I am thinking of getting a Receiver and a couple of standboxes nest month, and I'd like some advice as to how best to combine them. As per the title, I am a total Newbie and not very knowledgeable about specs either.
The speakers I'd like to get are the Canton LE - 109 standboxes. I can get a very good deal for a brand new couple (400 euros), so this is a decissive factor for me. The specs are as follows:
LE 109: Engineering Principle: 3-way, bass reflex system Nom. /Music power handling: 150/250 watts Efficiency (SPL 1W/1m): 89 dB Frequency response: 20-26000 Hz Crossover frequency: 300/3200 Hz Woofer: 2 x 200 mm (8''), polypropylene membrane Midrange: 180 mm (7''), polypropylene membrane Tweeter: 25 mm (1''), fabric membrane Nominal impedance: 4-8 ohms Dimensions (WxHxD): 23 x 102.5 x 31 cm (9.1'' x 40.4'' x 12.2'') Weight: 46 lbs Finishes (enclosure/front/grill): Beech/silver/silver, ash black/black/black MSRP: $1000.00/pair
Now my main concern is which receiver to get. My time will be equally divided between gaming/dvd watching and music, and I will buy a subwoofer, a center speaker, and two surround speakers in the near future. The price must be under 500 euros approx. , and ideally I'd like it to combine nicely with the Canton standboxes in terms of sound.
I found another good deal for the receiver, namely a Kenwood KRF-V 5090 receiver + a DV-F 3200 DVD for 280 euros. Now my question is, is this Kenwood receiver good enough? Here are its specs:
Amplifier]
* Surround power output: 120W x 5 (1-ch driven, 6 ohms, 1kHz, 10% THD) * Surround power output: 100W x 5 (1-ch driven, 6 ohms, 1kHz, 0.7% THD) * Stereo power output: 120W x 2 (6 ohms, 1kHz, 10% THD) * Stereo power output: 100W x 2 (6 ohms, DIN, 1kHz, 0.7% THD)
[Audio Features]
* Dolby Digital EX, DTS-ES, DTS Neo:6, DTS, Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic IIx * 5 DSP listening modes * Active EQ with Cinema, Music and TV modes * 96kHz/24-bit audio reproduction capability * Midnight mode (Dynamic compression system in Dolby Digital mode and DTS mode) * Loudness control * Bass boost * Independent speaker level control adjustment * Full Auto Digital Analogue Input Selector * Set up memory for each channel/ Input sensitivity control (Input level adjust by 3 steps) * Digital REC mode (Auto/Manual)
Sorry for the long winded and newbie-like post. Any help will be much appreciated. Thanks.
1. Specs are often deceptive and tell only part of the story anyways---go listen, and let THAT be the bulk of your decision making process. Especially watts per channel numbers, these are often fudged big time.
2. Kenwood is similar to Sony, they are big names with big advertising budgets designed to make the average uninformed consumer overlook their mediocre quality. You can get better for the same money or just a little more. For receivers I'd look at Marantz, Harman Kardon, Denon, and Pioneer/Pioneer-Elite.
3. The DVD player is where you can go cheap and barely notice the difference. Unless you have really high quality components (speakers and amp/receiver) I would not spend more than $100 US on a DVD player (unless you're looking for SACD or DVD-A capability)...for instance a Toshiba 3960 which goes for $50 US would be more than good enough.
Invest heavily in: 1. Your front 3 speakers, 2. Your receiver, and 3. Your subwoofer. The rest is far less important.
For HK on eBay, I'd go with the Harman Direct refurbs, they come with full manufacturer's warranty and from what I've heard very good service in case you get a bad one.
What about the Onkyo SR602? Could it be a good option?
I am also considering getting the Harman Kardon Hk 3480, because it probably would have a beautiful sound with those Canton Standboxes, but the problem is that I'd like to get a 5.1 setup in the near future...
I used to own the 601, exchanged it for a Marantz 5400 because I was unhappy with its musical performance. The 602 is about the same, just has an extra 7th channel.
Look into the Harman Kardon 235, 335, 435 or 635---whichever fits your budget. Or the Marantz 5500, it goes for $600 shipped from hifi.com which is an authorized dealer.
The lower priced value receiver is the Pioneer 1014, which you can get for $320-350 right now online. Should be excellent for HT, don't know about music.