Newb upgrading POS as I go...what would be best to do next? (1 Viewer)

Straight to the point: I'm upgrading. Primary use is movies and television, but definitely music as well. This is in a living room that is large and awkwardly shaped (basically living room + entry way + dining room all together, with only a partial wall and then the kitchen and eat in dining room)...that has very high ceilings.

I don't think we want the hassle of surround speakers. No wife approval for wall mounting + a 14 month old who gets into everything.

Old components that I plan to continue using:
Sony STR-DG520 (had this since about 2006)
Polk PSW10 (have had this since about 2007)

Just ordered:
Pioneer SP-C22
Pioneer SP-FS52LR (two)
Speaker wire that doesn't suck (14 AWG copper)


If I was to spend a little bit more money to do "just one more thing" right now, what would you recommend as primary consideration? (up to $100 not much of a problem, $200 maybe if it's really worth it)

I think I should be alright (relatively speaking) where I am, but I consider getting a second Polk PSW10, for example.

That PSW10 Just got kicked to the curb with the addition of the Pio AJ.I doubt it will do anything, that you'll notice.Dayton sub1200. Or BIC v1220/F12.

I kind of saw that coming. Almost put it in my OP. I've seen a lot of very good reviews of the BIC F12, a lot of people seem to think it is the best sub in the

Pio AJ is an 8" subwoofer with a 100 watt amplfier. It was designed for Pioneer by a speaker designer named Andrew Jones. Right now it is selling on Amazon.ca for 140 bucks Canadian: about 126 bucks American.

Edwin-S said:

Pio AJ is an 8" subwoofer with a 100 watt amplfier. It was designed for Pioneer by a speaker designer named Andrew Jones. Right now it is selling on Amazon.ca for 140 bucks Canadian: about 126 bucks American.

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Is that different than/how is that different than the Pioneer SW8-MK2?

That is on Amazon for $157 right now (Prime) and seems to be the one intended to go with the center/front speakers I ordered.

I'm really really tempted by the BIC F12. It's $193 shipped on Amazon right now. I could hit the button and have it arrived on Wednesday along with the three Pioneer speakers, and my wife would only be moderately mad...it sounds like the f12 would blow my PSW10 out of the water, especially for movies.

Pio AJ refers to the entire Andrew Jones line.You AJ towers produce the same bass the PoSW10(added the o for a point).

schan1269 said:

Pio AJ refers to the entire Andrew Jones line. You AJ towers produce the same bass the PoSW10(added the o for a point).

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Ah, I get it.

They do/will? lol

I can't wait to get these suckers in.

...I've been running a KLH HTA 4100 SAT at center with a pair of Element EBS1 bookshelf speakers sitting on the floor as fronts. Yeah.

I just hit place order for the BIC F12.

What have I done.




And to confirm...does it just not work well (or is making it work well over my head) to continue using the PSW10 as well? It's just going to go collect dust for the time being, I don't even have another receiver anywhere else, or anything, where I could even use it right now.







PS: I see your location listing of NW Indiana. I grew up in Hobart.

No. It's the same as the SW8-MK2. For some reason on Amazon.ca, they are showing two listings for the SW8-MK2 designed by Andrew Jones, the head speaker designer at Pioneer. One listing shows it for 140 Canadian and the other shows it for 149 Canadian.

The Bic F12 certainly sounds like you would get more bang the buck. That seems like a pretty good deal. Right now on the Amazon.ca site that same sub is going for 400 bucks or so.

What you've done is improve the audio immensely. You could(and no, I don't recommend doing this for a PoSW10) get an external crossover (Behringer crossover on Amazon) for another $100 And set the AVR at 80.Than set the external crossover at 50-60.Letting the F12 play low and the 10 play sorta high.

So, spinoff, what is the least expensive method for getting an FM receiver that will run 2.1? I could put the PSW10 and my two old bookshelf speakers in the garage for when I workout.

Should I just start watching Craiglist? This will have to be really inexpensive after blowing all this money on the three Pioneers plus the F12.

Thanks for all the feedback, BTW. Very much appreciated. I have my own areas of expertise on other forums and I know how mundane, tedious, and repetitive it is to answer the same basic questions over and over indefinitely.

Does the PSW10 have high level?(That would be speaker connect in and out)

It has "speaker level input" and "speaker level output" connections, left and right.

If the price was right I'd be happy running the two bookshelf speakers and the PSW10 with just the correct amp, or whatever, it wouldn't even have to be an FM receiver, just something I could plug into with an MP3 player or whatever (3.5mm to RCA)

I actually have a little cheap amp (LP2020A+) on the way I intended to use like that for the bookshelf speakers, but now that I splurged even more on the F12, I'd love to throw the Polk into the garage as well. (and let's face it most of what's on radio stations is commercials I can't stand anyway, I wouldn't really miss it if there was no radio reception)

Then run the cheap amp to the 10, 10 to the other speakers. Done.That is what the high level is for. The 10 probably has an internal 80hz pre set crossover on the way out.

schan1269 said:

Then run the cheap amp to the 10, 10 to the other speakers. Done. That is what the high level is for. The 10 probably has an internal 80hz pre set crossover on the way out.

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Oh sweeeeet. This is awesome. Thank you.

Farley1324 said:

PS: I see your location listing of NW Indiana. I grew up in Hobart.

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I live in Lowell/Hebron(have a house in each place...the Hebron address is 5 miles from Lowell, 14 from Hebron...and the Lowell address is "in" Shelby)

schan1269 said:

I live in Lowell/Hebron(have a house in each place...the Hebron address is 5 miles from Lowell, 14 from Hebron...and the Lowell address is "in" Shelby)

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It's a small world.

My Pio Aj speakers are all supposed to get here tomorrow, the F12 on Wednesday.

Can't wait, will report back.

So while I'm dinging you with questions...I've been looking into getting the speakers properly positioned and getting the settings on the receiver optimized...not sure how well that's going to go, or how much I can even do with the old Sony

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STR-DG520-Audio-Video-Receiver/dp/B0015HPYD0

The receiver cam with a calibration microphone that I seem to have long ago lost. Replacements are apparently $35 (total)

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sony-Calibration-Microphone-to-STR-DG700-STR-DG600-STR-DG520-STR-DG500-STR-DE400-/331083323819

Is that $35 I should be spending?

I've never used Sony DCAC(??). Sony is also the 2nd to last AVR I recommend.Behind HK, ahead of Sherwood.

schan1269 said:

I've never used Sony DCAC(??). Sony is also the 2nd to last AVR I recommend. Behind HK, ahead of Sherwood.

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lol

Yeah, when I started this thread the things I figured people would be most likely to say, in order, were:

1. Get a better sub
2. Get a newer better AVR
3. Are you SURE you can't squeeze speakers in somewhere?

I'm glad the better sub was the main response since I thought, going in, that would make the biggest difference...rear speakers would be a pain in the butt to do here/now...and I figured an AVR would cost more than the sub did.

Oh, and Amazon is superb for shipping. All four new speakers are set to arrive tomorrow/Tuesday. Space has been cleared.

You don't have to buy a new one. Since you don't have 3D, you can go as old as Onkyo X05 and Denon XX09/X89.Such as Onkyo 705/805.Denon 1909/989.Denon model numbers get fuzzy once you are back that far.But any 4 digit starting 19 or 3 digit starting 7 is a safe bet.Easy to find Denon...790/890/791/1911/1910