New here....Advice Needed

[Decatur]

Hello all! I am new to this site as well as new to the audiophile world. I have a few questions and am looking for advice from anyone willing to share. The following is what I am working with.

Sherbourn PA 7-350
Marantz AV7701
Legacy Whispers (no powered Subs)
Legacy Marquis HD Center
Legacy Phantom HD Rear
Polk Audio PSW 650 which is not keeping up at all!

Here are my scenarios/questions

1. A pro installer suggested that I should use DBW Rocket 88 speaker wires for a cost of $1,000 for a pair of 16' runs. Are these cables worth that price & that much better then 12 gauge Monster wire that I purchased off the shelf from Best Buy? I'm not opposed to spending that money if it is worth it.

2. I've had the Marantz AV7701 for a couple of months now and have had some issues with the volume decreasing 20-30% for a second and then returning to normal. One time I lost volume completely and it did not resume until I paused and unpaused the program that I was watching. None of these issues happened with the previous receiver (early 90's model) so I think it's fair to rule out my Direct TV box/signal.

3. Is it normal that my sub (hooked up to sub pre out) does not work in stereo mode? It works if I am watching something programmed in 5.1 only. The sub worked in Stereo mode on my early 90's model receiver.

4. The Sherbourn PA 7-350 will push 550 watts per channel (4 ohms). The Whispers are rated for 600 Watts each. Will those speakers handle it if I Double bi-amp them, theoretically pushing 1100 total watts?

5. Along the same lines, the Marquis is rated for 400 watts and the Phantoms are rated for 200 watts each. I have not hooked these speakers up yet. Is there a way to regulate the power from the Sherbourn so as not to blow these speakers?

Thanks in advance for any help/tips/advice.

 

[jliedeka]

1. The speaker cables you are using are more than adequate for a 16' run.
2. I'm not sure what is happening there. Are you using an HDMI connection? If not, I'd be even more puzzled.
3. This sounds like a setting in your pre-pro. If you are using a "direct" or "pure" setting for stereo, no sub is normal.
4. I wouldn't bi-amp the speakers if you already have enough power. If you do, you wouldn't want to run them full bore. I don't know how big a room you are trying to fill but most of the time we only use a few watts and maybe 100 for peaks.
5. Surrounds won't normally get as much power sent to them as the front left/right speakers. Also, see #4.

Jim

 

[Decatur]

jliedeka -

2. I am using an HDMI connection. It does not happen daily but the days it does, it seems to 3-4 times throughout several hours of watching TV.

4. The main reason I was considering Bi-amping the speakers is because I was told that I would get cleaner highs. Is this accurate?

 

[Nestor]

1. Save your money.

2. Does it happen to any source, such as blu ray? Cable boxes are notorious for needing firmware updates.

3. The Marantz may have an "extra bass" setting. Review your speaker set up menus and instructions.



Sent from my Vox using Tapatalk 2

 

[Decatur]

Thanks for the info. on 1. & 3.

2. Volume issues have only happened while watching Direct TV, but that is what is on 99% of the time. I will look into firmware updates.

 

[jliedeka]

jliedeka -

2. I am using an HDMI connection. It does not happen daily but the days it does, it seems to 3-4 times throughout several hours of watching TV.

4. The main reason I was considering Bi-amping the speakers is because I was told that I would get cleaner highs. Is this accurate?

2 could be an HDMI handshaking issue. Sometimes things just don't play well together over HDMI. When it works, it's great. When it doesn't, it's really frustrating. DirectTV has had some HDMI issues in the past. I don't have a specific solution.

Bi-amping won't do anything but possibly push more power through the same passive crossover. It's audiophile voodoo. Real bi-amping involves an active crossover which can be better but takes a lot of effort to set up properly. Good info on that is BiAmp (Bi-Amplification - Not Quite Magic, But Close) - Part 1

Jim

 

[Decatur]

2 could be an HDMI handshaking issue. Sometimes things just don't play well together over HDMI. When it works, it's great. When it doesn't, it's really frustrating. DirectTV has had some HDMI issues in the past. I don't have a specific solution.

Thank you for the insight. Others have also recommended looking at the possibility that my Directv box may need firmware updates.

Bi-amping won't do anything but possibly push more power through the same passive crossover. It's audiophile voodoo. Real bi-amping involves an active crossover which can be better but takes a lot of effort to set up properly. Good info on that is BiAmp (Bi-Amplification - Not Quite Magic, But Close) - Part 1

Jim

Included with my Whispers was an external Low Frequency Damping Control consisting of

Inputs from my Pre-amp
2 sets of outputs to my amp. -A fixed output for the mid/highs and a variable output for the subs.

Is this what you are talking about and active crossover or is it more extensive then that?

 

[JonnyFive23517]

1) That's a lot of money for those cables. Why not Blue Jeans 10 gauge? Great quality, low price. Probably won't notice a difference in any case compared to what you have now. I'd spend that $1000 on a new sub!
3) Your sub should work in stereo, only way it shouldn't is what jliedeka mentioned. Go to "channel level" and play a test tone, does anything come out of the sub?
4) Speakers can handle more clean power than they are rated for, you'd be fine to do this. But as jliedeka mentioned, you probably won't notice a difference.
5) You'll be fine without regulating it. Just don't crank it to 11.

 

[Irvrobinson]

Bi-amping won't do anything but possibly push more power through the same passive crossover. It's audiophile voodoo. Real bi-amping involves an active crossover which can be better but takes a lot of effort to set up properly. Good info on that is BiAmp (Bi-Amplification - Not Quite Magic, But Close) - Part 1

Jim

For about 99% of the cases I agree with you, Jim, but some Legacy speakers, in my personal experience, can benefit from passive bi-amping, even with very capable amplifiers. The Whispers have ten drivers each, including four 15" woofers, and a very large and complex crossover, and it is possible that there could be an audible improvement from getting those woofers on separate amp channels. If the OP has the extra amp channels just sitting around it's worth a try in this case, IMO.

I agree with your other comments.

 

[mtrycrafts]

1) That's a lot of money for those cables. Why not Blue Jeans 10 gauge? Great quality, low price. Probably won't notice a difference in any case compared to what you have now. I'd spend that $1000 on a new sub!

I would save some more and get one of those 18" on the market

3) Your sub should work in stereo, only way it shouldn't is what jliedeka mentioned. Go to "channel level" and play a test tone, does anything come out of the sub?
...

On some/many newer receivers you have to go into the instructions and setup to have the sub also active in stereo operation. Yes, older receivers did this without such bother, not anymore.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hello all! I am new to this site as well as new to the audiophile world. I have a few questions and am looking for advice from anyone willing to share. The following is what I am working with.

Sherbourn PA 7-350
Marantz AV7701
Legacy Whispers (no powered Subs)
Legacy Marquis HD Center
Legacy Phantom HD Rear
Polk Audio PSW 650 which is not keeping up at all!

Here are my scenarios/questions

1. A pro installer suggested that I should use DBW Rocket 88 speaker wires for a cost of $1,000 for a pair of 16' runs. Are these cables worth that price & that much better then 12 gauge Monster wire that I purchased off the shelf from Best Buy? I'm not opposed to spending that money if it is worth it.

....

Thanks in advance for any help/tips/advice.

Welcome aboard

I would question the integrity or competence of that installer trying to sell you such expensive snake oil driven cables. If you can, run the opposite direction and never do business with him.
No, that cable is not worth more than about $.50/ft, maybe a $1. Your monsters, while I dislike the companies business practice, it works just fine.