good it sounded without me having mentioned getting new gear--I'll call that a 3rd party endorsement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 well kids...I am back at it. I came across a Monitor Audio RX Centre that just happened to match my Walnut RX1s and Walnut RXW12 subwoofer for $220 shipped. I swapped out the Def Techs for an all Monitor audio front (still looking for some matching rears) and it sounds really good. Now, I am obviously looking at my receiver and wondering if things might sound better with more juice. As soon as I work out some spatial issues, I am going to integrate my 2 channel setup with the AV system. I can use my PM8004 to drive my front speakers in amp direct mode with the AVR and then re-engage the preamp section when I want to listen to music. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
circuit bored records Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 I don't think those speaker really require any more power than the SR5008, assuming that's what you're referring to by "juice" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share Posted May 3, 2015 I don't think those speaker really require any more power than the SR5008, assuming that's what you're referring to by "juice" well, the RX1s are 86db/6ohms and the center is 90db/6ohms and the Def Techs are 90db/8ohms and 91db/8ohms. so they are all slightly more difficult to drive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tardcore Posted May 4, 2015 Author Share Posted May 4, 2015 BB was running a "deal of the day" sale on the SR7008 for $900 yesterday, so I ordered one. No idea if I will actually keep it or not. I have some time to decide if it's worthwhile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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