Please critique my speaker selections, moving away from Elac's Uni-Fi's for my front three

D

drummertime

Junior Audioholic
Gents,
Firstly thank you for your time, I've learned a ton from reading posts and researching on the Audioholics site! Plus all the help I've received thus far, thanks and thanks!

Current setup:
Marantz SR-7011, Outlaw 7000X (driving all channels except my rear surrounds)

Speakers tower and center channel Elac Uni-fi UB5:
2 - Tower
  • frequency response: 42-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
Center
  • frequency response: 48-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • recommended amplifier power: 40-140 watts
2-Surrounds Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 bookshelves
  • frequency response: 46-35,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 6 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
2-Height Speakers Elac Debut IC-DT61-W
  • frequency response: 45-20,000 Hz
  • recommended amplifier power: 30-120 watts
  • sensitivity: 89 dB
  • impedance: 6 ohms
2-Rear Surrounds Elac Uni-Fi UB5 bookshelves
  • frequency response: 46-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
Subwoofer Sumiko S.9
  • frequency response: 35-120 Hz (-3dB)
  • 350-watt built-in Class AB amplifier (700-watts peak power)
  • down-firing 10" long-throw, treated-paper cone woofer with front-firing 10" passive radiator
  • bass reflex (passive radiator) cabinet design
  • continuously variable low-pass 30-120 Hz crossover
As you can see these speakers are extremely difficult to drive, given the sensitivity/ohm rating. I'm looking for speakers (Left, Center and Right) with higher sensitivity that can be better driven by my Outlaw amp. These are great at a volume around -15db, but once you push up to -10db the fidelity really starts to degrade. Even had an issue recently with a blown voice coil in the center channel coaxial speaker. I've been reading quite a bit in regards to speakers via https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/which-brand-makes-the-best-quality-loudspeakers.74416/.

1678978064111.png

The B&W are out of my price range and I've never been too sure about Klipsch. The Harmon brands I'm not very familiar with either. I'm looking to stay under the 3,000 dollar mark. I've been looking at:
SVS:
Ultra Center
Prime Pinnacle Floorstanding

KEF:
Q650c Center
Q550 Floorstanding

Monoprice:
Monolith by Monoprice THX-365C THX (Center)
Monolith by Monoprice THX-465T THX Certified (Floorstanding)

I do like the SVS in the fact that all their speakers are all timber matched. I like my speakers to be a little bass heavy. But for my price range, I'm really searching for suggestions on other brands and also comments on the speakers I've listed.

Thanks in advance!!
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Gents,
Firstly thank you for your time, I've learned a ton from reading posts and researching on the Audioholics site! Plus all the help I've received thus far, thanks and thanks!

Current setup:
Marantz SR-7011, Outlaw 7000X (driving all channels except my rear surrounds)

Speakers tower and center channel Elac Uni-fi UB5:
2 - Tower
  • frequency response: 42-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
Center
  • frequency response: 48-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • recommended amplifier power: 40-140 watts
2-Surrounds Elac Uni-Fi 2.0 bookshelves
  • frequency response: 46-35,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 6 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
2-Height Speakers Elac Debut IC-DT61-W
  • frequency response: 45-20,000 Hz
  • recommended amplifier power: 30-120 watts
  • sensitivity: 89 dB
  • impedance: 6 ohms
2-Rear Surrounds Elac Uni-Fi UB5 bookshelves
  • frequency response: 46-25,000 Hz
  • sensitivity: 85 dB
  • impedance: 4 ohms
  • maximum power input: 140 watts
Subwoofer Sumiko S.9
  • frequency response: 35-120 Hz (-3dB)
  • 350-watt built-in Class AB amplifier (700-watts peak power)
  • down-firing 10" long-throw, treated-paper cone woofer with front-firing 10" passive radiator
  • bass reflex (passive radiator) cabinet design
  • continuously variable low-pass 30-120 Hz crossover
As you can see these speakers are extremely difficult to drive, given the sensitivity/ohm rating. I'm looking for speakers (Left, Center and Right) with higher sensitivity that can be better driven by my Outlaw amp. These are great at a volume around -15db, but once you push up to -10db the fidelity really starts to degrade. Even had an issue recently with a blown voice coil in the center channel coaxial speaker. I've been reading quite a bit in regards to speakers via https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/which-brand-makes-the-best-quality-loudspeakers.74416/.

View attachment 60913
The B&W are out of my price range and I've never been too sure about Klipsch. The Harmon brands I'm not very familiar with either. I'm looking to stay under the 3,000 dollar mark. I've been looking at:
SVS:
Ultra Center
Prime Pinnacle Floorstanding

KEF:
Q650c Center
Q550 Floorstanding

Monoprice:
Monolith by Monoprice THX-365C THX (Center)
Monolith by Monoprice THX-465T THX Certified (Floorstanding)

I do like the SVS in the fact that all their speakers are all timber matched. I like my speakers to be a little bass heavy. But for my price range, I'm really searching for suggestions on other brands and also comments on the speakers I've listed.

Thanks in advance!!
Out of what you've listed, the Monoprice would be my choice and you really need a sub upgrade also.. If you like KEF's voicing you might be able to snag (3) Ref3s for a good price since the new metas are out.
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
When using a sub, "Bass heavy" does not factor into the main speakers. You would simply run your sub a little hot. With a good sub, you also probably don't entirely need towers, unless you listen to music without the sub. Nothing wrong with towers, but the same money will often buy you a much nicer bookshelf.

Do you have a very large room? I would expect that Outlaw amp to handle those speakers adequately. Reading some reviews of those Elacs though, I did see some comments that they had distortion that is related to their design, not necessarily power handling.

For SVS, I would go with Ultra bookshelf speakers not the lower towers, simply because that will be a more seamless front stage. Put the money you didn't spend on towers toward a new sub. If you're going to upgrade, might as well match the mains and look to upgrade the sub.

I have not heard the Monoprice speakers, but the reviews here on AH indicate they are pretty good.
 
D

drummertime

Junior Audioholic
When using a sub, "Bass heavy" does not factor into the main speakers. You would simply run your sub a little hot. With a good sub, you also probably don't entirely need towers, unless you listen to music without the sub. Nothing wrong with towers, but the same money will often buy you a much nicer bookshelf.

Do you have a very large room? I would expect that Outlaw amp to handle those speakers adequately. Reading some reviews of those Elacs though, I did see some comments that they had distortion that is related to their design, not necessarily power handling.

For SVS, I would go with Ultra bookshelf speakers not the lower towers, simply because that will be a more seamless front stage. Put the money you didn't spend on towers toward a new sub. If you're going to upgrade, might as well match the mains and look to upgrade the sub.

I have not heard the Monoprice speakers, but the reviews here on AH indicate they are pretty good.
My room is fairly small about 10' x 13'. The Outlaw does great handling the speakers, they've actually came alive with the Outlaw addition (apparently too much!). I just replaced the amp plate in my Sumiko (went out a month back) for under 300.00. Thought that would be the better way to go given this subwoofer was a 1000.00 a few years back. The bass from the sub is great in my opinion! But I've thought about adding an RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII in the future. I guess I've always thought you get a more full sound with the towers. But those were also the days when I mainly just used stereo without a sub.
 
D

drummertime

Junior Audioholic
Out of what you've listed, the Monoprice would be my choice and you really need a sub upgrade also.. If you like KEF's voicing you might be able to snag (3) Ref3s for a good price since the new metas are out.
Great thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely keep an eye out for pricing on those Ref3s. Really looking at the RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII once they become available for purchase again!
 
everettT

everettT

Audioholic Spartan
Great thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely keep an eye out for pricing on those Ref3s. Really looking at the RSL Speedwoofer 10S MKII once they become available for purchase again!
You might want to check and see if Starke is still offering BOGO on the 12" and 15", it's pretty good deal if so..
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
Yeah, the 625 looks like a slightly different series, but I am sure it will work fine. Waveguide slightly different, but it looks like the same tweeter.
 
D

drummertime

Junior Audioholic
Interesting after doing some research on ohm settings for receivers, I committed the cardinal sin!! I switch my receiver to 4 ohms thinking since I'm driving 4 ohm speakers (this was before I bought any 6 ohm speakers) that I'd get more wattage. After searching articles I found one narrated by Gene. https://www.audioholics.com/audio-amplifier/impedance-selector-switch-1
Basically never switch your receiver to 4 ohm or you can blow tweeters/midrange which is exactly what happened to my center channel. My receiver amp clipped and blew the voice coil in my Elac Uni-Fi Center channel. Thankfully I switched it back before doing damage to my other speakers. Pretty crappy as to why receiver companies have this toggle:mad:

But live and learn, I will never change my ohm setting from 8 ohms!! I have to say kudos to Elac, after asking for a speaker replacement (my coaxial), they didn't hesitate and sent me a new one. No questions asked and free of charge and shipping. I have to say that's pretty cool! But as I continue to build my system, I really do need to invest in some higher quality speakers!
 
j_garcia

j_garcia

Audioholic Jedi
I don't recall anyone besides Yamaha who has that switch.
 
D

drummertime

Junior Audioholic
Actually on my Marantz SR-7011 of you push the zone select and status buttons at the same time. It will go to a menu where you can choose between 4, 6 and 8 ohms.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Does this series have a center channel?
I used the 520 for a bit but moved it to another system and instead went with an Infinity RC263 after a while with my 590 mains (580 surrounds, 530 rear surrounds). Some use other JBL/Revel models instead.
 
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