Have I turned my floor standers into bookshelf speakers?

[jarrett baines]

I recently took advice from the good people on this site. I have Paradigm prestige 75f's which I'm quite proud of being my first speakers to go over 700 bucks. At Canadian prices this is no mean feat. So I changed my speaker sizes down to small and set them at 80Hz. Has this effectively made my nice 4 driver speaker into a two way bookshelf. If so 8 could have saved alot of money and just bought the prestige 15b bookshelf speakers at less than half the price. Could I have made that big of a mistake and why bother with floor standers at all?
I don't know hopefully some one can help to clear that mind bender up.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

As you say you set crossover at 80Hz I assume you have sub to go with them? And no, your speakers are not a bookshelf speakers when you set them as small. This just takes unnecessary load from your receiver to run those towers while your sub works for the low end instead of your towers extending there.

 

[ski2xblack]

If your room is tiny and/or your listening habits are strictly on the more modest end of the spl spectrum, then perhaps you could have saved some ducats and gotten the smaller speakers.

But don't underestimate the importance of greater dynamic range in frequencies above those which your sub handles. You have not limited what your speakers can do above 80 hz, and they can do more than the smaller 15b.

So don't fret over the added dynamic capability you have, just enjoy the music.

 

[jarrett baines]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I have a sub, it's a Paradigm Millenia sub. And it's a pretty nice solution to my horrible room situation.
No I was just curious if I would have been smarter going with bookshelves. I really had no reason to go with floor standers other than its been my dream to have a nice pair of them. I would love to have gone with the 6.5 inch drivers because my brain says bigger better. But they would have made my small room smaller. Now I. Thinking maybe smaller is the way to go. I guess I'm trying to justify my expense.

 

[lovinthehd]

How big is your room? Speaker placement in the room? Listening position within the speakers? SPL requirement? All comes into play so hard to tell from your info what might suffice or not. Your sub is inadequate IMHO but I think we may have had that conversation in another thread....

 

[jarrett baines]

No your new to me. I don't believe sitting here listening to this that it's inadequate at all. Goes very low and insanely loud. How is that inadequate? I was going to get an svs sub but my room is 24ft long and about 11 feet wide. So this was a simple suction that everyone who's heard it is amazed by it. When I move I'll add a second one or I'll get my dream svs sub but at that price I'll only get one.
So maybe the truth hurts but I'm happy with what I got.

 

[jarrett baines]

If your room is tiny and/or your listening habits are strictly on the more modest end of the spl spectrum, then perhaps you could have saved some ducats and gotten the smaller speakers.

But don't underestimate the importance of greater dynamic range in frequencies above those which your sub handles. You have not limited what your speakers can do above 80 hz, and they can do more than the smaller 15b.

So don't fret over the added dynamic capability you have, just enjoy the music.

Thanks for that. I love the sound so much. But my marantz sr6010 is giving me grief and the rear right channel is badly making static noises and popping very loudly. I've been using my receiver for 4 weeks and now it's going for repairs. I've had miserable luck getting this all together. But the end result is worth all the stress. I'm even considering adding a two or three channel power amp from Anthem.
Wish me luck, I'll need it for sure.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Thanks for that. I love the sound so much. But my marantz sr6010 is giving me grief and the rear right channel is badly making static noises and popping very loudly. I've been using my receiver for 4 weeks and now it's going for repairs. I've had miserable luck getting this all together. But the end result is worth all the stress. I'm even considering adding a two or three channel power amp from Anthem.
Wish me luck, I'll need it for sure.

Have you tried swapping rear right and left cables to make sure it is not a cable issue? I assume you have checked the connections that nothing is loose..

 

[jarrett baines]

No I've done and checked all of that. Connections are all good. Changed my right and left speakers. Bought a new roll of wire and ran connection directly in from receiver to speaker and nothing helped. The strange thing is that when I changed speakers and then the wire it took some time for the static to come back and it's louder now and the popping comes back a short time after that. At first the sound would go away for close to a day of the stereo being turned on and the last time it i attempted something it was around half an hour. Like I said I've tried several things over the past few days and that time is growing shorter and shorter for the static and popping to come back. So that's a head scratcher. Any ideas. I'm worried when it goes for repairs they won't hear it and just send it back to me. Hard to take when you buy new.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

No I've done and checked all of that. Connections are all good. Changed my right and left speakers. Bought a new roll of wire and ran connection directly in from receiver to speaker and nothing helped. The strange thing is that when I changed speakers and then the wire it took some time for the static to come back and it's louder now and the popping comes back a short time after that. At first the sound would go away for close to a day of the stereo being turned on and the last time it i attempted something it was around half an hour. Like I said I've tried several things over the past few days and that time is growing shorter and shorter for the static and popping to come back. So that's a head scratcher. Any ideas. I'm worried when it goes for repairs they won't hear it and just send it back to me. Hard to take when you buy new.

In my experience Marantz service has worked quite well. I have had my receiver serviced twice with problem that they were not able to reproduce yet they still changed the problematic part. Just write detailed problem description with it listing all problems you are facing and when they occur. I also included description of my whole setup.

 

[herbu]

Could I have made that big of a mistake and why bother with floor standers at all?

I love the sound so much.

Seems like you answered your own question.

 

[jarrett baines]

In my experience Marantz service has worked quite well. I have had my receiver serviced twice with problem that they were not able to reproduce yet they still changed the problematic part. Just write detailed problem description with it listing all problems you are facing and when they occur. I also included description of my whole setup.

That is some great news. This is very stressful it was an expensive set up and I'm not a wealthy person by any means. I will definitely do all that you suggested I'll even call down there if they'll give me a number.
So I take it service calls like this are part for the course, man I hope not, I'm just hoping the shop I bought my gear through will lend me an onkyo they have.
How long was your service call if you don't mind me asking? Just curious how long I can expect it back. I know it'll be different everywhere. They only need to send mine 100 km to Victoria BC.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

That is some great news. This is very stressful it was an expensive set up and I'm not a wealthy person by any means. I will definitely do all that you suggested I'll even call down there if they'll give me a number.
So I take it service calls like this are part for the course, man I hope not, I'm just hoping the shop I bought my gear through will lend me an onkyo they have.
How long was your service call if you don't mind me asking? Just curious how long I can expect it back. I know it'll be different everywhere. They only need to send mine 100 km to Victoria BC.

It really depends on how busy are they and do they have the parts on hand. But I would expect something between 2-4 weeks.

 

[sterling shoote]

Did you actually switch rear speakers, not just speaker wire? The popping sounds like a speaker issue, not the receiver. Popping is generally produced by clipping, that's to say, over driving the speakers by pumping up the volume from an amp with too little power. This can damage the speaker. Run the mains speaker wire to the surrounds, if you still have popping in the one rear speaker it's a speaker issue, if not, then it's a amplification, amp short produced by heat, or loose connection issue. BTW, if it is the Marantz I would not send to Marantz. I would take it back to the store for an exchange or a store credit. Let the store have the problem. If you bought on line then call the store for a return ticket. I would not use warranty service on a new unit at all. Why should you pay in time or money for a defective product? Also, if it is a receiver defect in the amplification stage, this can damage the speaker if clipping (popping) is excessive.

 

[jarrett baines]

I've done everything in the process of elimination to rule out speakers. I did as was suggested even restricting all of my speaker wire and changing speakers. The popping persisted only on the right rear channel.
So I brought it to the store and as I've said to the owner as well as the audioholics on here the sound doesn't start right away. Sometimes it starts an hour after a change in wire or some other change. Once it lasted for ten hours. The stattic and popping come back. Now the guys at the store are saying I caused it because I changed some setting. I changed the speaker sizes to small and the crossovers at 80Hz. Except for the rear channels which I left at 120Hz. Funny thing is it raised my rear speakers levels to twice as loud as the rest. So they noticed the volume changes and are saying that I caused the stattic and popping. And now they just want to give it back with nothing repaired. Man did I pick the wrong shop? They also said I need to keep those fronts as large speakers. But my sub sound great and I don't want to lose that.
Sorry for the jumbled mess. I'm an sick person and just trying to get the mess of stress onto the net so I can get some answers from people who have nothing to gain but only like to help. So thanks.
If you need clearer account let me know.
My system.
Marantz sr6010
Paradigm prestige 75f's
Paradigm prestige 45c
Paradigm millenia ones
Paradigm millenia sub
Oppo 103
Cheap cables around 45 can. Each. From Phantom cables. Rear speakers very cheap copper 18 Guage wire banana's to bare wire.
And an older model led 55" lg tv.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Changing those crossover settings has nothing to do with the issue imo. If they say your front speakers should be set as large just gives out how much they know, not much.

Your shop should be able to send the receiver for repairs without any hassle. If they refuce the service I would contact your nearest official Marantz repair shop and ask them directly for repair, they should be able to do it if you have original receipt for the purchase and it is still under warranty. They should pay for the shipping as well. If you cant find official repair shop close to you then I would contant Marantz importer in your country/state and ask them where you should have it repaired and also inform them that the shop you bought it refuces service.

I don't know laws in your country, but here seller is responsible for things like that by law and usually it is quite easy to deal with them, and customer doesnt need to pay for anything if its under warranty. I have talked with our importer as well and he said that its ok to deal directly with repair shop as well if you have all needed documents. So I would guess it should work like that elsewhere as well?

 

[sterling shoote]

Here's something else that could be happening: volume level of rear speakers could be set at a very high volume level; thus, when you play something which was mixed to be heard loudly from rear speaker/s you will cause your amp to clip. This will produce the popping and static like sound you have described..

Go to the set-up section of your amp's manual to understand how to use your amp's built-in test tone function to match volume of channels.

I have my rear channels set to match volume of front speakers. The way this is judged is by producing the test tone, which will rotate from left front, center, right front, rear right, and finally rear left.

At any rate, reducing the volume level of your rear speakers will I think solve your problem. Then when you use the master volume every channel will be heard as you desired. Of course if this does not solve your problem call Marantz.

 

[jarrett baines]

Changing those crossover settings has nothing to do with the issue imo. If they say your front speakers should be set as large just gives out how much they know, not much.

Your shop should be able to send the receiver for repairs without any hassle. If they refuce the service I would contact your nearest official Marantz repair shop and ask them directly for repair, they should be able to do it if you have original receipt for the purchase and it is still under warranty. They should pay for the shipping as well. If you cant find official repair shop close to you then I would contant Marantz importer in your country/state and ask them where you should have it repaired and also inform them that the shop you bought it refuces service.

I don't know laws in your country, but here seller is responsible for things like that by law and usually it is quite easy to deal with them, and customer doesnt need to pay for anything if its under warranty. I have talked with our importer as well and he said that its ok to deal directly with repair shop as well if you have all needed documents. So I would guess it should work like that elsewhere as well?

Thanks so much for your help. It's really stress full when you don't know what your doing and by you of course I mean me. I just wanted to follow what I've learned about bass management. By the way small speakers at 80Hz is so nice.. the only ones I left were the rears which I left small at 120Hz. Is that going to increase the volume levels of my rears? Because that's what they are saying at my shop. They said I set them that way but I didn't touch those levels l, that I'm aware of. I want to keep a good relationship with them but from what all you are telling me they don't know what they're talking about. So it puts me in an awkward situation. But damn it that's my 10k on the line not there's.
Cheers have a great day. Sunny here on the west coast of British Columbia.

 

[tyhjaarpa]

Thanks so much for your help. It's really stress full when you don't know what your doing and by you of course I mean me. I just wanted to follow what I've learned about bass management. By the way small speakers at 80Hz is so nice.. the only ones I left were the rears which I left small at 120Hz. Is that going to increase the volume levels of my rears? Because that's what they are saying at my shop. They said I set them that way but I didn't touch those levels l, that I'm aware of. I want to keep a good relationship with them but from what all you are telling me they don't know what they're talking about. So it puts me in an awkward situation. But damn it that's my 10k on the line not there's.
Cheers have a great day. Sunny here on the west coast of British Columbia.

Crossover setting won't change volume. Check your speaker level (I believe this was the name of the setting) settings for level differences, this effects in volume of invidual speakers.

edit:
http://us.marantz.com/DocumentMaster/US/SR6010U_ENG_PDF_UG_v00.pdf on page 228

 

[sterling shoote]

Thanks so much for your help. It's really stress full when you don't know what your doing and by you of course I mean me. I just wanted to follow what I've learned about bass management. By the way small speakers at 80Hz is so nice.. the only ones I left were the rears which I left small at 120Hz. Is that going to increase the volume levels of my rears? Because that's what they are saying at my shop. They said I set them that way but I didn't touch those levels l, that I'm aware of. I want to keep a good relationship with them but from what all you are telling me they don't know what they're talking about. So it puts me in an awkward situation. But damn it that's my 10k on the line not there's.
Cheers have a great day. Sunny here on the west coast of British Columbia.

Leaving the rears at 120HZ does not mean you have addressed volume level for those speakers. I suspect you have the volume of the rears set at a very high level, too high perhaps. Either you accidently set the rears at a high level or it was set that way as received. As I said earlier, just activate your amp's test tone. If the test tone from the rears sound louder than front speakers turn the volume down on the rears. You may have individual rear, and center volume controls on your amp's remote control which should make this adjustment easy. If you can not figure out how to set volume for rear speakers, set the Marantz to original default condition. Either way, I think your popping and static sound you describe will go away.