New to polk, First system and have some ?'s

dbefay
dbefay Posts: 7
edited October 2008 in Speakers
So my girlfriend has been talking about polk this and polk that since we've been together. We finally just finished our first setup together. We've upgraded from a crappy sony system that sound like tin cans compared to polk! I know we dont have the highest end equipment but we're very very happy with our setup now. It is mainly for HT, but music also sounds great.

We've got....
Harman Kardon AVR-347 7.1 receiver
Monitor 50's in front
Monitor 30's in back
CS1 center
KLH sub

We paid around $800 for everything and couldnt be happier! I have a couple of questions though.

1. Since we can do 7.1 with our receiver, would we benefit from bi-amping? Can we even do it? And what is it really?

2. Frys currently has a sale on Maple Monitor 50's, which is what we bought. Now on the polk website they only list black and cherry. The rest of our speakers are black. Im just wondering if anyone knows why they would be uncolored? It kind of sucks that they are mismatched, but my main concern is that they're not refurb's or something like that?

3. I work in a metal shop and will be making a stand for the center channel to fit on top of the TV. Its a rear projection LCD so the back slants down. I know aluminum isnt magnetic but would it really make a difference? Arent the speakers magnetically sheilded?

Thanks!!
Post edited by dbefay on
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  • dbefay
    dbefay Posts: 7
    edited September 2008
    58 views and no one can help with my questions?
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  • danger boy
    danger boy Posts: 15,722
    edited September 2008
    you've got a smart girlfriend. ;)

    1. you will not benefit from bi amping with a receiver.
    2. on occasion Polk will release some speakers in maple.. not often but sometimes they show up.
    3. yes the speakers are sheilded
    4. Welcome to club Polk :)
    PolkFest 2012, who's going>?
    Vancouver, Canada Sept 30th, 2012 - Madonna concert :cheesygrin:
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  • dbefay
    dbefay Posts: 7
    edited September 2008
    Thank you much for the information!
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  • cfrizz
    cfrizz Posts: 13,415
    edited September 2008
    Congratulations & welcome to Club Polk!
    Marantz AV-7705 PrePro, Classé 5 channel 200wpc Amp, Oppo 103 BluRay, Rotel RCD-1072 CDP, Sony XBR-49X800E TV, Polk S60 Main Speakers, Polk ES30 Center Channel, Polk S15 Surround Speakers SVS SB12-NSD x2
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  • reeltrouble1
    reeltrouble1 Posts: 9,312
    edited September 2008
    I think the maple speaks look great, since they are not common I would hold on to them.

    Sit back and enjoy your system.

    RT1
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  • Doc99
    Doc99 Posts: 100
    edited September 2008
    dbefay wrote: »
    So my girlfriend has been talking about polk this and polk that since we've been together. We finally just finished our first setup together. We've upgraded from a crappy sony system that sound like tin cans compared to polk! I know we dont have the highest end equipment but we're very very happy with our setup now. It is mainly for HT, but music also sounds great.

    We've got....
    Harman Kardon AVR-347 7.1 receiver
    Monitor 50's in front
    Monitor 30's in back
    CS1 center
    KLH sub

    We paid around $800 for everything and couldnt be happier! I have a couple of questions though.

    1. Since we can do 7.1 with our receiver, would we benefit from bi-amping? Can we even do it? And what is it really?

    2. Frys currently has a sale on Maple Monitor 50's, which is what we bought. Now on the polk website they only list black and cherry. The rest of our speakers are black. Im just wondering if anyone knows why they would be uncolored? It kind of sucks that they are mismatched, but my main concern is that they're not refurb's or something like that?

    3. I work in a metal shop and will be making a stand for the center channel to fit on top of the TV. Its a rear projection LCD so the back slants down. I know aluminum isnt magnetic but would it really make a difference? Arent the speakers magnetically sheilded?

    Thanks!!

    Biamping requires 2 sets of speaker terminals on the back. You use 1 amp to power the low frequencies, and 1 amp to power the high frequenices.
    All I see on the Frys website for Monitor 50s is cherry and black? I never heard of monitor 50's in maple.
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  • ben62670
    ben62670 Posts: 15,969
    edited September 2008
    Welcome to Club Polk. $ for $ Polk rocks! Wait till you move further up:eek:
    Enjoy
    Ben
    Please. Please contact me a ben62670 @ yahoo.com. Make sure to include who you are, and you are from Polk so I don't delete your email. Also I am now physically unable to work on any projects. If you need help let these guys know. There are many people who will help if you let them know where you are.
    Thanks
    Ben
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  • dbefay
    dbefay Posts: 7
    edited September 2008
    Doc99 wrote: »
    Biamping requires 2 sets of speaker terminals on the back. You use 1 amp to power the low frequencies, and 1 amp to power the high frequenices.
    All I see on the Frys website for Monitor 50s is cherry and black? I never heard of monitor 50's in maple.

    2 terminals on the back of the receiver right? My understanding is that you could use the 6 and 7 speaker channel to power it. Not sure if thats correct or not. Which terminals on the speakers are best to use, top or bottom? Does it matter?

    As for the maple it was in store only I believe. On the box it has a big sticker that says "Custom Maple". So im not sure the reasoning behind it but they were $20 cheaper per speaker.
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  • george daniel
    george daniel Posts: 12,096
    edited September 2008
    Welcome to Club Polk,, as others have stated,, don't concern yourself with bi-amping with the current setup,, rather just sit back and enjoy,,key word "enjoy",,have fun :)
    JC approves....he told me so. (F-1 nut)
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  • dbefay
    dbefay Posts: 7
    edited September 2008
    george daniel wrote: »
    Welcome to Club Polk,, as others have stated,, don't concern yourself with bi-amping with the current setup,, rather just sit back and enjoy,,key word "enjoy",,have fun :)

    I understand that it may not be worth it or I wouldnt get any gains out of it but Im trying to understand it more and understand how to do it. I like taking all the information I can in, ya never know when ya might need it later.

    And thanks for all the welcomes. Hopefully I can be of some use to the forum lol.
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  • NewHTguy
    NewHTguy Posts: 584
    edited September 2008
    Yes, the basic idea is that channels 6 and 7 would also go to your front speakers. So for each front speaker (left and right) you would have one channel handling the highs and one handling the lows. Fyi, some people object to calling this set-up "bi-amping" because you do not have two separate amps. I may have seen it called "bi-wiring" somewhere. However, Onkyo refers to it as "bi-amping" in the owner's manual. Anyway, you might not get much more feedback because most would think that your speakers do not need to be bi-amped/wired and there is disagreement as to whether it helps. I believe in principle you are sending more power to the fronts this way. However, it is not equivalent to sending twice as much power to each speaker. I have my Rti10s biamped/wired because (a) it doesn't cost anything, and (b) I don't have room for a 7.1 set-up. BEWARE: Hanging out in this forum can leads to audio addiction and diminished disposable income.
    MAIN: Polk Lsi9s; Polk PSW505; Lsic (in box); Onkyo SR-875; Parasound 2250; Cambridge Audio 740C; LG BD370
    OFFICE: Polk Lsi7; REL T3; HK 3490; CA 840W; Onkyo C-S5VL
    BENCHED: CS20; OWM3s
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  • Parachoute
    Parachoute Posts: 88
    edited September 2008
    NewHTguy wrote: »
    BEWARE: Hanging out in this forum can leads to audio addiction and diminished disposable income.

    lol!!! I agree !!!
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  • Doc99
    Doc99 Posts: 100
    edited September 2008
    BEWARE: Hanging out in this forum can leads to audio addiction and diminished disposable income.[/QUOTE]
    ...and the dreaded upgradeitis!!
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  • dbefay
    dbefay Posts: 7
    edited September 2008
    My next purchase for this system will be a new subwoofer. What would be some good brands/models that would match this system well and still be usable if/when I upgrade all the speakers? Doesnt necessarily have to be polk, but id like a decent reliable brand.
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  • Kchill
    Kchill Posts: 262
    edited September 2008
    Hey send us pics of those maples. We had them here in atlanta for 99 bucks each. Hmmm maple!
    Retired Onkyo 520 (returned broken HK 247)
    Now a Pioneer 1018
    CSi3
    2- RTI10's
    2- R50's
    2- Fxi3's
    Onkyo 250W Sub
    Polk psw-10

    "Inch by inch lifes a cinch, yard by yard life is hard"
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  • MADGSF
    MADGSF Posts: 603
    edited September 2008
    For subs Polk makes good ones in the DSW series, other brands are SVS, HSU, Epik and there are high end like JL Audio, Martin Logan, etc. A budget would help but on the low price end I suggest SVS or HSU.
    AVR: Elite VSX-21TXH
    Amplifier: B&K 7250 Series ii
    Misc: Velodyne SMS-1
    Mains: RTi-10
    Center: CSi-5
    Rear: Boston DSi460
    Sub: SVS PC-Ultra
    TV: Panasonic TC-P58V10
    DVD: Panasonic DMP-BD60K
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  • Face
    Face Posts: 14,340
    edited October 2008
    There are some maple Monitors available from Polk Direct on Ebay.
    http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/polkdirect_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ
    "He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And when you gaze long into an abyss the abyss also gazes into you." Friedrich Nietzsche
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