Soad5150please help...

 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 1
Registered: Aug-08
Hi everyone, i am new here, i have been looking for many months now to buy a pair of good loudspeakers mainly for music but also for a bit of HT. I am thinking of bying either the energy RC-50 or KEF iQ9 or DALI Ikon6. I listen to some classical music but mostly i listen to hard rock/metal music and especially more technical/complex genres such as progressive metal (e.g. Dream Theater and Symphony X) and symphonic epic metal (e.g. Nightwish and Rhapsody) therefore it is very important for me that the speakers are clear and detailed with good highs but not too bright. I especially enjoy the sound of loud crisp clear electric guitars :-) I will connect the speakers with a cambridge audio 540R receiver. which of the three loudspeakers would you recommend for me? I have heard the ikons and although they are good detailed speakers they were a bit bright, the RC-50s i can unfortunately only buy without listening to them first (however i have read good reviews online) and the IQ9 were not as detailed and clear as Ikon6 but they were not bright. Also i am thinking of purchasing a cambridge audio 540C or 640C cd player, are these good choices for my tastes in music?

Please help...RC-50, Ikon6 or iQ9... :o
Your help will be much appreciated
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3146
Registered: Sep-04
The reason the Ikons sounded bright is because your receiver simply isn't in the right ballpark to try and control the things. You're spending a huge amount on speakers and almost nothing on the receiver! How do you expect it to drive those things??

You need to chose more appropriate speakers for your receiver or replace it with something far more capable. The minimum receiver I would be thinking about for those speakers (to give you an idea) would be the Onkyo TX-SR875.

The Kefs are probably a touch easier to drive than the Dalis and that would account for why they seemed less bright. The amp could drive them.
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 3
Registered: Aug-08
Thanks for your reply Frank. So which speakers would you recommend for my 540R receiver? How about Dali Ikon5 or Energy C-500 or even KEF iQ7? Are those detailed enough?
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3153
Registered: Sep-04
Well, I'd be looking at things like Focal Chorus 700V series up to 714V. You'd be much better off with a set of those and with the money you've saved on speakers buy yourself a more capable amplifier.
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 4
Registered: Aug-08
Unfortunately there isnt a dealer for focal speakers in my country. Do you think the Ikon5's or iQ7's or C-500's should do the job? I do not listen to my music very loudly because my neighbours dont really appreciate my tastes in music therefore i am aiming in purchasing speakers to use at a moderate sound volume but still provide me with the clarity and detail that i need in my music. I will use a 5.1 set up, i am thinking of getting Energy RC-minis for surrounds and the RC-LCR or C-100 for the center and as i said the 540R amp. The size of my room is 6 x 4 meters (20 x 13 feet). Do you think that my set up will be efficient for my needs? thanks
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3157
Registered: Sep-04
So you haven't bought the 540R yet? Well, in that case, I'd suggest you rework the combined pricing so that you spend a bit more on the amp and se what remains for the speakers. As for 5.1, the most important speaker is the centre. If music is important to you, then by all means use main speakers beyond the capabilities of the rest of the surround system, but if music is not as important to you, it's better to get a homogenous system which is designed to work together.
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 5
Registered: Aug-08
i am sorry i wasnt clear enough, i have bought the 540R, its the only thing i have bought so far
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3158
Registered: Sep-04
Oh well...
 

Platinum Member
Username: Nuck

Post Number: 10651
Registered: Dec-04
It is a sevicable unit
 

Gold Member
Username: Frank_abela

Berkshire UK

Post Number: 3163
Registered: Sep-04
Yes, provided the speakers that are attached to it aren't too highly specified. Better to spend his money on a quality disc player for the purpose in that case.
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 6
Registered: Aug-08
what do you mean by sevicable unit? do you mean serviceable?
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 7
Registered: Aug-08
would you consider the cambridge audio 640C a quality disc player for this case?
 

Gold Member
Username: Stu_pitt

Irvington, New York USA

Post Number: 2953
Registered: May-05
The 640c will match your receiver very well.

I don't think the Dalis will match your musical tastes very much. They're a bit laid back and soft IMO. That can be a good thing, but if you prefer a live, forward, rock type sound, you may be underwhelmed. They're excellent speakers, but they are what they are. Of the speakers you listed, I think the Energys may have a more favorable presentation for your music.
 

New member
Username: Mustaine

Post Number: 9
Registered: Aug-08
I have read reviews saying that the midrange and tremble of the Ikons
are forward so electronics should be matched with care. i assume that
this means that the receiver should be warm sounding instead of bright.

Is the 540R warm or bright sounding?
Is the 540R suitable for the Ikons 6 and 7 and the RC-50s or should i buy another receiver?

Please note that i listen to music at moderate levels.

many thanks
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