Beginner Seeking Advice about Starting Out

[KEW]

The AA monitors are indeed amazing speakers for their cost. Probably the most impressive aspect of them is how deep the bass goes. I believe that for most music the AA monitors are fine without a sub.
If you heard them with a good quality sub, I'm sure you would like the result, but I don't think you would come close to getting "slapped in the face" by what the AA's miss in bass. Among conventional acoustic instruments, there is not much they will miss. For perspective the lowest note of a tuba is 43Hz. Dennis specifies 48Hz as the low end, but once you put them in a normal room, that will go lower due to room gain.
I can also tell you that the AA's have caused me to double check that my sub was turned off more than any other bookshelf I have heard (below $800/pair). The bass is that good!

 

[Isaac52]

Okay, so I think the receiver I'm getting from my friend is a NAD 7175PE Receiver. I don't have it yet, I should have it tomorrow.

 

[Isaac52]

Also, is there a return policy/audition policy for the AA's? I don't like committing to a pair of speakers before I have a chance to really hear them with my receiver.

 

[2channel lover]

Also, is there a return policy/audition policy for the AA's? I don't like committing to a pair of speakers before I have a chance to really hear them with my receiver.

Philharmonics are built to order. I would check his website for the return policy.....I do understand your concern though.

I will say...his reputation is strong enough and the pricepoint is relatively low that if for some reason you were not happy, you'd easily be able to sell them.

 

[Pogre]

OK, that's confusing. I guess subwoofers are probably out of my budget now anyway, so I won't worry about them. I did some listening to the music I regularly listen to with a high pass filter set to approximate the bass-freq response of the AAMs, and it didn't bother me at all, so I don't think a sub will be necessary, at least not at this point. Maybe one day down the road.

Did a bunch of reading on the web (5 pages of google searching) about the AAMs to see what other websites/people thought of them and I've pretty much only read good things, so I'm definitely leaning towards them at this point.

Questions about the receiver, since I know much less about receivers. Is the receiver strong enough to power the AAMs? Does the TEAC have an amplifier built-in? I don't have a separate amplifier; I just assumed that since the receiver can power the KLH passives, it can power other passives.

It's not as bad as it looks. The article HD linked you is pretty good and easy to digest.

Yes, it should be able to drive the KLH's just fine.

*Edit: Dennis is working on my buddy's speakers right now and is going on vacation after. He may or may not get my buddy's speakers on the truck before he leaves.

 

[zieglj01]

Okay, so I think the receiver I'm getting from my friend is a NAD 7175PE Receiver. I don't have it yet, I should have it tomorrow.

the NAD can drive them and a lot of different speakers

 

[KEW]

Also, is there a return policy/audition policy for the AA's? I don't like committing to a pair of speakers before I have a chance to really hear them with my receiver.

From Philharmonic website under "Ordering":

We provide a two-week home trial period for all Philharmonic Audio loudspeakers. The buyer is responsible for shipping charges.

 

[zieglj01]

My family had a pair of KLH 4001 speakers that they had offered to give me for free. I did some research and KLH doesn't seem to be reputed as a good-quality brand. Also after listening to the speakers I found that both woofers and at least one of the tweeters would need to be replaced. I'm assuming fixing speakers isn't something that one should do? I'm an electrical engineering student and I've soldered wires before; I'm just figured that it would be nearly impossible to find replacement drivers that would have the same specs, ohms, cutoffs, etc. and it would all sound terrible even with EQ adjustments. Oh and the speakers are at least 25 years old so things will only keep breaking.

Even if all parts were working - the 4001 KLH are not like the ones of the past -- and are not from the past KLH owners.

Speakers like the Philharmonic AA, Cambridge Audio SX-60, JBL Studio 230, and even the Definitive SM55 would bring an ear awakening experience.

 

[zieglj01]

I wish I knew the exact specs of the amp, but I probably won't be able to get that information for a few days. There is a much cheaper amp at my house I was using to drive my family's speakers. It's also 25 years old; it's a "TEAC AG-75 AM/FM Stereo Receiver." I don't know very much about amplifiers.

75 watts per channel at 8 ohms

 

[lovinthehd]

Okay, so I think the receiver I'm getting from my friend is a NAD 7175PE Receiver. I don't have it yet, I should have it tomorrow.

If you need the manual go to hifiengine.com and sign up so you can download it https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/7175pe.shtml

No sub pre-out or bass management but does have pre-out/main in that you could add an external unit such as a unit from miniDSP.com.

 

[Isaac52]

If you need the manual go to hifiengine.com and sign up so you can download it https://www.hifiengine.com/manual_library/nad/7175pe.shtml

No sub pre-out or bass management but does have pre-out/main in that you could add an external unit such as a unit from miniDSP.com.

Thanks! I'll look into the manual. Not entirely sure what you mean by a pre-out; does that mean I could add a second unit like a receiver to handle sub input stuff?

From Philharmonic website under "Ordering":

Thanks, I just found that earlier today. I'm thinking I've pretty much decided now I'll test the AAs and see how I like them. Seems like I should be happy with them.

 

[lovinthehd]

Thanks! I'll look into the manual. Not entirely sure what you mean by a pre-out; does that mean I could add a second unit like a receiver to handle sub input stuff?


Thanks, I just found that earlier today. I'm thinking I've pretty much decided now I'll test the AAs and see how I like them. Seems like I should be happy with them.

A manual is useful to know what you can do with a receiver, not so much the older ones like yours compared to the modern audio video receivers (avr). You can add an external dsp (digital signal processor) that can handle crossover duties via a unit from miniDSP (and some other choices but I'd go with miniDSP). I think you'll like the speakers

 

[Johnny2Bad]

Honestly, the best advice for someone just starting out is to jump right in, don't spend too too much money, and to buy something you yourself feel "sounds good".

Once you have a working 2-channel system, you can then borrow (have your friends, if they are into audio, bring their gear over and listen to what sounds different and which you prefer) or try out other stuff.

It's the next stage where you start evaluating different gear than what you own where the fun starts, and where you learn the most.

There is no such thing as "a perfect starter system" so don't lose too much sleep over your exact choices. People in this hobby tend to recommend what they own, or what they lust after. Asking for advice is OK, but don't consider it gospel. Everyone on this forum started out with different stuff than everyone else on this forum. You probably will as well.

 

[Isaac52]

So I received my AAs, and have been playing them through the NAD receiver. So far I like them a lot, although I do think I might prefer them with a sub. I was looking at the back of the receiver and noticed that the pre-outs have been hard-wired to the main-ins with metal pieces that I can't seem to remove. My friend said they'd always been there as long as he'd had the unit. Is that bad? Does not having the pre-outs mean that mean I can't add a sub?

 

[lovinthehd]

So I received my AAs, and have been playing them through the NAD receiver. So far I like them a lot, although I do think I might prefer them with a sub. I was looking at the back of the receiver and noticed that the pre-outs have been hard-wired to the main-ins with metal pieces that I can't seem to remove. My friend said they'd always been there as long as he'd had the unit. Is that bad? Does not having the pre-outs mean that mean I can't add a sub?

Those pre-outs could be used with a sub with a high pass filter output passing the signal via rca outputs so you can still use the amplifier in your receiver, but not all subs (or very many that I can think of) have such. If you used the pre-out for a sub equipped otherwise you would lose the amp section of your receiver for the AA speaker for the channel you used the pre-out for. Read page 6 item 14 of the manual I linked earlier....

 

[Isaac52]

I'm trying to understand how this all works. Sorry, I think I'm a bit slow here. So if I had a crossover or processing device that took one input from the pre-out and returned two outputs, one high pass and the other low pass, then I could connect the high pass output back into the receiver's main-ins and to the AAs, and connect the low pass output a sub. However, the sub would lose out on the receiver's amp.
Alternatively if I were to connect the same processing device (which, for all I know, may not exist) to the output of the amp, and then run the processing device's two outputs to the AAs and the sub, then all of them would have the receiver's amplification. Is that right?

 

[lovinthehd]

I'm trying to understand how this all works. Sorry, I think I'm a bit slow here. So if I had a crossover or processing device that took one input from the pre-out and returned two outputs, one high pass and the other low pass, then I could connect the high pass output back into the receiver's main-ins and to the AAs, and connect the low pass output a sub. However, the sub would lose out on the receiver's amp.
Alternatively if I were to connect the same processing device (which, for all I know, may not exist) to the output of the amp, and then run the processing device's two outputs to the AAs and the sub, then all of them would have the receiver's amplification. Is that right?

You could insert an external processor (a miniDSP 2x4 unit for example) into the pre-out/main-in loop, but you should keep the signal in stereo (i.e. use both); after setting a crossover, you could send the high-passed signal back into the receiver to power the AAs and use the low-passed signal to an active subwoofer (most subs have their own amps, most receivers aren't sufficient to power passive subs).

 

[Isaac52]

OK, I get it now. I think I'm going to wait a few weeks (or months) before really committing to a sub, to really listen to the AAs in a couple different settings and give them time to open up, if they have a break-in period. I'm also a bit hesitant to buy a sub since I have no experience at all with them. Do you have any recommendations for subs to pair with the AAs, should I decide to buy one?

Also, here's my logic for why I would want to add a sub: the bass on the AAs is low, and it does reach the range I am listening for, which is really nice. However, I like listening to some genres with a bit more power in the mid-lower end, probably in the 50-100 Hz range (not rap music 30 Hz stuff). I found that giving a slight bass boost on the NAD gives me more of the sound I want, but I worry that bass boosting a bookshelf speaker will put unnecessary wear on the woofers and a sub would be a better way to go. Is that reasonable?

 

[Isaac52]

Also, the times I would add the bass boost would be rare. Most music I prefer to listen to with a flat response. I'd probably only use it on 5% or less of the music I listen to, and maybe some movies. I haven't tried the AAs for a movie yet, perhaps they wouldn't need it for movies.

 

[lovinthehd]

OK, I get it now. I think I'm going to wait a few weeks (or months) before really committing to a sub, to really listen to the AAs in a couple different settings and give them time to open up, if they have a break-in period. I'm also a bit hesitant to buy a sub since I have no experience at all with them. Do you have any recommendations for subs to pair with the AAs, should I decide to buy one?

Also, here's my logic for why I would want to add a sub: the bass on the AAs is low, and it does reach the range I am listening for, which is really nice. However, I like listening to some genres with a bit more power in the mid-lower end, probably in the 50-100 Hz range (not rap music 30 Hz stuff). I found that giving a slight bass boost on the NAD gives me more of the sound I want, but I worry that bass boosting a bookshelf speaker will put unnecessary wear on the woofers and a sub would be a better way to go. Is that reasonable?

I'd use the AAs for a while before deciding whether you really need a sub, sounds like for your purposes the speakers may suffice. Keep in mind by boosting the bass you do use more power, but a slight boost should be fine. Remember, if it starts to sound bad turn it down, one of the best ways to preserve your speakers...

Depends how much you want to spend on a sub, if on a serious budget I'd look at perhaps the Dayton SUB1200 or SUB1500 models, but usually I consider $500 a good starting point (and no longer buy pre-built subs either, I'd rather build my own). The pairing of a sub is done via the crossover/level/delay implementation (which the minidsp 2x4 can accomplish); a modern avr can do this (integrate a sub) fairly easily, a bit trickier the way you're going about it...