Definitive CLR 2000s as stereo set up?

[murl]

So I may be acquiring a matching CLR 2000 to the one I have now, I was contemplating wall mounting my TV and breaking the CLR 3000 out of the box. The question arises well whatever am I to do with extra speakers? I was thinking about setting up two CLR 2000s as a stereo pair with a velodyne cht 10 I have stored in a closet. Do you guys think this is worth while? It really wouldn't cost me much other than a receiver and cd player or whatever I choose as components. Do you rec. any budget stereo receivers, and I do mean BUDGET? Would it be better to get a new Home Theater receiver and replace the Denon I have in my signature?

 

[MatthewB.]

I think using the LCR2000's as a stero pair is a fantastic idea. In fact many people have done this with fantastic results. The dual 6.5" drivers in that speaker can easily acheive 40Hz without breaking a sweat and would blend perfectly with a sub. In fact I own a pair of DT BP7001sc that I have crossed over at 40Hz (even though they have a built in sub) but the bass in the towers gets boomy when run full range and if I could go back in time, I would not spend so much money on the towers and would've bought three LCR2000's and used them across the front. Because the drivers and tweets all match, you will get a seamless effect across the front (although to be safe I would cross the 2000's at 60Hz and the LCR3000 at 40Hz and blend with a great sub, will give you great sound quality. Don't let the size full you. I have the towers and feel the LCR series are better handling at the upper and mid range than the towers are. Enjoy your setup. BTW the LCR2000 are highly coveted and sell very high on ebay for a reason.

 

[MatthewB.]

Murl relooking at your sig, i see with the added 2000 you would have the ultimate 7.1 system if you finally break out that 3000. Use the 2000TL as your mains, the BP10's as your side surrounds (since they are bipolar) and use the LCR 2000's as your rear channel (direct firing) use your LCR3000 as your center and you will have no need to upgrade EVER!!!! Man I'm jealous, I would love that system compared to my BP7001s, LCR2002, Studio 450's and Mythos Gems as rears.

 

[GlocksRock]

I agree with MatthewB. Definitely use th CLR3000 for the center, I upgraded to that from a CLR2002 and it was a night and day difference. I just wish I had more room to the sides in my living room, because I would be using BP-8s instead of BP2xs, but I'm very happy with my setup, both of them actually... DefTechs are awesome, especially when paried with an SVS sub!

 

[murl]

Murl relooking at your sig, i see with the added 2000 you would have the ultimate 7.1 system if you finally break out that 3000. Use the 2000TL as your mains, the BP10's as your side surrounds (since they are bipolar) and use the LCR 2000's as your rear channel (direct firing) use your LCR3000 as your center and you will have no need to upgrade EVER!!!! Man I'm jealous, I would love that system compared to my BP7001s, LCR2002, Studio 450's and Mythos Gems as rears.

I do like that idea and I have pondered it but I have two problems right now. The room isn't big enough, that is about to change in a year. The biggest is the Wife Approval Factor, she wants everything to match, so I may have to buy two more BP-10B's later on down the road if I want 7.1. It is definetely something to think about for the future.

 

[murl]

I agree with MatthewB. Definitely use th CLR3000 for the center, I upgraded to that from a CLR2002 and it was a night and day difference. I just wish I had more room to the sides in my living room, because I would be using BP-8s instead of BP2xs, but I'm very happy with my setup, both of them actually... DefTechs are awesome, especially when paried with an SVS sub!

I plan on adding the SVS sub down the road when we actually buy a house. I haven't shown my wife any of the SVS stuff yet because I don't think she will like the looks of them, again she likes things to match. I'm hoping she will get so excited when we buy a house, it will be like yes dear get whichever little subwoofer you want. If I had to stay with Deftech for a sub would is there really a night and day difference between an SVS and the trinity or reference? Did I just hijack my own thread?

 

[MatthewB.]

Murl, I find it incerdible that your wife would agree to BP10 towers over the smaller 2000's in the rear channel configuration. I mean those can be mounted high up and out of the way. Now if mentioning that fails, turn to your wife, slam your foot down, and say in a loud voice. "Listen women, I agreed to those damn Hummel figurines in the hallway, I agreed to suffer through holidays with Satans spawn whom you call family. I suffer the food you serve that would start a prison riot, and I stay faithful even though the hot new secretary with the low cut blouse in accounting wants to make me her beyatch. You have this whole house, all I ask for woman is one room that I can call my own and hang two very small speakers.

Now when the hysterical laughter or when she stops beating you across the head stops maybe you can garner some sympathy and hang the speakers.

You know we are gonna have to revoke your man card at the next meeting.

 

[MatthewB.]

Murl to answer your other question. For the cost I would go with the SVS over the reference. You could easily buy a SVS PB13 Ultra for the cost of the reference and it would have far tighter and lower extension bass. Now the Trinity is a whole other ballpark, but that would be a huge cost difference and you may find a better option is dual SVS subs to help with room null voids over just the one Trinity. But if size is a factor the Trinity would be a nice substitute. You could also go with an IB sub that would be hidden from view and would get you deeper bass than anthing you could buy in stores or by internet.

 

[murl]

IB help me out here? Like a DIY?

 

[MatthewB.]

IB= Infinate Baffle which means there is no box (or tube enclosure) so the back pressure is "infinate" I have heard two IB sub systems and the clarity and depth and overall feeling of your hair blowing back from the pressure is incredible. They are very cheap to build but you do need a large area behind the drivers for the speakers to vent to. Do a search on Youtube using "IB Sub" or Infinate Baffle" and you will see many fine examples of it in use. In fact for about 1,500 you could build an IB sub with four 15" drivers and an amp powerful enough to drive them and the pressure is greater than that of a SVS PB13 Ultra or Epik sub. But you have to make permanant holes in your walls or cieling (for the subs to vent into the attic), but they are mostly hidden (no box to take up space) and will give you incredible bass.

 

[murl]

Man MattB you really are trying to get me in trouble with the Wife aren't you......

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Man MattB you really are trying to get me in trouble with the Wife aren't you......

Well, I agree with your wife. Gotta match them. If BP10 for the sides, gotta do BP10 for the rears in 7.1.

 

[Nemo128]

I'm mismatched in speakers.

But for my listening environment, I am seriously oversized anyway.

 

[MatthewB.]

Murl, my master plan is to get the wife so mad she leaves you, collects the Deftechs in the settlement and then I happen to stop by to introduce myself.

seriously whatever you go with, I am still jealous of your system.

 

[murl]

HaHa, thats great, there are some days she would probably love to trade me and theh home theater, but probably more so me. You know she doesn't have a bad idea about matching the backs because bp10s are awesome speakers too.

MattB didn't you say that you had some 7001SC's?

 

[MatthewB.]

Hmmm should I be concerned that your willing to dump her on me.

Yes I have the 7001sc as mains, LCR 2002 center, Studio 450's sides and Mythos gems rear channels. (Had to go with the Gems because space is real tight in my main HT system.) I realize the center and rears are mismatched drivers, but I also felt the the center had a better (um tighter) sound for center duties than the LCR 2000 (don't get me wrong I would love to have the 2000 for piece of mind about timbre matching, but the 2002 does fantastic in it's own right. Moneys tight otherwise I would jump on another pair of 450's for the rears at 6th ave (on sale for 248+50.00 shipping to AZ) but my GF would chop off that is near and dear if I spend more money on speakers. I have 3 HT systems already. But the gyms do an okay job with trying to blend, but it's lack of deep frequency response is a bummer. It clips at anything around 100Hz even with the speakers two feet away from my head, so have them crossed at 120Hz.

 

[murl]

Oh No, I'm not trying to dump her, she's alright I think I'll keep her. Anyone willing to put up with me and my habits is definetely a keeper.

Sounds like you have a pretty nice set up. How do you like the Studio 450's? I have always kind of wanted some of those, I think they look fantastic but I have never been able to listen to them.

Hmmm should I be concerned that your willing to dump her on me.

Yes I have the 7001sc as mains, LCR 2002 center, Studio 450's sides and Mythos gems rear channels. (Had to go with the Gems because space is real tight in my main HT system.) I realize the center and rears are mismatched drivers, but I also felt the the center had a better (um tighter) sound for center duties than the LCR 2000 (don't get me wrong I would love to have the 2000 for piece of mind about timbre matching, but the 2002 does fantastic in it's own right. Moneys tight otherwise I would jump on another pair of 450's for the rears at 6th ave (on sale for 248+50.00 shipping to AZ) but my GF would chop off that is near and dear if I spend more money on speakers. I have 3 HT systems already. But the gyms do an okay job with trying to blend, but it's lack of deep frequency response is a bummer. It clips at anything around 100Hz even with the speakers two feet away from my head, so have them crossed at 120Hz.

 

[MatthewB.]

For there size the 450's blend perfectly with the BP7001sc. I have the 7001's crossed over at 40Hz and the 450's at 60Hz It is a seamless blend (at least till you get to the gems, but then again those are in rear channel so they are there for ambience. I was blwon away by the heft and construction of the 450's but don't be fooled, they will not even come close to what DT claims they get down to. But I feel they eaisly get down to 50Hz without breaking a sweat. I ususally cross over my speakers higher so they don't run as hard, but the sound is quite amazing. I also have a SVS NSD 12/2 sub to handle the low end (my gain is only at 2 and receiver is at -15 (lowest the Onkyo will go) and the bass just at that level still shakes the couch and fills the room with clean deep bass (any higher and it sets off my GF's asthma) I use the subs in the towers as mid bass drivers to fill up the front half (sub is in back).

 

[murl]

Sounds awesome, I plan on getting a sub when I get a bigger room, with the size room I have the two 15's in the BP2000s are too much. I'm kind of excited about setting up the CLR's in stereo.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How do you like the Studio 450's? I have always kind of wanted some of those, I think they look fantastic but I have never been able to listen to them.

You know The Audio Critic reviewed the SM450s and compared them to the much bigger tower B&W Matrix? The bottom line was that the SM450s matched the B&W in the mid-range and upper range, but, of course, lacked the bass compared to the bigger B&W. Pretty impressive.