Soundbar / HTIB 5.1 System Killer for ONLY $750?

[gene]

 

[James_G]

Yep, it was a collaborative effort though. I'm working with Tony to get ALL of our recommended systems articles updated this year.

Gene, do you have any input on my original question regarding this specific set up? I bought the referenced AVR and was going to pick up the speakers as well until I saw the ohm rating. Would it make more sense to update this with speakers that fit into the ohm rating of the AVR like perhaps the Micca MB42X and MB42X-C? Or are those basically the same drivers just masked under a different name. Are there any other budget LCR and rears that fit into the 6-8 ohm range but keeping the cost around the Daytons and Miccas? I am no no audiophile nor have a bias towards any brands, I just want something that sounds great but won't cook anything for under $400-$500. Thanks!

 

[gene]

Gene, do you have any input on my original question regarding this specific set up? I bought the referenced AVR and was going to pick up the speakers as well until I saw the ohm rating. Would it make more sense to update this with speakers that fit into the ohm rating of the AVR like perhaps the Micca MB42X and MB42X-C? Or are those basically the same drivers just masked under a different name. Are there any other budget LCR and rears that fit into the 6-8 ohm range but keeping the cost around the Daytons and Miccas? I am no no audiophile nor have a bias towards any brands, I just want something that sounds great but won't cook anything for under $400-$500. Thanks!

ShadyJ already answered this impedance question. I don't think it will be a problem for the Denon receiver as these speakers aren't power hogs. Also, this system is designed for small to medium sized rooms. I do recommend dual subs and bass management which will take some of the load off the internal amps of the receiver. I'm not familiar with the Micca's but will take a look.

 

[James_G]

ShadyJ already answered this impedance question. I don't think it will be a problem for the Denon receiver as these speakers aren't power hogs. Also, this system is designed for small to medium sized rooms. I do recommend dual subs and bass management which will take some of the load off the internal amps of the receiver. I'm not familiar with the Micca's but will take a look.

Thanks for your input , Gene. I've been researching speakers pretty much non-stop over the past few days and while checking out Amazon just now, I found the Pioneer SP-C22 and SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones speakers on sale for a pretty good discount, around $100 for the center and $100 for bookshelf pair with another 10% off using a code on amazon. I searched audioholics for reviews and found a pretty glowing review from 2013 so that is a good thing for sure. Since these are from 2013, I've read some great reviews for them but are they still worth it in 2019? I'm willing to spend the little extra money if they stack up to or surpass the Dayton's in this article. I'd get 4 of the bookshelf speakers and a center, the only thing I'd need is a sub (matching pioneer isn't available) which I could still go for the Dayton audio recommendation here or possibly the Polk PSW10 for $129. Thoughts?

 

[Old-Timer]

Gene, I haven't read all of the forum posts yet, so I hope this question hasn't already been asked.

At what temperature should the speaker cables be frozen, for how long, and how often?

 

[leroi710]

Thanks for your input , Gene. I've been researching speakers pretty much non-stop over the past few days and while checking out Amazon just now, I found the Pioneer SP-C22 and SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones speakers on sale for a pretty good discount, around $100 for the center and $100 for bookshelf pair with another 10% off using a code on amazon. I searched audioholics for reviews and found a pretty glowing review from 2013 so that is a good thing for sure. Since these are from 2013, I've read some great reviews for them but are they still worth it in 2019? I'm willing to spend the little extra money if they stack up to or surpass the Dayton's in this article. I'd get 4 of the bookshelf speakers and a center, the only thing I'd need is a sub (matching pioneer isn't available) which I could still go for the Dayton audio recommendation here or possibly the Polk PSW10 for $129. Thoughts?

Hey James, I went through this process earlier this year. I had the same concerns about 4 ohm rating of MK402's and asked on multiple forums for peoples thoughts bc the only receivers that work with 4 ohm are all, generally speaking, the higher end models. Someone pointed out to me that it wouldn't make much sense for Dayton to make low priced speakers that would only work with a high end receiver so I went ahead and bought them. I have not had any issue with the speakers or the receiver. The only thing is thing I've found, and I believe this has to do with the 4ohm rating as well, is that these are really inefficient but in practice this just means you turn the volume nob up a couple notches to get to the same output volume of other speakers. You don't want to use them in a room that is too big, but most any receiver should be able to drive them even it doesn't specifically say it can handle 4ohm.

I got the Home Audio bug this year and I actually ended up also picking up some nice (for me) speakers secondhand locally through patience, hunting, and using various apps. So I now have 7.1 in my living room consisting of other speakers and I in a secondary room a 5.0 set up with a Marantz NR1602 ($50 secondhand) receiver powering the original MK402 as my L/R, the MK442 as my Center, and the B452-AIRs as surrounds. For bedroom, apartment, or generally smaller living spaces I think this Dayton combination sounds really nice and I think you'd be happy. I haven't heard the new MK402X model but for the price I do like the MK402 but the tweeter is bright, well I don't know if bright is exactly the right word but it can be a bit fatiguing to your ear is a better description. You can use EQ and positioning to mitigate that problem though and the X model may fix it. The woofer on the MK402 is the star, adds a good weight and realism to the sound. I actually really like the B452-AIR's but the woofer isn't great (and it isn't supposed to be). Three of the MK442's and with a pair of the B452-AIR as surrounds would be very nice.

There are others on this site with way more knowledge and experience and can tell you about other speakers as well (and correct whatever I got wrong in this post too). But I'm here to tell you that don't worry about the 4ohm rating for these Daytons, they work with most receivers without issue. They really are good for a first system and, at least for me, got me hooked.

 

[James_G]

Hey James, I went through this process earlier this year. I had the same concerns about 4 ohm rating of MK402's and asked on multiple forums for peoples thoughts bc the only receivers that work with 4 ohm are all, generally speaking, the higher end models. Someone pointed out to me that it wouldn't make much sense for Dayton to make low priced speakers that would only work with a high end receiver so I went ahead and bought them. I have not had any issue with the speakers or the receiver. The only thing is thing I've found, and I believe this has to do with the 4ohm rating as well, is that these are really inefficient but in practice this just means you turn the volume nob up a couple notches to get to the same output volume of other speakers. You don't want to use them in a room that is too big, but most any receiver should be able to drive them even it doesn't specifically say it can handle 4ohm.

I got the Home Audio bug this year and I actually ended up also picking up some nice (for me) speakers secondhand locally through patience, hunting, and using various apps. So I now have 7.1 in my living room consisting of other speakers and I in a secondary room a 5.0 set up with a Marantz NR1602 ($50 secondhand) receiver powering the original MK402 as my L/R, the MK442 as my Center, and the B452-AIRs as surrounds. For bedroom, apartment, or generally smaller living spaces I think this Dayton combination sounds really nice and I think you'd be happy. I haven't heard the new MK402X model but for the price I do like the MK402 but the tweeter is bright, well I don't know if bright is exactly the right word but it can be a bit fatiguing to your ear is a better description. You can use EQ and positioning to mitigate that problem though and the X model may fix it. The woofer on the MK402 is the star, adds a good weight and realism to the sound. I actually really like the B452-AIR's but the woofer isn't great (and it isn't supposed to be). Three of the MK442's and with a pair of the B452-AIR as surrounds would be very nice.

There are others on this site with way more knowledge and experience and can tell you about other speakers as well (and correct whatever I got wrong in this post too). But I'm here to tell you that don't worry about the 4ohm rating for these Daytons, they work with most receivers without issue. They really are good for a first system and, at least for me, got me hooked.

Leroi, thanks for the input and detail. I really appreciate that. I did end up getting a Pioneer SP-C22 and four SP-BS22-LR that I mentioned in an above post. I ended up going with the Pioneer SW-10 to complete the set since I can't find the matching SW-8MK2 sub. I haven't hooked anything up yet but I'm sort of laughing at the fact that these speakers are larger than I anticipated. I didn't really pay attention to size measurements, just reviews on sound. Now I am going to have a hard time finding homes for all these because of their size but as long as they live up to all the glowing reviews, I think Audioholics could suggest these as an alternative to the Dayton speakers and still keep the cost fairly low. All in all, brand new, I spent $220 for the suggested Denon AVR and $430 for all 5 speakers, which the sub was bundled with 100ft of 16awg speaker wire, and RCA sub cable and 5 pairs of banana plugs that I may not even use. Add tax on that and a Blu-ray player of your choice, it's pretty close to the originally suggested system with sound that has been reviewed at the 4.5/5 stars realm. Win!

 

[leroi710]

Leroi, thanks for the input and detail. I really appreciate that. I did end up getting a Pioneer SP-C22 and four SP-BS22-LR that I mentioned in an above post. I ended up going with the Pioneer SW-10 to complete the set since I can't find the matching SW-8MK2 sub. I haven't hooked anything up yet but I'm sort of laughing at the fact that these speakers are larger than I anticipated. I didn't really pay attention to size measurements, just reviews on sound. Now I am going to have a hard time finding homes for all these because of their size but as long as they live up to all the glowing reviews, I think Audioholics could suggest these as an alternative to the Dayton speakers and still keep the cost fairly low. All in all, brand new, I spent $220 for the suggested Denon AVR and $430 for all 5 speakers, which the sub was bundled with 100ft of 16awg speaker wire, and RCA sub cable and 5 pairs of banana plugs that I may not even use. Add tax on that and a Blu-ray player of your choice, it's pretty close to the originally suggested system with sound that has been reviewed at the 4.5/5 stars realm. Win!

Nice budget shopping, I've heard good things regarding those Pioneer's but I haven't heard them myself. They were always something recommended but I was looking to do it on the real cheap (I got a pair of the MK402, the MK442 center, and the B452-AIRs for $150 and the $50 for the Marantz secondhand so $200 for a pretty decent 5.0 and I was happy). I also picked up a secondhand front 3 of older Jamo speakers and I was a bit shocked at the size and weight of the bookshelves, especially since for the audio world they are apparently fairly small. The other fun part is then getting the stands and/or wall mounts and playing around with placement.

Anyways, enjoy your new system!

 

[KEW]

I talked a buddy into getting one and helped him set it up. It surprised me. It's a decent little sub. A great sub at a hunnert bucks.

Did you work it hard to see where the limits are and how gracefully it dealt with them? To me that is what makes this a truly special sub. I would rather have a sub that was less capable, but just would not exceed its limits, than a more capable one where the sound goes to crap when you push it too hard! To me, that is the true beauty of this sub!

 

[Pogre]

Did you work it hard to see where the limits are and how gracefully it dealt with them? To me that is what makes this a truly special sub. I would rather have a sub that was less capable, but just would not exceed its limits, than a more capable one where the sound goes to crap when you push it too hard! To me, that is the true beauty of this sub!

We didn't really push it to its limits, so I can't say. That's actually pretty good tho considering he was getting some great bass from it.

 

[Verdinut]

Now let's take a look at the MK442 MTM speakers:

They do have a similar dip in the same range, similar phase angle, but they also dip down to 4 ohms at 4 kHz with a sharp phase angle. It's a harder load, but again, if you don't blast this speaker, it will probably be fine on your AVR. Not the most benign load and not the worst, but it depends on how you use the speakers.

These MK442 MTM speakers can be considered as 6 ohm speakers. As for the impedance dip to 4 ohms at 4 kHz with the sharp phase angle, we shouldn't have to worry as at such high frequencies, there is not much power demand to expect anyway. Right?

 

[KEW]

Hi, I'm a home theater newbie with a tight budget and signed up on this forum to ask questions. I found this article and loved the idea so I am actually starting to piece this system together starting with the AVR that I got for $230. I just noticed the MK402 and MK442 speakers are 4ohm while the Denon AVR-S540BT is minimum 6ohm. I'm concerned about the mismatch and am wondering if you have information that wasn't published regarding using 4ohm speakers with a higher ohm AVR. Was this an oversight? Do you recommend anything else on a tight budget that will sound as good or better in the 6-8ohm range? Am I worrying about nothing? I just don't want to purchase something that will fry my brand new AVR or speakers after a few months. Please help! Thanks!

As has been said, as long as you do not push them, you should be fine!
Nonetheless, you do make a good point (good catch) and I know I'd be willing to spend a few more bucks for the peace of mind it would give me!
It seems you are committed to the Denon AVR-S540BT at this point, but for others in this situation, I would suggest they go to Accessories4Less - https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/category/avreceiver/home-audio/receivers-amps/home-theater-receivers/1.html and look for an AVR with a 4 Ohm rating (use the Specifications tab). Right now, they have a Denon AVR-S640H that fits the bill for $230, a Denon AVR-S730H that fits the bill for $250, and a Denon AVR-S930H for $270. Note that the 730 and 930 are 7 channel amps which means they have a more capable power supply than the 640 (usually, the power supply is the weak link when having difficulty driving 4 ohm speakers).

Recognize that these are reconditioned units, but the reconditioning is done under the manufacturer's direction (Denon provides the one year warranty on these units). That is not the same as Joe Blow buying an inventory of returned phones and seeing how much he can flip them for (without a formal test/repair process)! In my experience (over 12 units) A4L units were as new - worst case - a scuff where another unit was sitting on top of it, but nothing you could see without actually doing an inspection. There have been a couple of incidents on the forum of people getting defective units, but they are rare and no one has complained that A4L did not resolve the problem in a fair manner!
HTH!

PS- I like A4L because they have information like teh specifications readily available and very good prices. However, once you identify some candidates it is always a good idea to check pricing on-line for those models. Every now and then, you may come across a special or something like an "open box return" with fulfillment by Amazon which will have the full 3 year warranty for the same price or $10 more! It never hurts to check!

 

[shadyJ]

These MK442 MTM speakers can be considered as 6 ohm speakers. As for the impedance dip to 4 ohms at 4 kHz with the sharp phase angle, we shouldn't have to worry as at such high frequencies, there is not much power demand to expect anyway. Right?

I think it is fair to say that, yes.

 

[Sleqzypig]

That does like a decent little budget setup. We got to ween the idiots off soundbars with articles like this. You can't help everyone though as some people get scared off by the thought that they still have to hook up big ugly speakers lol.

 

[Rene Sonse]

I'll be getting a Yamaha RM-V6A based on seeing your recent review. Also from another of your reviews, I want to know if I can use Dayton Audio 5 MK443's + 2 MK 402's with it (along with Klipsche R-12 sub) or are they under specced? Btw, how do I buy from you??

 

[Kingnoob]

This system went up $100 so no longer a good option.
Why are satellites popular just for looks ?
They can’t sound that good .

Accessories4less: High End Audio at Low End Prices!

www.accessories4less.com

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[IOldsmbl]

So finally did it, combined with other research. Did a $1500 5.2.2 system, MK442 LCR, MK402 Surrounds and front elevations, and Costco special Onkyo TX-NR6050. And, dual Sub-1200’s. Banana plugs, 12awg for back, 14awg for front, and a mid-90’s stereo equalizer to fine tune subs between them and receiver. I don’t like default LFE’s as the base gets overwhelming at the crossover frequencies. Even had to turn up the speakers to 100hz and 80hz had too much base in the system. And a 80’s Panasonic record player. Magic. Fantastic setup. Have a spare set of the 442’s for make it a 5.2.4 system in the future when budget allows for an upgraded receiver. Watched a few movies and streamed some music (and LP)’s, all just a great combo!

 

[IOldsmbl]

I'll be getting a Yamaha RM-V6A based on seeing your recent review. Also from another of your reviews, I want to know if I can use Dayton Audio 5 MK443's + 2 MK 402's with it (along with Klipsche R-12 sub) or are they under specced? Btw, how do I buy from you??

Are you looking at the RX-V6A? That doesn’t have a lot of power for 4ohm loads. Not even recommended. Look at the Costco TX-NR6050, more overall wattage, 4ohm rated, less money. I wanted to use the same Yamaha receiver but opted for the Onkyo as I was very concerned that the Yamaha was going to go up in smoke on the Dayton’s. The Yamaha was only good up to 350 - 400 total AC watts, and the Onkyo model was 635 AC watts. While not speaker output, that was a 35%+ capacity increase.

 

[Ezkv]

So since these are so hard to find now, what would be the recommended replacements?

 

[TLS Guy]

So since these are so hard to find now, what would be the recommended replacements?

There is nothing really like that now.

What is it you want to do?

If it is AV, then you need a TV and an AVR. I would just start with left and right speakers and may be a sub if funds permit. The add a center channel and then surrounds if you want them. Whatever else you do avoid junk.