Newbie Odyssey Part 2 (Speakers)

[Krio]

About 3 meters ...

 

[lovinthehd]

That's a pretty large space for a single relatively small sub to fill especially for low end from movies.

 

[Krio]

True so how big should be the sub-woofer if the SB 2000 isn't enough?

 

[lovinthehd]

LOL you're asking a guy with 3 x 18" sealed and a dual-opposed 15" and still wants more (and am building a dual opposed 18" to replace the dual-opposed 15")....my space is also a bit over 6000 cuft. I'd go at least a pair of ported 15"s. Not sure you have much choice in subs that large...or want them even. I'm after even coverage through the room as well as fairly high spl output as well as sub-20hz content. The lower and louder it gets the more expensive it gets....

 

[Krio]

Geez 'and still want more'? .... i know a good exorcist just in case ... i did a more accurate calculation and i am talking aobut a 30 SQM area open ... with a ceiling of 2,4 meters ... so about 58 cubic meters where i watch the tv and about 80 in total... the SB 2000 should be good enough for that area

 

[lovinthehd]

Geez 'and still want more'? .... i know a good exorcist just in case ... i did a more accurate calculation and i am talking aobut a 30 SQM area open ... with a ceiling of 2,4 meters ... so about 58 cubic meters where i watch the tv and about 80 in total... the SB 2000 should be good enough for that area

Just depends what you want. The ported versions would likely do better for movies in that they'll have more output down around tuning than their sealed siblings....but that is a much smaller space and one sub would have a much better chance than a room nearly three times that size....

 

[Krio]

Note that i can use 2 sub instead of 1 ... i have space and i read several articles about the multi sub systems ... i am trying to figure out if x2 PB 1000 would be better than 1 PB 2000 ... or PB 12 plus

 

[lovinthehd]

Note that i can use 2 sub instead of 1 ... i have space and i read several articles about the multi sub systems ... i am trying to figure out if x2 PB 1000 would be better than 1 PB 2000 ... or PB 12 plus

If you are only worried about bass response at your primary listening position (rather than others' seats) one good powerful sub would likely do fine, but if you want to smooth response throughout the room multiple subwoofers would be better generally. Are you planning for high volume playback? Are you trying to reach THX reference levels for playback?

 

[Krio]

i would perfer a smooth response on the sub .... What s the THX reference levels and playback?

 

[lovinthehd]

When you run the calibration routine on your receiver via Audyssey it will calibrate to such reference levels, which is somewhat adhered to by the movie industry (but music is all over the place so no real reference level to speak of in that arena), basically 83-85dB average spl at your listening position with allowance for 20dB peaks or 105dB from your speakers, and an additional 10dB from the LFE channel. With bass management this can ask even more of the sub at reference levels. It is a demanding level for your gear as well as ears but what is often a goal so as to be able to reproduce such faithfully. In real life many people often only turn it up as loud as -20 to -10dB range below reference. Try this article as your Marantz can employ this tech https://audyssey.zendesk.com/entries/73283-Dynamic-EQ-and-Reference-Level

 

[Krio]

Ah ok got it ... Seems Marantz have the future to reach that goal, which certainly i will try once the system is up and running ...

I just changed my mind about the Monitor Audio here is why (please help me out because this is important - that is an expensive part of the system) : yesterday i had 2 tests

1) SVS distributor, set up in a house ,big living room- entry level old denon 100w per channel. Trying to replicate what normally the buyers will have in the house 0 equalizers 0 odyssey ..

front speakers prime tower = Music with no sub was very good full of bass and clear. (https://www.audioholics.com/tower-speaker-reviews/svs-prime-tower-and-center-loudspeaker-review/conclusion)

But when we played the Movie (transformers the last one) the initial speech wasn't good, given the quality downloaded 5gb. the rest of the components sounded good to me ( we tested 5 subs)

2) Went to a store with a dedicated room (small size compared to the SVS living room , less then 50%) new Denon 2200w already calibrated and the monitor audio installed (bronze 5 as tower) in that room the movie sounded way better but 12gb download - the rear speakers at 1 meters from my head . We tried the bronze center but wasn't good then we put the JBL 235 c, and that s when everything went outstanding ...

When we played music i asked to turn off the sub and the speakers were like with no bass at all and sounded even bad no life ...

Based on this experience i would like to go for SVS sub and the front/rear speakers, and the center JBL? can i ? or somehow is a mistake choose a center from another brand ??

 

[lovinthehd]

No particular rules saying you must have same speakers across the front, although many do prefer that. Hard to compare if you're not using the same room or source or even using Audyssey in both systems. You don't have an actual bluray disc to use for testing?

 

[Krio]

Yes i asked the same movie to store in an HD and then bring to SVS to compare ... but i am sure the bronze line isn't at the level of the Prime SVS ... the whole set will cost me about 300 USD more but the front speakers are solid towers - the rear are with 2 twitters and 2 speakers the MA are with 1 speaker and 2 twitter ... i just need a confirmation on the center for the dialog then i made up my mind to go for SVS ...

 

[Krio]

Ok i might need some help here, it is difficult for me to choose in between 2 brands ... the 2 places where i can hear them are too different and i don't know what to choose forget about the cost - that isn't an issue (not much difference) the battle is in between the SVS Prime towers (then come the prime center and rear speakers) and B&W 683 S2 towers (then center and rear speakers)

I like both and i dont understand which one is best mainly for movies ... but listen to a good quality music can be good if i have decent speakers ...

does anyone have experience in those towers ?

Thanks ...

krio

 

[lovinthehd]

If you liked them both then buy the less expensive ones. No way to test at home?

 

[Krio]

No way to test it at home ... but i was able to test them with the same music and movies .... amazingly the Prime towers seemed to me way better then the B&W ... i though i was mistaken , that is impossible SVS can do some better product then B&W then i read several forums and seems i am not the only one who would have pick SVS (clearly compared those 2 models only )

so i made up my mind to buy the whole set from SVS .. even the center, now that i used the same movie the that isn't much difference compared the JBL .

thanks for the support ... my next topic will be cables ...

 

[rojo]

... my next topic will be cables ...

Monoprice, maybe Blue Jeans Cable if you want something a little more exotic. But Monoprice should be plenty. Read this article to help you figure out which speaker wire gauge you need. I'd guess anything thicker than 14 gauge oxygen-free copper would be overkill.

 

[lovinthehd]

No way to test it at home ... but i was able to test them with the same music and movies .... amazingly the Prime towers seemed to me way better then the B&W ... i though i was mistaken , that is impossible SVS can do some better product then B&W then i read several forums and seems i am not the only one who would have pick SVS (clearly compared those 2 models only )

so i made up my mind to buy the whole set from SVS .. even the center, now that i used the same movie the that isn't much difference compared the JBL .

thanks for the support ... my next topic will be cables ...

I think you made a good choice. B&W may have an older and pricier reputation for their speakers, but personally I've heard some of their speakers and wasn't impressed (think it was a 68x something, been a while). More expensive doesn't always mean better in audio....especially true in wire/cable.

Cables---read the Audioholics article as well as perhaps this one from a former head McIntosh guy http://roger-russell.com/wire/wire.htm

 

[Krio]

that is good to know , and the difference to be honest was big, considering i am not an audiophile that means a lot .... i think i need more than 30 days before i can buy the speakers .... in the meantime i will read the articles about cables, so probably i wont need to open a topic on that ... (thanks rojo too )

BTW still looking for a media player ... Samsung replied that the TV isn't compatible with any samsung player so that allow me to choose any brand ...

 

[lovinthehd]

Audiophile just means a high-fidelity audio enthusiast....you qualify it seems to me. I like having audio gear that gives me maximum smiles for minimum dollars myself.

What media do you need to manage/play?