Presence Speaker Question

[Rtstrider]

I sort of have an idea what presence speakers are for, but are they really nesessary? Would the extra money to buy them be worth it? And if so I'm using the acoustech line of speakers, would the bookshelves work fine for this?

 

[Nomo]

Those speakers will work just, however by using the presence channel you will need to sacrifice rear surrounds while presence is active. At least for the Yamaha 2500 and down. I have not experimented with presence, WAF and all, but I really like having rear surrounds. I think they add much more to movies than the extra sound coming form the front of the room would.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

I sort of have an idea what presence speakers are for, but are they really nesessary? Would the extra money to buy them be worth it? And if so I'm using the acoustech line of speakers, would the bookshelves work fine for this?

Definately get them if you can, on older content they can really enhance the movie, and if you ever plan on getting a projector then you can engage the dialog lift feature. Like a lot of the DSP modes on all receivers, it is very source dependant. You have to try it and play with it. I did not think I would like them but I was very wrong.

 

[Rtstrider]

Well alright then, I'm going to spring on the BB sell this week on the Yamaha Reciever...And then buy the acoustech bookshelves for the presence speakers....Now would the acoustech bookshelves be the ideal speakers for the presence speakers?

 

[Rtstrider]

Those speakers will work just, however by using the presence channel you will need to sacrifice rear surrounds while presence is active. At least for the Yamaha 2500 and down. I have not experimented with presence, WAF and all, but I really like having rear surrounds. I think they add much more to movies than the extra sound coming form the front of the room would.

So does that mean that I can use this system http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7067318&type=product&cmp=++&id=1108125945988 and use both presence and surrounds simultaneously?

 

[Pyrrho]

I sort of have an idea what presence speakers are for, but are they really nesessary? Would the extra money to buy them be worth it? And if so I'm using the acoustech line of speakers, would the bookshelves work fine for this?

If you already have "7.1" speakers, you can try it out for free. Just disconnect the rear surround speakers and hook them up to the presence channels. Then listen and decide if you like it. If you do, then consider buying another pair of speakers to leave up front (unless you don't mind not having rear surround speakers).

 

[Pyrrho]

So does that mean that I can use this system http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7067318&type=product&cmp=++&id=1108125945988 and use both presence and surrounds simultaneously?

No, if by surround you mean rear surround. The middle Yamaha units give you a choice: 7.1 with no presence channels, or 5.1 with presence channels. To have 7.1 with presence channels, you need a very high end model if you are buying from their current lineup; consult Yamaha's web site for which models.

 

[Rtstrider]

Then I'll splurge later on down the road and go 7.1 with the extra rears....I can live without presence if it means I have to leave my rears behind....

 

[jeffsg4mac]

No, if by surround you mean rear surround. The middle Yamaha units give you a choice: 7.1 with no presence channels, or 5.1 with presence channels. To have 7.1 with presence channels, you need a very high end model if you are buying from their current lineup; consult Yamaha's web site for which models.

None of the current Yammies will do front presence plus surround back, that is a feature Gene has requested in several reviews. I do not believe even the RX-Z9 does.

 

[Pyrrho]

None of the current Yammies will do front presence plus surround back, that is a feature Gene has requested in several reviews. I do not believe even the RX-Z9 does.

The RX-Z9 has 9 channels of power amplification built in. You are mistaken about it. See:

http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/receivers/RXZ9.htm
There are various links from this link.

Here is a review from Audioholics in which they say you can have the full '9.1' sound:
http://www.yamaha.com/yec/products/reviews/pdf_reviews/Yamaha_RX-Z9.pdf

Yamaha still lists the RX-Z1 as a current product at their site, which also allows for the use of the presence channels while using all of the other channels, though in its case, the other channels are 6.1. But I believe that all of the other Yamaha receivers currently offered do not allow use of both the presence and rear surround channels at the same time. The low end units do not offer presence at all, and don't offer 7.1 sound. The lowest model in the RX-V line that offers the possibility of presence is the RX-V657; the RX-V557 and RX-V457 are 6.1 channel receivers. In the HTR series, the HTR-5860 is the lowest model with the possibility of presence. The HTR-5850 and HTR-5840 are 6.1 channel receivers, and the bottom HTR-5830 is only 5.1 channels. The lowest ones with YPAO (Yamaha's automatic setup) are the same as the lowest ones with presence. In my opinion, if one can afford it, one should go no lower than the RX-V657 and HTR-5860, and I much prefer one step up from there.

 

[Buckle-meister]

The RX-Z9 has 9 channels of power amplification built in. You are mistaken about it.

I can vouch for the truth of this as I own the DSP-Z9, the European equivalent of the RX-Z9. You can indeed run Surround-back and Presence channels simultaneously.

 

[jeffsg4mac]

I stand corrected then, I was not sure about the Z9, but 4600 and 2600 don't, which is a shame..

 

[Pyrrho]

I stand corrected then, I was not sure about the Z9, but 4600 and 2600 don't, which is a shame..

Yes, they should at least have preamp outputs that can be used for it even if they won't supply the amplification for it.

 

[Nomo]

I must admit you guys have me curious, once again, about the presence option. I'll maybe disconnect my rears this coming weekend and give them a try as presence speakers.
I do agree that Yamaha is doing their customers and themselves a disservice for neglecting 9.1.

 

[Pyrrho]

I must admit you guys have me curious, once again, about the presence option. I'll maybe disconnect my rears this coming weekend and give them a try as presence speakers.
I do agree that Yamaha is doing their customers and themselves a disservice for neglecting 9.1.

If you already have the speakers, you may as well try it out as an experiment, and try it with different types of music. If you don't like it, then you can just put things back as they were, and be happy with your system. The only trouble will come if you do like it, particularly if you would like to try it with the back surrounds as well, because then you would be looking at not only buying another pair of speakers, but upgrading your receiver as well, which would be quite expensive. And since you previously indicated your wife doesn't want the presence speakers present, then you may need a new wife, too. That will probably be very expensive indeed. In my case, I would rather keep my wife than add more speakers to my system, but my wife is fairly understanding and tolerant about such things, so I need not replace her. However, I have no money for the rest of the equipment needed (in my case, all I need is the Yamaha RX-Z9).