Help A Newbie (1 Viewer)

[ManicMunky]

wow!! its getting deeper!! haha

but very very informative indeed..

ok Gene..lemme give an example of one of the speakers that i am looking at..

here are the specs.. lemme know your opinion..say it going with a Pioneer VSX-1120-K

Frankly I don't fully know what they are all about..most of it though.. haha.. HELP


Specifications
FREQUENCY RESPONSE Satellite: 120Hz-23kHz
Center: 125Hz-23kHz POWER HANDLING Satellite: 50 watts (200 watts peak)
Center: 75 watts (300 watts peak) SENSITIVITY Satellite: [email protected] volts/1 meter
Center: [email protected] volts/1 meter NOMINAL IMPEDANCE 8 ohms compatible CROSSOVER FREQUENCY Satellite: 3700Hz
Center: 3100Hz TWEETER One .75" (1.9 cm) neodymium magnet compression driver HIGH FREQUENCY HORN 90(o) x 40(o) XT Micro Tractrix Horn MIDRANGE One 3.5" (8.9 cm) magnetically shielded woofer ENCLOSURE TYPE Bass-reflex via rear-firing port DIMENSIONS Satellite: 8.3" (21.1cm) H x 5" (12.7cm) W x 6.3" (16cm) D
Center: 5" (12.7cm) H x 12" (30.5cm) W x 6" (15.2cm) D MOUNTING Satellite: Base swivels for on-wall mounting via keyholes
Center: Threaded insert WEIGHT Satellite: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)
Center: 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg)

 

[gene c]

Frequency Response:


120-23k

125-23k


This is the lowest and highest frequency response. They usually give another spec like +/- 3db. that would mean the entire frequency response is within 6 db of each other (+3/-3 = 6). + 3db is effectively twice as loud (*). A graph, sometimes called a waterfall chart, is much better to look at. Sometimes what they don't tell you is more important than what they do.


Sensitivity:


Satellite: [email protected] volts/1 meter
Center: [email protected] volts/1 meter


This is the SPL or sensetivity. These are fairly high spl speakers meaning they shouldn't require as much power to drive them as say speakers with an spl of 86. 86-88 is about normal but I've seen them as low as 81 and as high as 105. Remember, + 3db is supposed to be twice as loud. But louder dosn't mean better, just louder. In theory the center should be 2X as loud as the satillites (*).


Power Handling:


50 watts Nominal/200 watts peak meaning it can handle 50 watts on a continuos basis and peaks up to 200 watts, or so they say. Don't worry too much about this unless this is a very in-expensive speaker brand. A good quality speaker can handle quite a lot of good clean power. It's distortion that can damage a speaker. Turn the 1120 up to normal levels and you shouldn't have any problems. I suspect the 1120 only puts out about 50-6o wats per channel full blast anyway, regardless of what Pioneer wants you to believe.


Crossover Frequency:


This is where the crossover separates the mid-bass from the tweeter. Not much else to say about it.


Enclosure Type:


Bass Reflex means there's a port somewhere (in this case in the back) that lets air escape. This can lower the frequency response and make the speaker seem larger than it really is. Most speakers are ported. Sealed speakers may not play quite as low but the are supposed to produce tighter bass, or so I've read.


Just like with receivers, speaker specs can be misleading.


(*) Even though + 3db is supposed to be twice as loud I've never felt it sounded like it was. It is louder but it doesn't sound 2X to me. Just thought I'd mention it.

 

[ManicMunky]

WOW!! I am Enlightened!!

that clarifies alot of ??? on speakers for me..

Ok Gene..more help needed..sorry..


I narrowed down AVs - Onkyo 808/708 Vs Pioneer 1120 - which would u recommend me? Or there are others along that line you might want to recommend instead?

As for the speakers - Energy RC-Micro 5.1 appeals to me as its suitable for smaller rooms. What do you think? Or Klipsch HD Theater 500.


I hope these speakers are still crystal clear at lower volume instead of being muffled.


Cheers!

 

[gene c]

Even though I had a Pioneer Elite VSX-32 for a while (just sold it today, which is almost identical to the 1120, and it's a fine receiver as is the 94txh I still have, I think the Onkyo might be just a tad bit better for most other people. Onkyo is a great bang for the buck receiver. I suggest you download the manuals from Onkyo's and Pioneer's websites and give them a good going over.


BTW, ac4l.com has a factory refurbished 708 for $469.99 + shipping. It comes with a one year warranty. The refurbed 808 is $599.


Energy and Klipsch are about as far apart in tone as you're going to get. Energy's are considered softer and warmer while Klipsch is thought to be very bright. I would take the Energy's over the Klipsch but you might like the Klipsch better. It's all personal preference.

 

[Al.Anderson]

(Posted in wrong thread. Again.)

 

[ManicMunky]

haha..guess what Gene..

i decided the Energy against Klipsch..

fell in love with the size at the first sight..

and there are rave reviews on it..

its a matter of searching for it..


Refurb sets..are they advisable? will they last in the long run?

Anyway i am reclining more towards Onkyo now.. most of the AVHeads are going for Onkyo nowadays

well thats what i have read..only CNET prefers Pioneer over Onkyo.. hehe


What about speaker cables? Any material or AWG that i should take note? i am and will be getting all the cables and such from Monoprice tho.

Read about length and AWG somewhere and it was said that it has effects on the quality. True?

I know now for a fact after all the reading and research that it doesn't affect the digital cables except if they are very very long tho.

As for me i am just setting it up in a room about 3m(wide) 6m(length) 2.5-3m(depth)


GodBless!

 

[gene c]

Nothing wrong with refurbs as long as they are from an authorized dealer, like ac4l.com. Even new gear can arrive DOA.


16 gauge is the smallest I'd go with 14 prefferable. I use 12 g CL-2 rated (for in-wall use) from Monoprice.com. Others get wire in bulk from Home Depot or Lowes. Some even use lamp cord! .

 

[ManicMunky]

yeah i saw the toslink cables when i ordered my hdmi switch and cables..sweetness!!

will get that once i got the AV

problem is both the receiver and RC-Micro is not yet out in my country (Singapore)...sucks!


as for the measurements...those are for my room..

rectangular room..

3m width - one end is the door and the other end are wall to wall windows

6m length..from the door to the windows

2.5m-3m depth - floor to ceiling

 

[gene c]

Singapore! Isn't the internet a wonderful thing to a guy from Singapore.


Anyway, here in the good ol' USA we still use the old fashioned inches and feet. We tried to move to metrics back in the 70's but it was a colossal failure. We're just not ready for that yet. Maybe someday we'll catch up to the rest of the world.

 

[ManicMunky]

haha..sorry about the measurements..

totally forgot that you guys are using feets and inches!!

but its all just a matter of conversation aye.. hehe


well yeah the internet is a wonderful thing indeed.. makes me stop shopping in the mall!! haha

i have been searching for good sources.. not forgetting the shipping cost too..

and most USA based sellers do not ship to Singapore or Asia..

its usually shipping in the USA alone..sucks most of the times tho.. haha


but u have been the most helpful..

i have decided..Onkyo 708/808 with energy RC-Micro

Even the sole distributor here dun carry RC-Micro..Sucks!

Yet to see if they have the Onkyo around tho.. hehe


God Bless and Happy New Year Gene!