Suggestions on 7.1.4 speaker upgrade.

dragoneti

Hello everybody,

I'm looking about a suggestion for my 7.1.4 home cinema setup.

At the moment I have a Denon Avc-x4800H with Dirac Live & Bass Control (along with an external amp for 2 more channels) amp with all around Cambridge audio minx min22 speakers (7 main and 4 on the ceiling) and a old 12inch Sony WM500 subwoofer (which has made me proud many times, its response is on paper 20-200hz, although sooner or later it will be replaced by an SVS 1000 series) . The living room is about 17 to 18 m^2.

I'm satisfied by its sound but my main concern is that Dirac sets the crossover way up about on the limit of subwoofer and i would like to have a little bit more bass coming from the speakers for more natural sound image.

I'm strictly looking for wall mounted speakers at the moment (or my wife to be will have me dedicate a room towards her closet ) and have spotted the ES speaker line namely the ES10, the ES30 for center and maybe a pair of ES15 for main LR.

My main concerns and questions are the following, first will I notice a better sound quality? Is it an audio upgrade? Secondly will they withstand the Denon's amp power? It is rated at 125w (20hz-20khz 8ohm - 2 ch driven) where the speakers have 100w max. And finally I'm concerned about the 85db sensitivity on es15 (min22 have an 88 one and the ES10 87db, pretty close those two).

Should i upgrade or stay with the minx min22s? Thank you in advance for your advices.

Stelios

Emlyn

Excellent questions!

I see the speakers you have now have a reported frequency response of only 120 Hz, which may not even be the -3dB rating. But it does sound like you went to a lot of trouble to put them in place so it may be a hassle to replace them.

Don't be concerned about the Denon receiver having too much power as its real world power output is probably more in the 70-80 watts per channel range with more than just two channels active. The efficiency ratings aren't big enough to matter between the different speakers and the receiver will set the volume levels appropriately.

My first move would be to get an SVS subwoofer as you're planning and then see if you still think you need to replace the speakers. The crossover is likely going to need to be at 120 Hz if the receiver allows it or you'll have a big suck out gap between where the subwoofer is producing output and the speakers are producing bass.

FWIW, the SVS SB-1000 Pro has a relatively flat frequency response from 20 Hz to 270 Hz. A 120 Hz setting on the subwoofer isn't bad at all. You could even try it a bit higher since the Minx speaker model isn't designed to produce bass.

Get two subwoofers if you can swing it. They're really not that big.

dragoneti

Thank you a lot for your answer.

The minx were, at the beginning, only to be used as the ceiling ones due to their size and easy of mount with their own base, at the time I had a 5.1 with rois acoustics floorstanders (its a greek company) and a pioneer amp but after testing the minx in the front position (always with the sub) i realized i actually gained in sound quality and uniformity so i gradually changed them all.

The problem with the minx is that with the new Denon, dirac places the crossover up high to about 180 which causes some bass localization (I took all the steps to make it as seamless as possible with sub placement) although the sound quality is good i must say, Dirac makes a very good job at setting things it seems.

The SVS is on my to do list but fearing that i might continue to have bass localization, I'm looking towards the ES10 which at least on paper go to 70hz bass wise and have more or less the same dimensions with the minxs, so that to get some speaker bass in the mix.

Emlyn

You may find the SVS subwoofer works better in your system than the current one. The WM500 appears to be limited above 200 Hz.

rooftop59

I would go with a used definitive technology setup: the mythos on walls are really nice, and the promonitor 800s can be wall mounted and crossed over at 100 hz.

tratliff

Not trying to cr*p on this thread but....If any of you guys are interested I have 2 pair of the Def Tech Promonitor 800's in the boxes with the wall mounts. Along with a pair of BP2X and a CLR2500. I need to get rid of them but just have not gotten around to posting them. I'll see about getting some pictures later this evening. Shoot me a PM if you would like additional details.

rooftop59

tratliff wrote: »

Not trying to cr*p on this thread but....If any of you guys are interested I have 2 pair of the Def Tech Promonitor 800's in the boxes with the wall mounts. Along with a pair of BP2X and a CLR2500. I need to get rid of them but just have not gotten around to posting them. I'll see about getting some pictures later this evening. Shoot me a PM if you would like additional details.

That would make a sweet setup @dragoneti! I might be interested in the clr2500 and a pair of 800s if he passes...

dragoneti

Emlyn wrote: »

You may find the SVS subwoofer works better in your system than the current one. The WM500 appears to be limited above 200 Hz.

I believe that the SVS one will be way better, its a different class subwoofer definitely.

rooftop59 wrote: »

I would go with a used definitive technology setup: the mythos on walls are really nice, and the promonitor 800s can be wall mounted and crossed over at 100 hz.

I see them but i would like to buy only locally here in Greece at the moment and they are way out of my price range as we speak... wife will just shoot me

dragoneti

Update, i took the splurge as an easter gift to me, and bought one es-30 and two es-15 (I avoided the es-20 due to the fact that they are not wall mountable by themselves and the that both 30 and 15s have the same woofer diameter) and i am very pleased by the outcome, so the next step is to replace the surround LR and surround back LR. I'm thinking for es-10s, are they gonna cut it with the other three? it may be possible for es-15s for surround LR but i would prefer the smaller size of the 10s (on surround backs it is not possible to place anything bigger than 10s).

Clipdat

ES-10 more than enough for rear surrounds.

PSOVLSK

Congratulations. Enjoy!

dragoneti

Clipdat wrote: »

ES-10 more than enough for rear surrounds.

Rear and normal surrounds or just rear?

Clipdat

Yes, ES-10 everything.

dragoneti

Clipdat wrote: »

Yes, ES-10 everything.

Thank you for your suggestions, I'll probably go this way as 15's will stick way out and disturb the living room space (and wife... )