BasX-A300 With Polk Signature S60

[mrloren]

Hello,

First post on the forum.

I am thinking of adding a BasX-A300 to my main HT system.
AVR; Marantz SR5010
Speakers; Polk Audio S60 mains, S30 Center, TC80i front high, RC80i surrounds. HSU VTF3-MK5 sub

How well will the A300 blend with my system? I'm about 60% movies and the rest 70's and  80' rock music.

For RCA cables I like Audioquest Evergreen. How are these with Emotiva  amps. Should I look at getting something different like blue jeans LC1? 

How warm do these amps run? Space available in my TV stand is 18.5"w X 6.5"h X 19"d. I do have dual 92mm cabinet fans that will be pulling the warm air out.  The amp will go in the bottom left of my cabinet.

Reason I am looking at external amp is for some reason or another I can only get my system to sound right with my main speakers set to large and running full range. I know its an Audyssey thing that once I change to small and 80HZ the mid-bass gets real hallow. 

Thank you,

Loren

Attachments:

[novisnick]

mrloren , welcome to one of the friendliest forums in the world! 🌎 I can't say enought about my fellow members, warm, friendly, kind and helpful with a few nuts thrown in for good measu. I really like the looks of your setup and I believe that the Emotiva amp you're looking at will hit right in with your needs.
Most Emotiva amps are cool running and provide more then their stataed power rating IMHO. I hope you'll hang out with us and ask as many questions as you may have. Ive learned so much here.

Ill buy you your firstglass of Emo Blue!

                                                   

[garbulky]

It will blend well. If I were you, I would go for an XPA-3 or XPA-5 gen 2 used and step up to those. They have more power and Polks really like power.

Another thing is, it looks to me like your system is a bit on the narrow side on speaker placement. If you can spread them apart, which I assume is not going to be easy with your living poistion. Also if you bring them slightly forward of the equipment rack you may realize some gains.

[novisnick]

Jun 28, 2017 12:51:43 GMT -5 garbulky said:

It will blend well. If I were you, I would go for an XPA-3 or XPA-5 gen 2 used and step up to those. They have more power and Polks really like power.

Another thing is, it looks to me like your system is a bit on the narrow side on speaker placement. If you can spread them apart, which I assume is not going to be easy with your living poistion. Also if you bring them slightly forward of the equipment rack you may realize some gains.

 garbulky , hey bud, I don't think an XPA-? Amp will fit into the spot he specified, "18.5"w X 6.5"h X 19"d"

[mrloren]

Thanks for the nice welcome and replies,

Moving the speakers apart more will not work. not enough room

Getting an XPA or any bigger amp has two problems.

  1. $$$$$$
  2. I would have to build a new stand.

moving the speakers forward a few inches is a go and will give it a try. 

Polk Signatures are not the power hungry RTI/LSI line. They were designed to for use with an AVR in mind. I am running 7 channels for theater use with the main S60 set to large. I need to take that load off my AVR. 

The interconnects Audioquest Evergreen going to work with this amp very well? 

[garbulky]

Jun 28, 2017 13:32:47 GMT -5 mrloren said:

Thanks for the nice welcome and replies,

Moving the speakers apart more will not work. not enough room

Getting an XPA or any bigger amp has two problems.

  1. $$$$$$
  2. I would have to build a new stand.

moving the speakers forward a few inches is a go and will give it a try. 

Polk Signatures are not the power hungry RTI/LSI line. They were designed to for use with an AVR in mind. I am running 7 channels for theater use with the main S60 set to large. I need to take that load off my AVR. 

The interconnects Audioquest Evergreen going to work with this amp very well? 

Yeah I figured you were working within certain space constraints. The interconnects will work fine. I havne't heard a difference in interconnects but if you have, more power to ya.

[teaman]

Welcome to the lounge Loren, have you thought of adding a riser for your television? I know there are several heavy duty risers (Monoprice?)(AudioAdvisor?) that might allow you to place the Bluray player and/or the cable box up top but under your tv. This would open up even more room to your left bottom opening for an amp or amps.

Something like this. This one from Monoprice holds up to 66 lbs for instance. I use this exact one for my pc monitor.

www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10910&cs_id=1091002&p_id=9435&seq=1&format=2



Tim

[mrloren]

Jun 28, 2017 13:54:50 GMT -5 teaman said:

Welcome to the lounge Loren, have you thought of adding a riser for your television? I know there are several heavy duty risers (Monoprice?)(AudioAdvisor?) that might allow you to place the Bluray player and/or the cable box up top but under your tv. This would open up even more room to your left bottom opening for an amp or amps.

Something like this. This one from Monoprice holds up to 66 lbs for instance. I use this exact one for my pc monitor.

www.monoprice.com/product?c_id=109&cp_id=10910&cs_id=1091002&p_id=9435&seq=1&format=2



Tim

Thanks Tim,

It's a custom made stand, I put in all the shelves with dados so they cannot be moved. That is pretty much what I have for space. 

[mrloren]

Thanks for the replies,

well now unless someone changes my mind I am set on a BasX A300. I was looking the Marantz MM7025 but the refurb cost @ A4L is even out of my budget. The A300 will take me a month or two to save for. Living in SoCal on 2011 pay rate is not going good these days, funds for toys are limited.

Reason I asked about the Audioquest interconnects is I have a set already @ 1.5 meter. I have my old but still great Sony DVP-NS3100ES DVD/SACD player going 5.1 to my AVR with these cables. For a long time I was using the RGB HD RCA cables my cable boxes came with till I splurged on these. No it didn't make a big difference.

When I made my current TV stand I was not thinking of adding an amp or I would have made space for it. Cabinet coolers are not that pricey ($35 for dual 92mm) so I will add that to the bay where I put the A300. Should be enough air flow.

Thanks

Loren

[novisnick]

Jun 28, 2017 18:51:54 GMT -5 mrloren said:

Thanks for the replies,

well now unless someone changes my mind I am set on a BasX A300. I was looking the Marantz MM7025 but the refurb cost @ A4L is even out of my budget. The A300 will take me a month or two to save for. Living in SoCal on 2011 pay rate is not going good these days, funds for toys are limited.

Reason I asked about the Audioquest interconnects is I have a set already @ 1.5 meter. I have my old but still great Sony DVP-NS3100ES DVD/SACD player going 5.1 to my AVR with these cables. For a long time I was using the RGB HD RCA cables my cable boxes came with till I splurged on these. No it didn't make a big difference.

When I made my current TV stand I was not thinking of adding an amp or I would have made space for it. Cabinet coolers are not that pricey ($35 for dual 92mm) so I will add that to the bay where I put the A300. Should be enough air flow.

Thanks

Loren

Don't be a stranger! More the merrier my friend! 👍👍🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶🎶

[vneal]

Your AQ interconnects will work fine.

Your room is a difficult one with a fireplace on the right and the left side with so much space before the first reflection point. If this is where the system absolutely has to go I would angle the sub at a 45 degree angle--toe in both speakers slightly--push the left speaker cabinet to the left as far as possible--inches matter--probably even with the edge of the stairs--and pull out the speakers as much as you can from the rear wall. All these suggestions are free and cost nothing. Pull em out and listen in the dark. I bet money the imaging improves.

Now money. Purchase the Emo BAS X300 would be a big improvement on power. Get it.

If it were my my system and I had to put it in that location. I would mount the center speaker above the flatscreen ( which I would mount on the wall). Loose the component  stand. Put a dedicated single rack in the right corner. Center the sub, take all the crap off of them and the speakers and pull out the speakers. Maybe put an acoustical 2 X 4 panel (bass trap on the right side wall before the fireplace

I usually charge about $250 for my expertise. Happy listening. 

[mrloren]

Jun 29, 2017 4:34:13 GMT -5 vneal said:

Your AQ interconnects will work fine.

Your room is a difficult one with a fireplace on the right and the left side with so much space before the first reflection point. If this is where the system absolutely has to go I would angle the sub at a 45 degree angle--toe in both speakers slightly--push the left speaker cabinet to the left as far as possible--inches matter--probably even with the edge of the stairs--and pull out the speakers as much as you can from the rear wall. All these suggestions are free and cost nothing. Pull em out and listen in the dark. I bet money the imaging improves.

Now money. Purchase the Emo BAS X300 would be a big improvement on power. Get it.

If it were my my system and I had to put it in that location. I would mount the center speaker above the flatscreen ( which I would mount on the wall). Loose the component  stand. Put a dedicated single rack in the right corner. Center the sub, take all the crap off of them and the speakers and pull out the speakers. Maybe put an acoustical 2 X 4 panel (bass trap on the right side wall before the fireplace

I usually charge about $250 for my expertise. Happy listening. 

Thanks for the advice...and it was free to boot

As for the room that is the way it is to meet WAF, If my wife would go for it I would 180 the room to move everything in front of the windows or move it out to the living room.  Everything on the mantel is superglued down

Attachments:

[vneal]

I understand the WAF. I am here to help you

Mount the flat screen over the fireplace. Sell your speakers and get monitors. Put on stands at the middle of the window and the edge of the left side of the fireplace pull out 24". Install equipment with new BasX 300A in built in bookshelf. Have it professionally enlarged and electrical outputs for each shelf

Flip flop the couches. You want the larger on in the sweet spot area. 

Tell your wife I said it was OK

[garbulky]

Jun 29, 2017 8:11:29 GMT -5 vneal said:

I understand the WAF. I am here to help you

Mount the flat screen over the fireplace. Sell your speakers and get monitors. Put on stands at the middle of the window and the edge of the left side of the fireplace pull out 24". Install equipment with new BasX 300A in built in bookshelf. Have it professionally enlarged and electrical outputs for each shelf

Flip flop the couches. You want the larger on in the sweet spot area. 

Tell your wife I said it was OK

I'm glad you gave permission! lol!
Yeah putting it on the long wall will really help stuff out. However, putting the tv on the fireplace will make it to the left of the soundstage. Unnatural especially if he plans to watch video with the sound system.

[chaosrv]

Place the tv above the fireplace but on a moveable/extendable mount so it can swing/slide into the center of the wall. After viewing, it goes back to where it was.
Or...my personal choice would be get a projector with a retractable screen. The wall stays clean when not watching.
I did this in our living room. I mounted a 120" motorized screen. When we're not watching something, it rolls up and the artwork she chose for the wall is visible.
Of course, the artwork she chose is a print of the Xenomorph from Alien which is almost the same size as the screen.
This is why I love her.

[mrloren]

Hahahahahaha,

Thanks for the laugh this morning. Mounting the TV over the fireplace was an idea for about 10 minutes. our house was built in 99 with HT not in mind, I did have the pre-wire done for the 4 in-ceiling speakers which are now my front high and surrounds. The media niche to the right of the fireplace use to house our TV and goodies. I had 1 speaker to the left of the fireplace and sub and speaker to the right. Watching a movie SUCKED! I think I've done the best I can with meeting the WAF. Also everything on the mantel is super glued down, taking stuff off without damage would be hard.  If I had the few extra bucks and WAF approval I would 180 the room and add a 2nd sub or move everything to the living room which has a better layout for HT.

I will add the A300 next month or mid Aug at the latest. Speakers will move forward an inch or two this weekend. No plans so I get some music time. 

[repeetavx]

Hi mrloren, welcome to the lounge.

As you can tell, there's a lot of free advice available here.

I think the choice of the A300 is perfect. And yes, your AQ cables are a good choice too. We just hope that the new solid, more addicting sound, won't cause you to start rethinking the possibilities of your existing setup. (Like they already have).

Let us know how the A300 sounds when you get it.

[mrloren]

Jun 29, 2017 10:28:42 GMT -5 repeetavx said:

Hi mrloren, welcome to the lounge.

As you can tell, there's a lot of free advice available here.

I think the choice of the A300 is perfect. And yes, your AQ cables are a good choice too. We just hope that the new solid, more addicting sound, won't cause you to start rethinking the possibilities of your existing setup. (Like they already have).

Let us know how the A300 sounds when you get it.

Oh yes tons of advice just like the Club Polk forum

I've been into audio my entire life.. a few problems I run into is #1 not enough funding #2 my family room is on a 15A circuit. AVR pulls 600watts, sub pulls 660watts. That leaves me with 600watts for the rest of my gear.  which goes back to #1 funding.

The Polk Signatures are my fist new speakers in over 10 years, they are a fantastic speaker. If you get a chance check them out. I can't wait to hear them powered by an amp.

[novisnick]

Jun 29, 2017 12:52:27 GMT -5 mrloren said:

Jun 29, 2017 10:28:42 GMT -5 repeetavx said:

Hi mrloren, welcome to the lounge.

As you can tell, there's a lot of free advice available here.

I think the choice of the A300 is perfect. And yes, your AQ cables are a good choice too. We just hope that the new solid, more addicting sound, won't cause you to start rethinking the possibilities of your existing setup. (Like they already have).

Let us know how the A300 sounds when you get it.

Oh yes tons of advice just like the Club Polk forum

I've been into audio my entire life.. a few problems I run into is #1 not enough funding #2 my family room is on a 15A circuit. AVR pulls 600watts, sub pulls 660watts. That leaves me with 600watts for the rest of my gear.  which goes back to #1 funding.

The Polk Signatures are my fist new speakers in over 10 years, they are a fantastic speaker. If you get a chance check them out. I can't wait to hear them powered by an amp.

Your gear will NOT pull maximum amps all at the same moment IMHO, So not a Huge problem. Also, try pulling another 15 amp circuit from another room. Ive found great success doing so.

[mrloren]

Errrr, so now I have funding for an A300 but they are back ordered till 8/7 now the two week wait..... One thing I was just thinking about is getting an A500 and bi-amp my L/R speakers and put the 5th channel on the center. naaa I'll wait for the A300. amazon still has a "used like new" A300 for a few bucks off. Is that going to be a major dice roll or should I just wait a few weeks?