Need advice Upgrade X overs or get an AMP

tommyt21
tommyt21 Posts: 685
edited March 2012 in Speakers
I should preface this request for advice with the fact that I love my current set up. However the upgrade bug has a firm hold on me and so far all of the tweaks and tips I have gotten so far I feel have made my Home theater/Audio experince that much better. (examples:Power Conditioner, Acoustic Panels, Upgrading my Sub, Upgrading from the monitor line to RTI's, Better speaker wire, floor spikes, Gramma Sub pad....)

For my front 3 The A7's and Csi a4 which would be a better choice bang for buck and overall sound quality. Getting there X-overs upgraded or getting a amp such as threee outlaw 2200 Mono blocks @ 200watts/channel. I do 90/10 Ht to Music though I wish the music portion was higher.

Thanks guys I always appreciate all of your opinions and help:mrgreen:
Living Room
Fronts: RTi A7's
Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
Front Heights: Rti A1
Surrounds: Rti A3
Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

Acoustimac red suede panels
Post edited by tommyt21 on
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Comments

  • B Run
    B Run Posts: 1,888
    edited March 2012
    I'm pretty much in your same shoes with my Rti12's. I think i'm going to mod my crossovers before going back to separates, but I honestly think it's a win win either way. I just personally feel like better crossovers would benefit me more, i'd rather as as much clarity and sound quality as possible before I give them more juice.
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  • Geoff4rfc
    Geoff4rfc Posts: 2,477
    edited March 2012
    Hmmmm, I'm not too savvy with XO's, so I don't have a recommdation for you there, but according to this quote;
    ravaneli wrote: »
    And Geofff, my man, sorry, someone had to say it. You are a little bit too full of your superamped boomboxes lol

    I'd say try the monoblocks you're looking at.
    Source: BRP Panasonic UB9000, CDP Emotiva ERC3 - Display: LG OLED EVO 83 C3 - Pre/Pro: Marantz 8802A - Amplification: Emotiva XPA-DR3, XPA-2 x 2, XPA-6, Speakers, Mains/2ch-Focal Kanta No2's, C-LSiM706, S-702F/X, RS-RTiA9's, WS-RTiA9's, FH-RTiA3's, Subs - Epik Empire x 2

    Cables: AudioQuest McKenzie XLR's/CDP/Amp, Carbon 48/BRP, Forest 48/Display, 2 channel speaker cable: Furutech FS Alpha 36 12AWG PCOCC Single Crystal (Douglas Connection)

    EXPERIENCE: next to nothing, but I sure enjoy audio and video MY OPINION OF THIS HOBBY: I may not be a smart man, but I know what quicksand is.
    When I was young, I was Superman but now that old age has gotten the best of me I'm only Batman
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited March 2012
    geoff4rfc wrote: »
    hmmmm, i'm not too savvy with xo's, so i don't have a recommdation for you there, but according to this quote;



    i'd say try the monoblocks you're looking at.
    hahahah... Lmao
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited March 2012
    The issue weith me doing the crossovers is I will have to hire somone here to do them as I am not skilled enough to do them on my own. The amp will be easy to do however were talking 700-1100 bucks for the amp route and I want to make sure that upgrade is worth that coin. The Cross over upgrade has had me interested for some time.
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • Esreuter
    Esreuter Posts: 176
    edited March 2012
    What type of XO mod you planning? Full rebuild or just caps and resistors?
    Esr
    AVR: Sony 5600ES
    Center: CS2II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Front: Monitor 70 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coils, Mundorf resistors)
    Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Rear Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    More to come :biggrin:
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited March 2012
    Esreuter wrote: »
    What type of XO mod you planning? Full rebuild or just caps and resistors?
    Esr
    In terms of cost how much better would a full rebuild be vs Caps and resitors?
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,753
    edited March 2012
    Crossovers, caps and resistors....call it a day.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Esreuter
    Esreuter Posts: 176
    edited March 2012
    Caps and resistors are much cheaper.

    depending of course on the parts chosen.

    matching inductors can be a pain. plus then you have to build new platforms to mount all your components on if you do a full rebuild. so the cost goes up very easily and quickly.
    AVR: Sony 5600ES
    Center: CS2II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Front: Monitor 70 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coils, Mundorf resistors)
    Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Rear Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    More to come :biggrin:
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited March 2012
    Is VR3 the guy I should be talking to about getting these modded? Or are there others on the forum also?
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • jbooker82
    jbooker82 Posts: 1,627
    edited March 2012
    tommyt21 wrote: »
    Is VR3 the guy I should be talking to about getting these modded? Or are there others on the forum also?

    That is who done mine. I would do it all over again.
    AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
    Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
    Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Rear: FXI A4
    Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
    TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
    Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
    IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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  • tommyt21
    tommyt21 Posts: 685
    edited March 2012
    jbooker82 wrote: »
    That is who done mine. I would do it all over again.

    What kind o differences did you notice? and what did you go with as the upgrade parts?
    Living Room
    Fronts: RTi A7's
    Center: Csi A6 VR3 "Fortress Plus"
    Front Heights: Rti A1
    Surrounds: Rti A3
    Sub: HSU VTF-2 MK4 Damn this is a good SUB
    Pioneer Pioneer Elite: SC-35-> Emotiva XPA-3
    TV: Lg LW6500 55" Passive 3D
    Blu-Ray Panasonic BD 210
    XboX 360 Slim/Kinect

    Acoustimac red suede panels
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  • Esreuter
    Esreuter Posts: 176
    edited March 2012
    i suggest sonic caps at the 200v value.

    great caps and kinder on space than the 600~630v caps.


    esr
    AVR: Sony 5600ES
    Center: CS2II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Front: Monitor 70 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coils, Mundorf resistors)
    Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    Rear Surrounds: Monitor 40 II (Clarity Caps PX, Perfect Lay coil, Mundorf resistors)
    More to come :biggrin:
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  • jbooker82
    jbooker82 Posts: 1,627
    edited March 2012
    Clarity Cap px's, and ESA's. Mills resistors.

    It was a nice upgrade. Made my RTi's more music capable. It took a little off the highs. I like to tweek stuff and can't leave anything alone. I would do it all over again.
    AVR: Onkyo Tx-NR808
    Amplifier: Carver A-753x 250 watts x 3
    Fronts: Polk RTI A7 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Center: CSI A4 (modded by Trey VR3)
    Rear: FXI A4
    Sub: Polk DSW Pro 660wi
    TV: LG Infinia 50PX950 3D
    Speaker Cable: AudioQuest Type 8
    IC: AudioQuest Black Mamba II
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  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 33,011
    edited March 2012
    Your receiver has more than enough juice for the A7's so I would forgo the amp idea. The crossover mod will give you better bang for your buck in this scenario. Throw any spare coin into better cables too.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
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  • VR3
    VR3 Posts: 28,782
    edited March 2012
    I have modded about 5 pairs of RTiA7 and all of the owners love the results... the normal improvements of crossover mods are more relaxed, refined highs - cleaner, mids - wider staging and cleaning, deeper bass response. :)

    Here are pictures of your mains and center modified... :)
    - Not Tom ::::::: Any system can play Diana Krall. Only the best can play Limp Bizkit.
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  • gp4jesus
    gp4jesus Posts: 1,990
    edited March 2012
    Do the XOs.

    No matter how many zeros follow the 1st digit of the amp's $, that can't make up for XO part$ w/no zero$ to the left of the decimal point.

    If you'd rather someone else handling soldering chores, Trey (VR3) chimed in earlier. PM him. He'll hook ya up!

    Shalom, tony
    Samsung 60" UN60ES6100 LED, Outlaw Audio 976 Pre/Pro Samsung BDP, Amazon Firestick, Phillips CD Changer Canare 14 ga - LCR tweeters inside*; Ctr Ch outside BJC 10 ga: LCR mids “Foamed & Plugged**”, inside* & out
    8 ga Powerline: LR woofers, inside* & out
    *soldered **Rob the Man (Xschop) LR: Tri-amped RTi A7 w/Rotels. Woofers - 980BX; Tweets & Mids - 981, connected w/Monoprice Premiere ICs
    Ctr Ch: Rotel RB981 -> Bi-amped CSi A6 Surrounds: Premiere ICs ->Rotel 981 -> AR 12 ga -> RTi A3. 5 Subs: Sunfire True SW Signature -> LFE & Ctr Ch; 4 Audio Pro Evidence @ the “Corners”. Power Conditioning & Distribution: 4 dedicated 20A feeds; APC H15; 5 Furman Miniport 20s
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