Need some assistance

[Kaisho]

Hello everyone i am just looking for some help with making an epic sound system my z-2300 satellite speakers just crapped out so im looking to upgrade in a big way i still want to run a 2.1 type of setup but i want more from a sub woofer and additional speakers.
So with that in mind i was looking at Klipsch speakers specifically these
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882780078
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882780056
now my question is how would i make this setup work and what type of receiver could i use to power these also im not too keep on audio specifics i know a little about a little like the more watts the higher the output; so basically im just looking for some help and any additional information would be greatly appreciated like guides to better understand how audio systems work so i can have a better understanding thanks in advance!

 

[anwaypasible]

well..

you could get a receiver that doesnt do the usual 100 watts per channel.
that means you would have to keep it down some.
and it should mean you will be far away from distorting the amp.

but
a 100 watt per channel receiver might prove to be better if you keep the volume down.
you would be further away from the distortion at maximum volume levels.
but
if the volume knob works in a weird way.. you might not have all of the audio details.
see.. sometimes you can raise the volume and only the midrange and treble goes up.
sometimes you raise it some more and the bass increases with the midrange and treble.

you would be looking for a receiver that increases volume across the entire frequency range when you turn up the volume from a low level.

might be a good excuse to buy a generic brand name receiver.
or
it might be a good reason to avoid a specific brand name, no matter what model you are looking at.

 

[Kaisho]

Thanks i appreciate the help

 

[ssddx]

you certainly seem to be upping your speakers by quite a bit.

i myself own the klipsch quintet IV (5.0 set) paired with a the matching 450w sub ran through a pioneer vsx-30 receiver. the quality of sound is a huge step up from my old 5.1 logitech speaker system. the build quality in speakers like these (over HTIB and other cheaper solutions) is definitely noticible. the speakers themselves appear to be quite sturdy and the subwoofer though standard in design has no real build quality flaws.

i know klipsch sells "add on" speakers of the set which you could build a 2.1 system out of if you so desired. they were meant to make the 5.1 system into a 7.1.

as far as receivers go the only thing i've heard to watch out for was sony receivers under the $500 priceline. a few people have spoken kindly towards onkyo and i personally love my pioneer. make sure you get one with the functionality that you want. if you're planning on buying decent speakers i wouldnt skimp on the receiver at all.

 

[blackhawk1928]

Klipsch makes some really really good high end speakers, what is your budget for an amp to power them?

Also, I wouldn't get a klipsch subwoofer. IF you are running a 2.1 setup, I'm assuming its more leaned toward music instead of movies. I would get a sealed subwoofer instead of a ported (unless klipsch makes sealed subs). To me, as an audiophile, sealed subs sound way better. They make tighter and more accurate/punchy bass and produce much less distortion. There are ofcourse excellent ported subs that will produce great sound, but their ports must be tuned to perfection and that usually comes at a cost.

If you want good subwoofer, I recommend checking out Elemental-Designs. They make great sealed (and ported) subwoofers.

About receivers, I'd stay away from sony (personal experience and others). Pioneer makes GREAT receivers, onkyo makes "Okay" receivers. HarmanKardon is a personal favorite for cheap-entry level amps. Denon and Marantz are some of the best brands around.

 

[anwaypasible]

i think any 10 year old can pick and choose what receiver they want.
all they need to start is the harmonic distortion numbers.

then..
things like channel seperation, transients, the way the volume raises the sound level.. these things can be chosen as if the receiver is their 'favorite color'

speakers will get better and better.. and that means slew rate is going to have to be roughly the same.
cant have huge gaps of difference to be playing favorites with brand names or price points.

i can see how sony has gotten such a bad wrap for themselves.
a lot of high distortion receivers and car amplifiers that are much more pathetic.
their speakers are not audiophile across the board, no matter if it is home or car audio (midrange or subwoofer).

shouldnt bash a good thing is what i say.
when they are doing what they are supposed to, they work very well.

even when their distortion is high they have the ability to make dolby or dts look damn good because the amps can blister the reverb fast enough.
things like scoring or crossfades have remarkable talent.
seems like all of the other amps have been struggling to do the one thing sony has been doing for quite a long time.
and that is get the slew rate blistering fast and stable to form a solid 'score' effect.

see..
there is scoring that fades from left to right or front to back.
but
there is also the scoring that dolby or dts does, and it sounds much faster and upper class.

if you need an example of what i am talking about.. go here and listen to the rain:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOS9aOIXPEk

the 'atmosphere' is all a part of the slew rate being blistering fast.
slow down the slew rate into larger chunks and the midrange/treble is going to pour out too.

funny..
because the video is in 360p only.
and everybody knows the audio sounds better at 480p and again at 720p

sony has been able to do this.. and i think they have done a fine job withholding some of the other featurettes that the other amps have been improving on along the way of waiting on the audio industry.

aint it a bit weird when you could listen to an echo that is clearer and cleaner than the actual vocals up close?
as if the reflections are much more pure and energetic.
depends on what you want, because you listen to music or watch movies.
no place for the music to go except get better like the rain in the beginning of that video.
movies dont show their potential much either.


i have come across quite a few ugly pencils in my day.
easily broken lead.. dull lead that refuses to write.. dumb lead that refuses to stay sharp.. wood that snaps too easy.
we dont blame the #2 pencil.. we blame the lead or the wood.
and sometimes even the paper.

i mean..
if you see some playdoh that has been sitting there without the cap on all day long..
how do you expect to pick up the playdoh and expect it to feel fresh?
specifications arent giving all of the answers, but they do prove a major point.

a lot of brand names have gone through tough times.
pioneer receivers that sound orange and brown.. a truly serious fail when the technics receivers were a better buy.
denon receivers used to sound like you put a piece of cardboard up to your ear.. and the stupid thing got louder and louder as if the audio was going to pour out of the amp more.
kenwood with their underpowered and overly sensitive protection circuit.
technics and aiwa were the kings of the 1990's .. followed by sony.
kinda rude to leave out the lesser known name brands, but they were not as common anyways.

i'm thinking a lot of the amplifiers still have a rather slow slew rate, because the transients are either hidden or the speakers connected cant reproduce the transients.
no need to over-emphasize the transients me thinks.. because that could really come across as verbose in the even the speakers do get an upgrade.

i think there are two options..
1. the details are there, but the amp isnt going to scream loud and force your speakers to do something they dont really want to do.
2. the details are over-emphasized to provide some serious false truth in the account of reaching a result that is 'upgraded' ... until the situation changes and the receiver is found out to be what it is of its true colors.

one must remember that many things work in shades of colors, even if the color isnt bright and obnoxious.. it is still there in the time domain.
simply because you dont hear it doesnt mean there isnt any color.
it could downright be what is missing that proves to be what the color is.

a whole lot of speakers trying to rise out of the ash sound.
seems like there is going to be places within the output that are either too fast, or too bright, or too sensitive, or slow as a turtle until the whole speaker is pushed well enough (and then perhaps too loud).

pretty much a part of a speaker trying to do one thing really good, and perhaps adding a little something extra to help.
when in fact the speaker needs its workforce stacked upon and tweaked to work together as a team.

higher sample rates means the amps will have to pour out more audio.. there is no other way around it.
and if any amps want to sell.. they will also have to keep up with the times and produce something that resembles what the rest of the market is releasing.
hopefully the home theater receivers get good enough to bring the car audio industry up in quality too.

 

[Kaisho]

Best answer selected by Kaisho.