Polk Signature Series Official Discussion

firsttimer

Just a quick question, how far away from the back wall are you placing your signature tower speakers. I have a pair of s60's and am just curious as the power port is on the bottom of these speakers. Thanks in advance

Ctxx24

Mine are pretty close maybe 2 feet..I think the port on bottom makes it alot easier to accomplish this.

Cigar_Maverick

Ctxx24 wrote: »

I would say just the 2 is good.. As long as they are close to over your head.. I couldn't go in ceiling.. I have a overhang using the s10 and are awesome that way..

Had not thought about the S10s. OK. Is there a "recommended" height above your head?

Wouldn't Denon's Audyssey make up for them being further away mounted "in ceiling?"

Cigar_Maverick

firsttimer wrote: »

Just a quick question, how far away from the back wall are you placing your signature tower speakers. I have a pair of s60's and am just curious as the power port is on the bottom of these speakers. Thanks in advance

I'm going to find out soon. My S60s will likely be pretty close to the wall. But I do plan on trying them a couple feet from the back wall as wall.

firsttimer

I just have to say I have had my s60 towers a little over a month now and just love them. I think after some hours of use they really start to open up. I was just listening to pink Floyd the wall from start to finish and they sound just wonderful. So pleased with this purchase. I think for the money you cannot go wrong especially for the sale prices you can get these for. If your on the fence about these speakers you should not be. They are also fantastic in home theater usage as well. Have watched some previously viewed HDR discs and the sound they reproduce is just awesome. Anyways enough ranting but just thought I would share my experience with these truly amazing speakers. Well done Polk.

Ctxx24

firsttimer wrote: »

I just have to say I have had my s60 towers a little over a month now and just love them. I think after some hours of use they really start to open up. I was just listening to pink Floyd the wall from start to finish and they sound just wonderful. So pleased with this purchase. I think for the money you cannot go wrong especially for the sale prices you can get these for. If your on the fence about these speakers you should not be. They are also fantastic in home theater usage as well. Have watched some previously viewed HDR discs and the sound they reproduce is just awesome. Anyways enough ranting but just thought I would share my experience with these truly amazing speakers. Well done Polk.

I love mine also.. Movies are incredible.. I wish music was a taf more detailed.. Overall they are the best towers I have owned

motorhead43026

^^ I wish music was a taf more detailed

What are you driving them with?

Ctxx24

Just a Denon avr.. Maybe a Amp would help but these speakers don't need much power..

motorhead43026

They need good clean power to sound their best. They need current to bring out the detail. The detail you are missing in music is not the speaker, it is the AVR.

I find 225Wpc, high current (65 amps) just right.

motorhead43026

They need good clean power to sound their best. They need current to bring out the detail. The detail you are missing in music is not the speaker, it is the AVR.

I find 225Wpc, high current (65 amps) just right.

Ctxx24

And what's that? A Amp?

motorhead43026

See my signature, currently using an Anthem 225, 2 channel integrated amp.

Ctxx24

I have never used an amp. But I would never spend that kind of money on something like that can you recommend a budget-friendly one

motorhead43026

Ctxx24 wrote: »

I have never used an amp. But I would never spend that kind of money on something like that can you recommend a budget-friendly one

Parasound HCA-1500, you can find used for about 4-5 bills. I have also used it with my S60's, excellent match. Does you AVR have preouts?

txcoastal1

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=PAC2125V2

firsttimer

I am using a Denon avrx 3300w an it seems to be working very well for me with the s60 towers.

Ctxx24

Well yours is 25 watts more a channel then mine.. I'm guessing that's y.. Mine sounds great don't get me wrong.. Just feel I'm missing some punch..

cfrizz

This is why a good many of us recommend separate amplification to ensure that your speakers have all the power they need to operate to their full potential.

I always recommend an amp of at least 200wpc at 8ohms. However Loren put an Emotiva Basx on his 60s and he said that it gave them a nice boost.

halo

I would say the power requirements Cathy (@cfrizz) is referring to above requires you, the listener, to consider many variables.

How loud do you listen? The louder you listen, the more power you may need.
How big is the room in which you listen to music and/or movies? The bigger the space you have to fill with sound/pressurize the room, the more power you may need.

I've had amps here of all different shapes and sizes, solid state amps and tube amps, and it really is a matter of synergy with your room, listening tastes/style, as well as how your setup overall integrates. People talk about adding a component and having it make a significant difference (in the best case scenario) and following that line of thought, it's all about experimentation to hear what sounds best to you in your environment.

There's nothing wrong with the 200 wat-per-channel recommendation but, if a 125 wat-per-channel amp will more than adequately do the job and it has better overall sound quality, by all means, you should go with the better sounding amp!

There are so many different types of equipment out there and so many different brands that it can be daunting but that is also part of the fun. Once you find what sounds best to you, then you're a happy camper who has the experience of trying many different pieces in order to craft what works best for you.

cfrizz

halo wrote: »

I would say the power requirements Cathy (@cfrizz) is referring to above requires you, the listener, to consider many variables.

How loud do you listen? The louder you listen, the more power you may need.
How big is the room in which you listen to music and/or movies? The bigger the space you have to fill with sound/pressurize the room, the more power you may need.

I've had amps here of all different shapes and sizes, solid state amps and tube amps, and it really is a matter of synergy with your room, listening tastes/style, as well as how your setup overall integrates. People talk about adding a component and having it make a significant difference (in the best case scenario) and following that line of thought, it's all about experimentation to hear what sounds best to you in your environment.

There's nothing wrong with the 200 wat-per-channel recommendation but, if a 125 wat-per-channel amp will more than adequately do the job and it has better overall sound quality, by all means, you should go with the better sounding amp!

There are so many different types of equipment out there and so many different brands that it can be daunting but that is also part of the fun. Once you find what sounds best to you, then you're a happy camper who has the experience of trying many different pieces in order to craft what works best for you.

I like having lots of power because it doesn't matter where the volume knob is, I am able to hear all the details of the music. ESPECIALLY at lower volume. That was the biggest surprise I got when I got the Parasound 1500A. I want my speakers to have all the power they need to operate to their full potential at all times, lots of power ensures this.

I personally don't assume that everyone wants to experiment with every piece of gear that exists, that way could possibly lead to hoarder syndrome, bankruptcy or divorce court.

There is no guarantee, that you will be able to recoup what you paid out on the gear, hell there isn't any guarantee that you will be able to sell it at all! Just look at that nice pair of Dynaudio's that have been sitting in the FM!

I believe in doing it once with extensive research, doing it right the first time around, even if it cost a bit more up front, then sitting back and enjoying it for years to come.

But that's just me, I like interjecting a bit of practicality into this crazy hobby.

Tony M

cfrizz wrote: »

halo wrote: »

I would say the power requirements Cathy (@cfrizz) is referring to above requires you, the listener, to consider many variables.

How loud do you listen? The louder you listen, the more power you may need.
How big is the room in which you listen to music and/or movies? The bigger the space you have to fill with sound/pressurize the room, the more power you may need.

I've had amps here of all different shapes and sizes, solid state amps and tube amps, and it really is a matter of synergy with your room, listening tastes/style, as well as how your setup overall integrates. People talk about adding a component and having it make a significant difference (in the best case scenario) and following that line of thought, it's all about experimentation to hear what sounds best to you in your environment.

There's nothing wrong with the 200 wat-per-channel recommendation but, if a 125 wat-per-channel amp will more than adequately do the job and it has better overall sound quality, by all means, you should go with the better sounding amp!

There are so many different types of equipment out there and so many different brands that it can be daunting but that is also part of the fun. Once you find what sounds best to you, then you're a happy camper who has the experience of trying many different pieces in order to craft what works best for you.

I like having lots of power because it doesn't matter where the volume knob is, I am able to hear all the details of the music. ESPECIALLY at lower volume. That was the biggest surprise I got when I got the Parasound 1500A. I want my speakers to have all the power they need to operate to their full potential at all times, lots of power ensures this.

I personally don't assume that everyone wants to experiment with every piece of gear that exists, that way could possibly lead to hoarder syndrome, bankruptcy or divorce court.

There is no guarantee, that you will be able to recoup what you paid out on the gear, hell there isn't any guarantee that you will be able to sell it at all! Just look at that nice pair of Dynaudio's that have been sitting in the FM!

I believe in doing it once with extensive research, doing it right the first time around, even if it cost a bit more up front, then sitting back and enjoying it for years to come.

But that's just me, I like interjecting a bit of practicality into this crazy hobby.

Now that's a fact I can relate too!

I had 1 system for many, many years.

Then I bought a set of Polk Monitor 10's. I was hooked. Seriously. Luxman receivers also played a big part in the beginning of hearing music sound so NICE. I hooked those Polk Monitor 10's up to a Luxman 1030 I think it was. Now look at me.

It must be like what that first puff on a crack pipe does.

mrloren

cfrizz wrote: »

This is why a good many of us recommend separate amplification to ensure that your speakers have all the power they need to operate to their full potential.

I always recommend an amp of at least 200wpc at 8ohms. However Loren put an Emotiva Basx on his 60s and he said that it gave them a nice boost.

Yes it did very nice. About one of the best audio investments I have made. I am now going to save for one of the big boy's. Would like an A31 but I'll settle for a 2250v2.

Adding the amp didn't make it louder but added a lot more detail. More clean power will show what a speaker can sound like.

cfrizz

mrloren wrote: »

Yes it did very nice. About one of the best audio investments I have made. I am now going to save for one of the big boy's. Would like an A31 but I'll settle for a 2250v2.

Adding the amp didn't make it louder but added a lot more detail. More clean power will show what a speaker can sound like.

And that is really the true purpose of an amp, which is what the majority of people have no clue about. They will blame the speakers, when the blame belongs with the weak amplifier that is powering the receiver.

Having a receiver that can supposedly do it all with all the latest bells and whistles is great, but what they don't tell you is in order to give you all those bells and whistles they have to sacrifice somewhere, and that place is in the power.

The specs they show you are misleading at best since they never tell you how many wpc each of your 5-7 or more channels is actually drawing when all are in use. That 110wpc quickly drops down to 80wpc when spread out to so many speakers.

LOL! I knew you would now want more power to see what your speakers can do Loren!

deronb1

I have a $150.00, 150 wpc Audiosource amp ill let go, if that helps. Sorry about the thread jack.

halo

cfrizz wrote: »

I like having lots of power because it doesn't matter where the volume knob is, I am able to hear all the details of the music. ESPECIALLY at lower volume. That was the biggest surprise I got when I got the Parasound 1500A. I want my speakers to have all the power they need to operate to their full potential at all times, lots of power ensures this.

Forgive me Cathy but that statement doesn't make a whole lot of sense. No matter where the volume knob is you can hear all the details? lol. Well, ok, but, if it's all the way down, you're not going to hear much of anything, no matter how many watts the amp puts out! Even at low volumes, really low volumes, you're not hearing all the details. IMO, there's a certain point where everything "clicks." It doesn't have to be LOUD for that to happen with every setup Cathy, but it does have to be audible. I can hear all the details, at modest listening levels, just fine with only 125 wpc in my setup. I guess I'm just lucky?

cfrizz wrote: »

I personally don't assume that everyone wants to experiment with every piece of gear that exists, that way could possibly lead to hoarder syndrome, bankruptcy or divorce court.

Well, Cathy, variety is the spice of life! I wouldn't be where I am now if I had stayed where I was. The point is, I'm very happy that I experimented with a lot of different gear over the years. Through trial & error, I found the sound I love and enjoy.

cfrizz wrote: »

There is no guarantee, that you will be able to recoup what you paid out on the gear, hell there isn't any guarantee that you will be able to sell it at all! Just look at that nice pair of Dynaudio's that have been sitting in the FM!

There are no guarantees with anything in life Cathy. Everything is a chance. All of those Dynaudio speakers I had sold. The initial listing was placed in the summer and that's a tough time to sell audio gear. Just because they didn't sell here doesn't mean they didn't move elsewhere. I just like to give the Polk family first shot at the gear before I list it elsewhere.

cfrizz wrote: »

I believe in doing it once with extensive research, doing it right the first time around, even if it cost a bit more up front, then sitting back and enjoying it for years to come.

That's what a lot of people on other audio forums like to do as well Cathy. They look at the specifications, read reviews, ask other people that own the gear they're interested in and sometimes that works out but sometimes it doesn't. Heck, I was all jazzed about the ELAC UB5, UC5, & UF5 speakers when they first came out. I sold off a set of speakers that I was pretty happy with based on the promise of the ELAC speakers superiority thanks to the magic introduced to this "budget" line by the legendary designer Andrew Jones. I even went to the AXPONA 2016 exposition in Rosemont Illinois to hear them for myself. I met and spoke with Mr. Jones extensively about these speakers and, after hearing them, I was convinced I was on the right path so I preordered the ELAC UF5 floor standing speakers & the UC5 center channel.

When the speakers arrived, I could not have been more disappointed. The ELAC speakers simply did not work in my room. I could not replicate the sound I heard at the exhibition and all the reviews online were RAVING about these speakers.

I got lucky and I was able to purchase another set of the speakers I sold off to buy the ELAC speakers locally so I made out. The point here is that I learned how important a factor the listening environment is in the sound you hear. Previously, nothing had this big of an impact on my setup before. I know I'm not alone in this as @Clipdat just went through the same thing with the Monitor Audio Bronze bookshelf speakers. Rave reviews online with a lot of people backing them up on the forums. They simply didn't work in Clipdat's room. No amount of research is going to tell you exactly how some piece of gear or pair of speakers is going to sound in your room, on your gear/with your gear until it actually gets placed into that setup.

cfrizz wrote: »

But that's just me, I like interjecting a bit of practicality into this crazy hobby.

Maybe you see it as practicality Cathy but I don't agree with you nor do I see experimentation as impractical. If you take no risks, you get no rewards. Playing it safe is fine for some people and it seems to work well for you. I'm not going to try and tell you how to approach this hobby. That's your decision. However, playing it safe isn't for everybody Cathy. I don't assume that everyone wants to experiment with different gear but I'm not going to discourage it. I also don't assume that experimenting with gear will lead to hoarding/hoarder syndrome (is that actually in the DSM Cathy?). I don't assume that experimenting with different gear will lead to bankruptcy, do you? One can live within one's means and still experiment Cathy. It is possible to budget for the things you enjoy doing, is it not? Finally, I would not assume that experimenting with different gear would lead to divorce Cathy. I would think that other issues in a relationship exist to go that route as I've never heard of someone getting divorced solely due to a spouse experimenting with different....gear. Experimenting with drugs, alcohol, or experimenting with other partners, yes. IF you are referring to the financial burdens placed on a couple's finances because of secret spending by one partner without disclosing it to their partner, I would say that is a trust issue between the people involved in the relationship and not specifically tied to the audio hobby.

But that's just me, I like to interject a bit of experimentation into this wonderful hobby.

Clipdat

You said "Cathy" 10 times in that post.

Also for the record, I don't think the MA B2s were awful only in my listening room, I think they're just awful period.

halo wrote: »

But that's just me, I like to interject a bit of experimentation into this wonderful hobby.

halo

Clipdat wrote: »

You said "Cathy" 10 times in that post.

Yes, I did.

@Clipdat - That's one of my points in the post above. Those Monitor Audio bookshelf speakers are receiving rave reviews from many people, including What Hi-Fi?, Amazon, & Crutchfield. There's also a mention of them in the Monitor Audio dedicated thread at the avsforum:

Mr_Hifi wrote: »

Monitor Audio's Bronze range is back with a bang - the new Bronze 2s are stunning standmounters.

This latest generation of Bronze 2 is arguably the best yet. This is a truly complete speaker for the money.

5stars at WhatHifi review!!!
http://www.whathifi.com/monitor-audio/bronze-2/review

They really sounded good for the price when i had a sit down with these little monsters. I have the new Center with new Bronze 1 at rear and BX5 front. Yes Silver line is better with music, but with movies the difference isn`t that big. If you think the price jump, no thanks! Better spent that money to good sub. Highly recommended for movie guys! You really don`t have to buy zillion costing speakers to enjoy movies nowadays. Very nice job Monitor Audio!

How can that be if they truly are awful? I'm not saying you're wrong but one has to wonder how and why other people are finding those speakers to be so engaging.

Clipdat

Yeah, how can that be? Did I get a dud pair or something? Were mine built on a Monday instead of a Friday? Makes you wonder...

Oh well, but maybe my experience with them just shows that I'm very much a Polk Audio guy and not so much a Monitor Audio guy.

Wouldn't have been able to figure that out without experimenting. Thanks Victor for your help along my audio journey, you're a true asset to this forum.

halo wrote: »

How can that be if they truly are awful? I'm not saying you're wrong but one has to wonder how and why other people are finding those speakers to be so engaging.

dr1978

Hmmmm....https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/polks60blkwnl/polk-audio-signature-s60-6.5-2-way-floorstanding-speaker-black-walnut-each/1.html

Cigar_Maverick

dr1978 wrote: »

Hmmmm....https://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/polks60blkwnl/polk-audio-signature-s60-6.5-2-way-floorstanding-speaker-black-walnut-each/1.html

That is a DARN good price. That a legit site?