my setup, need suggestions.

[Serg911]

Hi, new here. I have an Onkyos SR801, external Carver amp (5 channels), Polk Rt600 mains, a polk sw10 sub, and a Klipsh center. Optical Digital connections from my satellite receiver and dvd to the onkyo receiver. Obviously this is a 'budget' setup, but I'm broke and this is what I can afford to have right now.
My question is, do i really need to have the carver amp connected with this setup, or would I be better off selling the Amp and speakers to help finance a better set of speakers?
I think the receiver I have is good enough to run almost any speaker without the need for an external receiver.
I would like to get main speakers which do not require a subwoofer, I've tired 3 different subs and they just do not sound right in my living room (hardwood floor, and brick back wall, and long french door to the left of it). Was thinking on dusting off my old Bose 901s V ---I know most people don't like them, but I don't mind them at all-- and test them for a week or so to see how they sound in the living room.
any advice, suggestions as to what speakers to get or consider? mind you, they will have to be finance mostly by what I can sell my equipment for (amp and polk/klipsh speakes and sub, possibly the 901s as well)

thank you, and no doubt I'll be on this site quite often as a/v is an interest of mine since very young age.
Serg

 

[Knucklehead90]

Do you have the equalizer for the 901s? If not it will be hard to get them to sound good in that room. I'm not familiar with the Onkyo 801 - how would the Bose equalizer connect to it? This is the big reason why many people end up selling them these days - limited ability to connect the equalizer to more modern receivers and AVRs.

As for using the external amp why not disconnect it and try your speakers without it? Those Polks aren't a hard load for your AVR. The SR801 should have enough power in a room such as that. Heck - you might be able to drive them with a boom box amp in a reflective room like that.

I would think your Polk 10" sub would have a tough time in a large room regardless of the reflective surfaces. Try a good sub and you'll understand what one is supposed to sound like. Polk makes good speakers - not so good subs.

 

[KEW]

The connectivity problem with the Bose 901 EQ system is you need the EQ for the 901's, but the EQ would ruin the sound of your surrounds.
Most likely, you have a pre-output connection on your receiver. If so, your best option is to get an external stereo amp:
Onkyo - Bose EQ - External amp - Bose 901's

Your surrounds could then run straight off of the Onkyo since the EQ signal was isolated.

If you have an clear image of the back of your receiver, it would be useful in verifying this info.

 

[WaynePflughaupt]

Since you already have an outboard amp, it’ll be no problem to connect the Bose equalizer – it could connect between the receiver and amp.

Obviously this is a 'budget' setup, but I'm broke and this is what I can afford to have right now.
I would like to get main speakers which do not require a subwoofer, I've tired 3 different subs and they just do not sound right...

There appears to be a bit of conflict between your desires of your situation. Speakers capable enough to preclude the use of a subwoofer are going to be large and expensive.

If the SW10 is an example of the subs you’ve tried out, no wonder you haven’t been happy with them. Don’t mean to offend you, but IIR the SW10 is generally regarded as a bottom-rung sub. I suggest trying a sub that’s capable of digging down to 20 Hz or lower before giving up on them. Besides, you aren’t going to find many main speakers capable of getting that low that cost less than a used car. Did you equalize your previous subs? If not that might explain why you haven’t been happy with them.

Regards,
Wayne A. Pflughaupt

 

[westcott]

Hi, new here. I have an Onkyos SR801, external Carver amp (5 channels), Polk Rt600 mains, a polk sw10 sub, and a Klipsh center. Optical Digital connections from my satellite receiver and dvd to the onkyo receiver. Obviously this is a 'budget' setup, but I'm broke and this is what I can afford to have right now.
My question is, do i really need to have the carver amp connected with this setup, or would I be better off selling the Amp and speakers to help finance a better set of speakers?
I think the receiver I have is good enough to run almost any speaker without the need for an external receiver.
I would like to get main speakers which do not require a subwoofer, I've tired 3 different subs and they just do not sound right in my living room (hardwood floor, and brick back wall, and long french door to the left of it). Was thinking on dusting off my old Bose 901s V ---I know most people don't like them, but I don't mind them at all-- and test them for a week or so to see how they sound in the living room.
any advice, suggestions as to what speakers to get or consider? mind you, they will have to be finance mostly by what I can sell my equipment for (amp and polk/klipsh speakes and sub, possibly the 901s as well)

thank you, and no doubt I'll be on this site quite often as a/v is an interest of mine since very young age.
Serg

I would have to agree with you. I would sell the amp at this stage and inveest in a better speaker "system".

The best thing to do when you are broke is take this time to do some research. Not only product research, but proper speaker placement, subwoofer placement, acoustic treatments, etc. There is a wealth of knowledge on this site and others.

Keep us posted on your progress. I hope to learn from everybody!

 

[Serg911]

great advise, and no offense taken wayn. I do have the original equalizer for the 901s and the speakers were refoamed less than two years ago. The subs I've tried are a Klipsh 8" powered, a Bose acoustimass series 7 which is passive, and the polk sw10 powered. And honestly, the one that sounded the best, was the Bose.
I will connect the 901's possibly tomorrow and give them a try I know they are very hard to place properly. The connection for the bose would be as like this: onkyo R-L out to the bose equalizer in, then equalizer out to the amp, then amp to the 901s. I have an older solid state accoustech amp that I can use if I sell this carver.
thanx all for your advice