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In need of receiver and speaker advice (1 Viewer)

Benjamin H

Auditioning
Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
5
I'm finally getting around to planning my first system and have a few questions. My goal is to build it in a few stages, but for now I'm just looking at fronts and a receiver. I definitely am on a budget and would like to keep it around $1500 or so. I'm fairly set on a pair of paradigm studio 60's. I think a weekend trip to Canada is a possibility, so that should save a little. If anyone wants to plan a trip to Ontario or maybe vancouver, let me know and maybe we'd have a little more bargaining power. What is a realistic price to find? Based on some general things that I've heard, it sounds like I could get them for around $1250 (American), but I'm not sure if that's accurate.

Ultimately, I'd like to pick up a pair of 100's and move the 60's to the rear. I'll definitely make the move to separates then, but I'm hoping a receiver is enough for now. The two that I am kind of considering are the Outlaw 1050 and the Marantz 4500 or maybe the 5500. I've heard good things about the Outlaw and a friend of mine has the Marantz and seems to like it. I think I could find either of them for between $300-400. My biggest concern with a receiver is whether or not it would be enough wattage. Also, since I'll probably just have the 2 channels for a while, how important is prologic II? That's really my only hesitation with the outlaw. If anyone has other suggestions, feel free.

Any comments are appreciated, thanks
 

Patrick D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Messages
65
My preference when I demoed Paradigms was for the 60's in front, a sub to back them up, then the 20's in the rear.

I too like the feeling of knowing the front mains are *grunt* powerful, but every time I prefer letting the sub handle matters, as it ends up being cleaner than the mains for low freq. duty.

My next HT will have big, full-range speakers (like the 60's) in the rear, but honestly, it's money I don't mind throwing away. I would really demo a setup with the 20's in the back (and I really did NOT like the diffuse sound of the ADP's) versus the 60's, with a sub handling the low end. If you're skipping the sub (why?), then that changes things.

I'd pick up a Pioneer 1015 for the receiver bit. Throw an amp at it later and move the 1015 to pre/pro duty. It won't happily run the 100's you want, but then neither will the Outlaw or Marantz. Hang out on Audiogon and swoop down on a used Adcom (545/555), they make great (and cheap) step-ups from the receiver's amp section for the mains.

But... I returned the Paradigm gear I demoed. I went DIY. Way, way, way... way.... better bang for the buck.
 

Benjamin H

Auditioning
Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
5
Thanks for the insights Patrick. I do plan on getting a sub eventually, but all of that is at least a couple of years down the road.......once I'm not a poor student. For the time being, fronts are going to have to do.
 

Charlie Campisi

Screenwriter
Joined
Aug 20, 2004
Messages
1,645
You should go to an HT store and demo some nice speakers and then try adding a sub, even a budget sub, to them so that you can hear the difference in-store to see what you would be missing. I understand the student money issue, but the Dayton 10" is $100 right now and would add some punch to a HT system on a budget.
 

John Garcia

Senior HTF Member
Joined
Jun 24, 1999
Messages
11,571
Location
NorCal
Real Name
John
The 1050 would be a better bet for the 60s than the Marantz models, and probably has as much or more current than the 1015, though it will lack all of the bells & whistles. For just 2.1, both of the Marantz units have pre-outs, so you are covered there for going with 100s down the road, but I'd opt for the 5500 to drive 60s for now.

You could probably get away with some used 20s or 40s and a sub and be pretty happy too.

Check www.audiogon.com There are a few Studios on there right now.
 

Benjamin H

Auditioning
Joined
May 9, 2001
Messages
5
I'm definitely going to consider a sub. I had just wanted to wait and get an SVS, but that Dayton sounds like it might work for the time being. I'm leaning towards the Outlaw, but how important is prologic II? I haven't made it out to compare yet, but I hear PLII is considerably better than regular PL. Thanks again for the replies.
 

Patrick D

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Jun 13, 2001
Messages
65
I never used PL2 as I had a Harmon Kardon AVR8000 in the old theater which had Logic 7 (which was fantastic except when it 'glitched').

I made PL2x a 'must have' however on my next receiver/processor, because I want it to be able to separate out a "stereo" separation on the surround back channels (7.1 setup), and I won't have Logic 7 (unless someone wants to totally give away a Lexicon MC-8 or better).

If I had a 5.1 setup only, I don't know if I would really care that much about it. With 5.1 you just use the encoded 5.1 mix (Dolby Digital or DTS). For stereo programs, I used to do a 50/50 mix of either leaving it in stereo, or applying Logic 7, which was nice but not really something I couldn't live without. I presume Dolby's PL2x is similar in quality to L7.

I have a Pioneer 1014 here with PL2x, but I am only running a 5.1 setup on it so I never had reason to use that setting.
 

dan-0

Stunt Coordinator
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
Messages
156
If you watch/listen to a lot of TV (or I suppose VHS or other stereo sources) through your receiver then PLII may be of some importance to you. Myself, I don't watch much TV or VHS, and when I do, I'm not too concerned with video or audio quality. Movies are another story...
 

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