Has anyone "upgraded" to a 7.1 or 9.1 DSX Klipsch Home Theater yet?

[Zen Traveler]

... What we need is a nid priced Denon preamp with the 4810 with out the power amps. I don't want to send $7500.00 on there preamp they have now.

I run 7.1 with the rear channels and it sounds great with music ans Dolby PLIIx from stereo or from 5.1.

Fwiw, I have a >2000 cu ft HT with high ceilings that I play mostly Multichannel music in and use only the Denon's Matrix function to decode DVD-As/SACDs into 7.1 and it sound awesome. [H] On another note, Here is a link to my AVR, which is the predecessor to the AVR 4810: http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_4/denon-avr-4806-receiver-12-2005-part-1.html and I would be curious to see how the Amps/power supplies in the two AVRs compare given the newer model doesn't have the THX Ultra II rating

Fwiw, I don't have the room for either wide or height channels, but definitely feel I benefit from the AVR 4806's ability to play efficiently, speakers with low impedance dips especially in my small room at the volume which I have been accustomed.

[shake777]

One month ago I reconfigured my HT using a Denon 4810 and Klipsch speakers. I'm using RF7 fronts, RF82 wides, RB81heights, RB35 surrounds, RC64 Center, and an RT12d Subwoofer. I began thinking about this system as soon as the AVR4810 from Denon was hinted at and I believe that these Klipsch are a fine set of speakers to make the everything work.

I feel like I have significant improvement with both music and HT and I believe I can safely say this is an upgrade. For music the soundstage is wider and I think the instruments are more obviously placed on the soundstage. After all it would be almost impossible for the soundstage not to be wider and I think the RF82 is a fine speaker for the wide position. With HT while watching Saving Private Ryan for example, the opening battle scene has awesome realism and, although the thread didn't specifically ask about the height channel, I have to be specific when I'm giving information to avoid misleading the reader; The overall effect with the height and wide channels is terribly real. I have similar positive comments regarding the Dynamic Volume and Dynamic EQ although no request about these was made either. I feel I would be remiss not to give them a mention because they come with the AVR.

I have read numerous reviews including the ones that are inluded as links within this thread. Some made negative comments and I must admit some of the observations are not entirely without merit. Taking these into consideration and including the added expense of setting this system up, I would certainly choose this system again if I had to start over. I think this is especially true if you have a larger space to fill with sound in your HT. In sum I think the two most important aspects of my system is that it is larger and it is more detailed.

[Johnny Do]

Shake777

how do you find the amp overall to power your speakers? Does the amp run out of juice easily or can it push them pretty good without having to use another seperate amplifier for say running your front main and center channel?

Next question, since your one of a only a few people here to run 9.2/11.2 can you breifly compare the volume/ammount of audio you get out of the front high and wide relative to the center/front left & right channels? I ask so I can match up some more speakers to what I already have.

I have 2x RF82, 2x RS52, 1x RC62, 1x RB51 Now I'm wondering what I should use for the front high and front wide speakers to match up with what I have. Go with another set of rf82 for the front wide or try to find a set of RF52/62 and go that route and a set of RB51 for the front high to match up with teh back surround. Your thoughts would be much appriciated.

cheers

[cdoo932]

I have the Onkyo 5007. I run rf-82 fronts,rc-62 center,4 rs-35 rears,rt-10d and 2 Klipsch pro media sats for height speakers.I cant really tell how much I hear the heights but overall I love the setup. The sound is alot better then my old Onkyo 605 I was running.

[shake777]

Hi Johnny Do,

First I think that the amp has plenty of power, both as a whole and also with respect to the height/wide channels to everything else. I think the 140 watts per channel advertised is absolutely in the realm of accuracy. I can't imagine any circumstances when I would have to turn the volume all the way up.

Someone occaisionally prints something like (I think in this thread "I don't comment on any equipment I haven't heard" (not exact quote). I think that's good advice therefore I can't say anything about your speakers. All I can do is reinterate the fact that I think my speakers are a good match for the application. I have some RB25s that I put up in place of the RB81s at the height channel and I most certainly found the 81s to have a fuller, deeper, more robust sound. My only recommendation would be to examine what you might want very thoroughly and get what you think is best, even if it means making your purchases little by little. You can always sell off your old speakers. I found this to be an effective money saving method that gets me what I really want. Shake777

[Johnny Do]

Shake777,

Thanks, I appriciate your responce. Right now there is still nobody in my city that has the 4810 AVR and I'm alrady saving up and buying peice by peice the best Klipsch speakers our local stores have access to, considering they are getting out of selling that line, I'm gettinga heck of a deal on most of what I buy to the tune of almost half off retail. Even still, I'm not having any luck finding anyone here with any first hand experiance or a demo unit that will show off a 9.2 system let alone a 11.2 system.

Considering that I'm pretty much going with a full klipsch setup that is one line lower then your setup, you can serve as a baseline for my efforts. I'm curious though .. if money was no object .. would you say that it's better that the frotn wide speakers are a size smaller then the front main speakers? Of would it be signifigant to have both sets the same? ie .. RF-82 & RF-82 or RF-82 and RF-62 for the rest of my surroudn speakers .. I'm going with the 5" driver version of each speaker .. hopfully it'll be good enough. I see that you are using a 10" modem .. RF-7 for yoru mains .. i'm not sure how they stack up against the RF-82 but I can imagine .. ohmigod is a common word with your setup

Thanks again for your suggestions.

cheers

[Zen Traveler]

... I think the 140 watts per channel advertised is absolutely in the realm of accuracy. I can't imagine any circumstances when I would have to turn the volume all the way up.

Fwiw, The Denon AVR 4810ci looks like an awesome unit but I would be real surprised if it Benchmark tests out at 140 wpc other than possibly in a 2 channel configuration . Fwiw, the heavier THX Ultra II AVR 4806 was 182 wpc in 2 channel but dipped down to 114 wpc with all channels driven {EDIT: and is a 7 channel unit compared to the AVR 4810 which is a 9 channel unit}. http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_12_4/denon-avr-4806-receiver-12-2005-part-5.html

[shake777]

You may be right, I was thinking about the HT magazine review of the AVR4310 which is rated at 130 watts and their bench test reveals 155.4 watts in stereo with .01% distortion and 179.3 watts at 1% distortion. I think the 4810 is putting out plenty of power and its not going to be an issue for someone running the set of Klipsch speakers that I have. I know that from experience. Klipsch are very efficient speakers. However, I probably should not make a statement like that without the numbers to back it up.

[shake777]

Johnny Do, Thanks for the compliment to my system. I chose the RF82 because the RF7 is such a great speaker and I wanted something that would do justice to them in the wide position. I found the 82s at the right price.I t seemed natural for me to place my speakers as I did when I got my 4810 since Audyssey says the wide position is most important besides the fronts. I wanted to be sure I had plenty of sound, and in particular, did not lose any bass. With respect to your question I don't think I would put RF7s in the wide positon. To be honest it would be an unorthodox choice that almost no one would make. The wide positon is something akin to a surround channel so it probably does not require a rather large floorstanding speaker like I installed. It simply works for me and my particular tastes.

I dont think my system is necessarily the perfect system to be copied. Additionally, there are many more experienced people on the forum than myself and I would continue to inquire before making a final decision. Shake777

[Zen Traveler]

You may be right, I was thinking about the HT magazine review of the AVR4310 which is rated at 130 watts and their bench test reveals 155.4 watts in stereo with .01% distortion and 179.3 watts at 1% distortion. I think the 4810 is putting out plenty of power and its not going to be an issue for someone running the set of Klipsch speakers that I have. I know that from experience. Klipsch are very efficient speakers. However, I probably should not make a statement like that without the numbers to back it up.

My guess is that the AVR 4810ci uses a similar power supply as the AVR 4310 although is putting that power into 9 channels instead of 7, which makes me question the actual Benchmark numbers....You have a real nice system and it appears similar to mine although in a different configuration.

EDIT: Btw, do you have a link to that review of the AVR 4310?

[MoparBob]

It looks like you have a good souning system. I have ran many Denon setups. The first was a AVP8000 with the 3 channel and 2 channel power amps. That had good punch with a solid bottom end, but I have found that receivers in general lacks some punch on the bottom end. My son runs a Denon 2307 with RF7's and it sounded good, but then I let him use my old Carver M500T power amp the bass tighted up with more punch. I'm running Cornwalls with a Denon 3808 and it sounded good, but when I hooked up my Sunfire Signature 7x400 watt power amp. Lets just say it transformed the sound. Better mid lower bass. It also had more detail, more musical sounding, it was just more musical sounding. A receiver just can't hold up to a good power amp and yes my power amp cost more than a 4810 but I think it's woth it. A power amp you can keep 10 or 20 years or more and you change out the preamp every 3 to 5 years that why I would like to see a prepro from Denon based on the 4810 or 5810 the will be out later I'm sure.

I would love to hear your system I bet it sounds great. I want to hear 9.1 or 11.1 system. Nice system

[Zen Traveler]

It looks like you have a good souning system. I have ran many Denon setups. ...My son runs a Denon 2307 with RF7's and it sounded good, but then I let him use my old Carver M500T power amp the bass tighted up with more punch. ...

I have 3 Home Theaters using Denon AVRs as well. Btw, there is no doubt that the Carver really added some punch and wouldn't really didn't have to use much of it to accomplish high SPLs. []

What I wonder is in regard to the Denon AVR-4810ci Amps/power supply compared the previous AVR-4806, which had THX ultra II certification and was 1/3 heavier. Fwiw, I have tried lower end AVRs in my set up (last being an AVR 3805) and feel that there really is something to the THX "ultra II" specification for AVRs to drive speakers with impedance dips down to 3.2 ohms, at Reference level in a 3,000 cu ft room for us RF-7 owners...Of course nowadays it makes sense if you have the room to buy a cheaper AVR and separate amplification, but not all AVRs are created equal and some may not need to go the separate route.

[MoparBob]

Here is something to think about. The 4806 weights 52.5 lbs and the 4810 42.2 lbs. the 3808 39.8 lbs and the 4310 38.5lbs. I would think that came out of the power supply transformers. That is what happens when you sell to a price point but it would still make a great preamp. On that point I think that the Sunfire pre sounds better than the Denon but can't keep up with the features of the Denon.

[Zen Traveler]

I agree, MoparBob.

Given that's it's weight is closer to the 41 lbs of the 4308ci and has 2 more channels than either that one or the 4806 that is the conclusion I came to. That being said, the Denon AVR 4810ci has 9 channels and a preamp where you can add an additional separate (s) to actually have a 11. 1 setup. []

[shake777]

tkdamerica, You can pull up Home Theater Magazine and chose Equipment Reviews from the top menu then Receivers from under the Buyers Guide menu on the left and look for the 4310 in the midrange section. Shake777