ERT 8.3

[kreapin]

Yes they have a few years on them already but I just got them in about 2 months ago and they are on ebay for sale.

I buy and sell all kinds of gear whenever I feel it's time for me to upgrade and that bug started harassing me a few months ago. I picked up the towers and ERD surrounds from a divorce sale and coincidently I found a LMC-1 and LPA-1 for sale locally also so I had a full emotiva setup to play with. I don't like the way surround movies are mixed so I run 2 channel. I don't have a listening room or anything fancy, living room is setup facing width side meaning we are facing short end of room and have about 10ft from sofa to front of speakers and they were setup along side of 102" projection screen. I am using what I have in inventory so 2 definitive technology 8" powered subs were called in to fill in the bottom end. After some time playing with positioning I found a nice sweet spot that created a nice open stage. The tweeters and mids play together very well, single source vs sounding like multiple drivers. Close your eyes and listen, speakers disapear, sound is wide and open. I have to admit I was surprised as to how well they created an wide open sound, then I decided to try a higher end amp. The LPA-1 puts out roughly 250 watts rms @ 4 ohms, I placed the Linn LK100 amp which is rated at 80 watts @ 4 ohms. Impressive is best way to describe. Noise floor non existent, sound opened up even more, extending 4 to 6 ft left and right and an increase depth (walls Disapeared) detail was incredible and considering power numbers are so far apart I was surprised but no loss in output (hard to believe). The Linn amp definitely made a big difference in sound quality, the LPA-1 was no match.

Next up, side by side vs Linn Majik 140 towers. I sold the LMC-1 and LPA-1 before Linn Majiks came in so I used an adcom gfr700 and also an old HK AVR-7000 as a pre with the LK100 for power. Adcom GFR-700 has plenty of power, although on paper the LPA-1 should match up very well but...... no. The Adcom came in just before the Majiks and before I sold the LPA-1 so I can honestly say that the Adcom has more than the LPA. The Majik 140's are delicate in its presentation, no matter the volume. They do not over emphasize anything, true to source. Completely different kinds of speakers for different purposes in my opinion. The ERT's play with authority (especially with the Adcom), there is heft or weight in the mid section, more of an upfront powerful presentation. In my opinion (which does not count for much) the ERT's will find a better home with rock, rap, and even top 40 music. Larger spaced living areas would also benefit from the sound presented by the ERT's, very detailed but with energy. The Majik 140's would be better suited for acoustic music or live recorded sound, they do get loud but delicately. There is no woofer overhang or anything artificial in its sound. The minute details is were the Majik's shine, I could hear things easily with the Majik's that the ERT's struggled with, like fingers moving across guitar strings. The Majik's also have better bottom end but they are rear ported vs ERT's being sealed.

In summary; I actually like the ERT towers, the tweeter and mid section play very well together and create a nice open stage that extends beyond the walls of my space (spend a few minutes to dial them in and you will see). Not bad for Emotiva's first try at speakers. I was disappointed by the performance of the LPA-1 though, I know I shouldn't or cannot compare a $900 setup with a $3000 setup but separates with a 65lb amp vs a 50lb receiver with similar specs on paper should at least be somewhat comparable.

[knucklehead]

Sounds like you'd really like the ERM-1's or ERM-6.2's with a well-integrated sub to accompany them. They have the same tweeter as the ERT's. The ERM-1's share the same mid-woofer as well. The ERM-1 would be very familiar to you if you saw them. Basically they are the mid/tweeter section 'lifted' from the ERTs. The ERM-6.2 looks like a ERM-1 on steroids. All are a sealed design like the ERT's.

I owned a pair of ERT's for almost 6 years and got very used to them - but decided to sell them a few months ago - after listening to the ERM-1's for a week or so just to see how well they sounded.

So now I have a setup I once had for a couple of months 3-4 years ago - the 6.2's are a wonderful sounding bookshelf speaker. I've changed out much of my HT/stereo gear over the years. I had the ERT's about as long as any speaker I've ever owned - other than the ERM-1's which are back in the bedroom stereo setup. I think I'll keep the speakers I have now for a very long time. The rest of the stuff? Hard to say. The Sherbourn PT-7030 is 'growing' on me as I get more familiar with how it operates. Other than a brief audio pause when changing sources I'm not finding much fault with it.

Good luck with the sale of the ERT's. Someone will recognize their value and pick them up. And be pleasantly surprised at their performance. One thing I will disagree with you on - I play lots of different music and the ERT's can play em all IMO. Good speakers do that.

[kreapin]

It's nice to know I'm not the only 1 that has really been impressed and enjoyed these speakers.

[localnet]

It has been a few years since I have posted here... Long story, Divorce, moved and finally am enjoying my Emotiva system. The poor things have been unused for years, sitting collecting dust. Well, they are breathing again! Oh my GOD! Do these babies sound fantastic! Better than when I first bought them!

System consists of a new Denon X4400H AVR, which is much more musical then the Denon 4308ci it has replaced. I think this new Denon is just what this system needed. I also have the XPA2 and XPA3 amps powering the ERT towers, the ERM center and lone set of ERD surrounds along with the USP-1. I also purchased two SVS PB1000 subs, they were placed next to the ERT's, inboard. There is also an SVS PC1300 cylinder sub off to the side.

I am still in the set up stages, so, the only items hooked up right now are the ERT's, the ERM and the two SVS PB1000 subs along with the XPA2 and XPA3. Waiting on more cables, will be here tomorrow and get the rest of this baby set up.

All I can say is WOW! I cannot believe how well this systems sounds. The ERT's in stereo along with the inboard SVS 10" PB1000 subs just sounds incredible. I have the speakers set to small, and am running in stereo mode on the Denon X4400H. Crossover set to 120 and subs set to LFE. I have made no tuning adjustments, other than the basics. Just running in stereo. These speakers are just incredible after all of these years. Not to bright, mid range is solid and the subtlety of the bass is just the ticket. These speakers are still some of the best out there to my ear, which is all that matters to myself. I guess the best way to describe the ERT's is that they are neutral, at least to my ear. They play back what was intended, not adding anything or subtracting. I have listened to other brands, and they always seem to my ear to be either to bright, which is normally the case, or just flat sounding. I had some high end Polk speakers back in the day, and they were flat when compared to the Emotivas, in some cases just down right muddy.

What amazed me, and glad I spent the money, is that Denon X4400H AVR. I don't know what it does, but it does it very well. I was streaming off of my iPhone, and was totally blown away at how well it handled these tracks. We all know what streaming music can sound like, but this just blew me away. We listened to some old Kingston Trio, Tony Bennet and the kicker, some old Dean Martin live in Vegas from way back in the 1960's, 63 to be exact. You could hear the glasses clinging in the back ground and the clear voices of the audience. I was honestly blown away. That Denon is a unit to look at if you are in the market for a new AVR.

One thing to note, my new house is built like a fortress. Heavy drywall, steel girders, wood flooring, etc. Nothing creeks in here, and I believe that is one of the reasons everything sounds so good. By all rights I think this system in a similar room would not sound as good as it does. The system is setting in front of a huge picture window, on a wood floor with a floor to ceiling stone fireplace on one wall and a door wall on the opposite side of the room. But, there is a huge floor rug and two couches in the room, call it treatment and a few pictures on the wall. I don't know, maybe I'm blowing smoke, but I know what these old ERT speakers are blowing, and it is beautiful sounding music. I still cannot get over how good these speakers sound.

You know, I was dreading moving all of this gear, and my God is this stuff HEAVY! I had to rent a van to haul it all out of my old house to my new house and thank God I had help. My back is still hurting. I paid my step son off with that Denon 4308ci I left behind. He is happy... But, myself, I could not get excited about all of this. Not even when I went up to Best Buy to pick up the new Denon, or even break the new SVS PB1000 subs out of their boxes. It wasn't happening for me. I spent all night moving furniture and setting things up, including a new 55" Sony Bravia I picked up at Best Buy yesterday. At 4am I was finished with what I could get together due to lack of cables. I polished off a case of Heinekens in the process... ;-)

When I turned it on, did the minimal setup, let the Denon do its firmware update, etc, it was go time. When that first bit of music began playing, something off of Comcast, sounded terrible... I grabbed my phone and said let's try this... BANG! I started crying it sounded so good! Checked a few things and started balling like a little girl! LOL! I was so HAPPY!

All I can say is thanks to Dan and the crew at Emotiva for making my day! The ERT's and all of the Emotiva gear is staying put. I think I may even burn the boxes! LOL!

Thanks guys for reading my little novel. ;-)

Very HAPPY here in Michigan,

Mike

[frenchyfranky]

Very happy for you Mike that you now enjoying your system and you really discover it after many years of ownership. Yes these speakers and amps sounds absolutely delightful, I also have these speakers since 2011 and I still enjoying every minutes I'm listening them, I think that Emotiva is not enough known and under rated for their speakers. You are right about the interacting of the house construction on the sound quality, more the house is strong and damped more the sounds will be neutral and controlled, my house is very cheap constructed and I compare it to listening music in a cardboard shoes box. Keep enjoying your system and happy listening.