Receiver suggestions? New to home stereos

Romo

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum, as well as home stereo's. I'm turning 20 in July, and I'm a college student. Decided that I'd like to set up some form of home stereo for my room. I'm really big into music, probably more so than I am into movies.

The Monitor 70 speakers seem like incredible value, the sale makes it hard to pass them up. I was thinking of running 4 of them, one in each corner of my room. I was wondering if a) This would be a good idea quality wise, and b) What kind of amps would I need to power them? I'd ideally add a center speaker at a later date, but would probably stick to the four for now.

I'm hoping that it's not going to cost me an arm and a leg to have them sounding nice. I'm just looking for something to listen to tunes on, maybe drop in my old record player, and potentially add a TV to later.

Any questions, comments, concerns, or advice?

Thanks a lot,

Alex

Romo

Anyone mind giving their $0.02? There are a few I'm looking at around $300-400 used on eBay, but I don't want to pull the trigger on anything and then find out that it's not going to work.

Pappy1

Hi Romo,

Welcome to Club Polk! I'm certain that some of the more experienced folks will be with you soon. Here is my 2-cents.

You can see from my signature what I'm enjoying. It is a low budget system, but for me it is very satisfying. From my research the Polk Monitor 70s cannot be beat for value. My sons are both in college now, and if they were in the market for a new rig I would recommend Polk to them. You indicated that you were looking on e-Bay in the $300-$400 range for an amplifier (I'm assuming that you are referring to an AVR (audio-video receiver - it acts as both your preamplifier, sound mode processor, and a power amplifier for your system)). Depending upon how much less than, "an arm and a leg" is, and since you indicated that more of your listening time is devoted to music rather than to home theater, you may want to invest in just two Monitor 70s and use the rest of your available funds for a mid-range AVR . The Onkyo 700-series AVRs , and AVRs from Pioneer and Harman Kardon have a lot of fans. Consider the benefits of purchasing an AVR with pre-outs (these back-of-the-AVR connections allow you to hook-up an additional power amplifier). You will find a lot of discussion regarding AVR pre-outs in Club Polk. The general consensus is that a power amplifier added to your AVR will provide you with a much more immersive/compelling home theater or 2-channel experience. While your finances might not allow you to buy a separate power amplifier at this moment, who knows where you will be financially in a few years? New AVRs can be found (sometimes for very reduced prices) at newegg.com, amazon.com, jr.com, etc. Good used equipment can be found not only on e-Bay, but right here in the Classifieds section of Club Polk from fellow members, as well as on craigslist, … Audiogon might also be a site that you might be interested in investigating for used gear.

If you haven't already, you might want to read reviews/comments regarding possible AVRs on newegg.com, amazon.com, the AVS Forum, and of course, the Electronics section of Club Polk, for additional help in making your decision. Listening to a setup that uses Monitor 70 speakers with various AVRs would be a good way to see what sounds best to you. Of course, no two rooms apartments, etc will have the same acoustics, but it is a way to get a “sense” as to what combination of equipment sounds best to you. Even though I couldn't do that, I'm not in the least disappointed with my combination of Polk and Pioneer.

Please keep us posted on your progress and let us know if you have any further questions.

Best Wishes!

Pappy

AVR - Pioneer VSX 9040TXH
TV - Samsung HL-T6756W DLP
BD - Panasonic DMP-BD605
Cable - CableOne HD DVR
Fronts - Polk Audio Monitor 70s
Center - Polk Audio CS2
Rears - Polk Audio Monitor 60s
Subwoofer - Polk Audio PSW 505

apphd

Welcome to CP ROMO. Pappy has offered some good advice. I would take it a step further and give you more to think about.:D I say just get 2 Mon 70's and a nice stereo receiver, or look for an older ProLogic AVR in good shape. Many of these older units could do music very good, and when you find one it is usually at a price that can't be beat. As money allows add the source of your choice, and build up your music collection. After school when more toy money should be available, you'll be ready to upgrade by then and you can build a multi ch rig, or upgrade your 2 ch from there. Keep it simple and cheap for now, you don't know what's in store for you the next 3 to 5 years, even if you think you have it all planned out now, you may move several times, possibly into somewhat small space, and school can be pretty tough on equipment at times.

Just a thought, and good luck;)

spock 2054

Romo wrote: »

Hello all,

I'm new to the forum, as well as home stereo's. I'm turning 20 in July, and I'm a college student. Decided that I'd like to set up some form of home stereo for my room. I'm really big into music, probably more so than I am into movies.

The Monitor 70 speakers seem like incredible value, the sale makes it hard to pass them up. I was thinking of running 4 of them, one in each corner of my room. I was wondering if a) This would be a good idea quality wise, and b) What kind of amps would I need to power them? I'd ideally add a center speaker at a later date, but would probably stick to the four for now.

I'm hoping that it's not going to cost me an arm and a leg to have them sounding nice. I'm just looking for something to listen to tunes on, maybe drop in my old record player, and potentially add a TV to later.

Any questions, comments, concerns, or advice?

Thanks a lot,

Alex

Hope you're not planning on having 4 70's in a dorm room..If this is a small room the 70's might be too much, but at closeout pricing, why not? I think the entire Monitor series has finally reached the end of it's product cycle, so get em' while you can. The CS2 center channel speaker and a good sub is suggested with the 70's. Make sure whatever receiver/amp you purchase has a phono input for your vinyl. You did not mention a dollar figure, but I'd shop for the speakers first, and electronics last. Tiger Direct still had the cherry 70's refurbs (with a 90 day warranty) for $149 each, but the shipping is much higher than newegg for that item. :eek: (to Pittsburgh from Tiger direct, for example - shipping is $90.31!) I'm spoiled shelling out $2.99 per speaker..

You could probably spend about $650 to $700 on speakers, and get a pretty decent receiver to power them for $350 to $450. Plan on investing more if you need more amps in your pants. Check out accessories4less dot com - they usually have pretty good prices on "Factory Reconditioned" Onkyo receivers. More power is better.

Romo

Hey guys!

Thanks for the welcome, everyone here seems incredibly helpful and friendly. Your responses have all been great.

Pappy, the information there is excellent. From the sound of it, cheaping out on a receiver doesn't seem like a good call. Supposing I picked up one of the Onkyo 700 series AVR's, would that be powerful enough to eventually power 4 M70s? I'm not sure what kind of WPC I should be looking at when I'm shopping around for amplifiers.

Apphd, that's definitely something to think about. I think I'm just worried that if I don't snag these speakers now, since they're a closeout, they might not be around too long. Pardon the silly question, but can a 2 channel stereo setup be hooked up to a TV to provide some form of sound?

Spock, I'm an upper year, so I'm moving into a house near campus with some friends. While the room is bigger, it is only marginally so. Like you said, they're closouts, and at that price, I don't think I can go wrong with four of them, even if I keep the volume down. Will I have a hard time finding an amp with Phono? I was thinking it will limit my options, so a phono preamp might be in order.

Thanks again for the help guys. Is buying a used AVR on eBay a bad idea?

dekuda

Romo wrote: »

Hey guys!

Thanks again for the help guys. Is buying a used AVR on eBay a bad idea?

I have purchased used receivers and later have had problems. Maybe just my bad luck. I had a Marantz and then went Onkyo and Yamaha. I should have stayed with Marantz and am going back to Marantz(SR7002) since they are nowhalf price on Amazon. Might be a little out of your budget but they are great musical receivers and offer a three year warranty. That should give me piece of mind for awhile:p Just my opinion.

PSOVLSK

From a well-respected, long time member. Shouldn't have a problem powering the 70's, but if it does add a cheap two-channel amp since it has pre-outs.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=103372

Here's a link to a Denon I'm selling, but the Pioneer linked above may be just as good (or better)...and $50 less.

http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showthread.php?t=101683

Pappy1

Hi Romo,

Polk members indicate that in general you cannot put much faith in the WPC claims of most of the AVR manufacturers. I suggested the Onkyo, Pioneer, and Harman Kardon brands since so many Polk Clubbers have had good success with them. Everything else being equal, the consensus is that you should get the highest WPC-rated AVR that you can afford. My Pioneer VSX-9040TXH AVR does a good job (not the best job, but "the best job" will cost you substantially more) driving two Monitor 70s, two Monitor 60s, and one CS2 center channel at moderate sound levels for music and movies. That being said, it seems to me that a 700 series Onkyo, or a Pioneer or Harman Kardon would provide you with plenty of power ( I still recommend that you purchase an AVR that has pre-outs).

Please let us know what you decide to do. In my opinion, researching and selecting the equipment is half of the fun (and you learn so much along the way)!

Best Wishes!

(My wife and I just finished watching the two latest episodes of "Leverage" - they sounded and looked great on our Pioneer/Polk/Samsung system.)

Pappy

AVR - Pioneer VSX 9040TXH
TV - Samsung HL-T6756W DLP
BD - Panasonic DMP-BD605
Cable - CableOne HD DVR
Fronts - Polk Audio Monitor 70s
Center - Polk Audio CS2
Rears - Polk Audio Monitor 60s
Subwoofer - Polk Audio PSW 505

Romo

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it. Dekuda, there's a SR7002 I've found reasonably ($500) brand new. Would this be an amp I could "grow into" so to speak?

I'm also looking at the Pioneer you picked up Pappy, you seem quite happy with it, and my planned setup would be very similar to yours, substituting the 60s for a second pair of 70s with the CS2. I don't see a Sub in my imediate future, don't have the necessary funds.

It seems like the longer I debate buying an amp, the more my budget increases. Originally I had planned to pick up something used for $300, then it was bumped to $350, $400, and now I'm even considering $500.

Perhaps I'll buy the SR7002 or the Pioneer and only get 2 M70s for now, but I may miss out on getting a second set? I feel like Newegg won't have the black speakers for too much longer. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all of your help guys.

John K.

Alex, welcome. Yes, as a couple of the replies have mentioned, the Monitor 70s are available at some really bargain prices. Although four might be a bit of a tight fit in a small room, you want surround sound, so somehow you'll find room.

As to power, don't think that because these are pretty big speakers, they also need big power. It's more nearly the opposite, because the Monitor 70s are slightly above average in sensitivity and require less power than many much smaller speakers. This is an area where you can really save because these days many excellent receivers that amplify transparently within their designed power limits are available for a few hundred dollars.

I'd suggest one of the Denon or Onkyo models with Audyssey MultEQ auto-calibration and room equalization. About the best buy I see at the moment is the Denon 589 factory refurb on sale here for about $155 plus shipping. If anything, factory refurbished units should be even more likely than a brand new unit to work well. Enjoy.

Romo

Hi John, thanks for the information. Is it better to buy something like the 589, or just try to buy something bigger incase I end up upgrading in the future? Would there be a sound difference between something like the 589 for example, and maybe one of the more "mid-end" receivers like the SR7002? Newegg has a sale on the PSW10 Sub for $89.99, so I'm debating grabbing that at the same time. Looks like they're out of CS2s, so not sure where I'll go for one of those.

Thank you again everyone for the helpful replies, I'm almost ready to make the purchase I think. I'll probably end up buying 4 of the M70's now, because by September, I may not be able to find another two.

spock 2054

Romo wrote: »

Thanks for the input guys, I really appreciate it. Dekuda, there's a SR7002 I've found reasonably ($500) brand new. Would this be an amp I could "grow into" so to speak?

As long as it has enough inputs for your devices, and sufficient power, sure.

I'm also looking at the Pioneer you picked up Pappy, you seem quite happy with it, and my planned setup would be very similar to yours, substituting the 60s for a second pair of 70s with the CS2. I don't see a Sub in my imediate future, don't have the necessary funds.

I just picked up a pair of Monitor 60's for the surround speakers to replace the JBL E20's, keeping the JBL E10's as surround back speakers - the 70's would jut out from the wall a bit much. Got the cherry Monitor 60's for rear surrounds yesterday - the black 60's went on sale today for $104.99 with the promo code EMCYTNX35. That's a great deal.


It seems like the longer I debate buying an amp, the more my budget increases. Originally I had planned to pick up something used for $300, then it was bumped to $350, $400, and now I'm even considering $500.

At the $500 price point, I would buy something new, with a warranty of at least two years.

Perhaps I'll buy the SR7002 or the Pioneer and only get 2 M70s for now, but I may miss out on getting a second set? I feel like Newegg won't have the black speakers for too much longer. Any thoughts?

Thanks again for all of your help guys.

As I said in an earlier post, the monitor series is reaching end of life. The cherry 70's have been out of stock since around Father's day. I think newegg is trying to sell through its remainining inventory to make room for new product. If you snooze, you lose. Good luck!

Romo

So, I ended up placing an order from Newegg for 2 of the Monitor 70's and a CS2 for now. I figure I'll probably have a few days to decide if I'm going to buy the other pair of Monitors right now or not. I thought it was a good start.

About to buy a receiver. Found a Marantz 7002 brand new for $500, or looking at a HK AVR 354 for around $250ish refurbished on eBay. I realize this is like comparing a grapefruit to an orange, but does anyone have any suggestions? I'm trying to justify the double cost of the Marantz. It's on eBay from a Top-Rated Seller, so I'm thinking it should be legit?

Thanks again for all the help

Alex

cnh

The Marantz is a nice piece but you have MOST of what you need with the HK 354 and Monitors are VERY efficient speakers that like high current amp sections like those in the HK. You also have the all important pre-outs and slightly newer tech (HDMI, etc.) with the 354. Save the money for something 'else'.

cnh

eeagle

I would 2nd the HK advice.

In fact if you are more into music as you mentioned, than into movies you may even want to consider the Harman Kardon HK 3490 High Performance, 120W X 2 Stereo Receiver.

apphd

Romo wrote: »

Hey guys!

Thanks .........

Pardon the silly question, but can a 2 channel stereo setup be hooked up to a TV to provide some form of sound?
..........

As long as your TV/DVD/cable box has an output (L/R analog, or digital) that the receiver has an input for you can.

Romo

eeagle wrote: »

I would 2nd the HK advice.

In fact if you are more into music as you mentioned, than into movies you may even want to consider the Harman Kardon HK 3490 High Performance, 120W X 2 Stereo Receiver.

I looked at that receiver, but then I could only power two of the M70's with it, correct? I was hoping to use four of them. Not sure if music sounds as good in 5.1, but I figure that way I'll be able to use it for a HT as well.

Was looking at the AVR 354 today. Yesterday they were going 240-250ish on eBay, today they're going 290ish. I don't mind spending money, but it seems silly to spend an extra $40 today. Maybe I should just suck it up and buy an Onkyo 807 on sale at accessories4less for $550 refurbished.

John K.

Alex, music from 2-channel sources sounds better when played on a surround setup. The majority of the sound that reaches us in a concert hall doesn't come from the front, but rather as reflected ambience from other directions. The microphones picked this up and it had to be mixed in to the front channels because there was no place else to put it. Processing such as DPLII(which I always use for music)detects the out-of-phase surround ambience in the front channels, extracts it, and send it to the surrounds where it belongs. The result is a little more realistic home listening experience.

On the amplification, again this is something where you can save for more important things, such as the music which is the bottom line. If you want to step up a bit, the Onkyo 807 from A4L would be a fine choice, but the 707 for about $150 less may be a more cost-effective buy for you.

mdaudioguy

John K. wrote: »

Alex, music from 2-channel sources sounds better when played on a surround setup. The majority of the sound that reaches us in a concert hall doesn't come from the front, but rather as reflected ambience from other directions. The microphones picked this up and it had to be mixed in to the front channels because there was no place else to put it. Processing such as DPLII(which I always use for music)detects the out-of-phase surround ambience in the front channels, extracts it, and send it to the surrounds where it belongs. The result is a little more realistic home listening experience.

-1. A highly subjective opinion, John. I've played around quite a bit with DSP modes. Sometimes I get some really cool effects, but it always ends up eventually wearing on me. Dolby PLIIx is wonderful for 2-channel movie soundtracks, though. Many times I forget it's not discreet 7.1. I had a couple of Yamaha AVRs and I preferred SRS Circle Surround to Dolby or DTS. But, I've found that for true 2-channel enjoyment, for me - all processing has got to be eliminated. That's my subjective opinion.

kuntasensei

I'm no purist... I listen to 2-channel in 9.1 with DPL-IIx Music with Audyssey DSX engaged for the heights.

mdaudioguy

kuntasensei wrote: »

I'm no purist... I listen to 2-channel in 9.1 with DPL-IIx Music with Audyssey DSX engaged for the heights.

And, in the true spirit of the upcoming holiday, I declare that you shall remain free to continue doing so!

Romo

My thinking is that if I can't listen to music on all of the speakers, then I should have just bought two better ones, and since the M70's are on their way, it's a little late to have come to that decision. Since I'm no audio purist, it sounds like I'll be alright with listening on the 5.1 setup.

Thanks for your input everyone. John, I think I'll take your advice and pass on the 807. There's one on Audiogon that's been hardly used for $500 shipped, if I can pick that up I might, but $550 + shipping seems kind of excessive considering I'm building an entry level setup. I've also been looking at the Pioneer VSX 21TXH. I like the idea that it's really iPhone music friendly, and still has a decent WPC rating.