Rlbol Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 I recently moved in to a new home with a dedicated home theater. It is roughly 17.5' by 19 feet wide. I am going to have to do some work to it. It should be a fun project though. So I have a small assortment of equipment so far and I was hoping to get some suggestions on the best set up. It will be used mostly for movies and games with some 2 channel music. I am getting more and more in to the blu ray concerts so I would imagine that would be most of the music. As far as equipment goes I have an older onkyo tx-sr705 as well as a denon 4802r. I am also using a ps3 for most of the media and a wii for games as well as the PS3. i recently picked denon receiver with some klipsch RF7's,RC7,RS-7's and a RSW-15 sub. I also have a pair of KSF 8.5's as well. When I hooked up the Denon it seemed way to bright with the RF-7's So I tried them with the Onkyo and sounded much better! So my question is what would the best set up be? use the RS-7 as rear sides and the ksf 8.5 as rears in a 7.1 set up? I prefer the onkyo because of the HDMI switching but I could use the higher power of the denon. I like to turn it up and the onkyo is really working! Would it be worth investing in a separate amp for the RF 7's? Thanks in advance for all the great advise on here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darylomer12 Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 Yes. A dedicated amp for your RF-7's would be great. What I would do is... Sell your KSF 8.5's, keep your RS-7's, and just go with 5.1 for now. Sell your Denon 4802. With the money you get for your KSF's and your Denon, buy a nice 5 channel amp and use your Onkyo as your preamp, especially since it's got HDMI. You can get a nice 5 channel amp from Emovita for $799. http://emotiva.com/xpa5.shtm Or... You can buy the XPA-3 for $599 to power your front 3 and let your Onkyo power your surrounds. http://emotiva.com/xpa3.shtm I'd probalby go with option 2 and get the XPA-3. You'lll notice a HUGE difference when you feed those monsters some true power. Your surrounds will be fine using the Onkyo's amp. Later down the road or whenever you can swing it, a pair of reference bookshelf's for your rear surrounds will do just fine.....I'm sure Wuzzer will chime in shortly.. He's pretty sharp when it comes to making these decisions:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuzzzer Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 .....I'm sure Wuzzer will chime in shortly.. He's pretty sharp when it comes to making these decisions:) You rang? [] I second darylomer's recommendation of an amp such as the Emotiva XPA-3. If you think your speakers sound good with your Onkyo you will be blown away with how they sound with a capable external amp. All you'd have to do is use the Onkyo's pre-amp outputs for your front 3 speakers. Sell the Denon and use the $$ towards an external amp. With your setup the XPA-3 will work fine - your RS-7s and KSF 8.5s will be easy for the Onkyo to drive. The KSF 8.5s will work really well as rear surrounds - its recommended to have direct-radiating speakers as rear surrounds so you'd be set there. RS-7s as side surrounds also would be the recommended way. Congratulations on your new speakers - I'm sure you'll enjoy them for a very long time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willland Posted January 6, 2010 Share Posted January 6, 2010 If you really want your RF-7's/RC-7 to sing, add this and let the 705 handle the surrounds. No affiliation. http://daytona.craigslist.org/ele/1508556284.html Bill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nixonrsx Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 Hey whats up...I have some RF-7's, and an RC-7(thanks Daryl), and recently purchased an Emotiva XPA-3 to power them, my Onkyo 707 will be powering the rears. The XPA totally changed the RF-7, they are complete monsters now and it is crazy awesome! I highly recommend it, if you have any questions lemme know and I will try and help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete H Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 OK, I have to be honest here and tell you that regarding the Onkyo and 2 channel listening, it's weak (sorry to all of the Onkyo owners and I have one too) but the Onkyo(I have a tx 805) will do you well for the HT set up and has very good switching capabilities, but really sucks for audio. The pre section of the Onkyo gear has dropped off in the last 10 years and will not give you a great sound for audio. My Sansui 8080 blows the Onkyo away, and I mean blows it away, in 2 channel audio. Add the amp as the 7's need them to produce the Bass that they are capable of, but if your into music at all, pick up an old Sansui and make it sing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InVeNtOr Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 i am on the Wuzzer band wagon. i also have a very simular set up. i have a LPA-1 powering my front 3 and i let my onkyo 805 power my rears. sounds really good to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlbol Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 Thank you for all the replies! I have been out of the home audio game for some time seems like lots of new companies. How is the Emotiva amp? I looked at the company web site, Looks like a pretty good product for the price! My only concern would be, being limited in the future with a 3 channel amp? I guess you could either sell it or just add another 5 channel amp if I need more power? I am very impressed with the rf7's they do sound nice currently so I can only imagine how nice they will sound in a prper room! Not a wide open room with hard wood floors and nothing else!! I am going to try the ksf 8.5 as the rears and the rs7 as the sides. The rears should be directly behind and the sides directly to the sides? THanks again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CECAA850 Posted January 7, 2010 Share Posted January 7, 2010 If you have a 3 channel amp and want more power to the sides, you can keep the 3 channel amp and add a 2 channel amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Youthman Posted January 7, 2010 Moderators Share Posted January 7, 2010 OK, I have to be honest here and tell you that regarding the Onkyo and 2 channel listening, it's weak (sorry to all of the Onkyo owners and I have one too) but the Onkyo(I have a tx 805) will do you well for the HT set up and has very good switching capabilities, but really sucks for audio. [Y] Unfortunately, that was my experience with Onkyo as well. Great for HT, but not at all impressive for 2ch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rlbol Posted January 7, 2010 Author Share Posted January 7, 2010 unfortunately I have to add a projector and screen to the room so if I can add an amp and have it sound decent that may be the way I go. Then down the road I will up grade the receiver. I do like how easy it does switching with the HDMI's though. Any other suggestions on amp's ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
southflorida Posted January 21, 2010 Share Posted January 21, 2010 Hi fellow PB county klipsch-head! You may want to take a look at the Rotel 1075 or 1095, or even some of the amps from Outlaw audio. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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