speaker question

[nessjoel]

Hello all. I am going to be buying that UPA-7 i have heard so much about once a paycheck gets in ;D . So here's my delima though:
- I have 5 JBL's as satelites and the Technics SB-L100's as mains. With the H/k AVR 240 (55 watts per channel into 8ohms) it's worked with for stereo music and 7 channel movie watching. However, running 7 channel music is absolutely horrid because of how different these speakers are. The JBL's aren't very efficient and can handle up to about 120 watts whereas the Technics can only handle up to about 50 watts i would imagine (info on them is spotty at best) and they are incredibly efficient (due to the horn i would imagine).
-So fast foward to the UPA-7 choice. At 125 watts per channel it's not like running audio through an integrated amp in the H/K. That will amount to a head ache when it comes to adjust levels and eq I'm sure.

Should I just get all new speakers or should I keep some or all of the ones I have?

[scottl]

Well, you'll still be able to adjust levels with the UPA-7 installed (it should not really make anything more difficult than it is now), but mixing different speaker families in a system always makes things challenging (except for subwoofers, no problem mixing & matching there). The difference in tone from one speaker to the next makes the illusion of being completely surrounded harder to believe. Getting a complete system to match your Technics is going to be pretty tough, so I might suggest making a complete JBL NSP-series system, or starting over.

[ICBM99]

If you're having issues with timber matching now, you aren't going to help matters by getting an amplifier. I'd seriously think about getting speakers to match. Whether that is starting over, or completing the JBL system as Scott suggested is up to you.

Do you have a budget for speakers too? Too bad you missed the ERM closeout, those are killer speakers for the price.

[slbenz]

Nov 12, 2009 10:56:34 GMT -5 ICBM99 said:

If you're having issues with timber matching now, you aren't going to help matters by getting an amplifier. I'd seriously think about getting speakers to match. Whether that is starting over, or completing the JBL system as Scott suggested is up to you.

Do you have a budget for speakers too? Too bad you missed the ERM closeout, those are killer speakers for the price.

I would also agree. Trying to match horn loaded mains with dome tweeter satellites won't work no matter what amp the OP chooses. Even with the high-end AVRs with multi-EQ processing that help with timber matching isn't enough when it comes to horns and dome tweeters. I remember playing around with my HT system mixing Klipsch with B&W speakers. It just didn't work no matter how much I adjusted it. Either it was all Klipsch or all B&W to obtain that seamless illusion of surround sound.

[flamingeye]

If you ask me speakers are the heart- most important component to any system and where most of your money should go , if you have top of the line amps, pre/pro or AVR with top of the line source components it`s still going to sound like $hit if your speakers are sub-par or completely miss matched and no EQ`ing or room treatments can fix that ether

[Animo]

Any system is only as good as it's weakest link.
Right now, your weakest link appears to be your speakers.
I would ditch everything and start fresh, if that's within your budget or plans.

[nessjoel]

Yeah, i am working on upgrading the speakers little by little. What issues should I be concerned about when mixing speaker brands? You mentioned horn loaded vs dome tweeters. There is a big difference I have found as well. Is there anything else i should take into consideration?

[scottl]

Dec 3, 2009 23:46:02 GMT -5 nessjoel said:

Yeah, i am working on upgrading the speakers little by little. What issues should I be concerned about when mixing speaker brands? You mentioned horn loaded vs dome tweeters. There is a big difference I have found as well. Is there anything else i should take into consideration?

Well, when it comes to mixing speaker brands, my advice is simple: don't do it, except with subwoofers. Getting them to match in tone ("timbre matching") is really difficult.

All the speakers that produce treble and midrange should be as closely matched as possible, because it "tricks" your ear/brain into believing the illusion of surround much more effectively. Most speaker manufacturers make matching sets of speakers to make this easy for you (sometimes, even mixing different series from the same manufacturer results in less-than-ideal matching). If you want to take it a step farther, try a system of 5 identical good speakers and a sub - the degree of realism you get this way can be awesome.

When the speakers aren't very closely matched, the main, center, & surround info doesn't get interpreted the same way by your brain. You often won't consciously notice it until you compare it to another system.

[nessjoel]

I've been looking at craigslisting monitor audio speakers ((sticking with the same line up thereabouts)) and i don't know what to expect but I am hoping for good results.

[weskom]

Dec 4, 2009 0:02:57 GMT -5 scottl said:

Dec 3, 2009 23:46:02 GMT -5 nessjoel said:

Yeah, i am working on upgrading the speakers little by little. What issues should I be concerned about when mixing speaker brands? You mentioned horn loaded vs dome tweeters. There is a big difference I have found as well. Is there anything else i should take into consideration?

Well, when it comes to mixing speaker brands, my advice is simple: don't do it, except with subwoofers. Getting them to match in tone ("timbre matching") is really difficult.

All the speakers that produce treble and midrange should be as closely matched as possible, because it "tricks" your ear/brain into believing the illusion of surround much more effectively. Most speaker manufacturers make matching sets of speakers to make this easy for you (sometimes, even mixing different series from the same manufacturer results in less-than-ideal matching). If you want to take it a step farther, try a system of 5 identical good speakers and a sub - the degree of realism you get this way can be awesome.

When the speakers aren't very closely matched, the main, center, & surround info doesn't get interpreted the same way by your brain. You often won't consciously notice it until you compare it to another system.

I agree with you 100%, but would say it even stronger. If you mix speakers and don't know what you are doing, you will probably mess it up. If it's gonna be slight difference you may just hear it, but if you make some serious mistake you will feel it. Fisicaly. I know we can not compare car stereo and HIFI system, but whenever i try to listen to radio in my car for a little longer time I get tired of the sound. It gets to the point when i almost feel fisical pain. Now, when i sit down at home, in front of whole system of Emotiva speakers, I know where is the difference. I can listen to music for hours or watch movie after movie and the only problem I have is a neighbour who is waiting for me with an ax in his hand.

[nessjoel]

So far the mix of jbl's and monitor audio isn't that bad. Don't have much to compare it to but it's better than those technics horn loaded tweaters (they were very detailed but harsh).