Prime Satellite anemic?

Walsh1

Walsh1

Junior Audioholic
I'm using SVS Ultras for my left, right & center and Elevations for front Atmos heights but due to my space and layout I'm using prime sattellite speakers for the surrounds. The Outlaw model 5000 is powering everything in the front and I'm running my surrounds off of Marantz SR5012 which for two channels driven supposed to be 100 watts each channel.

But my surrounds feel slightly anemic perhaps. I know surrounds typically only deal with ambient sounds so I thought it would be fine to use the AVR to power them. However I looked up the sensitivity rating to discover that the prime sattellite speakers are rated at 85db which is even less sensitive than the Ultras and elevations. I'm thinking about buying the Emotiva A-300 2 channel amplifier and utilize the last two preouts on my Marantz as to encourage my surrounds to wake up a little more.

I'm only a newbie but does this seem like a decent idea or option?
 
S

shadyJ

Speaker of the House
Staff member
They may be working just fine. A lot of people run their surrounds way too loud, but that isn't the way these surround soundtracks are mixed usually. If you want them to run louder, just raise the level in the AVR. But chances are, they are just fine, so long as they are positioned correctly and running at the right levels.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
SVS matches the speakers across their lines, so primes and ultras are interchangeable. Like shady suggested, you can always trim it up, but they should be good to go as an integrated set up.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
Surrounds need less power generally, your avr running them is probably just fine. You did recalibrate after installing the power amp? Unused power doesn't "wake up" speakers. What distance are you from the speakers and what spl level are you unhappy at?
 
Walsh1

Walsh1

Junior Audioholic
Surrounds need less power generally, your avr running them is probably just fine. You did recalibrate after installing the power amp? Unused power doesn't "wake up" speakers. What distance are you from the speakers and what spl level are you unhappy at?
Yeah, I calibrated at the inclusion of the amplifier. I've got to admit though that I'm also wanting to buy a two channel amplifier to equal 7 total channels of amplification for the motive of switching to a pre-pro in the future.
 

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Walsh1

Walsh1

Junior Audioholic
What's the motivation for switching to AVP?
Feeling like I've consistently heard great things about Anthem's ARC room correction being superior to Audessey. Also pre-pros always get acclaim for using high quality parts or innards. Am I wrong about this? They do carry a higher price tag than an AVR.
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I'd say the pre-pros of today are often more like avrs without the amps. We've had two flagship Denon pre-pros failing, owned by members here (AcuDefTedGuy being one, forget the other). I've seen comments ranging mostly on the ARC side of the equation but some give it more equal to XT32 remarks. Personally I'd just use one of my avrs as pre for external amps (but I've always employed at least the surround channels via the avr). As they say YMMV.
 
Walsh1

Walsh1

Junior Audioholic
I'd say the pre-pros of today are often more like avrs without the amps. We've had two flagship Denon pre-pros failing, owned by members here (AcuDefTedGuy being one, forget the other). I've seen comments ranging mostly on the ARC side of the equation but some give it more equal to XT32 remarks. Personally I'd just use one of my avrs as pre for external amps (but I've always employed at least the surround channels via the avr). As they say YMMV.
I definitely appreciate your perspective on that subject. My Marantz SR5012 just has the XT version of Audessey. By the way.... curious if the Audessey App is useful at all. They charge $20 bucks for it though.
 
sven1olaf

sven1olaf

Audioholic
I definitely appreciate your perspective on that subject. My Marantz SR5012 just has the XT version of Audessey. By the way.... curious if the Audessey App is useful at all. They charge $20 bucks for it though.
I've heard very good things about the Audyssey app, if you can use it. My Audyssey is too old currently.

The app allows for some very nice tweaking, including forcing Audyssey to only focus on the bass management.
 
ryanosaur

ryanosaur

Audioholic Overlord
I definitely appreciate your perspective on that subject. My Marantz SR5012 just has the XT version of Audessey. By the way.... curious if the Audessey App is useful at all. They charge $20 bucks for it though.
I've had a decent enough experience with the Audyssey app... $20 worth of decent? Meh. *shrugs
I don't regret paying for it, though I wish I had a newer iPad or plus sized iPhone for the screen size... my old 6S makes it a little difficult to use when editing the curve... but patience and perseverance will get you through.
In general, until I installed my new speakers, I've had Audyssey active, full range, running it Flat with MRC OFF, DEQ ON. The inly change I made to the curve was a 1/3 size Mid Range Compensation dip at 2kHz just to help take the edge off the liveliness in my room... made it much more shallow and a little wider than the Aud. programmed version which looks like a 3dB crater in the curve.
Long story short... it can be useful, and is fun to play with. It's probably more entertaining than an afternoon at the movies... is definitely more useful.

In terms of the brand and AVR vs AVP conversation... this is such an age old question that really seems to come down to personal preferences. I'm in the same boat... would like to perhaps upgrade in a couple years. Interested in Anthem and ARC. I am very curious to see if Anthem updates their line for 2020 or '21.
I'm willing to stay with an AVR, especially one with better Amp Assignability. I want to keep my Surrounds and Atmos easy to manage, and that will be the thing I look at for myself, using Assignable On-Board Amps rather than buying an additional External Amp.

In terms of room correction, I'm also considering the Dirac series of Mini-DSP products.

All are viable paths forward.

If I had to make a decision today... I might choose in the way of the Marantz SR7013 or comparable Denon (x4500?). Especially if a sale were to hit (mid-late July?). But pending further research on the Anthem AVRs, I at least know what I'm getting in the D&M line vs a product that hasn't been refreshed in a couple years in the Anthems.

Cheers!
 
lovinthehd

lovinthehd

Audioholic Jedi
I definitely appreciate your perspective on that subject. My Marantz SR5012 just has the XT version of Audessey. By the way.... curious if the Audessey App is useful at all. They charge $20 bucks for it though.
I've got two avrs with XT and one with XT32, the XT32 (as well as ability to handle two subs with separate level/delay) I think is a noticeable improvement. I don't have the app as my Denon 4520 is too old to utilize it (and the others are older than that). Your avr has pre-outs so can always function as a pre if you want external amps and that's how I'd at least start. I'd definitely get the app for $20 in any case, just to experiment with it. Some haven't had the best of luck, one member (Pogre) has this thread on the subject with his Marantz that you might want to look thru https://forums.audioholics.com/forums/threads/audyssey-editor-app-with-screenshots.107579/
 
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