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Post by dreamtheatre on Dec 8, 2014 10:27:33 GMT -5
Hi, I just acquired a pair of NHT 2.5i’s. These speakers have a sensitivity of 86 db and can dip below 4 ohms (nominal 6 ohms). They are capable of being bi-amped. My current receiver is a Pioneer Elite SC-67. While a powerful receiver I have no doubt that the NHT’s will be quite a challenge, and a separate amp is going to be needed. I have a 7.1 system with a Rythmik F12 subwoofer, and plan on using the Pioneer for powering the surrounds (at least for now). I am considering several options: 1. Bi-amp the NHT 2.5i’s with the front height channels of the receiver (cheapest option as I only would need to buy speaker wire, but the least benefit) 2. XPA-5: Bi-amp front two and use the 5th channel for the center. 3. XPA-2: Add an XPA-5 later 4. XPA-1L: Add an XPA-5 later (perhaps bi-amp with the receiver handling the woofer; run the XPA-1L in Class A) Note: I am not sold on bi-amping due to the fact, as I understand it, I am bi-amping passively which is least beneficial method. Any guidance here would be appreciated. Which of these options do you think makes the most sense for me? This is a general purpose system that sees music listening only a couple of nights a week (at most) though I do put a high priority on that listening time! My listening tastes tend toward classic/rock and metal and full orchestral classical and movies (at loud volumes Thanks, Jim
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KeithL
Administrator
Posts: 9,902
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Post by KeithL on Dec 8, 2014 10:43:46 GMT -5
I'm not sure how much benefit you're going to get by bi-amping with the receiver. If the impedance of the speaker dips low enough to give the receiver a problem in a given range of frequencies, that may still happen even if you split the load up by bi-amping it (you will still have a very low impedance being handled by the receiver). I think you're also going to hear a difference in sound quality when you move up to a separate power amp anyway. Given the options, and that you're still not sure what you want to end up with, I would suggest getting the XPA-5 first. That way you can try bi-amping your main speakers; or, with the same amp, you can try running your fronts and surrounds off of one channel each. You can then see if it meets your needs, or go back later and add a bigger stereo amp for the fronts. Hi, I just acquired a pair of NHT 2.5i’s. These speakers have a sensitivity of 86 db and can dip below 4 ohms (nominal 6 ohms). They are capable of being bi-amped. My current receiver is a Pioneer Elite SC-67. While a powerful receiver I have no doubt that the NHT’s will be quite a challenge, and a separate amp is going to be needed. I have a 7.1 system with a Rythmik F12 subwoofer, and plan on using the Pioneer for powering the surrounds (at least for now). I am considering several options: 1. Bi-amp the NHT 2.5i’s with the front height channels of the receiver (cheapest option as I only would need to buy speaker wire, but the least benefit) 2. XPA-5: Bi-amp front two and use the 5th channel for the center. 3. XPA-2: Add an XPA-5 later 4. XPA-1L: Add an XPA-5 later (perhaps bi-amp with the receiver handling the woofer; run the XPA-1L in Class A) Note: I am not sold on bi-amping due to the fact, as I understand it, I am bi-amping passively which is least beneficial method. Any guidance here would be appreciated. Which of these options do you think makes the most sense for me? This is a general purpose system that sees music listening only a couple of nights a week (at most) though I do put a high priority on that listening time! My listening tastes tend toward classic/rock and metal and full orchestral classical and movies (at loud volumes Thanks, Jim
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Post by bobcel on Dec 8, 2014 11:01:46 GMT -5
Hey Dreamtheater. My last pair of NHT's were the VT 2.4's. You might consider just getting one of the NHT sub amps, the MA series, To drive the sub portions of the towers. I had a MA 3 and it worked great. That would free up your Pioneer to drive all but the low end. Just another option I suppose...but an XPA would certainly give the NHTs the power they crave.
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Post by simpleman68 on Dec 8, 2014 11:06:27 GMT -5
"Paging Lehighvalleyjeff to the white courtesy phone"
I'll shoot a link to this thread to my buddy Jeff. He has run NHT since the late 90s in many configurations. I think he is currently using the 2.9s for L/R and playing with the XPA-3 and bi-amping with another amp.
I know they take a lot of power to run but they also hit very low. Scott
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Post by dreamtheatre on Dec 8, 2014 11:20:02 GMT -5
Hey Dreamtheater. My last pair of NHT's were the VT 2.4's. You might consider just getting one of the NHT sub amps, the MA series, To drive the sub portions of the towers. I had a MA 3 and it worked great. That would free up your Pioneer to drive all but the low end. Just another option I suppose...but an XPA would certainly give the NHTs the power they crave. bobcel, How did you integrate that sub amp with your SVS sub? I can't wrap my head around it. I was under the impression that the sub amp would need to be connected to the receiver's sub out, or am I wrong?
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Post by bobcel on Dec 8, 2014 11:55:24 GMT -5
How did you integrate that sub amp with your SVS sub? I can't wrap my head around it. I was under the impression that the sub amp would need to be connected to the receiver's sub out, or am I wrong? [/quote] Here is one connection method, there are a few. You can download a PDF from NHT to see them. Its NHT SA series, not MA, sorry bout that.
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Post by dreamtheatre on Dec 8, 2014 12:17:40 GMT -5
Thanks, got it. Definitely an option.
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Post by brubacca on Dec 8, 2014 13:41:39 GMT -5
I remember when these speakers were new. By reputation very power hungry. It was always recommended to me that if you can buy an amp just get a single more powerful amp. I would get at least a XPA-2 (or pair of xpa-1L) to drive these... Maybe if your budget stretches a bit get a pair of xpa-1. If you already had the XPA-5 it would be worth a try, but since you are buying an amp, just go for a monster.
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Post by lehighvalleyjeff on Dec 8, 2014 21:07:33 GMT -5
Hi i hAve been running the 2.5i and 2.9s since they came out. Great speakers. My experience with them is that amplification is everything however the 2.9s are a lot more difficult to drive than the 2.5i's.
The 2.5's will sound mediocre at best through the amp in your receiver so that's not an option.
The next choice is a seperate amplifier. Personally I have an XPA-3 gen 2 driving the lows on my 2.9's and they have no problems dropping down to 26hz and delivering earth shattering tight bass but I found that the same amp was a bit bright for the Midrange and highs.
The crossover point is at 100hz so the amp you select for the lows will be doing strict sub duty and the other amp will be driving the rest. I would be really surprised if an XPA-2 gen 2 or even an XPA-3 gen 2 wasn't enough.
Those speakers aren't as inefficient as they are rumored to be and frankly they sound great with the right power sent to them.
Curious to see how things go for you. Best of luck. Those are really underrated speakers.
Jeff
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Post by dreamtheatre on Dec 8, 2014 22:26:58 GMT -5
I wanted 2.9's, but I couldn't find any locally. 3.3's are my grail speaker...someday...
Thanks for your comments. Besides Emotiva, I am considering some used options like the Citation 7.1 and EAD PM 500.
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Post by lehighvalleyjeff on Dec 8, 2014 23:38:56 GMT -5
The 2.9s have a more liquid midrange but honestly I get more controllable sub bass with the 2.5s. I've had them since they came out and the power requirements of my 2.9s are much more demanding than the 2.5s.
I'm using an XPA 3 gen 2 on the lows with 2.9s and have had some bass notes and crescendos knock me out of my chair and the amp never flinched. Hearing them handle those 10 inch drivers like they were candy was what made me start to seriously get into emotiva. I've had even the monster parasound hca3500 dual mono block not give me the bass damping I get from the cheapo XPA-3.
My next suggestion is to play with placement. They are very fickle. The baffles are at a 21 degree slant. Optimally you want 30 degrees for a typical speaker in a normal room. Don't take nht's guide for placement literally. Be sure to tinker and listen to where they sound magical.
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Post by dreamtheatre on Dec 10, 2014 14:46:17 GMT -5
The NHT 2.5i's were delivered last night. I placed them about 3 feet from the back wall to give the sub plenty of room to breathe, and the cabinets are completely out in front of the 65" plasma. The speakers are not equal distances from the side walls, but that cannot be helped. I am sitting at the recommended 1.5 x width distance. I listened to the 2.5i's driven full range by my receiver's ICE amp through Pure Direct mode. Source is a hard drive streaming to an OPPO BDP-103. I samples some awful recorded (but kick-butt) hard rock/metal, and some wonderfully recorded 192khz FLAC's. I also listened to Journey's Greatest Hits SACD. Not surpringly, the NHT/receiver combo made the mp3's hard to listen to at high volumes, though the bass was fast and accurate. The midrange had a hard glare to it; just too strident for guitars, cymbals, and vocals. Things immediately improved with the hi-rez FLAC files, and the Journey SACD was the best I have ever heard it. The same hardness with the mp3's was present even with the better recordings, just much less so. There is no doubt I will benefit from a separate amplifier. These speakers eat watts. Side Note: I noticed that one of the foam strips that bracket the tweeters on one of the speakers was deteriorating badly, and had actually come off on the bottom a bit. I emailed NHT this morning and just heard back that they do not have any replacements, but pointed out to a cheap PartsExpress solution. Great customer service! Overall, I am very happy, though my wallet will not be after I get through tinkering with my system I will let you all know what amplifier I ultimately choose. I am still weighing whether or not to get a powerful two-channel or a semi-powerful 4/5 channel (the 4 channel is a Citation 7.1 that I have my eye on). I will be able to bi-amp the speakers next week which will help me with that decision as I believe my receiver is more than capable of handling the surrounds.
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Post by lehighvalleyjeff on Dec 10, 2014 23:28:40 GMT -5
Sorry about the tweeter. Please keep us posted about the progress.
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Post by lehighvalleyjeff on Dec 11, 2014 2:16:26 GMT -5
By the way thanks for sharing your experience with the 2.5s and the receiver. Kind of what I expected but it's always good to hear people's experience with what amp/speakers/ sources sound good. The oppo is a great player.
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