Need help in finding warm sounding receiver to pair with Paradigm Monitors

[nevermind]

I recently purchased Paradigm monitor 7 towers with center and surrounds. I am looking for a warm sounding receiver under $1000 to tone down the brighter sounding paradigms. My initial choice was Marantz SR6006 but I read on the forums that it is an identical twin of Denon 2312. Has anyone listened to the new marantz receivers? OR can someone suggest any other receiver that would have similar sound of older marantz receivers. Any comments will be appreciated.

 

[3db]

I recently purchased Paradigm monitor 7 towers with center and surrounds. I am looking for a warm sounding receiver under $1000 to tone down the brighter sounding paradigms. My initial choice was Marantz SR6006 but I read on the forums that it is an identical twin of Denon 2312. Has anyone listened to the new marantz receivers? OR can someone suggest any other receiver that would have similar sound of older marantz receivers. Any comments will be appreciated.

No such thing as a receiver that is warm or bright or whatever. All decent receivers, espicially in this price range are neutral adding no characteristic sound whatsoever. The proof is in the frequency response curve where the frequency response is dead flat way past the audio spectrum. An emphasis
in sound would dictate a peak or a reduction in amplitude of particular frequencies in the audio spectrum. Bright would mean an amplitude increase in the treble region or a reduction in the mids and bass regions and visa versa for warm sounding receivers.

You have a few options open to you. Treat your room acoustically as it may be a live room that emphasizes treble. Use an equalizer to reduce the treble emphasys (not the best way to handle things) or get new speakers. Receivers/amps will not do what you are looking for.

 

[markw]

Above poster is pretty much correct. Receivers are designed to be neutral as possible. You can pretty much buy then based on what you read.

Remember, speakers all sound different. They are made to sound different. That's why there are so many of them. Just because "everybody" says they are great speakers doesn't mean that you have to like 'em. That's personal preference in action.

If you don't like the sound of the speakers, start looking at the room they are in or even the speakers themselves.

Personally, I like Paradigms but can see where some might not, and I respect their opinion, jsut as I would expect them to respect mine. Many people like Brussels Sprouts but I personally find them about as appetizing as ipecac.

 

[agarwalro]

A "monitor" is a speaker that does not impart any tonal changes to the signal, aka accurate sound. By adding a "warm" receiver, you will have negated the accuracy of the Paradigm Monitor. The only way to do this right, is pair the monitor with an accurate receiver and (as mentioned by 3db) control the room's effect on sound.

Any big brand/mass market receiver (like, Denon, Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo) in the $1000 range will fit the accuracy criteria. Look for the product that meets your processing and power needs.

 

[GranteedEV]

Onkyos are known to get pretty warm

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

How come you bought the Paradigm speakers if they sound bright?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

A "monitor" is a speaker that does not impart any tonal changes to the signal, aka accurate sound. By adding a "warm" receiver, you will have negated the accuracy of the Paradigm Monitor. The only way to do this right, is pair the monitor with an accurate receiver and (as mentioned by 3db) control the room's effect on sound.

Any big brand/mass market receiver (like, Denon, Yamaha, Marantz, Onkyo) in the $1000 range will fit the accuracy criteria. Look for the product that meets your processing and power needs.

How do we know his Paradigm speakers are accurate?

I mean just because someone says "monitor" doesn't guarantee that it is truly a monitor, does it?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Onkyos are known to get pretty warm

I thought they were Smoking Hot?

 

[nevermind]

How come you bought the Paradigm speakers if they sound bright?

I didn't get a chance to audition them properly in store. The sales guy didn't have any music cd. All he had was some movie trailers and they sounded ok.

 

[GranteedEV]

I didn't get a chance to audition them properly in store. The sales guy didn't have any music cd. All he had was some movie trailers and they sounded ok.

Well that was a bad move! Can you return them?

 

[markw]

You've just learned a valuable lesson in shoppimg for audio.

I didn't get a chance to audition them properly in store. The sales guy didn't have any music cd. All he had was some movie trailers and they sounded ok.

This is exactly why I tell people to bring music to use for demo material when speaker shopping.

It's easy to make an impressive show with a loud movie. Boom/rumble/tizz played at loud levels can get anybody's blood pumping. Music takes a bit more finesse.

If a system pleases you with music, it'll do as well with movies. The opposite is not always true, as you just learned.

 

[nevermind]

Infact when I went to buy the speakers I didn't even realise something like this might happen. I had old JBL speakers and paradigms sounded very clear as compared to them. They are indeed excellent for watching movies but bit bright when listening to music. I'll have to pay 25% fee to return/exchange them.
It's not that I don't like them at all. All I am trying to do is pick the right receiver and a sub that would make my system a bit musical as well.

 

[GranteedEV]

All I am trying to do is pick the right receiver that would make my system a bit musical as well.

Not gonna happen. Your speakers' musicality is your systems' musicality. even if there's better electronics, they won't get you the results that you desire.

 

[markw]

All I am trying to do is pick the right receiver ... that would make my system a bit musical as well.

What part of this thread did you not understand?

From what you say about your experience with your old system, one would have thought that you would have considered bringing your own speaker test material when speaker shopping, particularly since your new speakers seem to exhibit the exact same characteristics that caused you to go speaker shopping in the first place.

 

[timoteo]

In the new HT Mag there is a review on the new Pioneer Elite SC-57. The reviewer loved the receiver but he did say that the Class D amps tend to roll off the highs a bit. He said that this avr should be paired with bright speakers & not speakers that are already on the dark side.

I thought that was interesting. Maybe the OP will as well.

I also believe that avrs are accurate & shouldnt color the sound. However there are the effects that the individual calibration systems make. YPAO, MCACC etc. Each change the way a particular speaker sounds. Then there are the manual EQ settings that he can tweak to tone down the brigh sound. Will these things "fix" a speaker or make it more musical?... NO but it may tame this issues he is having enough so he can live happily with his new buy.

Ideally, returning them so he can go out listening a lot B4 making another purchase is best. But that 25% can be a lot of $ to some of us!!

 

[agarwalro]

I mean just because someone says "monitor" doesn't guarantee that it is truly a monitor, does it?

I suppose

 

[mtrycrafts]

How come you bought the Paradigm speakers if they sound bright?

I guess so he can search for a 'warm' receiver/amp

 

[mtrycrafts]

... to tone down the brighter sounding paradigms. .... Any comments will be appreciated.

What amp/receiver do you have now, if any? Perhaps it has some tone controls? If so, try that first. After that, perhaps room correction or you may need some serious EQ. And, perhaps last resort, different speakers?

 

[timoteo]

In my last post i mentioned the Pioneer SC-57...my bad i didnt pay attention to your $1000 budget. The SC-57 retails for $2100 so the new ClassD amps are way over your budget. Sorry about that.

If you do become interested in the so called "warm sound" the ClassD amps put out, youd have to look into the previous models such as the SC-27 or SC-37 to be near budget.

I just wanted to make that correction!

 

[3db]

In the new HT Mag there is a review on the new Pioneer Elite SC-57. The reviewer loved the receiver but he did say that the Class D amps tend to roll off the highs a bit. He said that this avr should be paired with bright speakers & not speakers that are already on the dark side.

I thought that was interesting. Maybe the OP will as well.

Are you refering to the review done by HT Magazine? If so, take his comments with a grain of salt. None of amp, pre-amp, or recevier reviews show a frequency response so it may be just some subjective mumbo jumbo on his part.