Aragon Stage One Review (1 Viewer)

[Sri]

Ricky,
Ricky, Thank You for a nice review. I also want to thank everyone who posted opinions because for a newbie this is very useful. I have couple questions:
I currently own Act-3 with Bass management and was wondering if any one would care to comment whether it makes sense to pay $950 for the upgrade. If the answer is Yes, will it sound as good as Stage one and what features that stage one has that are critical but will be missed in the upgrade other than looks. I should say though that I love the way Stage one looks. Otherwise, how much money will I get for the trade-in. Also, if I trade-in will I be paying full retail. Lot of questions, but your help is appreciated.

 

[Ricky T]

Sri,

A couple of guys on the Klipsch.com forum did a very brief A/B test on their original and upgraded Act3 units. I believe that straight 2 channel via digital and standard 5.1 dd/dts was both pretty close (perhaps the demo was too brief to notice any possible increased resolution?). The new modes like 6.1/7.1/DPL2 can make a difference if your system and source usage can take advantage of them.

I would suspect the analog section of the Stage One would be better than the Act3's for analog sources like SACD/DVD-A and LPs. DVDs and other digital sources should be much closer.

If you are the original owner for the Act-3, I believe the trade-in is $3000 (retail $4k) for a new Stage One direct from Aragon and you can sell your Act3 for about $500...so you would be paying about 2500.

Tell us what you use your system for (ie, mostly 2 channel music? or mostly movies? etc) and if you would go 6.1 or 7.1. Do you have any analog sources?

 

[Sri]

Ricky,
Thanks for your response. No, I'm not the original owner of Act-3. I use my system mostly for movies because of my kids. I do want to get into SACD and yes I'm setup for 7.1.

 

[Ricky T]

Sri,

I think you would benefit from the $950 upgrade. Maybe you can call Aragon Tech and ask them what the current turnaround time for Act3 upgrades is.

 

[Ricky T]

Sri,

Adam, Aragon Tech, told me that the upgrade will provide signicant improvement to the DSP/surround capabilities of the stock Act3.

Darrell,

I can see you are in lazy mode I made some adjustments in DPL2, then turned off the prepro, turned it back on, switched to another input, switched back to the original input and sure enough my DPL2 changes were still there

 

[Darrel McBane]

Ricky, it was't too long after I posted the question before my 5 watt light bulb came on in my head.

I did notice when I changed from DTS Neo6 to PLII on a station for the first time. Then when I changed to another station. The Stage One would make a clicking sound as it changed modes to PLII to the new TV station. It did that as I changed from channel to channel. But, when I turned off the Stage One that night. And then yesterday when I turned on the Stage One and switched channels; then all channel were set to PLII. I would have thought that when I originally changed to PLII that anything coming from that input would have automatically been PLII. No big deal but, something I noticed. I'm still not sure if I'm sold on PLII as something wonderful yet. But, it is something to tinker with I guess.

 

[Sri]

Ricky,
Thanks for all the info. Since you also owned Lexicon MC-1, could you please advise if it makes sense for me to pick a used one on Audiogon for $1800 instead of upgrading Act-3 ($950) since I use it mostly for movies? I can sell the Act-3 for $500 and my net price would be $1300-350 more than the upgrade.

 

[Ricky T]

Sri,

If your usage is almost all movies (so you don't need analog bypass or 5.1 inputs), a used MC1 would probably be more enjoyable than an upgraded Act3. More used Lexicons should be hitting the market with the recent MC8/MC12 upgrade program....so be patient...try to spend no more than $1750 for the MC1 and $1300 for a DC2 (same audio innards, so would same exactly the same). And only buy something with Version 4.0 software. Bookmark that audiogon seller, Soundvideo in Minnesota...his stuff is usually priced insanely low and sells in a matter of hours.

Also, there's also a guy on audiogon and ebay selling JBL Synthesis gear (among other things, I've had several email conversations with him). The JBL Synthesis SPD-3 is basically a rebadged MC1 (made for the highend Synthesis systems)...you might be able to sneak in for 1600-1700. Would not qualify for any Lexicon programs, and resale value would probably be a little lower than an MC1...but it would be new and probably looks a little better too

 

[AllenP]

Ricky, How about the sound of the MC-1 compared to the 2 Argons for movies only.
Allen

 

[John-Tompkins]

AllenP,

I can give you my opinion as Ive had the lex mc-1,dc-2 and dc-1 also h/k avr8000 abd currently have the aragon soundstage. Lexicons logic 7 cant be beat for what it is, with a proper room for 7.1 the rear surround stage is top notch and puts you "in" the movie, also the tweakability of the mc-1 is great including vocal enhance, bass enhance, panarama and tilt features. The one thing that kept bothering me a little bit was the lack of "perceieved slam" and resolution. Logic 7 to me is a double edged sword, on the one hand you get the fullness and great processing of logic 7 but on the other hand the added processing loses resolution/dynamics. The aragon has dynamics and slam in SPADES,resolution is top notch and I just love the sound it produces. Two channel of course goes to the aragon without question but thats not what the lex is for. So the answer is both units are excellant and I guess it depends on what qualities a person is looking for...

 

[AllenP]

John thanks for your replay but let's look at it from my usage. I am 99% Movies. The most that I can set up speaker wise will be a 6.1 system with my sides in the back corners of the room behind my couch and 1 back surround in the center. I will mostly play all movies in their best format that I like. ( Like now I like 5.1 DTS over 5.1 DD) so if a movie (like SWII) has a 6.1 ES I would use that. I feel this would take me away from logic 7 with a 6 speaker set-up. Now with this in mind it sounds like the Stage One may give me more dynamics and slam.
Allen

 

[John-Tompkins]

Yea Allen, in your situation I'd pick the Aragon, I dont think you'd want the lex for 6.1( the only way Id pick the lex over the aragon is for a room with a PERFECT 7.1 setup. Im using the soundstage right now with a smart surround jr. device thats gives me 6.1/7.1 outta 5.1 (albeit matrixed and not discrete) but it sounds dam good...I may eventually upgrade stageone status...

 

[Ricky T]

Allen,

I agree with what JohnT said about the Soundstage's performance in 5.1 (and 2 channel). I also used the Soundstage with that Smart Jr 6.1 device and the combo was VERY good for 5.1 DVD sources. Are you critical about how your cable TV or DSS sounds?

Also, if you list your current setup, JohnT might get alarmed by the familiarity

 

[AllenP]

Boy what a long day at work. You know Ricky I will not be able to replace my speakers with the M&K's until next year sometime. So a sound stage may be a good move over the 1066. Then I could maybe get it upgraded keep it a year or two. Then look at my options. Boy I wish I could sell my 5700. I didn't know the going price on them was still that good. But I told my son he could have it when I get a knew something. My regular TV watching I just use the TV speakers. I just got rid of my Dish a few months ago for cable. I wanted it in my boys room and that was the easiest way to go. Then I bought my big 61" wide screen and dish is suppose to have local Savannah stations on by the end of the year so I plan on going back to dish when that happens. When I had my dish I sometimes watch the movies in DD.

John, I have NHT's (as I guess you do)2.9's Bi-amp with a citation 7.1. A VS-2 for the center and superzeros for the surrounds running off of a 5.1. I had a SVS 16-46 sub but it is fried. But I have a small Velodyne that I am using. I run the 2.9 full range and with the 7.1 bi-amp they will get loud and low.
Allen

 

[Richard Burzynski]

Allen:

Nice Gear! I'm an NHT fan as well.

Rich B.

 

[John-Tompkins]

Yea Allen we're pretty close in associated equipment. I used to have the citation 7.1 amps as well. I currently have NHT 2.9s(set on large) up front powered by a lexicon 225 (bryston 4bst) and an ac-2 center powered by a LEX 312 (3 channel version of the bryston 3bst) along with nht vs2.4s sides/mated with nht sw2 subs using an outlaw icbm for the side crossovers (running sides as large)basically making the vs2.4s into vt2.4s. My lfe sub is a svs 20-39 powered by a sherwood am9080 (which is also powering the nht side subs) along with a paradigm adp370 dipole speaker currently (formerly superzeros in the back) in the back for a 6.1 setup but this will change soon as I just bought citation 7.3 dipoles and am gonna try different configurations to see if it will be 5.1,6.1 or 7.1, dipole sides/dipole rears/direct rears ? etc..still trying to figure out my new ht room

 

[Ricky T]

Allen,

Getting an AC2 would be a big sonic improvement too (and worth it if you are going to keep the NHTs for 12+ months). The VS2 would make a great rear center too.

 

[Dean Arizona]

The Stage One is on my short list of pre/pros that I'm looking at. Is it true that this SSP does not have 2nd zone capability? I looked at the specs at the Klipsch/Mondial site and the unit appears not to have a dedicated set of analog outs for that purpose. If not a dedicated 2nd zone, are there aux preouts that can be utilized for a second zone(these preouts would likely not have their own analog processor - they would simply relay whatever first zone signal that happened to be present)? In my case, I have in-wall speakers in my pool-table room I want to feed a two-channel signal.
Thanks.

 

[Ricky T]

Dean,

The Stage One only has analog record out (and only if the source is analog). For your 2nd room, one easy option is getting a stereo receiver and connecting the 2-3 sources directly, via analog, into the stereo receiver. The Harman Kardon ebay store usually has a few HK stereo receivers on auction (bstock or astock with full warranty). They go for ~ 100-200.

 

[AllenP]

I know the I need an AC-2 for my center I have looked a little. John I have the NHT's HDP1's or 2's. They have been put up for more than 3 years and were only used for about 6 months. I bought for my other house and then when we moved into this one I was not able to use them. I wander how much I could sell them for. I have also thought about taking back my other two vs-2's from my son and giving him me superzeros. I have 3 VS-2's all together. John how much of a difference did you get when you changed amps. I have been thinking my next amps will be the brystons. Thanks Rich I really like NHT's. Ricky did you listen to the AVM-20 or B&K Ref 50.