Upgradeitis is setting in again

[NorCalRP]

First straight to the point...thoughts on this bundle?

https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/kefbundle5/kef-kef-5-speaker-bundle-package-q700-q600c-and-free-e301-rear-surrounds/1.html

Current system: Denon avrx2300, Paradigm mini monitor v7 for LCR, SVS prime satellite for surrounds, SVS PB1000 and HSU VTF3 MK4 for subs (mismatched, I know- I plan on finding a home for the SVS and going with HSU again)

Also looking to upgrade the receiver to a Marantz (most likely the 6013 from A4L).

Thanks for the input!!!

 

[Russdawg1]

Not a great package, especially since the newer, better Q(X)50 series can be had for around the same price.

I also wouldn’t recommend that receiver as the Denon X4500H is the exact same, and cheaper.

And to top it all off, if you have problems with anything bought from A4Less being it died, is damaged, or you dislike them after buying, the shipping, restocking fee, and other non user friendly policies A4Less has are no bueno.

I’d highly recommend you buy from Crutchfield or a trusted dealer instead.

 

[shadyJ]

I'm not sure you can buy the equivalent line of the newer Qx50 series for the same price? If so, yeah, get the Qx50s, but that looks like a good deal to me. I think the surround speakers in that package might be a bit underpowered though.

 

[NorCalRP]

Per @Russdawg1 , I checked out the Q750, the Q650 and the AVR-X4500H on Crutchfield. Minus the surround, which I do agree look pretty weak @shadyJ , they totalled $3750, versus $2150 for the A4L package.

I bought my avr from A4L and haven't had an issue with it. It seems they have a pretty decent reputation, and if you research what you really want returns and restocking fees seem pretty moot. Did you have an unfortunate experience, Russ?

I want to get floorstanders up front and am looking to get closer to neutral than my Paradigms as my musical "pallet" has changed in that direction. I'll get a corresponding center to match the towers.

Any suggestions in the ~$1500 range for the LCR?

 

[Russdawg1]

Per @Russdawg1 , I checked out the Q750, the Q650 and the AVR-X4500H on Crutchfield. Minus the surround, which I do agree look pretty weak @shadyJ , they totalled $3750, versus $2150 for the A4L package.

I bought my avr from A4L and haven't had an issue with it. It seems they have a pretty decent reputation, and if you research what you really want returns and restocking fees seem pretty moot. Did you have an unfortunate experience, Russ?

I want to get floorstanders up front and am looking to get closer to neutral than my Paradigms as my musical "pallet" has changed in that direction. I'll get a corresponding center to match the towers.

Any suggestions in the ~$1500 range for the LCR?

Sorry I meant to say the X4400H which is on clearance from being moved out due to the X4500H.

If you have had no problems with A4Less, then by all means, but it is not of my interest to be trapped like that if there was something unfortunate to happen.

I didn’t mean you had to buy from Crutchfield, I was trying to give an example of a site that has a very good return policy. $10 on bookshelves and $75 for towers, flat rate, and a healthy time allotment for in-home trialing.

Even better IMO is a trusted dealer which returns are free (I would hope!) and you can ask for discounts. I know a couple dealers that are like this which is why I said you could find the Qx50 series for the same price. Treat them like people and you will be treated like a person back. I feel like dealers get a bad rep for being the bad guys somehow. But that doesn’t matter.

Whatever you choose to buy, and through whoever or wherever, I hope you enjoy your new setup!

 

[NorCalRP]

Sorry I meant to say the X4400H which is on clearance from being moved out due to the X4500H.

If you have had no problems with A4Less, then by all means, but it is not of my interest to be trapped like that if there was something unfortunate to happen.

I didn’t mean you had to buy from Crutchfield, I was trying to give an example of a site that has a very good return policy. $10 on bookshelves and $75 for towers, flat rate, and a healthy time allotment for in-home trialing.

Even better IMO is a trusted dealer which returns are free (I would hope!) and you can ask for discounts. I know a couple dealers that are like this which is why I said you could find the Qx50 series for the same price. Treat them like people and you will be treated like a person back. I feel like dealers get a bad rep for being the bad guys somehow. But that doesn’t matter.

Whatever you choose to buy, and through whoever or wherever, I hope you enjoy your new setup!

I do believe in going local. Unfortunately, my local guy had his house burn down, along with his home audio guy's house, back in November in the wildfire in Paradise. They really should be getting full pop right now and that's just a little more than I'd like to spend. I will say this though... I had them put some nice equipment in my new car a few weeks ago

 

[Russdawg1]

I do believe in going local. Unfortunately, my local guy had his house burn down, along with his home audio guy's house, back in November in the wildfire in Paradise. They really should be getting full pop right now and that's just a little more than I'd like to spend. I will say this though... I had them put some nice equipment in my new car a few weeks ago

Yeah that Paradise Fire was terrible. A lot of my friends lost their homes in the October fires the year prior. Luckily my house survived, but was not far off, you can actually see burnt down neighborhoods from the top of my street. Scary times for sure.

 

[NorCalRP]

Right now the Emotiva T1 towers and C2 can be had for ~$850. Being 4ohm speakers I feel I'd need a 3 channel amp to drive the front soundstage. I've heard AMT's and have liked them (ML Motion 40s/60s). I found the soundstage to be pretty wide and they produced a kind of easy going sound. B&W sounded brutish by comparison.

 

[NorCalRP]

Yeah that Paradise Fire was terrible. A lot of my friends lost their homes in the October fires the year prior. Luckily my house survived, but was not far off, you can actually see burnt down neighborhoods from the top of my street. Scary times for sure.

Santa Rosa?

 

[Russdawg1]

Santa Rosa?

Yes indeed.

Those Emotiva towers are closer to 5 or 6 ohm. Most have found them to sound perfectly fine on a AVR, and that Denon/Marantz (they are actually the same ) is quite a power house by itself.

If you liked ML then I think you’ll like these also.

 

[lovinthehd]

Russdawg1 what don't you like about the return policy at A4L? They were very easy to deal with when I had two bad refurbs in a row, and they even extended the return time on one of them as it was a couple days after the 30 day period. No problems with any other purchases at all from them either. You expect to be able to return something just because you changed your mind on a product or something? While I've followed Crutchfield for a very long time, I've never seen a price from them that I couldn't beat elsewhere. That said, local shops aren't an option....there aren't any.

 

[NorCalRP]

Yes indeed.

Those Emotiva towers are closer to 5 or 6 ohm. Most have found them to sound perfectly fine on a AVR, and that Denon/Marantz (they are actually the same ) is quite a power house by itself.

If you liked ML then I think you’ll like these also.

I worked in Santa Rosa the year before (PG&E contractor), and have some former co-workers who lost homes. Last year after working in Bolinas I drove home to Chico by going up Mark West. The deforestation by the fire was more complete there. It looked so surreal. Working the Camp Fire was crazy though- going up there on the 9th with fire still actively burning. I actually saw a power pole burn in half, and the top of the pole fell down and stabbed into the ground

 

[shadyJ]

Right now the Emotiva T1 towers and C2 can be had for ~$850. Being 4ohm speakers I feel I'd need a 3 channel amp to drive the front soundstage. I've heard AMT's and have liked them (ML Motion 40s/60s). I found the soundstage to be pretty wide and they produced a kind of easy going sound. B&W sounded brutish by comparison.

AMT tweeters can vary widely in quality, so don't judge all AMTs from one experience.

 

[Russdawg1]

Russdawg1 what don't you like about the return policy at A4L? They were very easy to deal with when I had two bad refurbs in a row, and they even extended the return time on one of them as it was a couple days after the 30 day period. No problems with any other purchases at all from them either. You expect to be able to return something just because you changed your mind on a product or something? While I've followed Crutchfield for a very long time, I've never seen a price from them that I couldn't beat elsewhere. That said, local shops aren't an option....there aren't any.

$10 returns on bookshelf speakers at Crutchfield <<<<< cost to return bookshelf speakers to A4Less.

Can only imagine the cost difference between tower returns.

I do think that a decent return policy is only fair to a consumer, and after rechecking A4Less’s, I am not impressed. Many places offer good return policies, Amazon, Best Buy, Crutchfield, Local Dealer’s, etc. I *personally* will buy through them.

If he buys the package from A4Less, and turns out he does not like how they sound (maybe he hasn’t heard them or actually heard the Qx50 series which are supposedly much better and less foward in treble, or they interact very poorly with his room leading to additional brightness or narrow soundstage) returning them will easily cost him hundreds of dollars. Crutchfield? $105 dollars (I think.)

*Safe > Cheap* in my book.

Occasionally Crutchfield has the Denons on clearance, I haven’t seen those prices beat. Not to mention many of the great deals on A4Less are for Refurbs, not New. This goes back to Safe > Cheap, although A4Less has a good track record with their Refurbs so nothing against them.

It is your choice to buy from whatever vendor you like. My choice is not A4Less however and was trying to voice my concerns and possible complications to the OP to make sure he is indeed safe

 

[lovinthehd]

$10 returns on bookshelf speakers at Crutchfield <<<<< cost to return bookshelf speakers to A4Less.

Can only imagine the cost difference between tower returns.

I do think that a decent return policy is only fair to a consumer, and after rechecking A4Less’s, I am not impressed. Many places offer good return policies, Amazon, Best Buy, Crutchfield, Local Dealer’s, etc. I *personally* will buy through them.

If he buys the package from A4Less, and turns out he does not like how they sound (maybe he hasn’t heard them or actually heard the Qx50 series which are supposedly much better and less foward in treble, or they interact very poorly with his room leading to additional brightness or narrow soundstage) returning them will easily cost him hundreds of dollars. Crutchfield? $105 dollars (I think.)

*Safe > Cheap* in my book.

Occasionally Crutchfield has the Denons on clearance, I haven’t seen those prices beat. Not to mention many of the great deals on A4Less are for Refurbs, not New. This goes back to Safe > Cheap, although A4Less has a good track record with their Refurbs so nothing against them.

It is your choice to buy from whatever vendor you like. My choice is not A4Less however and was trying to voice my concerns and possible complications to the OP to make sure he is indeed safe

Okay, while I get it, that isn't what buying at A4L is about. You get a serious discount (as most of it are refurbs as you mention, or are closeouts at disount) and it comes with qualifications. Make sure you know what you want and understand the return policy. If you want new gear and returns on a whim because you didn't know what you were buying, other places are much more geared towards that.

 

[Russdawg1]

Okay, while I get it, that isn't what buying at A4L is about. You get a serious discount (as most of it are refurbs as you mention, or are closeouts at disount) and it comes with qualifications. Make sure you know what you want and understand the return policy. If you want new gear and returns on a whim because you didn't know what you were buying, other places are much more geared towards that.

Fair enough.

However.... Does the OP know what gear he wants to buy?

That was my point. It looks like he hasn’t heard this stuff so buying from A4Less blind is a bad move IMO and IYO (In your opinion lol). But we shall see where he ends up. Emotiva could be a good choice for him and they have a more forgiving return policy

 

[lovinthehd]

Fair enough.

However.... Does the OP know what gear he wants to buy?

That was my point. It looks like he hasn’t heard this stuff so buying from A4Less blind is a bad move IMO and IYO (In your opinion lol). But we shall see where he ends up. Emotiva could be a good choice for him and they have a more forgiving return policy

Don't know if he is positive about the speakers but sometimes ya roll the internet deal dice I've done that several times and it worked out without audition prior. He has shopped with A4L before, that's where he got his current avr. And as far as avr, I'd also get the Denon unless there's a really good deal on a Marantz at the time (besides I really don't like the porthole thing). If you want speakers just to check out at home with no cost risk SVS and RSL are also in the game (and imagine there might be others).

 

[NorCalRP]

Don't know if he is positive about the speakers but sometimes ya roll the internet deal dice I've done that several times and it worked out without audition prior. He has shopped with A4L before, that's where he got his current avr. And as far as avr, I'd also get the Denon unless there's a really good deal on a Marantz at the time (besides I really don't like the porthole thing). If you want speakers just to check out at home with no cost risk SVS and RSL are also in the game (and imagine there might be others).

Other than the port hole, what's the thought on Denon vs Marantz?

 

[lovinthehd]

Other than the port hole, what's the thought on Denon vs Marantz?

I view at as just a different brand and history but now shares a lot with Denon under the hood. I currently have two Denons and the last Marantz I had was the 2270. They just seem to market them differently, trying to squeeze more $ out of the Marantz name, particularly here in the US. I seriously doubt there's an audible difference.

 

[NorCalRP]

I view at as just a different brand and history but now shares a lot with Denon under the hood. I have two Denons and the last Marantz I had was the 2270. They just seem to market them differently, trying to squeeze more $ out of the Marantz name, particularly here in the US. I seriously doubt there's an audible difference.

This looks almost too tough to pass up

https://smile.amazon.com/Denon-AVR-X6500H-Receiver-Amplifier-Calibration/dp/B07GH4SP82/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?crid=19JVE7ZLOM8G4&keywords=denon+avr-x6500h&qid=1557214937&s=gateway&sprefix=denon+avr-x65&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1