Goin' Budget HT

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Good luck

 

[The J]

Thanks!

Maybe I'll update the first post to let people know how it went (maybe someone else could use this info).

 

[Nohr]

Bump for an update.

 

[The J]

I got the system yesterday, but I only have one minijack-RCA cable (to go from PC to receiver) and I've been working a lot so I haven't set it up yet. I'll try to post an update in a few days, but I'm heading back to school on Saturday. The speakers certainly look very nice and are larger than I thought they'd be (the Dayton 12" sub is HUGE compared to my MegaWorks sub).


Also, if anyone cares, if you order the SX-HTB before Sept. 19th you'll get the upgraded version (SX-HTB+) at the same price as the normal SX-HTB. The upgraded version is supposed to have new crossovers, new tweeters for the fronts, and isolation platforms on the surrounds. I got the upgraded version by ordering on the 8th (the first day they had the new version).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Does that mean the tweeters match across the front now?

 

[Nohr]

I've decided to delve in to the world of HT audio for the first time. Just ordered these:

Receiver: Panasonic SA-XR55K - 7.1, digital amplifier - $230 at Amazon

Speakers: Athena Audition AS-F2 - Floorstanding, dual 8" woofers, 1" tweeter - $400 for the pair including shipping. Got the very last set AudioAdvisor.com had in stock.

I listen to a lot more music than I watch movies so I went with just the two front speakers for now. I can always throw in matching centers and rears later on. I had strongly considered the Fluance SV-10 floorstanders but at $300 + $65 shipping it was worth paying a bit extra to jump to the Athenas.

Can't wait for it all to arrive. My current main sound system is a set of Logitech Z-640 computer speakers and they just aren't cutting it anymore. Should be a huge difference.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: The J
I got the system yesterday, but I only have one minijack-RCA cable (to go from PC to receiver) and I've been working a lot so I haven't set it up yet. I'll try to post an update in a few days, but I'm heading back to school on Saturday. The speakers certainly look very nice and are larger than I thought they'd be (the Dayton 12" sub is HUGE compared to my MegaWorks sub).


Also, if anyone cares, if you order the SX-HTB before Sept. 19th you'll get the upgraded version (SX-HTB+) at the same price as the normal SX-HTB. The upgraded version is supposed to have new crossovers, new tweeters for the fronts, and isolation platforms on the surrounds. I got the upgraded version by ordering on the 8th (the first day they had the new version).

That is sweet dude, keep us updated!

 

[The J]

Well, I set up the speakers today, but I still only have the one cable. I'm playing them in Stereo Surround mode to get them all worked in.

Let's just say that they are worth every last penny. I haven't stopped smiling since I started playing them a couple of hours ago...and this is only stereo! That and they're not placed well at all in my small room. I'll do better when I get to my dorm's lounge (I'm in a 6-person suite). I'll go to RadioShack to get the other cables I need (stereo minijack to RCA) to connect my computer.

I haven't had any problems with my Audigy 2 ZS analog out, so things are going oddly smoothly.


Edit: I'm not sure what the tweeters were like before. The towers have a soft dome tweeter and the center/surrounds have an aluminum one. The Fluance website says: "The SXHTB PLUS system has the following upgrades and results in even better sound performance than before: upgraded crossover network and internal lead wire on all speakers, isolation platforms added on the front towers and surround speakers, upgraded Neodymium tweeters on front towers, upgraded packaging." It seems like the tweeters have a new magnet or something.

Edit2: Nohr, this was a huge difference from my MegaWorks. I can't really describe it, but I definately noticed how much better the HT system is. Going from the Z-640s to the Athenas should be like night and day.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Glad you're liking them :thumbsup:

I think I read the upgrade info wrong the first time. I was thinking they got rid of the silk dome tweeters and put the aluminum tweeters across the front.

 

[Excelsior]

Sounds like you are happy with them. Excekkebt!

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Excekkebt!

:laugh:

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Excekkebt!

:laugh:

LOL

 

[The J]

Hehe, I am extremely happy with them! I went to RadioShack today and got the cables I needed to connect the analog out on my Audigy 2 ZS to the receiver. Doom3 never sounded sweeter. I can't wait to get F.E.A.R. and run that through these (I do have the demo, though...).

I've had no problems with my Audigy 2 ZS. I have no ground loop problem and the card's Crossover settings sound like they're working (the receiver's settings don't take effect when using the multichannel input); both are issues that others seem to have with this card. I have the most recent drivers (2.08 beta), so maybe that has something to do with it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I didn't know the A2 could set crossovers.

Glad you're liking them :thumbsup:

EDIT: Excekkebt!

 

[The J]

The Audigy 2 calls it Bass Redirection, but it's the same thing.

Thanks for everyone's help and comments. I'll update the first post for anyone else in my situation.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: The J
The Audigy 2 calls it Bass Redirection, but it's the same thing.

Thanks for everyone's help and comments. I'll update the first post for anyone else in my situation.

:camera:s while you're at it? (It's always fun to see what people have done with their rooms)

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
:camera:s while you're at it? (It's always fun to see what people have done with their rooms)

Seconded, pics or it never happened!

 

[The J]

Sorry, I don't have a digital camera. Right now, I'm at home and it's rather poorly set up (the center is currenly standing vertically to the left of my monitor, for example). I'm heading back to college tomorrow, so I'll see if I can use one of my friends' cameras when I get everything set up the way I want it.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: The J
Sorry, I don't have a digital camera. Right now, I'm at home and it's rather poorly set up (the center is currenly standing vertically to the left of my monitor, for example). I'm heading back to college tomorrow, so I'll see if I can use one of my friends' cameras when I get everything set up the way I want it.

You better come through

 

[Excelsior]

Yeah, I would like to see some pictures too!

 

[alcoholbob]

No...bass redirection does not work like you think it does. It's not a crossover. It only sets what the subwoofer plays (or doesn't play). Creative Europe forums had like a 200 page running forum over this issue. Creative admits its a problem, but it's not high on their list of fixes. (In other words, they aren't interested in fixing any of their problems, just adding new technologies to keep you occupied...while creating new problems).

I love the new XiFi...a bajillion chips...to resample...when they could have simply had a native DAC that could sample at 44.1khz. These guys...have too much money and not enough common sense on their heads.

Receiver settings don't work in multichannel mode because its supposed to be an analog passthrough mode. In other words, unlike the other stereo modes, where it takes an analog signal, converts it to digital, plays with it a bit with DSP settings/modes/whatever, and then reconverts it to analog, the analog signal is just passed through and amplified. That's why you can't do anything with it, like set crossovers.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

The J, is that the right link for the Fluance speakers?

 

[orangat]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
........
I love the new XiFi...a bajillion chips...to resample...when they could have simply had a native DAC that could sample at 44.1khz. These guys...have too much money and not enough common sense on their heads.

Receiver settings don't work in multichannel mode because its supposed to be an analog passthrough mode. In other words, unlike the other stereo modes, where it takes an analog signal, converts it to digital, plays with it a bit with DSP settings/modes/whatever, and then reconverts it to analog, the analog signal is just passed through and amplified. That's why you can't do anything with it, like set crossovers.

Does the new xifi still resample for 44khz? Kinda bizzare they stuck to the same achilles heel in the next gen.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: orangat

Originally posted by: Astrallite
........
I love the new XiFi...a bajillion chips...to resample...when they could have simply had a native DAC that could sample at 44.1khz. These guys...have too much money and not enough common sense on their heads.

Receiver settings don't work in multichannel mode because its supposed to be an analog passthrough mode. In other words, unlike the other stereo modes, where it takes an analog signal, converts it to digital, plays with it a bit with DSP settings/modes/whatever, and then reconverts it to analog, the analog signal is just passed through and amplified. That's why you can't do anything with it, like set crossovers.

Does the new xifi still resample for 44khz? Kinda bizzare they stuck to the same achilles heel in the next gen.

Yeah, they do it but it's done in a way that's clean enough that nobody will be able to notice if I'm understanding correctly.

 

[Accord99]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Yeah, they do it but it's done in a way that's clean enough that nobody will be able to notice if I'm understanding correctly.

Actually, the Xi-Fi does support bit-perfect SPDIF output. It's one of the options in the Music Mode I believe. The A2 7.1 Value and A4 Pro also support perfect 44.1KHz digital output. For those cards, the option is in the Creative Audio Console->Bit Accurate tab. After that, you just need a software player with a kernel streaming plug-in like Foobar2K.