New to HT

[vols9898]

I'm just starting to build a HT room in my house. The room is 11'5" by 20'. I have not heard the ascend speakers. How do they compair wiyh the polk monitor 40 & 30? The polk and B&W are the speakers that i have heard. I would like to hear the ascend. With a room the size of mine would I need the 340 or the 170 for front right & left. I think I would use the c340 for my center.

[metalaaron]

i noticed your handle has "vols" in it. do you live in tennessee?

someone here just switched from polk speakers. kpt krunch? he visits here pretty regularly and i'm sure he'll reply/share his experience. :)

[vols9898]

Yes I live just out side Memphis . I have to have my room finished By football.
I know that football is a long way off. But i have alot of work to do.

[metalaaron]

hehe, understood.

OH well, we're on opposite ends of the state so an audition is kinda out of the question.

[Kpt_Krunch]

Hi Vols - Metalaarron as usual is right. I had an older polk setup - the RT###i series, which from what I have read is considered to be preferred over the new stuff Polk is coming out with sans the LSI line.

I did buy and return a Polk Csi3 center channel (too thin IMO). Not sure how that would compare the the 30 and 40 series (Monitor is what I think you are refering to).

Anyway, my old Polk setup consisted of a CS400i for a center channel, and RT800i's for the Front L/R (my surrounds were not Polk but a speaker designed by B&W called 'Solid').

I a/b'd the Ascend 340's against the Polk RT800i's the day after my Ascends arrived. I had a plan of listening to a variety of DVD-A's first (in stereo mode) and then some movies. My plan was to take about 3 to 4 hours switching back and forth and I was going to take notes. That plan lasted all of 5 minutes - literally. I put on a Latin Jazz tune called Mujaka and listened on the Polks first. I then switched over to the 340's and it was like hearing it for the first time. It sounds very cliche I know, but it's also true. The 340's breathed a whole new life into that song, the soundstage grew not only in width, but in depth. With that came pinpoint imaging and clarity I never realized was there. I promptly put the Polks to the side and frantically worked on getting my 340 center and 170 surrounds set up and have not looked back.

I don't mean to sound like a commercial or a shill, it's just hard for me to keep my enthusiam down for these speakers. Dialogue for movies is very clear and natural sounding. The speakers are also very effecient, but I want to quantify something here. I read a lot of posts about another Internet company that sells direct where the posters rave about a certain center channel, and how much better it sounds then their old one, and how they don't have turn the volume up to hear the dialogue and turn it down when the special effects come on. Well, I have a theory regarding that. I believe that most people don't know how to calibrate their system properly. Once they get on line and do research (that's the only way you ever hear about these speakers) their research leads them on how to calibrate their system. So, what do the they do, they order the speakers, order or buy an SPL meter, and then setup their 'new' speakers properly before critically listening, and voila - everything sounds so much better.

I bring this up as I wanted you to know I had done this about a year before I bought the Ascends. My Polks were running fully calibrated, and for movies I NEVER had to turn up the volume to hear clear dialogue. When my Ascends arrived, I did my A/B testing with the same calibration in place (for the front l/r, I never did do an A/B with the CS400i - though I am using that speaker upstairs in our family room and there is a definite difference). For movie Dialogue, the 340 literally disappears. It sounds like you are watching a play rather than listening to dialogue being reproduced by a speaker. The CS400i had clear dialogue, but it was boxy sounding, more tunnel like. I never noticed it though until I had heard the Ascend 340. When I set all the Ascends up, I did do a re-calibration, but mainly for the surrounds as I moved them closer to ear level than my old surrounds were. For the Front L/R/C I only adjusted the Center speaker down 2 decibels.

So, my conclusion of this rather lengthy (sorry about that) post is that though the Polks are a fine speaker, they don't even compare to the Ascends. The best (or worst -depending on which way you look at it) is that the Ascends were about the same price including shipping, taxes, and broker charges as my Polk/Solid setup (less than $100 difference) but the upgrade in sound was worth at least 5 times that. So, either the Ascends are a tremondous value, or the Polks are vastly over priced. I believe it is the former, and the Polks are average for the price I paid IMO.

I hope this helps you out!

[vols9898]

Thanks KPT KRUNCH
That was what I was looking for. You gave me all the info i needed to hear. I did some checking around on the polks and the speaker I was look at would only same me $100. So I'm not sure when i will be able to buy I have to finsh the room first. But i think I found the speaker i will buy. IN a room at is 11'5" by 20' What would be the best speaker for front l/r. Would the 340 be to much speaker for a room that size. I do not play music very often. So HDTV/DVD will be played most. Thanks

[sensibull]

Hey Kapt,

Your post reminded me of just how much I need to properly calibrate my system (340s across the front, 170s in the rear, HK 630 at the helm) because they are still times when I find dialogue a little hard to hear, despite the prowess of the 340 center. Usually I chalk this up to the movie's productions values (or lack thereof) or my ridiculous aversion to turning my HK up higher than -25 (some vestige of my "Puritan" ancestry compels me to always keep something in reserve, the same way I save my warmest coat for only the coldest days of the year) but I know I can do better.

Can you point me to an idiot's guide to calibration somewhere online? And is anyone interested in selling me a used SPL?

Unfortunately, my center is not only sitting directly atop my tv but it is also boxed in by a shelf less than 2" above it, a entertainment center backstop maybe 8-10" behind it, and a TV "alcove" all around it. I don't suppose there's anything I can do to counter these handicaps?

And lastly (I did not set out to hijack this thread, honestly I didn't)... just lately, I have been enjoying music much more in stereo mode than through pseudo surround modes like Pro Logic II or Logic 7 (especially as compared to the real-deal in DVD-A). I don't know whether I'm just developing a "more sophisticated" (read: purist) ear or what, but because I'm not often sitting in the sweet spot (in the corner, playing with my kids) I want to use all my speakers all the time. I'm guessing calibration would improve the surround sound too? Anyone out there in favor of 5-channel stereo?

[bikeman]

"Anyone out there in favor of 5-channel stereo?"

If I'm sitting down listening to music, I much prefer 2.1. If I just have the music on and I'm running around the house, then I sometimes will run 5.1. With DVD concerts, I almost always run 5.1.

David

[Lee Bailey]

Sensibull, here's the idiot's guide:

What you are trying to accomplish is setting the volume the same on all channels at a given reference point, i.e., 70,75,80db, etc.

First, you'll need at least a Radio Shack SPL Meter, pick either the digital or the analog version. Most people seem to prefer the analog, it's easier to track with your eyes.

Second, you'll need a signal source. You can use the built-in tones from your receiver, or, puchase either the Avia, Video Essentials, or the Sound and Vision Home Theater Tune-up DVDs. You can usually find the S&V at Best Buy, and it is made by Avia.

Now, to perform the calibration, you'll need the remotes for your reciever and your DVD player(if you are using one of the above discs).

It is preferred to hold your meter on a tripod stand set up in your listening position. This way you can stand back to read the meter, and keep your body from affecting the readings.

The meter should be positioned to point toward the ceiling at a slight angle. This was easy to accomplish on the older meters due to their angled fronts. Don't point it at the speakers.

I usually set my meter to the 70db range, and go for 70db, which is the center of the meter face.

Once in position, start your tones. They should start with the front left speaker. Turn up the main volume control until the front left speaker measures 70db. DON'T adjust the main volume control after this point.

As the tone goes to the center channel, you'll need to adjust the volume via the receiver's internal volume control for the center channel. If you cannot do this using the remote, just note how many db's you need to adjust to get to the 70db point. Make the adjustment manually, then re-measure. Do this for the rest of the channels. The subwoofer is usually the most difficult, since the tones make the meter needle jump around a lot. Just try to get an average to the 70db mark.

You've now calibrated your levels. You can of course adjust them to suit your tastes afterwards. Some people like to turn up the center slightly, as well as run the sub at a higher level.

I hope this helps you..

[sensibull]

Thanks Lee (and David). That certainly does help. Though I had more or less understood that to be the process (and I already have the DVE disc), sometimes overreading on the net convinces me that there is a bunch of "other" stuff I'm not comprehending. Thanks again for clarifying... Now to somehow beat Radioshack's price (that old Puritan ancenstry rearing its ugly head again...)

[Quinn]

Now to somehow beat Radioshack's price (that old Puritan ancenstry rearing its ugly head again...)


ebay!

[vols9898]

I have been at work all day and just got back online. I still would like to know what people think about speakers for a 11' 5" by 20'. Would the 340 be to much speaker for a room that size. My room is all most finshed. All i need to do is paint the trim, one more coat on wall and carpet. After that I start buy the fun stuff.

[curtis]

Are your mains going to be along the short or long wall?

[vols9898]

My mains are going to be at the short wall. The ceilen is 8' if that helps. I will set about 14' to 18' back in the room.

[curtis]

on that short wall, then I would be inclined to say 170's. You won't need the wide dispurtion the 340's have...in fact, they may cause more reflection.

I would call James or Dave to discuss.

[vols9898]

Thanks for the info. Before I buy I will Call James or Dave.