What's best for two channel?

polkfan38

If I get some smaller SDAs like 2bs or 1cs, is there anything I might need? Common ground amp?

Zitro

In my experience, I do not like a sub because placement is so touchy and if you get it wrong, it just doesn't sound natural. I'd rather use towers in a larger room or monitors in a small room where a sub would not be needed to reinforce the bottom end. Imaging and soundstage have been better on most monitors I've heard, with few exceptions (Audio Physic being the only tower I've heard that images and soundstages better than most monitors).

hearingimpared

polkfan38 wrote: »

If I get some smaller SDAs like 2bs or 1cs, is there anything I might need? Common ground amp?

You need a common ground amp and make sure the SDA interconnect comes with them. You can worry about upgrades/updates later.

Conradicles

polkfan38 wrote: »

If I get some smaller SDAs like 2bs or 1cs, is there anything I might need?

You may need to wipe the big smile off your face when you sit down and spend some time with them.:cool:

Zitro

All this talk of SDA's really makes me want to hear a pair...

cnh

Zitro wrote: »

All this talk of SDA's really makes me want to hear a pair...

There've got to be some Polkies in your neighborhood who have some! Send them a PM....they'll be only too glad to demo their pride and joy.

Or drive, train or fly to N.J. in October for Polkfest 2010...there's gotta be a pair of SDA's THERE!

cnh

JPSmario

Zitro wrote: »

All this talk of SDA's really makes me want to hear a pair...

After a lot of listening to monitors and RTA's at my friend's, I was just about hooked when I heard some 1C's he was trying. When I saw the 2A's on CL, I grabbed 'em and haven't looked back:D I can't afford anything new that's remotely close to how good these sound.

Once you hear them, you may not walk away;)

hearingimpared

cnh wrote: »

There've got to be some Polkies in your neighborhood who have some! Send them a PM....they'll be only too glad to demo their pride and joy.

Or drive, train or fly to N.J. in October for Polkfest 2010...there's gotta be a pair of SDA's THERE!

cnh

My thoughts exactly.:)

polkfan38

All SDAs need a common ground amp? Crap! I will assume all recievers are NOT common ground.

BizmanJoe

I have had both set ups and there are pros and cons to both. The sub and sat system allows more flexibility for bass acoustics in a room ,as you can easily relocate the sub and the sub typically has provisions for modifying the cutoff frequency. However, IMHO the imaging of a pair of sats is not as good as a floorstander with larger mid and high frequency drivers. The larger floor standers provide larger stage and imaging, but the problem with most floorstanders is that your crossover is often fixed and the flexibility of relocating your built-in sub (if there is one) is not a possibility. However, because I have had both set ups, my experience leans toward the floorstanders since I have spectrum analyzers/equalizers in my system to account for variations in room acoustics.

hearingimpared

polkfan38 wrote: »

All SDAs need a common ground amp? Crap! I will assume all recievers are NOT common ground.

I think not. Receivers typically are common ground unless you go way high end and get multiple mono channels in the same chasis.

To verify, take a VOM, set to the lowest resistance setting and place the leads in grounds of the speaker posts. MAKE SURE THE POWER IS SHUT DOWN COMPLETELY BEFORE DOING THIS!!!! If the you get a reading of ZERO or near ZERO you have common ground.

polkfan38

Really? Cool! I will try it. Maybe I can go SDA afterall!

ViperZ

steveinaz wrote: »

Some bookshelf/monitors don't pull-off a disappearing act as well--you get what you pay for. My Energy C-3's can't seem to stretch much outside of the confines of the cabinets, nor do they have the depth in soundstage of my Carbon 7's (nor the bass), but then they listed for 2/3rds less.

My B&W CDM-1 disappear in stereo mode very well. My friend's Paradigm Studio 20s also work like a charm in 2-ch.

hearingimpared

polkfan38 wrote: »

Really? Cool! I will try it. Maybe I can go SDA afterall!

Just make sure your receiver put out good, clean, high current power and your SDAs will sing.

polkfan38

Well, right now I have a Denon AVR 1802 but, I will be getting a AVR 1910 here soon. I know this won't do much for 1.2 tls but, I would think it should be fine with 2bs. I never "crank it"

cnh

2Bs are a much less demanding load but can still often dip down to 4 ohms or...so be careful. All those new Denon AVRs are common ground...everything is routed to a common power supply.

cnh

hearingimpared

polkfan38 wrote: »

Well, right now I have a Denon AVR 1802 but, I will be getting a AVR 1910 here soon. I know this won't do much for 1.2 tls but, I would think it should be fine with 2bs. I never "crank it"

Well, 90 wpc x 7 really isn't the kind of power you would typically use but I read where they are high current output so you might get away with it. You'll never know till you try it.

wutadumsn23

Zitro wrote: »

All this talk of SDA's really makes me want to hear a pair...

Heard a pair at the Seattle area mini meet, and I was hooked. Never had any desire to get a 2 ch. rig up and running, but after I heard them, the Monitor 5's and my Monitor 70's/TSi 500's in 2 ch. mode, I was hooked. I just got a pair of Peerless Monitor 10A's about a month ago, and the quest to find stuff to get them singing has begun, lol.

-Jeff

polkfan38

hearingimpared wrote: »

Well, 90 wpc x 7 really isn't the kind of power you would typically use but I read where they are high current output so you might get away with it. You'll never know till you try it.

The only reason I am getting the 1910 is for the video wizardry it offers. I am still just going to run it in 5.1 mode. And I usually don't crank it. I will find out if the AVR runs home to moma if it gets worked too hard. Does anyone else out there run SDAs with a 1910? Or any other lower end Denon?

BizmanJoe

Even if you don't crank it, because of the dynamic range involved with most modern mediums, it would be a good idea IMHO, to use the 1910 as a pre and add power amps to make your set up sing... even at low volumes. Most AVRs just don't have enough juice in their power supply for running a full rig such as 5.1 and 7.1 effectively, from what I have heard.

BizmanJoe

Another consideration is to use active/powered speakers for surrounds. That'll allow you to divert all the juice in the power supply to the mains and center, right?

polkfan38

I will look but, I am not sure if the 1910 has pre outs.

Bernal

+ DENON AVR-4308CI: Advanced 7.1 CH/5.1+2 CH/ 3.1+2+2 CH A/V Home Theater /MultiMedia Multi-Source/Zone Receiver with Networking and WiFi/170 watts x 7 channels
+ SUNFIRE Grand Signature - Bob Carver's
+ POLKAUDIO LSi-15



____________________________
01) DENON AVR-4308CI: Advanced 7.1 CH/5.1+2 CH/ 3.1+2+2 CH A/V Home Theater /MultiMedia Multi-Source/Zone Receiver with Networking and WiFi/170 watts x 7 channels
02) SUNFIRE Grand Signature - Bob Carver's
03) OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio
04) OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio / DENON DVD-2500BTCI: Blu-ray Disc™ DVD/CD Digital Player/Transport
05) HITACHI P55T501. 55" HD1080 Plasma HDTV
06) POLKAUDIO LSiC (Center speaker)
07) POLKAUDIO LSi15 LEFT (Front speaker)
08) POLKAUDIO LSi15 RIGHT (Front speaker)
09) POLKAUDIO LSif/x LEFT (Surround speaker)
10) POLKAUDIO LSif/x RIGHT (Surround speaker)
11) VELODYNE OPTIMUN SERIES 12"(High Output Digital EQ SubWoofer 2400W/1200WRMS)
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=98096

BizmanJoe

Bernal wrote: »

+ DENON AVR-4308CI: Advanced 7.1 CH/5.1+2 CH/ 3.1+2+2 CH A/V Home Theater /MultiMedia Multi-Source/Zone Receiver with Networking and WiFi/170 watts x 7 channels
+ SUNFIRE Grand Signature - Bob Carver's
+ POLKAUDIO LSi-15



____________________________
01) DENON AVR-4308CI: Advanced 7.1 CH/5.1+2 CH/ 3.1+2+2 CH A/V Home Theater /MultiMedia Multi-Source/Zone Receiver with Networking and WiFi/170 watts x 7 channels
02) SUNFIRE Grand Signature - Bob Carver's
03) OPPO DV-980H 1080p Up-Converting Universal DVD Player with HDMI and 7.1CH Audio
04) OPPO BDP-83 Blu-ray Disc Player w/SACD & DVD-Audio / DENON DVD-2500BTCI: Blu-ray Disc™ DVD/CD Digital Player/Transport
05) HITACHI P55T501. 55" HD1080 Plasma HDTV
06) POLKAUDIO LSiC (Center speaker)
07) POLKAUDIO LSi15 LEFT (Front speaker)
08) POLKAUDIO LSi15 RIGHT (Front speaker)
09) POLKAUDIO LSif/x LEFT (Surround speaker)
10) POLKAUDIO LSif/x RIGHT (Surround speaker)
11) VELODYNE OPTIMUN SERIES 12"(High Output Digital EQ SubWoofer 2400W/1200WRMS)
http://www.polkaudio.com/forums/showcase/view.php?userid=98096

Hmmm. Here's an example of a decent AVR being used a a pre... BTW, the 4308Ci had some very good reviews in itself and has a substantial amount of juice for a 5.1/7.1 system, but I guess you can't go wrong with a Sunfire powering the speakers instead. Such a waste of a decent amp section in the AVR, though... if the pre outs do not disable the built-in amps in the 4308Ci, I'd probably add some presence channels

Bernal

BizmanJoe wrote: »

Hmmm. Here's an example of a decent AVR being used a a pre... BTW, the 4308Ci had some very good reviews in itself and has a substantial amount of juice for a 5.1/7.1 system, but I guess you can't go wrong with a Sunfire powering the speakers instead. Such a waste of a decent amp section in the AVR, though... if the pre outs do not disable the built-in amps in the 4308Ci, I'd probably add some presence channels

Using the Sunfire amplifier, bi-amplified mode, with 4308CI + LSi15 is to hear the angels sing.

tonyb

Bernal wrote: »

Using the Sunfire amplifier, bi-amplified mode, with 4308CI + LSi15 is to hear the angels sing.

I don't know if I'd go that far chief. Power does help,no doubt. But if you think the lsi 15's are at the top of the food chain,you need to get out more.:)

heiney9

Bernal wrote: »

Using the Sunfire amplifier, bi-amplified mode, with 4308CI + LSi15 is to hear the angels sing.

That's a huge stretch,,,,,,,IMO of course.

Bernal

tonyb wrote: »

I don't know if I'd go that far chief. Power does help,no doubt. But if you think the lsi 15's are at the top of the food chain,you need to get out more.:)

Thanks for your reply.
At the top of the food chain in my opinion this MBL; that my audio system in my main house.
In a simple form to comment on a very good setup and I like the result of the series "LSi 15" I have in my condo.

JimKellyfan

polkfan38 wrote: »

Does anyone here just run M 40s?

I believe I have you answered.
I first bought Monitor 60's and a PSW10 sub for my 2 channel set up.
Mind blowing, awesome, rocked my room, my house.
Then, I went to a new HT setup, and relegated the 60's and the PSW10 to mains, also buying a CS2 and Monitor 40's for surrounds.
My receiver, being ok, not great ( in both set ups ), the 40's were overkill for the surrounds.
I have since bought R150's for that job.
After that, I of course, put the Monitor 40's into my 2 channel set up, and got most of my mind blowing back. While not as potent as the 60's, they are good enough for the room size and still touch on mind blowing.
What will help my 40's will be when I put the PSW10 back on 2 channel back up duty. This will take me back to mind blowing. ( That and correct placement, as they are a bit too close to the floor right now as well ).
Summarized ?
40's are fine, get a sub to go with.
60's will really bring it on, but they too, need the sub.
I'd say to get the sub first, then decide to go with 60's or not.
Your room size and placement should also be of consideration.
My room is like 12-14 x 16-18 and 8 foot tall ( single level ranch ), guesstimate, really don't know, would have to measure. It has brick fireplace in the room, dining room table, and wood painted paneling from the 70's. The 40's are sitting on the fireplace base, but need to be picked up onto stands of some form.
Hope this helps.

polkfan38

Thanks. I am still on the fence about it. I may set up the 40s as mains and get 30s for surround duty. Until a month or so ago, I had no idea how little sound goes to the surround channels. With a sub, the 40s really shine!