Advice on audio package

[TJ 2]

Hi, I have recently purchased a Harmon kardon av134 receiver, the system came with a 5.1 surround sound yamaha speakers, I'm just not happy with the sound quality, I'm told the receiver is a good brand and quality so I'm thinking it is the speakers, I listen to mostly music so am looking for a good quality sound, can anyone suggest speakers or point me in the right direction as I'm not happy with the sound??

 

[Kaido]

1. Do you have a budget in mind?

2. Do you want a stereo or surround-sound replacement? (since you mostly listen to music)

3. Do you want a sub, or a pair of stereo speakers that include bass capabilities?

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I had a set of Fluances in the past and really enjoyed them. They are an outstanding value for the price. They have systems from $235 up to $665 and have both compact & floor-standing models:

http://www.fluance.com/

Dayton has a nice mini 5.1 set for $199 with a 12" sub (there is also a 10" & 8" sub package):

http://www.parts-express.com/pe/showdetl.cfm?Partnumber=300-696

Newegg has sales from time to time on the Energy Micro speakers & Polk audio speakers, which seem to be popular around here:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882269027

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290205

 

[Tiamat]

What about them sounds unacceptable?

Many times, bad sound is due to bad setup whether it is incorrect physical layout in the room and/or incorrect electrical setup at the receiver.

Please describe the way it sounds to you. Bass too prominent? Bass is hollow sounding? Speakers sound tinny? Etc.

 

[TJ 2]

Just sounds tinny and abit distorted at high volume levels, admittedly I am a beginner in the sound home audio game but just expected better sound quality from the HK? Any suggestions on what to do ? Should I reset everything ie speaker cables etc I'm running monster speaker wire?

 

[TJ 2]

Just doesn't sound crisp, and I suppose you could say the bass is hollow, hope that makes sense.

 

[Kaido]

I'm running monster speaker wire

Well there's your problem :biggrin:

 

[TJ 2]

Ok so please explain??

 

[SithSolo1]

Ok so please explain??

Monster speaker wire works fine, its just over priced.

While the receiver is no power champion it should still be able to produce clear sound in 2-Channel(ie Stereo) at moderate volumes without distortion. I too am will to bet the issue lies in the speakers.

Are the Yamaha speakers small? Do they have a model number on the back or bottom?

 

[Tiamat]

please describe your room dimensions, how far away you sit from the speakers, how far away your seating area is from the wall behind it, what shape the room is (rectangle, L-shaped, etc.), where large glass surfaces are located with respect to the speakers, are the speakers cramped against the wall or within corners of the room, near ceiling etc.

Next, what is your subwoofer crossover set to in the receiver and on the back of the subwoofer if applicable.

the sound quality you have described could indicate improper location of the subwoofer within the room, improper location of the seating within the room, and improper crossover settings.

harshness at high volumes could indicate the speakers being driven beyond their designed loudness (possible due to room too large, etc.)

 

[fuzzymath10]

Without knowing what yamaha speakers you're talking about, we can't really say for sure what the issue is. Yamaha isn't known for particularly good home theatre speakers except maybe studio monitors; on the other hand they make fantastic A/V receivers.

Are the speakers full range or 2-way? That can potentially make a difference.

 

[TJ 2]

I will get back to you re the speaker model number etc, so are you dying that the HK av134 is no good??

 

[TJ 2]

hey guys, thanks for your advice so far,

The Yamaha speakers are NS- AP 6500, 2 front speakers which are bookshelf but quite large, 2 surround which are smaller and 1 centre which is also quite large, the sub is a YST- sw030 70 watts?

hope this gives you guys a idea of the speakers i have so you may be able to help?

 

[TJ 2]

was also wondering what you guys think of the Pioneer VSX 521 receiver power and value wise? would that be more suited for my needs?

 

[NutBucket]

The problem isn't with the receiver. If you're called the speakers you have "large" then we've found your problem. What you've got are basically satellite speakers with a small (crappy) sub.

Are you after a surround setup or just something for music (stereo)?

In general, the large speakers will sound better just because its hard to get small speakers to sound good.

Folks here seem to like Polk. I haven't really auditioned them but a pair of these would be a HUGE upgrade over what you've got: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290204

 

[TJ 2]

Yes mainly listening to music playing my iPhone songs etc so what should I get a different sub or a whole new speaker package? You need a sub for good stereo sound don't you?? Sorry if these are stupid questions to u guys but I'm trying to learn more about the home audio game , appreciate your patience.

 

[SithSolo1]

You don't have to get a sub but it is always nice. Those Monitor 50s NutBucket linked would be a big upgrade. If you can afford it I would jump up to the Monitor 60s($149/each) or if you need to save money jump down to the 40s($149/pair). You can get a sub down the road after you save up more funds.

 

[TJ 2]

Another question guys I have a pair of Magnus Larsson XL - 900 2100 floor standing speakers power handling 300w, imedance 4-8 ohm, frequency 38 hz - 22khz, sensitivity 89 db, ive hade these lying around for a while, would these be ok for the HK AV134 I am running at the moment or would they be too powerful??

 

[NutBucket]

YES! Use those. They'll be fine with your HK.

 

[TJ 2]

ok thanks nutbucket, ill give them a try, should i disconnect the existing centre and surround speakers and sub? or should i just replace the front speakers and leave the surround, centre and the sub connected?

 

[NutBucket]

Given they're so different I'd dump the other speakers since you're not impressed by them anyway.

 

[nicolaskl]

The problem isn't with the receiver. If you're called the speakers you have "large" then we've found your problem. What you've got are basically satellite speakers with a small (crappy) sub.

Are you after a surround setup or just something for music (stereo)?

In general, the large speakers will sound better just because its hard to get small speakers to sound good.

Folks here seem to like Polk. I haven't really auditioned them but a pair of these would be a HUGE upgrade over what you've got: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16882290204

I wouldn't call a bookshelf with a 6.5" driver a "satellite". The problem with the speakers isn't that they're small, it's that they're cheap. There are plenty of 6.5" bookshelves out there that sound great and put out plenty of sound.

 

[NutBucket]

The first google result I came up with said they had 3" drivers? Maybe since I just copied-pasted the spaces in the model number messed me up.

 

[TJ 2]

Ok thanks I'm gonna give that a go, prolly a stupid question but is there any point leaving that yamaha sub connected when I try the Magnus larssons? I presume it would be better than no sub?

 

[Tiamat]

Ok thanks I'm gonna give that a go, prolly a stupid question but is there any point leaving that yamaha sub connected when I try the Magnus larssons? I presume it would be better than no sub?

When you get a chance, answer my questions in the prior post. These questions are to help you setup the speakers and your environment to ensure you are getting the best possible out of your system.

When you are troubleshooting, you should always minimize the members of a system. In this case, your receiver and 2 main speakers to start with (and a source material). When you are confident with this minimal setup, you can go on to add the subwoofer in a careful manner (electronic setup, as well as room placement).

When placing your speakers, try to keep left/right symmetry within the room. Also, keep them outside of corners of the room. If you have enough space, >3' gap between the speakers and the room walls help with sound quality (Speaker-boundary interference response). If you do not have the space, then you should experiment with this distance as it will cause audible distortions, you would have to choose which distortion is less harmful. Generally, if you listen to, for example, modern rock, the grunge of the guitar is very affected by this distortion. So by listening to the guitar, at different speaker setups, you can hear this distortion manifest.

 

[TJ 2]

Ok thanks I'll get the dimensions etc 2 you asap, appreciate you guys taking the time to answer my questions, I'm Gona start over tomorrow with these Magnus larssons and see how I go, I'll keep you guys posted!! Thanks again talk soon