Newbie needs help (1 Viewer)

[Steve Mack]

I just joined today and I need some expert opinions and guidance. I just put all my older Klipsch speakers up for sale. My brother-in-law is a Cabasse dealer and has me sold on the xo system, great bang-for-the-buck he assures me. My question now is I'm tossed up between which receiver I should get. I'm looking at either the Marantz SR7500 or the Onkyo Integra DTR6.6. Both retail for about $1000. I can get a really good discount on the Integra if I choose to go that route. I plan on using Ixos interconnects. BTW, if any of you are interested, the Klipsch speakers I have for sale are a pair of Chorus II's, a pair of KM4's and a KSF-C5 center channel. I hope this helps. Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[Steve Mack]

50 views to this page and no one can give me a little advice?

 

[Oren Paul]

www.outlawaudio.com

 

[Tom Donaghue]

I'm one of the 50 whose looked at your posting, however I don't have experience with either the Marantz SR7500 or the Onkyo Integra DTR6.6, hence the lack of input. It's likely several others that have reviewed your posting are in the same boat.

However, having perused various forums, most folks that do go with the mid-level receiver solutions from Marantz seem quite happy with them. I've seen very little postings regarding the Integra unit you've noted.

In the event you haven't done so, perform a search on the 'Receivers/Separates/Amps' forum with the 'Slow Search' and the 'Show topics from the beginning' options, this is bound to bring back some info on these for you. I'd suggest the same over at Audioholics' 'Amps, Pre-Pros & Receivers' forum.

Good luck on your search.. -TD

 

[Dick Knisely]

You seem to be looking for someone who has experience with both of those specific items. Not going to be many such.

You gave no reasons for your choices--what factors are important to you? You gave no indicators of what others you looked at.

Okay, some input: just on the basis of brands, I'd choose Onkyo of those two.

 

[BlakeN]

I just bought a sr7500 refurbed from http://www.accessories4less.com/ and I couldn't be more happy. It was just under $700 after shipping. Great deal from an authorized marantz refurb dealer. They come with 1 year factory warranty. I don't think you could go wrong with either. Marantz is known for outstanding sound quality but if you can get a good deal on the onkyo you probably should go that route.

Not to be negative but why did you go with the Cabasse xo system? I am guessing just from the recomendation of your brother in law. No offence but all salesmen of high end audio gear think their product is the best. Did you listen to them compared with something in the same price range but larger? Is size that important? If its not I would go out and audition some more speakers. You can't cheat physics.

What are you going to be using this system for music, movies or both. If both what percentage of each.

Personaly I think the svs sbs-01 would kick the mother lovin crap out the xo's and I would guess its cheaper. I don't have anything to base that on other then other peoples reviews and svs's reputation. You can read this one if you would like http://www.audioholics.com/productre.../SVSSB01p1.php

 

[Shane Harg]

I'm kind of wondering the same thng as BlakeN. Did you hear the xo system before you sold your Klipsch speakers? When you say, "great bang-for-the-buck he assures me," it makes it sound like you put a set of great speakers up for sale on his word alone. Hope you're not jumping from the frying pan into the fire on that one.

As far as receivers go, neither Marantz nor Onkyo would be my first choice nowadays, but if I had to choose between the two, I would have to go with Onkyo. I'm not a real big fan of Marantz until you get up into their really high-end DVD and CD players. Their receivers always seem to be a generation behind the rest, feature-wise. My very first surround receiver was an Onkyo and I was quite happy with it until it became outdated. It was a very solid receiver right up until the day I sold it.

 

[DorianBryant]

You Klipsch system would kick the tar out of that system you are considering. IMO you are taking a major downgrade in speakers.

I would get the speaker sitution sorted out first and then focus on the receiver. What do you have for a receiver currently?

 

[BlakeN]

I have to agree with Shane. Marantz is usualy a generation behind in the newest features. However that particular onkyo has pretty much the exact same feature set. If you are interested in cutting edge features the new denon 2807 is going to be the reciever for you at the $1100 mark. If you can get a deal on that then it would be at the top of my list. I was very close to getting one myself but after hearing the 7500 with my paradigm speakers I couldn't justify the $400 extra a new denon was going to cost me.

 

[Steve Mack]

Wow....lots of good info to consider. I still have all the Klipsch gear, it's just SO HUGE. I'm kinda tired of front speakers that take up so much space. I'd really like some newer, smaller speakers. My receiver is way old also so maybe that's why I'm not happy with the sound. It's a Yamaha DSP-A990 that I bought about 8 years ago for $700. The main reason I'm considering the Onkyo and Cabasse is that I can get it for a little bit over dealer cost.

 

[BlakeN]

Are there any other brands you can get good deals on?

 

[Steve Mack]

I'm not really sure. I'd have to ask. I'm mainly a 12v guy. I'm very knowledable about car audio and security (shop owner for 15 years) but I'm not very familiar with different home audio brands. I know he sells the Cabasse and I buy Ixos car products. I'd go with the Ixos home products for myself. I'm an Earthquake car audio dealer, I know they have a home line but I don't think it's the caliber of equipment that would interest most people here.

 

[Shane Harg]

Which model of Klipsch speakers do you have? If I could have taken my RF3IIs with me to Japan, I would have. I now use B&W DM600 bookshelf speakers in 7.1, since space is limited and I'm very happy with them. They are a bit more refined than the Klipsch speakers I once had and not as bright, but come at a very modest price, so there's a thought.

As far as the reciever goes, why not just stick with Yamaha? I went from Onkyo to Denon (3805) to Yamaha (2600) and I'm not the least bit sorry. I thought that I would never look back, having once owned the Denon and don't get me wrong, it was great reciever, but Yamaha's newer generation of RX-V receivers is right on par with Denon.

 

[Steve Mack]

My Yamaha DSP-A990 is about 8+ years old. I definately need something a bit more up to date I think. And, when I first got the Klipsch I was happy but they're just too big. From what everyone has said I guess I'm going to go with the Onkyo Integra instead of the Marantz. I'm still unsure on the Cabasse but at the price I can get them for it seems to be a pretty good deal.

 

[Shane Harg]

When I said, "why not just stick with Yamaha?" I meant the brand, not your current receiver. As I said, they are turning out some nice receivers of late.

You can't remember the model of Klipsch speakers you have? Reference? Synergy?

 

[LanceJ]

Using either of those receivers with those tiny Cabasse speakers is wasting much of the Marantz's/Integra's power capability & will also make it easier to (accidently) burn out those small speakers. So unless you're planning on upgrading to larger speakers in the future (i.e. if you move the system into a larger living room), I would spend less on the receiver.

But as others have already mentioned, if you go with the Cabasse series you're going to notice a huge difference in sound - whether this difference is important is something only you can decide.

Tiny speakers do have their uses, but IMO strictly from a sound quality point of view I would stay away from them. This is just a guesstimate but if you wanted the "big" sound of those Chorus IIs but without their bulk, I think using a single 15" subwoofer paired with bookshelfs with an 8" woofer or dual 6.5" woofers (both from Klipsch) would provide a nearly equivalent effect* and bass would most probably reach lower too.

BTW: yes those Klipschs you have are large, but personally speaking, if you can't keep all of them I would at least try to hold onto the Chorus IIs. You could use them for a stereo-only HT or music system (more and more manufacturers are selling stereo receivers again). Klipsch just re-introduced their Cornwall series, very similar to the Chorus IIs, and they are priced at $3500 a pair!


* the "size" AND the sonic personality of the Chorus models. Few other speakers - conventional or subwoofers - sound like Klipsch's. And subs sound different from each other just like any other loudspeaker.

 

[Shane Harg]

Heh. Silly me, You did say Chorus IIs in your first post. Sorry.

I concur with Lance on this.