How would you run this set-up?

[schwock5]

After upgrading my Reference 35 system with RF-7s and and RC-7 up front, I decided I want to use all my speakers together.

I will have the RF-7s as mains and the RC-7 as my center.

I will be keeping my RS-35s as my side surrounds

My old RC-35 will be my surround back center

and my old RF-35s will be in my back corners pointed in for 5 channel music.

I've been running my 5 channel Reference 35 setup with a denon 3805.

I now would have an 8 speaker setup, with a 7.1 reciever.

The Denon is capable of A, B, or A+B surrounds for multichannel movie playback, but would running all 8 speakers with this 7.1 amp be overkill on the amp, especially with RF-7s up front?

I would only be using 5 for multichannel music. My concern is clipping and not having enough juice during movie playback.

I'm in an apartment, so I'm not using very loud levels (don't even have a subwoofer), but I will still be using it moderately.

Would I need to upgrade to like a 2 channel 200 watt rotel amp for the RF-7s and keep the 3805 for the surrounds, center, and back?

How would any of you run this? And should I be concerned about running everything from my 3805 right now?

I sent an e-mail to Denon to see what they think as well.

[Zen Traveler]

...Would I need to upgrade to like a 2 channel 200 watt rotel amp for the RF-7s and keep the 3805 for the surrounds, center, and back?

That sounds like a good plan.

[DrWho]

I'm not quite sure how you plan on hooking up all 8 speakers?

I would get rid of the RC-35, use the RF-35's for side surrounds and the RS-35's for rear surrounds. There is no 8.1 channel format and your denon isn't going to support it either...so the "rear center" isn't gonna happen.

Going with a 2-channel amp up front and letting the denon handle the rest is certainly a valid approach. I haven't been keeping track, but are the Rotels a good match to the RF-7? You're gonna need to find an amp that can readily handle low impedance dips.

[Zen Traveler]

Hey Doc,

The Denon AVR's allow for 2 sets of side surrounds. [Y]

[oldtimer]

Tkd, is the extra side surround option "derived" like I've read about that some processors do or additional surround outputs that get the same info as the other surrounds? Has anyone tried this set-up or a derived side axis set-up that can comment about it?

[Islander]

As I understand it, PLII (5.1 Dolby Digital) has 5 discrete full-range channels plus the LFE channel for the (mono) sub: L,C, R, L surround and R surround. PLIIx (7.1 Dolby Digital) adds L surround back and R surround back, which are derived or matrixed channels, which give better front-to-rear transitions and improve the sound field in larger rooms. The 5.1 surrounds are positioned to the side, the surround back speakers are positioned at the back, and they do improve the imaging and front-to-rear volume balance in a medium- or large-sized room.

6.1 has a single (derived) surround back speaker, located roughly in line with the (front) center speaker.

There's lots of 5.1 program material on the market, but I've not seen any discrete 7.1 material yet.

[Zen Traveler]

Hi Oldtimer,

The same L/R Side surround information is sent to both A and/or B and they share the same amps. There are also seperate A and B speaker connections.

FWIW and Imo, the lower end Denons don't run two SS at the same time very well, but for action movies my 4802R THX ultra II ran my RF-3/RS-7's with tremendous results. It was damaged in a power surge and I am waiting for my Denon AVR 4806 to be delivered. [8][~]

[schwock5]

By adding 2 extra surrounds, it just takes the surround signal and duplicates it from those speakers.

The reason I have 2 surrounds now, is to have dipoles on the side for movies, and floorstanders in the back corners for music.

But for movies, i think i want to run both just to have that extra power in the back.

As an update, i'm going home to jersey this weekend.

I was looking into getting a forum members marrantz 5 channel amp for $525, and using that.

But i remember my mom has an old Luxman M117, which is a 200 watt per channel stereo amp. (PERFECT FOR MY RF-7s!!!)

Anyone have any experiecne with Luxman or this amp or how it matches with Klipsch.

I think this would be an ideal solution for my RF-7s, and then just use the 3805 for the center and surrounds.

[colterphoto1]

It sounds like an either/or with the 5/6 channel setup,right?

For movies you're in 6 channel with the old RC rear center

For music you're in 5 channel mode without the rear center but the two RF35 towers?

I'll have to address the amp/reciever issue after some more sleep. Seems like some complicated amp switching or manual speaker swapping would be in place.

[UFObuster]

My concern is clipping and not having enough juice during movie playback.

I'm in an apartment, so I'm not using very loud levels (don't even have a subwoofer), but I will still be using it moderately.

Would I need to upgrade to like a 2 channel 200 watt rotel amp for the RF-7s and keep the 3805 for the surrounds, center, and back?

I can relate a very similar situation albeit, I didn't get into expanding into 7.1 (yet).

I was running a 5.1 HT with a Yamaha RX-V2600, RF-5 front, RC-35, some older def-tech BP-6 in back. Took in a good deal on a pair of RF-7, upgraded center to RC-7 and moved the RF-5 to surround eliminating the def-techs with everything timbre matched. The Yammi that I have is very similar to your Denon and about the same power. Unfortunately, I found that my system seemed to have adequate volume but it just didn't seem like the RF-7s were doing any better than the RF-5s were before. (Everything running on the Yamaha) My SQ was improved but not as much as I had hoped for.

Following some suggestions on this board, I brought home a Rotel RB1080 on approval.....set-up the RF-7s on the Rotel....the rest to the Yammi....level balanced, etc.....and Schazamm!!!.....the RF-7 sounded like a different speaker. Now, this may be typical I think. The receivers list "enough" watts per channel but the RF-7 seem to like more. The Rotel sounds so much better in fact than the Yammi, that I've begun listening more in 2 channel than I ever was before. And, of course, in 5.1 it's terrific. If you're going to stretch out that Denon to 7.1....You may really need to start thinking about another amp for the RF-7 pair. Good luck!! and enjoy!

Roger

[schwock5]

I am in new jersey

I have dusted off my mom's Luxman M-117.

I have also found an old Marantz record player.

It's her birthday tomorrow, and I've taken her amp, and record player, and can't wait to go home.

I feel guilty :-(

:-)

[jbsl]

Yes Luxman and Klipsch are a very good match! I believe there is someone on the forum who uses the Luxman M-117.

I have been using Luxman receivers and int amps for the last 17 years with Klipsch and really like the sound.

If the amp is in good running condition it will be great for movies or music!

[jbsl]

Just spend as much time with her on her birthday that is a great amp she is letting you have.

[jbsl]

When you get the Luxman hooked up let us know how it sounds.

[schwock5]

Going back to boston tomorow.

The Marantz record player is from 1975, model 6300, i need to order some replacement parts but found some original Benny Goodman records here as wel!

I will hook up the RF7s to the Luxman M-117 for 2 channel. I will test with my standard Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk "Staight no Chaser"

For 5 channel music the RC 7 and my RF35s will be added, those being powered by the Denon 3805. (I have a 5 channel SACD of the latest Ray Charles CD and the Eric Clapton DVD I like to use)

And for movies, the RS35s on the sides will be included and the RC 35 in the rear center powered by the Denon 3805 as well. (Gladiator and 5th Element superbit edition will probably be run)

Report forthcoming!

[schwock5]

Initial Report:

2 channel with Luxman M-117 200x2 and RF-7 / Mutlichannel music with denon 3805 for surrounds:

Thelonious Monk "straight no chaser" - 2 channel, amazing, bass is a little low on this album, but seperation and soundstage was unbelievable. I felt like i was in the studio, and could even hear people talking and skatting in the track

Diana Krall "girl in the other room" SACD- what more can be said about this? 2 channel was great, 5 channel with my RC-7 and RF-35s in the rear corners was ASTOUNDING

Ray Charles "genius loves company" - track 2 has some of the best multichannel mix I've ever heard ...PERIOD!

Movies:

Watched Finding Nemo, bass on my RF-7s was great, perfect level, shook a little bit, and not enough to get me kicked out of my apartment. Had all 7 speakers going on this one, claibrated the levels with the THX optimizer.

Things I've noticed:

Calibrating with the Denon's 3805 test tone, the channel's were much different than when I used the THX reference on star wars and finding nemo to calibrate it.

With the luxman M-117 for my RF-7s, my other channels need to be MUCH higher, rear surrounds are almost at +7 / +8 with the fronts at 0.

I set my rears slightly higher than my fronts to help bring out the back with the RF-7s being so powerful in the front.

Pirates of the Carribean (the first movie, not the exceptionally long and terribly paced sequal) DTS track, i didn't listen to this in the dolby digital one yet, but I noticed the center was fairly low on the DTS track, anyone else notice this?

I'm going to try Gladiator soon in DTS, as I remember the seperation and DTS track was unbelievable on this.