Budget of 5,000k looking for new receiver and speakers

[Mizraw]

New to the site, but have been reading for a couple of months. Have learned more from this site in those months than I hardly can believe.

I saw in a couple of other posts, about budgets that a few members were able to come up with detailed lists regarding what to buy and what they thought was a reasonable setup. I'll put down what I have so far, but I would really like your guys input if I'm making the right decisions. This will be for 95% move/TV watching. I hardly ever listen to music. I believe the rough estimate of my room is 12 w x 25 L x 8 H. Most likely going with a 7.1 or possibly 5.1, not sure

I already own a 71" 1080P TV from Samsung.
Receiver - really need help here - want something for Pre/Pro not to expensive, but can upscale to 1080P. I would really like for it to have Dolby and DTS HD so its future proof. I've read up on the Yamaha 863 and the Onkyo 805.
Amp - Looking at the emotiva RPA-5 to power my main five speakers and using the pre/pro for the remaining two.
Speakers-Axiom mains M80's, Center VP150, and surrounds Qs8. For the remaining two I was thinking of getting two bookshelf speakers from Emotiva to try them out. I also have two towers from my existing Fluance set that aren't that bad. I've heard many people say that the Vp150 isn't strong enough, so could anyone give me a secondary choice for it?
Subwoofer- Plan on 1,000 budget for the speakers either getting Emotiva's new DRS set or getting HSU VTF3 and MB12 for 999 shipped.

Room Treatment - from GIK accoustics - around 600-700 I believe.

I believe if I add up all the costs of what I posted comes to about 4800-5000 depending on the cost of shipping. Let me know what you guys think.
Lastly the M80's are 4 ohm and most of the other speakers are 8 ohm. Does anyone know if the RPA-5 can push a 4 ohm set along with 8 ohm? Or can you set that manually on the actual amp?

Thanks again I don't know where I'd be with out this site.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

My thought is, if you might buy the Emotiva amp & surround speakers & subwoofer, why not just get the Emotiva 7ch amp + UMC-1?

I think AV123 is the same company as Emotiva, so have you thought about trying their speakers as well?

So something like Emotiva amp + pre-pro and AV123 speakers + subwoofer?

 

[jcPanny]

HT System

Nice budget.
Try to listen to several speaker options in your price range. Add the Klipsch reference, Paradigm studio, and AV123 Onix Rocket speakers to your audition list.

FYI, AV123 is not afiliated with Emotiva, but they were a distributor for their products a couple years back.

Emotiva seperates would be nice but if you have a real pre-pro (not receiver) than you will have to have enough amp channels for every speaker. If you really want the 5-channel amp, you could go with a less expensive receiver like the Yamaha RX-V663.

Another sub option is one or two of the AV123 MFW-15 subs, $600 for 1, $1k for two.

 

[Mizraw]

Most of the speakers in the Rocket series would inflate my budget with getting a new amp and pre/pro. The towers alone would be around 2,000. Same with paradigm, but I will have to look up Klipsch.

The problem is that I basically need to overhaul my who system which sucks. Acu are you talking about the LPA-1 or the more expensive one? If I do go with the emotiva pre/pro I would wait for the UMC coming out this summer.

So are you guys saying that Axiom isn't worth the money at that price?

If I went with the lpa and umc that would be around 1200 plus 1,000 for shipping and around 600 for treatment leaving around 2,200 for the remaining speakers. I could always just use my existing ones and then upgrade later to buy better ones.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

...Acu are you talking about the LPA-1 or the more expensive one? If I do go with the emotiva pre/pro I would wait for the UMC coming out this summer...So are you guys saying that Axiom isn't worth the money at that price?

Yeah, the LPA-1 looks good to me. That should be enough power. The UMC-1 looks good too.

I think everyone is just saying to audition as many speakers as possible, not that the Axioms are not worth the money. I bet the Axioms will sound great.

Did you say shipping will be $1,000?

 

[Soundman]

Any of the Emotiva products will be enough to power your system and they can all handle 4ohm loads. You just have to decide if the new 7.1 channel amp is worth the $300 upgrade. Either one will be great!
As for Axiom, they tend to be a little bight, but since you are treating your room,this may not be an issue for you. I do agree that the Axiom center is a little weak compared to some others. I had an Axiom setup for a while but ended up upgrading to the Rockets. That was one reason for it. Not that the Axioms aren't good speakers, but you may want to audition some others and see what you think.

 

[AVRat]

For starters, since you’re primary interest is HT, speakers like the Axiom M80s really aren’t necessary. Based on Tom Andry’s review of the Emotiva’s ERM/Ds and some others’ opinions of the DRS-1 system, they sound like an excellent option for the price (~$2600 for 7.2). The Onkyo 805 on its own would power this setup easily in your room.

 

[Mizraw]

Whoops sorry. That was supposed to be a 100, haha. There are just so many different speaker options, its very difficult to pick one. I would really like to get paradigm, but the cost is really a problem.

Would you spend money on the speakers and wait on the treatments, or just get speakers plus the treatments? If I waited on the treatments that would give me 700 more to spend on the speakers.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Whoops sorry. That was supposed to be a 100, haha. There are just so many different speaker options, its very difficult to pick one. I would really like to get paradigm, but the cost is really a problem.

Would you spend money on the speakers and wait on the treatments, or just get speakers plus the treatments? If I waited on the treatments that would give me 700 more to spend on the speakers.

Well everyone may disagree, but I say get the speakers first and room treatments second!

What kind of prices are you getting with the Paradigm?

I'm sure many local dealers will price match or give you huge discounts just to do business these days. You might even try to get them to price match audiophileliquidator!

 

[Mizraw]

Why do you think the M80's aren't necessary? The speakers from emotiva seem like better surrounds and side speakers than front/center. Also would using the emotiva lpa-1 amp give better audio/power for any set up I have? I mean compared to another receiver like the Onkyo 805?

 

[Pyrrho]

I don't have any specific product I want to push on you, but I do want to mention one thing. Your speakers (including, of course, the subwoofer) will affect the sound more than anything else. I have speakers, including subwoofers, that retail for over $6000, and I was using a receiver that retailed for about $600 with them. I recently upgraded to a receiver that retails for about $1600 because I wanted some features that I did not have. But they sound the same. (If my speakers were more inefficient, or harder to drive, it could have improved the sound, as the new receiver will put out about twice the power of the older one, but I did not need more power, so the extra power is irrelevant.)

My advice is to listen to as many speakers as you can stand to listen to, and as many types of speakers (e.g., horns, ribbons, planar, cones, etc.) as you can find. Once you have them selected, then you will need to figure out what kind of amplification you need. If you end up with speakers that are normal efficiency and normal impedance, you probably won't need a separate amplifier at all.

As for room treatments, I would probably budget that money for better speakers, unless there was a particular problem with my room that desperately needed to be corrected.

 

[Midcow2]

Why not get the better speakers first , then ...

Whoops sorry. That was supposed to be a 100, haha. There are just so many different speaker options, its very difficult to pick one. I would really like to get paradigm, but the cost is really a problem.

Would you spend money on the speakers and wait on the treatments, or just get speakers plus the treatments? If I waited on the treatments that would give me 700 more to spend on the speakers.

if you don't like the sound you can always add the treatments. Have you considered Def Tech 7000 series speakers at all? And is a high level receiver completely out. Do you absolutely want to get a separate pre/pro and power amp? The reason I ask there are a lot of high level AVRs in the $1500 to $2000 range than would provide what I think you want. For example a Marantz 8002 or Yamaha RX-V3800 or Onkyo TX-NR905.

Good Luck!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

The Axiom 80s have a minimum impedance of 3.0!!!

http://www.soundandvisionmag.com/speakers/2710/test-bench-axiom-epic-80500-home-theater-speaker-system.html

So I would definitely get an amp that can handle at least 4 ohms or even 2 ohms! The LPA-1 is good for 4 ohms, but it does not say for 3 ohms. I know the MPS2 is good for 2 ohms.

I don't know if any receiver can handle a 3 ohms impedance load.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

If you end up with speakers that are normal efficiency and normal impedance, you probably won't need a separate amplifier at all.

As for room treatments, I would probably budget that money for better speakers, unless there was a particular problem with my room that desperately needed to be corrected.

I agree with that.

 

[Midcow2]

I agree with Pyrrho put the money with the speakers ..

I don't have any specific product I want to push on you, but I do want to mention one thing. Your speakers (including, of course, the subwoofer) will affect the sound more than anything else. I have speakers, including subwoofers, that retail for over $6000, and I was using a receiver that retailed for about $600 with them. I recently upgraded to a receiver that retails for about $1600 because I wanted some features that I did not have. But they sound the same. (If my speakers were more inefficient, or harder to drive, it could have improved the sound, as the new receiver will put out about twice the power of the older one, but I did not need more power, so the extra power is irrelevant.)

My advice is to listen to as many speakers as you can stand to listen to, and as many types of speakers (e.g., horns, ribbons, planar, cones, etc.) as you can find. Once you have them selected, then you will need to figure out what kind of amplification you need. If you end up with speakers that are normal efficiency and normal impedance, you probably won't need a separate amplifier at all.

As for room treatments, I would probably budget that money for better speakers, unless there was a particular problem with my room that desperately needed to be corrected.

I noticed the biggest difference in my system when I recently upgraded speakers. I figure in my den my retail speaker cost is now very close to the Pyrrho's in price. I still haven't received my CLR3000; it has been shipped and has a tracking number and will be here Monday. Then only my subwoofer will need to be upgraded sometime in the future.

And as AcuDefTechGuy said if you have a speaker with a low nominal impedance, such as 3 ohms, make sure you have an AVR that can handle the increased current.

 

[jcPanny]

Speaker options

Some of the Floorstanders in the AV123 rocket line are in your budget including the 450's and 760's. Check out their current sale prices and also keep an eye on b-stock page. If you wanted the Axioms with a real wood finish like the rockets you would have to pay a significant premium. Try to listen to several options and let your ears decide. Some ID manufacturers including Aperion and AV123 offer a risk free trial of some of their speakers.

If you go with the Rockets, Axiom M60's or other 6-8 ohm speakers then you should be able to hold off on the amp purchase and use a mid-fi receiver.

 

[fredk]

I also agree with Pyrrho. There are plenty of recievers capable of delivering all the volume you need cleanly for most speakers.

The M80s are a 4 ohm speaker, with a very brief dip below that. Any receiver capable of handling a 4 ohm load, and there are plenty of them, will do just fine. 2 ohms?

You will be very happy with the M80 package should you go that route. There are also lots of other speakers that sound great, and as you can see, everybody has their favourite.

Good luck.

Fred

 

[Mizraw]

I always thought that seperate power from an amp would provide cleaner power and give a better sound? That's what I've heard from a lot of people using the Emotiva amps. That is a lot of the reason why I want to utilize them. Am I wrong in this thinking?

If i do select a receiver what would be the best one that utilizes 1080p upconversion along with DOLBYHD And DTSHD?

As far as subwoofers go would you go with my HSU selection or the AV123 or the new emotiva system?

I think I'm going to hold off on the treatment and try to spend more to get some kick *** speakers. What are the thoughts on intermixing different speaker brands? Say get two Definitive front towers along with a paradigm center? Or axiom m80s with paradigm center/Definitive center?

I'm in the process of building the room now so I will start to post pics when I finally make headroom.

 

[Mizraw]

What do you guys think of the new setup, I thought of tonight.

Towers
Rocket RS850(2)
Center
Rocket RSC200(1)
Surround
Rocket RSS300(2)
Total price = 2347

or

Towers
Rocket RS760(2)
Center
Rocket RSC200(1)
Surround
Rocket RS450
Total price = 2347

Emotiva LPA1 with UMC-1
Total price = 500 for LPA1 with discount of UMC1 at 40 percent = 420 = 920

HSU selection, AV123, or Emotiva all = 1,000

Total price so far = 4267

I thought the Rockets were a lot more expensive apparently. The towers do come in pairs correct?

What else am I missing, because I think either setup would be sweet. I would even have enough to get some surrounds or audio treatment. Most likely more speakers.

Adding two more Rocket Surrounds would cost 500 more. Total then would be 4767. Great thing is that both Emotiva and AV123 are offering free shipping right now. Do you guys think I could go with the Emotiva surrounds instead of the Rockets? ERM or ERD $314 or $269.

 

[Mizraw]

Well I just figured out that Rockets are sold individually so there goes all that research. How would RS760 along with the RSC200, with the ERM pair? That would put me at right about 3,000 for those speakers. So with sub and receiver set that would put me under 5,000. Damn I really thought Rockets were sold in pairs haha. What was I thinking.

So what do you think of the 3rd setup now?