The Stereo Stooge Tests Some Stuff
AudioFilet
Posts: 235
NewEgg has the Monitor 70 on sale now for $179.99, plus another $20 off at checkout to knock it down to $159.99 each (shipping is free). That’s $319.98 for a pair of speakers that used to cost $400 each. I use a set of Monitor 70’s as my main L&R speakers in my main HT setup, so I know what they’re about.
I couldn’t pass this deal up since I am getting together a stereo system for my new apartment in New Orleans. The apartment is just a crash & burn pad for me & a co-worker to use on party trips to the city (JazzFest, Mardi Gras, etc). I figure if the place has some rags on the floor for sleeping & a stereo system, it’s good to go.
Anyway, the system wound up like this:
Main speakers: Polk Monitor 70’s $319.98
Main music source: Sony SCD-CE595 $118.99
Main power source: HK-3490 Receiver $369.95
No shipping charges on any of this stuff, so the total cost was $808.92. Not bad, eh? I had briefly considered the Outlaw RR2150, but decided against it just because most of the nicer features of the Outlaw would never be used; the HK is just a much more practical choice for this application.
Anyway, since I actually have all this equipment laying around the ranch here in Texass,
I decided to drag it all out, hook it up & blast away to see what happens. One thing I wanted to see was how the HK stacks up against the Outlaw.
I hooked the Outlaw up first & cranked it up. I was playing smooth jazz mostly for this test, Mindi Abair, Spyro Gyra, etc. I cranked it up LOUD too. The kind of LOUD where you stand there in the middle of the room, glancing around wide-eyed, kind of freaked out, then suddenly you have to pee. That kind of LOUD. Yeeeha!! It was amazing! Those Monitor 70’s ROCK for stereo! And the Outlaw is just outstanding! As the volume knob passed the midway point, the whole system seemed to kick into a different gear or something. Massive, pounding bass that I could feel attacking me, my clothes were actually vibrating. Mids & highs were delicious, taking you right to the edge where you think for sure it will distort or clip, but it never actually does, so you forget about it and just enjoy. I’m very impressed by this Outlaw; it’s the reason I sold my NAD gear (C372), the NAD just couldn’t hang.
I did all this same stuff to the HK of course & it sounded great, but no match for the Outlaw. The HK seems to have a little less low end, and the mid-high a tad harsh maybe. The one I used for this little test is actually the 3480, maybe the 3490 is a little better, don’t know. Don’t care. It will do just fine for what I want it for. I don’t go to New Orleans to listen to a stereo in an apartment anyway. I’m 2 blocks from Bourbon & 3 blocks from Frenchmen, so guess where I’ll be.
So. What do y’all think about all this mess anyway??
I couldn’t pass this deal up since I am getting together a stereo system for my new apartment in New Orleans. The apartment is just a crash & burn pad for me & a co-worker to use on party trips to the city (JazzFest, Mardi Gras, etc). I figure if the place has some rags on the floor for sleeping & a stereo system, it’s good to go.
Anyway, the system wound up like this:
Main speakers: Polk Monitor 70’s $319.98
Main music source: Sony SCD-CE595 $118.99
Main power source: HK-3490 Receiver $369.95
No shipping charges on any of this stuff, so the total cost was $808.92. Not bad, eh? I had briefly considered the Outlaw RR2150, but decided against it just because most of the nicer features of the Outlaw would never be used; the HK is just a much more practical choice for this application.
Anyway, since I actually have all this equipment laying around the ranch here in Texass,
I decided to drag it all out, hook it up & blast away to see what happens. One thing I wanted to see was how the HK stacks up against the Outlaw.
I hooked the Outlaw up first & cranked it up. I was playing smooth jazz mostly for this test, Mindi Abair, Spyro Gyra, etc. I cranked it up LOUD too. The kind of LOUD where you stand there in the middle of the room, glancing around wide-eyed, kind of freaked out, then suddenly you have to pee. That kind of LOUD. Yeeeha!! It was amazing! Those Monitor 70’s ROCK for stereo! And the Outlaw is just outstanding! As the volume knob passed the midway point, the whole system seemed to kick into a different gear or something. Massive, pounding bass that I could feel attacking me, my clothes were actually vibrating. Mids & highs were delicious, taking you right to the edge where you think for sure it will distort or clip, but it never actually does, so you forget about it and just enjoy. I’m very impressed by this Outlaw; it’s the reason I sold my NAD gear (C372), the NAD just couldn’t hang.
I did all this same stuff to the HK of course & it sounded great, but no match for the Outlaw. The HK seems to have a little less low end, and the mid-high a tad harsh maybe. The one I used for this little test is actually the 3480, maybe the 3490 is a little better, don’t know. Don’t care. It will do just fine for what I want it for. I don’t go to New Orleans to listen to a stereo in an apartment anyway. I’m 2 blocks from Bourbon & 3 blocks from Frenchmen, so guess where I’ll be.
So. What do y’all think about all this mess anyway??
2 Channel rig:
LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Furman Elite 15
HT rig:
HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Furman Elite 15
HT rig:
HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series
Post edited by AudioFilet on
Comments
-
Why no replies here??
Am I just too much of a goofball or what??2 Channel rig:
LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Furman Elite 15
HT rig:
HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series -
Whats there to say except glad your happy with your new toys. One thing to say I guess is, me personally,would never buy new speakers and crank them that loud out of the box.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 -
I love my 70's as well, have yet to push them to the "delicious" stage and I have had them over a year. Be careful, but I am glad you are happy with your gear.
-JeffHT Rig
Receiver- Onkyo TX-SR806
Mains- Polk Audio Monitor 70
Center- Polk Audio CS2
Surrounds- Polk Audio TSi 500's
Sub- Polk Audio PSW125
Retired- Polk Audio Monitor 40's
T.V.- 60" Sony SXRD KDS-60A2000 LCoS
Blu-Ray- 80 GB PS3
2 CH rig (in progress)
Polk Audio Monitor 10A's :cool:
It's not that I'm insensitive, I just don't care.. -
Whats there to say except glad your happy with your new toys. One thing to say I guess is, me personally,would never buy new speakers and crank them that loud out of the box.
I haven't got the new ones yet, I was using the ones from my HT rig.2 Channel rig:
LSi9"s (modified xover's) & HSU Sub
Harman Kardon HK 990 Amp
Onkyo C-S5VL SACD
Music Hall MMF 5.1
Furman Elite 15
HT rig:
HK AVR-745 & Polk Monitor Series -
The Monitor and RT line can be surprisingly good for 2ch. Glad you're diggin yours.
I still really enjoy the old RT1000p.
