Pioneer Andrew Jones vs. Wavecrest HVL-1?

[theJman]

I went ahead and went with this:

Denon 1100 receiver
5 HVL-1s
PSA XS15 sub (on sale for $599 - Tom said sale off in a couple of days)

Hope this is all worth it! Thanks again.

It will be worth it. I've never had the opportunity to evaluate the receiver, but the speakers and sub I have. Both are exceptional values, from a monetary and sound quality perspective. At 5500 ft^3 your room is huge, so don't expect theater levels of output, but do expect a very pleasant experience.

After everything is tuned and broken in be sure to come back and post your thoughts.

 

[maverick22]

It will be worth it. I've never had the opportunity to evaluate the receiver, but the speakers and sub I have. Both are exceptional values, from a monetary and sound quality perspective. At 5500 ft^3 your room is huge, so don't expect theater levels of output, but do expect a very pleasant experience.

After everything is tuned and broken in be sure to come back and post your thoughts.

Thanks, makes me feel better about my purchases. Thanks for taking the time to make your thorough reviews! Really helps out the consumer when these products aren't available right up the street to demo.

 

[psbfan9]

Thanks for the input everyone! I really do appreciate it.

I went ahead and went with this:

Denon 1100 receiver
5 HVL-1s
PSA XS15 sub (on sale for $599 - Tom said sale off in a couple of days)

Hope this is all worth it! Thanks again.

It's all worth it. Congratulations!

Before Wavecrest ships, they open, inspect and test all speakers. This adds to shipping time but well worth the wait. They do this to make sure the speakers you get are flawless. Quality control at its best.

Enjoy!

 

[theJman]

Thanks, makes me feel better about my purchases. Thanks for taking the time to make your thorough reviews! Really helps out the consumer when these products aren't available right up the street to demo.

You're quite welcome. One of the things I pride myself on is not being afraid to evaluate obscure or less well known brands. Having uncovered a few gems - like WaveCrest - makes it all the more worthwhile.

 

[maverick22]

It's all worth it. Congratulations!

Before Wavecrest ships, they open, inspect and test all speakers. This adds to shipping time but well worth the wait. They do this to make sure the speakers you get are flawless. Quality control at its best.

Enjoy!

Thanks, yes Curtis has been great so far. He has answered many questions and informed me of the QA. I think it's worth waiting for.

 

[Thomoz]

I would like Bluetooth although I probably wouldn't use it a ton. I saw Jim said that the HLVs might not work well with the Dayton sub.
"I wouldn't notrecommend that pairing, but it didn't strike me as ideal. If someone is looking for inexpensive speakers they will generally be looking for a budget-friendly subwooferas well. The SUB-1200is still an excellent value in my opinion, but the HVL-1's resolved better than the Dayton sub was capable of.

If that configuration is what finances allow I don't think anyone would be disappointed, I just felt the Wave Crest speakers favored something a bit more articulate."

Read more: http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-audio-speakers/72160-wave-crest-audio-hvl-1-discussion-thread-4.html#ixzz3eV5axT4l

You are the 2nd person in a short list of suggestions that recommended that 1100 Denon receiver. Must be pretty good. Might just go with that. Does it have all the latest decoders (dts, Dolby, etc.), or is that above what my setup needs? *edit--I just saw that it has those

I will definitely be using the whole setup more for TV/movies than I will music, if that changes anything regarding the sub suggestion. Is front firing better than down firing for subs? My wife may hate 2 subs in the room. Is 1 of those not good enough? Maybe I could try 1 at first, then a 2nd later if I feel necessary.

Thank you very much for the reply!

I would stay away from Bluetooth for transmission of any musical content. I work part time at the Atlanta HiFi Buys and although they have terrific hi Fi gear there I have never heard a decent sounding implementation of bluetooth music.

I have not heard the WaveCrest speakers but the Pioneer Sp BS22 is a magnificent sounding speaker for the money and depending on the quality of your amp they don't sound hard when you turn it up loud. This is a rare enough occurrence, particularly at that price point, that I highly recommend them to anyone on a budget or hurting for floor space.

 

[Thomoz]

Since you have such large room, I have to suggest option C , and yes it's a bit more expensive, but I think it will provide massive improvements (due to very large space)
It's HSU Hybrid 3 HP - 3.1 Package in Satin Black.
Only thing missing is two surrounds - which could be pio's BS22, Micca 42x or almost any pair of old speakers you can find.
The reason for my recommendation is these HSU speakers will be able to play louder with ease.
I think based on reviews HLV-1 is great speaker, but in terms of dymanics not in same league as HSU speakers. The package also includes amazing value VTF3-MK5 sub which should fill your very large room with great bass. Later on you probably would want to add a second one.

Another bonus - you won't need to go crazy with AVR power - these would very loud even with 50w per channel

I would not recommend setting up a surround system with speakers that are not identical or designed by a single manufacturer to be sold together.

With mixed brands you are very likely (almost certainly) to get different efficiency, tone, dynamics etc. between your fronts and rears and this is usually a very bad thing. A wraparound and seamless soundstage from 5.1 SACD becomes impossible, just as one example.

 

[Thomoz]

Yep. In fact, this is an ideal set up. With all three speakers the same model in the same series they are exactly timbre matched.
You can orient the center either horizontally or vertically. It's personal preference. I thought vertical looked better. Well, If I'm honest, my wife told me vertical looked better ...

Great advice here. I recommend 5 matching speakers in a 5.1 setup whenever possible or financially practical.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I would not recommend setting up a surround system with speakers that are not identical or designed by a single manufacturer to be sold together.

With mixed brands you are very likely (almost certainly) to get different efficiency, tone, dynamics etc. between your fronts and rears and this is usually a very bad thing. A wraparound and seamless soundstage from 5.1 SACD becomes impossible, just as one example.

I partially disagree. Besides one single example of multi channel music (such as SACD or DVDA) identical 5 speakers are not required only front 3 are.
I would also say that really identical vertical fronts are better than 2 booksheves/towers and a center.
Rarely performance of center can match one of decent bookshelf speaker

 

[Thomoz]

I have too many DVD-audio and SACDs where there is equal energy and attention in the mix in the rears as there is in the fronts, a fine example being the 'talking heads brick'. It was entirely out of experience and not supposition from which I drew this conclusion, that your monitors should match for a best wraparound, seamless soundfield.

I suspect if you ask professionals who actually mixed things into surround, like David Tickle or Steven Wilson, they are likely to agree with me that this is a necessary step for proper system set up.

 

[KEW]

What's the story on the Dayton 1500?

I always see yall talking about the 1200, but I see the 1500 on PE.

I expect the SUB-1500 is better than the SUB-1200 in many ways and suspect the SUB-1000 and SUB-800 are also very good with the expected decrease in performance from smaller drivers. However, I have heard the SUB-1200 and Jman measured and reviewed them.
For me the SUB-1200 is a known quantity and it is good. If one can infer that it's siblings have equal qualities, they are good too, but I'm not willing to make that assumption.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

I have too many DVD-audio and SACDs where there is equal energy and attention in the mix in the rears as there is in the fronts, a fine example being the 'talking heads brick'. It was entirely out of experience and not supposition from which I drew this conclusion, that your monitors should match for a best wraparound, seamless soundfield.

I suspect if you ask professionals who actually mixed things into surround, like David Tickle or Steven Wilson, they are likely to agree with me that this is a necessary step for proper system set up.

I don't think we are even arguing about it. But I will say this: "I have too many DVD-audio and SACDs " - this makes you VERY unique. Vast majority of visitors here ether enjoy 2 channel music or HT.

And again, for proper surround music as you've mentioned 5 identical speakers is best way to go, but my point is for much, much more usual setup of 2ch music and HT it's not as important

btw: Wavecrest HLV-1 over Original Pioneers BS22 any day, without even hint of competition. Denis Murphy's modified AA - now they were in same league, not so the original Bs22 bookshelf.

 

[KEW]

Not to be rude Kurt, but I would not avoid the PB1000 it does very well with music and yes it does well with movies and explosions.

No offense taken.

The OP has indicated a priority of music over HT and in conversations with Jman it is clear that matching the articulation of the HVL's is a concern. Admittedly, most music would not get into the SVS's boom frequency (mid-low 20's). But if you were listening to pipe organ or dubstep and those lower notes were played, it would horribly muddy the music (especially after room gain).

PB1000

If the price was the same or close, it would be a more difficult decision.

However, given the current sale on the XS15 at $600, that makes so much more sense. While the chart below is for the XS15se, it and the XS15 share the same cabinet and amp. The XS15se has a better (more efficient) driver, but Tom says they perform similar until the XS15 is pushed to it's SPL limits.

XS15se

 

[afterlife2]

I don't play pipe organ or dubstep music often. More Jazz, Pop, Rock, Classical, R&B and some Bob Marley and I leave that to the Dayton 1200. I mostly use the SVS PB for Movies/Concerts and once in a while SACD/DTS 5.1. I also live in a small studio apt. The XS15se would get me thrown out.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

The XS15se would get me thrown out.

Not if you don't use it

 

[Thomoz]

I am going to have to hear these Wavecrest speakers, that's all there is to it.

I got beat up recently on Facebook in an audio group suggesting that a bookshelf sized two-way was even worth considering. It seems some people want all that energy below 80hz or so at the expense of linearity or imaging capability at the frequencies above that. So a bookshelf speaker to them, no matter how nice and musical, is "a joke".

These guys were looking at 40 year old Pioneer speakers with the huge paper woofers and getting all excited but damn, those speakers invariably sound like crap to me - they make the amp sound grainy, there's no front to back depth or sense of space within the recording even audible. It plays LOUD and rattles the windows, and therefore it must be desirable.

It reminded me of the story I read once that as music listeners get into stereo equipment they at first they only listen to the bass;
Then later, only the treble,
then later still only the midrange.

Most never even look for depth, spatial cues, scale, dynamics, realism.

Reading what large groups throw out there I'm beginning to believe it.

 

[verynate]

I put the HVL-1's in my dad's house for Father's day. They play bigger than they look and will get loud. Terrific sound with lot's of mid range and that front port is awesome. Worth the money and then some. I will probably get a set for my room. I can also speak for the PSA subs. I have two XS15se's. For music, they are elegant rounding out guitar strings and tactile for drum licks. Put on something that digs deep and these subs will go as far as you are willing to push them. Movies? Forget about it. They move the furniture.

You have chosen well. Please post your thoughts!

 

[Defcon]

The Pioneer AJ speakers are very inefficient. I do not recommend them to anyone with entry level receivers. They have trouble playing loud.

I'd think the Wavecrest are a better speaker. My recommendation in this price range is the Infinity Primus P363 easily.

 

[KEW]

The Pioneer AJ speakers are very inefficient. I do not recommend them to anyone with entry level receivers. They have trouble playing loud.

I'd think the Wavecrest are a better speaker. My recommendation in this price range is the Infinity Primus P363 easily.

I'm not sure you can call them in the same price range. The P363 are discounted to $200/EACH while the WaveCrest is $200/PAIR.
If you are buying $200 speakers, $400 is a big increase!

 

[Defcon]

I'm not sure you can call hem in the same price range. The P363 are discounted to $200/EACH while the WaveCrest is $200/PAIR.
If you are buying $200 speakers, $400 is a big increase!

Its not hard to get the floor standing P363 for $200/pair, since the P363 are frequently on sale (every month or so) for $100 each which makes them the same value. One can also go down to the P163 which is a bookshelf speaker and is $86 each retail or $55 discounted when you can get them.