shoe11

---------------- On 5/19/2003 1:46:38 AM Nightmarez wrote: Im having a problem with my speakers...I installed the software and everything and only my frontleft,front right,center speaker and sub are working and I have to turn the volume all the way up to like 50 to hear my music...can anyone help me...so I can hear them in all speakers and not have to turn the volume all the way up so I can hear it. I also cannot hear my rear left and right speakers. oh and by the way in Control Panel under....Advanced Audio Properties I have 5.1 Surround Speakers selected. Also for the Creative Surround Mixer program too the 5.1 Speakers are selected. ---------------- Night~ Post your request under the Pro Media section which is just below the Home Audio section in which you posted this one. I'm sure you'll get the assistance you need. ~shoe

---------------- On 5/16/2003 8:47:22 AM easylistener wrote: Shoe What did you pay for yours? Where did you buy it from. Nobody else has this box set? ---------------- easy~ I ordered it from Tower for $117 I believe it was. ~shoe

I ordered this box about a month ago. I don't have any of the previous releases of the individual albums (save a previous well beat up box set it replaces), but I've listened through all 10 and thought they were well done. I'm not a hardcore Led Zep fan so others may be more critical than myself. It's definitely the easiest way to add their whole studio catalog in one shot. I'd recommend it. ~shoe

Ok after getting through two night's worth of thunderstorms and tornado warnings, I got the SPL meter and went through the calibration process. Here's what I found: First I had to set the levels on the Denon 3802 receiver. Using the tones from the receiver, I set the channel levels to 75db with no problems. Next through the 2900 I set the speaker configuration, and delay times. I then had to identify the volume level on the receiver at which 75db of output is being provided. No problems there. Lastly at that volume setting I had to run the test tones from the 2900 to set the channel levels to 75db. This is where I found what everyone has been talking about. When trying to set the channel levels for the 2900, the test tones as provided by the unit barely register at all. From my listening position, around 8 feet or so, each of the speakers was only generating around 60db on the SPL. This couldn't be compensated for in the 2900. For each channel, the 2900 does not provide any +db adjustment. It only allows 0db and then a range down to -10db if memory recalls. While I couldn't adjust it to the suggested 75db output levels, I did find that the levels at the lower output of 60db were quite consistent across all speakers. The setup materials advise that it might not be possible to acquire the 75db target, but to set the levels as high and as consistently as possible which I believe I did. After that I played a few multichannel discs. Again, I state that the bass was in my opinion, musically accurate relative to the source that was being played. Additionally, in my config of channel levels, my 2 RSW-15's were only set to 9 o'clock. I found that in any situation where I found the bass a bit lacking, a quick turn up no higher than 12 o'clock provided any additional bass that I might want. As there are no rap Hi-Res discs nor do I have any large orchestral discs yet, I can't really comment about very low sub bass output. I would speculate, however, that in those instances where more prodigous bass quantities are desired by the mixing engineer in order to accurately convey the intended slam/effect, that the discs would simply be recorded with greater information via the LFE channel. So yes the Bass Management perhaps does not work as advertised although it must be said in the setup materials Denon provides, they never suggest that the 75db settings for channel level are absolutely required. They merely say to get as close as possible. Also as several people have found, myself included, even without those tone levels, the resulting sound provided has no apparent lack of bass at all. Of course, I have alot more bass output available to me than others. I can see where a person with lesser subwoofer output could believe that the sound was bass shy. For those individuals indicating no bass, I'd be curious to know exactly what they are using for their LFE. Even with the recoginition of this issue, I still can't say it's a big deal to me. There have been no reported issues of double bass or other such BM related issues which may be more serious. Lastly to me the chroma bug simply is not an issue and even as reported in the avsforum, the jury is still out if this is actually an issue with the unit. My opinion of the unit after having had it for a week still stands. It's a very nice player. I've found all modes to provide great performance. Presently I will admit I still may take it back, but this has nothing to do with the unit's abilities. You see I'm an audio person. While I'm impressed by both DVD-A and SACD, my concerns are still related to the lack of available software in each format. I would really like to see a much higher level of upcoming releases than what I've been reading about at this time. Additionally, I'm thinking that I may wish to wait until such time as more multichannel solutions from dedicated audio companies make their debut. Presently the only real options for surround audio require the usage of gear more specifically designed for HT. I think MC music will really take off once dedicated MC audio products become more common place. Lastly, at this time I'm only using the S-Video output and given the still high price of flat panel displays and evolving standards, I'm not ready to make a purchase such that I can take advantage of the 2900's progressive output. I'd rather spend the money in the audio realm. Anyway I hope this information has been of use to some of you considering purchasing this unit. ~shoe

I have 2 RSW-15's on the floor and I can assure you that I have no shortage of bass coming from the analog outputs of the 2900. In fact I know I have too much at this point and the interesting thing is that it's coming right now from the Clapton/BB King DVD-A surround as I write this. Not exactly an album you'd expect to be bass heavy. I plan to grab an SPL meter tonight and set the channel levels. Haven't done it yet as I've just been enjoying the different formats, and getting comfortable with the player from a usability perspective. I think that bass from multi-channel audio may end up disappointing some of our more bass crazed members. It's not the same as a 2 channel setup where you run full range signals to L/R, hook the sub into the preamp and then set your low pass. From what I've heard so far in 5.1, the bass output you receive is very mix dependent. The engineers now have a dedicated bass track to play with and some are more generous than others with what they provide on it. In some discs there is a great deal of .1 information being sent and in others there is very little. Bass management will require some time for people to configure it to their own tastes. My impression so far is that those who prefer more audiophile, accurate bass will probably find 5.1 more appealing and those who are looking for more slam may be better served by continuing with straight 2 channel Hi-Rez. That's not a gospel truth by any means, just some initials thoughts from the time I've had to play around with the unit. I had the 2900 hooked up to my dedicated Rotel 2-channel gear for the last couple of days and 2 channel Hi-Rez is very nice. The only annoyance I have at this point is that DVD-A requires a monitor for navigation if it contains more than a single mix (which I think all of them do). I also think there are many individuals in audio/video forums who want to jump way too fast to conclusions on new gear. Of course the BM issue is a major one with combination players and everyone is interested to learn of potential issues, but the player hasn't even been in the hands of the earliest buyer a week yet. Right now I think many of us early adopters are still in the configuration stages with the unit and no one should jump to conclusions just yet. That said, at this time I can't think of anything which would cause me not to recommend this player to those of us interested in a universal format player. Once I go through the SPL setup tonight, I'll update with how it turned out. Patience for now. ~shoe

All~ RangerSix wrote: "My only concern is the analog connections. I have a Sony SACD sitting idle because of a lack of cable connections on my receiver (4802). Plus analog cables bypasses many of the features found on the receiver, the most notable being bass management. I certainly hope that the RIAA can one day get past their paranoia of using digital towards their newer formats." A) I agree with you regarding the analog connections when it comes to the clutter of needing to use 6 cables instead of one, the cost of said 6 cables and situations like your's in which you have 2 machines, but only one set of analog connections on your receiver. I do, however, prefer analog connections to digital for sound quality. This player is solidly built with high quality DACs for it's audio sources, and while my Denon receiver is of high quality, I'd prefer not to bypass the DACs in the 2900 simply so that I only had to connect one cable. Of course in a few years let's say a receiver/processor's internal DAC's end up with better stuff than my 2900 (which is sure to happen) then I'll want the digital out to take advantage of them. To me the best solution would be the availability of both for the reasons I just highlighted. By buying the 2900 I'm stuck with analog I realize. A factor I'm thinking about during my 30 day return policy. Lastly, I will say that the 2900 provides very complete bass management so I don't think this should be an issue for you. kjohnsonhp~ Questions: 1. How is the regular CD playback...I usually get a response that it's not as good as a nice dedicated used $400 CD player. A) As I've only had the unit a few days, I've been spending 100% of the time with the new Hi-Res formats and honestly haven't even played a regular CD yet. I plan to hook the unit into my Rotel 2 channel setup to get a better idea of how it compares to my RCD-1070. To be fair I expect the unit will need some decent hours on it before it provides a good indication of it's performance. I will say that with the high quality DAC's it ships with that standard CD performance should be very good. I'll let you know more once I try it out. 2. How is the picture quality compared to the 1600? Is it worth a premium? A) I'm aware of the 1600, but I have never actually viewed or used it. In fact, if I determine that my concerns regarding SACD/DVD-A's future cause me to return the 2900, then the 1600 is the exact player I will buy for strictly DVD video. I have viewed several movies on the player and in my opinion the picture quality is very good, but as I am still only using it's S-Video output and an 11 year old 4:3 set, it would be unfair of me to good beyond that inital impression. If you follow the link below: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=74d2abc1e5b65554bb054bee0c8bbf50&threadid=254191 The members on there are much more video oriented than I am and I think you'll get much better information regarding the 2900's video capabilities. I will say that the general consensus seems to be that the 2900 has very strong video quality. One thing that is stated in that thread that I can report on is how fast this player is with navigation. It navigates instantly and layer changes happen so fast, I haven't even noticed them in the movies I've watched so far. TauRus wrote: "Shoe and all other guys who already got their DVD2900 - is it the same with your units? Are they also assembled in China?" A) I'll check my unit out today and let you know, though I suspect they all are built in China. I don't really see this as an issue as I've owned various Denon units for over 10 years with no problems. Of course if I have issues with the player in the future, then of course my sentiments will change. The player is solidly built, feature rich and a fair price for what it provides in my opinion. I'm willing to give it the benefit of the doubt irregardless of it's build origin. ~shoe

The new Peter Gabriel SACD reissues sound sooooo good. Mo multi mix though. The two RSW-15's playing the drum line from Biko......oh damn that's nice! ~shoe

Mike and all~ You could really use either pair for 2 channel SACD. The deal is that FL/R 2 are grouped into what Denon considers a multi-channel speaker config. If you plug your mains here you can then set all bass management properties for them through the menu. The FL/R 1 are straight 2 channel audio outputs. They provide full range signal and there is no bass management support for them. There is a toggle setting in the menu to determine which output is selected. As I have the 15's plugged into the sub preouts of my 3802, they receive signal even when the EXT IN analog outputs are enabled. If I plug the RF-7's into FL/R 2 I could set them SMALL as I have the sub for the low octaves or if I set them to FL/R 1, then the 7's will get the full signal plus the sub. So I'm going with FL/R 2. ~shoe

---------------- On 5/2/2003 3:07:03 PM Mike728 wrote: Shoe, I just got mine yesterday. Maybe you can help me with something. I'm trying to figure out if SACD 2ch playback is supposed to be played through the analog outputs (FL1/FR1) or the 2 front PPCM outputs (FL2/FR2). I think it sounds cleaner through the 2's, but can't be sure. The manual doesn't mention anything about it. At least that I can find. I just remember that my Toshiba SD-9200 stated to use the analog outputs for all 2ch audio, including DVD-A. Thanks for any help you can offer! ---------------- Mike~ See my next reply... ~shoe

Additional spur of the moment comments: 1) Owner's manual is a freaking book. I think Denon took user's complaints seriously regarding their previous attempts at documentation. 2) Unit lights up like an xmas tree when a disc is loaded. Very nice is that the display indicates which outputs are being used based on the disc inserted and mode selected. 3) Two panel buttons allow you to toggle through available play modes based on disc inserted. So if it's a hybrid SACD you can push the button to scroll through Multi, SACD Stereo and CD modes. Display updates to indicate outputs in use. Seek time between modes seems rather decent speed wise. Pure Direct button is also located on front panel to instantly toggle off video circuitry during audio playback. Definitely a Denon advantage. I really haven't been able to yet find out if the same options are avail by the remote. Work will be over shortly. If you guys have particular questions, please fire away. Now I have to say I'm an audio guy and as such I have an 11 year old 35 Mitsu running S-video from the 2900, so out of fairness to the unit, on video I probably ought to keep my mouth shut. Of course as I walked out with the 2900, I did find that I happened to stop and scope out the plasmas.... ~shoe

Been in a friday afternoon work concall. I mean don't they know I have important things to set up and listen to? Quick first picture. Installation is a snap. First thoughts: Physically it's a more substantial piece as compared to the 999ES I've been using the last week. Heavier and larger. Tray mechanism on the Denon is better than the Sony. Loading discs on the Denon is much more secure than the Sony. The Sony provides a very thin platter with just tabs to hold the disc in place. Sometimes this led to it misreading inserted discs and sometimes when discs were ejected, they would tend to get pulled in. Anyway drive unit goes to Denon. Setup for both models is menu driven and anyone should be able to handle the basics without a need for the manual. I think the Sony is a bit more intuitive than the Denon and more polished. Haven't had a chance to dig into the feature set of this one yet as I did with the Sony. Both are quite easy when it comes to setting speaker config, sound levels, distances, etc. Haven't played enough yet. Remote is a toss up. I like each unit for different reasons..... Back to work....More updates the more I play ~shoe

I'll get some pictures and comments up shortly. ~shoe

I have a 15 for each 7. I didn't like how unbalanced my room looked with just one. ~shoe

Erik~ Actually Shoe is my nickname due to the fact that my last name is Shoemaker. So the irony of my helmet being a Shoei and my nickname being very close to that confuses alot of people. Thanks for the compliment on my RC-51. I've ridden since I was 4 and nothing I've owned previously beats my V-Twin. Such a blast compared to an inline and Harley riders give the funniest looks when I roar past them. I've been a Honda guy all my life, but the R series from Yamaha are very nice bikes. Being a twin guy, I'm more familiar with Ducati than Cagiva but any model from either of those manufacturers should be a great bike. And yeah like you, I usually take my weekend ride early in the morning or if it's later in the day, I head west into the country to stay safe. Let me ask a question of you and I'm sure other members can answer this...Are all of the SET units from Welborne and Wright kits that need to be assembled or can they be purchased ready to go? Perhaps a better question would be how hard and/or what kind of tools/skills does one need to have in order to build them? The reason I ask is twofold: 1) relative to the ASL models and some other brands I've read about, the Welborne and Wright units appear to be more highly regarded for sound and quality thus more interesting to me from a purchase standpoint if I want to go SET. and 2) while I can build computers and motorcycles blindfolded, electronics construction is something I have no experience with and I'm not fond of the thought of spending good money for great SET quality and screwing it up. After I had replied to this post last night, I got deeply into some SET research. I had been going through the SET forum on audioasylum and I kept asking myself, "who or what the hell is a moondog?" I know several members have them, but I had never really searched to get the scoop on them. After finally seeing a few pics of the moondogs, I went to the Welborne Labs homepage and started trying to find out the specs, prices, availability of the moondogs. I found the link for the new DRD SET monoblocks and the first line says, "OK, so the Moondogs and Laurels are history." "Doh!" At that point I gave up on the moondog idea, and I started looking into these new DRD monos. I'm thinking, "cool they sell a 300B, 2A3, and a 45" So I pull the price list for the 300B and just for that model alone there ends up being about 10 different prices, but unfortunately I don't find one that says, "We'll build the unit here, box and ship it to you. All you do is unbox, bias, connect and power up." I'd appreciate anyone's comments. I'd also be curious people's thoughts/impressions on these new DRD models. Has anyone here purchased or even heard them yet? Going tomorrow to hear my first EL-34 based unit the CAV-50, also will hear the Musical Fidelity and YBA units. After hearing so many positive almost euphoric comments on tube gear, I'm anxious to hear it for myself. Also spoke today with my dealer that carries Creek, VPI, Music Hall and got some good information on each. Tomorrow should prove to be a fun day. ~shoe

Leo and Erik~ Thanks to both for your comments. Erik, the Orchid is the integrated model and the Tulip is the straight power amp. Both 2A3's between 3.2 to 3.5 watts. Only about $100 between them. Of course that opens up a whole new can of worms that being going with an integrated unit or continuing with a seperate pre and power. The general sense I get when discussing this topic with SS is that the seperate approach is usually better, but is it worth the additional cost entailed by buying two units instead of one and also a 2nd run of interconnects. I'd be curious on how this issue is viewed by our tube members. I would assume what holds for SS would hold for tubes as well. As for the SET issue for me it's simply a misconception that I plan to remove with experience. As an audiofile newbie, sensitivity is not exactly a spec many look at you know? You look at the size of the box and say, "Damn big speaker...gonna need at least 500watts" I have to laugh becuase I remember when I bought the RF-3's I was talking about getting a 250watt amp and worrying that might not be enough. Now I'm sitting here with the 7's and a very nice 130watt Rotel.....with the volume just barely moved to fill the room with sound. Just a mental thing to be able to accept that such a small amp can completely provide adequate power to such a big cabinet. When I first posted this topic, being excited I stated I'd probably be purchasing something Wednesday. Now I've changed my mind I'm not buying until I've experienced quite a few models. In my rush I forgot one of the many reasons I enjoy this hobby so much and that's trying all kinds different gear in search of my own personal sound. So I'm going to try to hear the EL-34, EL-84, 6550, 2A3, 300B so I can learn for myself each tube's sound traits and then decide which one I like the best. As for the Scout, it will definitely be on my list. I also have a local dealer who carries Linn and Rega so I have a decent selection of quality tables near me to hear. One step at a time though, new amp first. ~shoe

disregard. ~shoe

Dean and Leo, Thanks for your information. I suspected that given my listening habits, that ultra-linear would be the best way for me to go. Of course if my listening habits change, I could have the modification done at that time. CJ is located only about 25 miles from my house. As for the turntables, I haven't done a great deal of reading on them yet, but I have seen that the VPI Scout has received some favorable reviews for around $1500. I assume this is a quality piece, but Leo is this the kind of price range you were referring to? I know turntables/arms can go ridiculously high, but are not the Rega/Linn/Sota/VPI units solid players? ~shoe

Bill~ Thanks for the reply. I'm glad to hear that you think it would still be a good option to consider. I tend to prefer a more detailed, forward sound and at first I thought the Creek would be the perfect match, but then I started thinking that the combination might make the sound just too bright/detailed. I don't have a local dealer for Creek, but I do know of one which is well regarded and not too far away. I plan to call them on Monday to perhaps see about receiving a 5350SE to try out. ~shoe

My Rotel gear is being moved to the bedroom. The Denon-2900 DVD/SACD/DVD-A order has been cancelled. I'm staying with 2-channel CD for at least another year and might even (can't believe I'm saying this) add a nice quality Rega/Sota/Linn/VPI table to play with those big, black 12 inch CD's so many of you are fond of. Multi-channel, hi-rez at this point in time to me is just too gimmicky and undeveloped to be worth the investment. In addition, as I've been expanding my appreciation for music from earlier periods and styles, I've found that my relatives have left me a treasure trove of great music just waiting to be heard. The hardest part of audio these days sounds like working a table. I've read reviews on tables in Stereophile/TAS and at the end I have no idea what the hell they're talking about. Sounds like vinyl got confusing as hell to setup since I last messed with it 20 years ago. Sorry to ramble about that. I'll save my vinyl questions for another post. Anyway here's the deal, to serve as the anchor for my new main system these are units that I'm considering. I think I have a fair handle on how suitable each would be when paired with my RF-7's. I would enjoy and appreciate any comments regarding my choices/thoughts. Even if you have experiences with these when not paired with Klipsch, I'd like to hear them. Musical Fidelity A3.2 Integrated YBA Integre DT Creek 5350SE CJ CAV-50 Manley Stingray Jolida JD 300B Thoughts on the SS units: My original plan was to purchase either the MF or Creek SS, but after reading more about their sound profiles, I believe that the MF may be a bit too laid back and the Creek perhaps too detailed/clinical to match well with my RF-7's. YBA is a very high quality unit, but I haven't read a great deal about this particular model's sound. I have a suspicion it's close to the MF. The tubes: My heart is set on the CJ. I really need to experience the tube bliss that so many of you on here rave about and this EL-34 based amp sounds to me like it would be the perfect match for Klipsch. The Stingray is EL-84 based. I haven't read a great deal one way or the other about how the 84 sound compares. Lastly, the new Jolida SET. There are no reviews/comments out on this one yet, but I know several members here are part of the SET club and it has me curious. The ASL Orchid 2A3 I've researched heavily as well. I think the two things holding me back from either of these SET options is a)concerns regarding Jolida/ASL build quality and b)trusting that such a small wattage output will be sufficient. I do have one tube related question regarding the CAV. It provides the option to be configured as Ultra-Linear or Triode. Any thoughts on which would be the better choice with 7's? Right now I have a very strong feeling I'll be coming home with either the CJ or MF on Wednesday. Which would you pick? ~shoe

There's no real way for anyone to make a blind recommendation like you are seeking. The two models should be quite close in terms of their sound I would suspect. There will be slight differences for sure, but to me this isn't really apples to oranges. More like one type of apple to another. Slightly different, but basically the same. I don't see how power handling is an issue. Both speakers are very efficient and can be driven very well with very low power. Cabinet design is a matter of personal preference and will make some difference to the sound, but as Klipsch hasn't released the new models yet no one on here can tell you for sure how the sound compares relative to the RF-3's. I would say at this point price and availability are the more important issues. Honestly the best answer to your question is to see if you can find a Klipsch dealer who might end up having both models available so that your friend can go there, take some of his music, and let his ears decide which one they like the best. That being said since you are seeking an opinion as to one or the other and as it's going to be a shiny new toy for him, and he hasn't been previously corrupted by the members of this forum, tell him to buy the new ones. I've never bought a year old model in anything. Go new and get the RF-35's. ~shoe

I put in an order for the Denon 2900 this past weekend. Now that I've placed the deposit I'm having second thoughts on the whole SACD/DVD-A deal. The following have me thinking of canceling the order: 1. The lack of a digital interface at this time. I don't really like the idea of having to buy/use a ton of extra cables and then a year or two from now, a digital standard becomes available. 2. Even with a few great additions recently announced, very small catalogs of available software and fairly expensive. 3. Multi-channel I find to be rather gimmicky. Just a personal opinion of course. 4. Would really prefer to have a dedicated audio only device instead of a combination player. There are a few other reasons that have me thinking I'm going to be sticking with good ol' 2 channel CD for a few years longer. Still, not sure just yet. If I were to recommend a DVD only player at this time, I'd buy a Denon-1600. I've read very positive reviews about it and it's under the $500 price point at this time. BTW both www.denon.com and www.crutchfield.com have pics of the 2900. ~shoe

Muleman~ 1. Tweeter no longer carries Klipsch. What they have left in stock has been on clearance for quite some time now. 2. Klipsch has released 14 new Reference models which should be available soon. The new Reference models do not replace the 7 series as the top of the line. The Newscenter section at the top of the page has the info on the new models. ~shoe

I had heard that all were to be done in Stereo, but hadn't heard that a few of them will also be 5.1. Also the time frame for their release seems to have been moved up. I had heard fall of this year. Anyway it's about time his catalog was remastered/redone in some format. Now if the Beatles and Springsteen's early collections could get the same treatment I'd be happy. ~shoe

---------------- On 4/23/2003 2:28:18 PM mario wrote: "and was looking to buy the Rsw 15 sub to add more kick to my system>" ---------------- Why stop at 1?

You mention both RF-7 and RC-7 in your post. In either case both are still the top of the Reference series in their respective categories and there have been no press releases from Klipsch to indicate this is going to change any time soon. Also you might ask if the shop you plan to buy from has a speaker upgrade policy. When Tweeter carried the Klipsch Reference series that is how many of us grew our systems. ~shoe