Polk Audio Atrium speakers for deck
I have purchased Yamaha NS-AW150WH speakers and microFidelity Mini Amplifier, Model 200 for a 24' x 12' covered deck. For an input, I am using a Chromecast audio. Yesterday I installed everything and was underwhelmed by the sound, specifically the bass. Now I'm looking for the best option to make things right.
I was thinking about keeping my setup the same and just changing out the speakers for the Polk Audio Atrium's. The Atrium4's ($125) would be the logical step up, but I'm afraid that they also won't be what I want. Other options are the Atrium5's ($185) and the Atrium6's ($225). However, one last idea I had was getting a single Atrium8 ($185), and sending both channels to the one speaker. This speaker has inputs for both left and right if you want to simply to a mono speaker.
For a casual outdoor space, what would give me the best bang for my buck? Are the Atrium4's substantially better than the Yamaha's I have now? Am I better off with 2 lesser speakers (Atrium5 or 6), or one better speaker (Atrium8)? The amp I got is only rated for 2 x 40 W RMS.
FYI, I don't need my deck to go boom, otherwise I'd be looking into a subwoofer. I just want my music to feel more full I guess.
I was thinking about keeping my setup the same and just changing out the speakers for the Polk Audio Atrium's. The Atrium4's ($125) would be the logical step up, but I'm afraid that they also won't be what I want. Other options are the Atrium5's ($185) and the Atrium6's ($225). However, one last idea I had was getting a single Atrium8 ($185), and sending both channels to the one speaker. This speaker has inputs for both left and right if you want to simply to a mono speaker.
For a casual outdoor space, what would give me the best bang for my buck? Are the Atrium4's substantially better than the Yamaha's I have now? Am I better off with 2 lesser speakers (Atrium5 or 6), or one better speaker (Atrium8)? The amp I got is only rated for 2 x 40 W RMS.
FYI, I don't need my deck to go boom, otherwise I'd be looking into a subwoofer. I just want my music to feel more full I guess.
Comments
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might want to try the yamaha speakers with a different amp firstMy New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160
Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |
ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4
Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |
Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |
Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |
Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's
Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's | -
Good call. I'll try that tonight by plugging them into my family room receiver. If they sound fine there, then I know to replace the amp. If they still sound bad, would you recommend a pair of Atrium5's or a single Atrium8?
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I use a pair of the 8's.Pio Elete Pro 520
Panamax 5400-EX
Sunfire TGP 5
Micro Seiki DD-40 - Lyra-Dorian and Denon DL-160
PS Audio GCPH phono pre
Sunfire CG 200 X 5
Sunfire CG Sig 405 X 5
OPPO BDP-83 SE
SDA SRS 1.2TL Sonicaps and Mills
Ctr CS1000p
Sur - FX1000 x 4
SUB - SVS PB2-Plus
Workkout room:
Sony Bravia XBR- 32-Inch 1080p
Onkyo TX-DS898
GFA 555
Yamaha DVD-S1800BL/SACD
Ft - SDA 1C
Not being used:
RTi 38's -4
RT55i's - 2
RT25i's -2, using other 2 in shop
LSI 15's
CSi40
PSW 404 -
I agree. I have an older pair of NS-AW350WH running on a Sonance 5012 (50w per) and think they sound good, especially considering the price (150's are very similar IIRC). Not terribly efficient and 4 or 6 ohm IIRC, so you might find a better match. Mine have lasted several years in a very hostile seaside environment. Hard to beat that for less than 100 bucks.Mikey081057 wrote: »might want to try the yamaha speakers with a different amp firstb]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet -
Ive heard good things about the Yamaha outdoor speaks... Placement and still need some decent amplification....My New Year's resolution is 3840 × 2160
Family Room| Marantz AV7704| Usher Dancer Mini - 2 DMD Mains |Usher Dancer Mini-x DMD's Surrounds | Usher BE-616 DMD Center | SVS Ultra Rear Surrounds | Parasound Halo A21 | Parsound Halo A52+ | MIT Shotgun S3's | Dual SVS SB 4000 Ultras | Oppo UDP 203 | Directv Genie HD DVR | Samsung 75" Q8 QLED | PSAudio Stellar GCD | Mytek Brooklyn DAC+ | Lumin U1 Mini | HP Elite Slice PC | ROON'd for life |
ManCave: HT:Polk LSiM 706VR3 LSiM 703's LSiM 702's|| Marantz AV7002 AV PrePro Sunfire TGA-7401| Sony PS4 Pro| Sony PS4 Pro|SVS PB13 Ultra| Oppo UDP 203 | Music Hall MMF 5.3se TT w/ Soundsmith Carmen | Samsung 55" SUHD TV | Sony PS4
Patio | Polk Atrium 8's | Yamaha R-N303BL |
Office BlueSound Node| KEF LS50 | Peactree Nova 125SE |
Bedroom | Focal 905's | Chromecast Audio |
Garage | Polk Monitor 5B's
Closet Yamaha M80 | 2 Polk MP3K subs| Yaqin MC100B with Shuguang Treasures KT 88's & CV181Z's | Tesla E83CC's | Marantz 2252B | Marantz 2385 |Polk SDA SRS 2.3 | LSiM 705's | -
I also have Polk Atrium 5's and Yamaha NS-AW570WH on that same amp but on the middle level deck. I prefer the AW570 with dual tweeters over the Polks, but both are augmented with a Polk Atrium sub (a good deal for $185 refurbished from Polk eBay). Not sure they're worth the additional $100, but the Polks do have the advantage of both up/down and left/right adjustment if you attach the bracket overhead.b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet -
I plugged it into my family room and they still sounded poor to me. I have a single Atrium8 on the way. I'll report back on how it compares to the pair of Yamaha NS-AW150WH speakers.
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I run Atrium 5's in my backyard and like them. They're not going to shake the neighborhood, but they do a pretty good job for our not so small yard.
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Yeah, looks like low efficiency and a smaller mid driver are your challenges with the NS-AW150. Here's data on most you mentioned:
- NS-AW150 - 80-85db (sites differ), 6ohm, 5", $75
- Atrium5 - 90db, 8ohm, 5", $175
- NS-AW350 - 86-87db, 6ohm, 6.5", $100
- NS-AW570 - 87db, 6ohm, 6.5" (dual tweeters), $100
- Atrium8 - 91db, 8ohm, 6.5", $375
I would much prefer a pair of the NS-AW570's with $80 to upgrade the amplifier over a single Atrium8, especially for a large deck like yours. I think you'd have pleasing separation and sound with good amplification.
As an alternative, you could look for some used Polk M Series M5's (6.5", 91db) on eBay? Mine are still going strong after 25+ years (10 of those at the beach, the rest in a wood shop - amazing!).
BTW, the 570's needed a little time to stretch their legs - maybe 100 hours.b]Beach Audio[/b]: Rega RP6 (mods) - AT33PTG/II - Parks Budgie SUT - PSAudio NPC * Eversolo DMP-A6 * Topping D90iii * Joule-Electra LA-100 mkIII * Pass Aleph 30 * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 2.3tl (mods) * PSAudio PPP3
Beach Study: Pro-Ject Stream Box S2 Ultra & Pre Box S2 * Pass ACA * DH Labs SS Q10 * Brines Folded ML-TQWT RS 40-1354 * PSA Dectet
Beach Master: WiiM Pro * Dayens Menuetto * Zu Libtec * Dynaudio Audience 50
Beach Den: Bluesound Powernode 2i * DH Labs SS Q10 * Zu Omen DWII * Richard Gray RGPC
Town Study: WiiM Pro * Chord Qute (Pardo) * Elekit TU-8600 * MIT S3 * Revel M22 * Beyer DT-990 * Shunyata Hydra 2
Town Den: Music Hall mm5.1se - Denon DL-103r - Jolida JD9ii (mods) * WiiM Pro * Cary xCiter * Rogue 99 Magnum * Schiit Aegir * MIT S3 * Polk SRS 1.2tl (mods) * Dectet * Bottlehead Crack - Senn 600
Town Porch: WiiM Pro Plus * Sunfire Sig II * Canare 4S11 * Magnepan 1.6 * Dectet -
What amp would your recommend instead? The two perks I see with my amp are 1) Very small and 2) cheap. Being small is great because it makes it easy to mount out of the way. And being cheap is good since it is living outside and it isn't necessarily ruggedized.
Below is a link to my deck. You can see the amp mounted above the right window, with the Chromecast audio and a power strip to the right of it. So being small is a plus in this case. If I go with a single Atrium 8, I plan on mounting it in the corner between the doors where a Yamaha NS-AW150 is now.
EDIT: I removed the photo since I can't figure out how to remove the GPS data from it.
