Monolith Vibe Speakers

Chain

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I know a few of us here have picked these up from eBay, so thought I'd start a thread.

I've had mine up and running a few weeks now - I bought them a while back, but have only recently been able to get the room setup.

I opted for the "Plasma" set, which is three Monolith 2's across the front, rather than the floorstanders. Having two young kids, I needed things "out of the way".

Previously I'd been running AE Aego Evolutions, with floorstanders, but with a new addition to the family, everything was being moved around the house and I needed something out of the way. I tested quite a few "lifestyle" speakers, but didn't find anything I liked. Even the latest Kef Eggs sounded, well, empty to me, with a huge hole in the sound. I didn't think I'd get anything reasonably priced with a decent sound until I stumbled across the Vibe Monoliths on eBay.

Now, I'm not running with the greatest amp - a Sony STR-DG820. It's fine at what it does, but isn't too dynamic, and are holding back the speakers. Yet still, the setup sounds awesome. They're the first speakers I've had that have created a full, wide, comprehensive sound stage across the front. It's a big sound, though a little boomy on the vocals (I think this is the amp not controlling the speakers well enough). It's far more cinematic than other setups I've had. Alas I've had to mount the surrounds a bit too high and close to the seating position to really get the most out of them.

I'm really happy with them, and just as importantly, they look great. Few subs actually look good in the corner of the room :thumbsup: The sound is immense. The only people not impressed are the neighbours :clap:
 
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How do they compare to the floorstanders you had with regards weight of sound and what is the Vibes performance like for music?

Were the floorstanders you had Evolution 3's?
 
Even without the sub on, these carry a lot of bass. I'm actually amazed how much bass the Monolith 2's kick out, without doing side by side tests it's hard to be have perfect recall, but I think these give out more depth than the AE Aego Evo 3 floorstanders I had :eek:

There's no hole in the sound, unlike very other "lifestyle" setup I heard.

This may sound odd, but the best way I can descrive the speakers is there's a solid soundscape. It doesn't sound like seperate speakers placed around the room, the result is as close to a cinema "sound" as I've heard in a home setup (not that I've heard really expensive setups, you understand). You know when you're in a cinema, and there's a wall of sound? It fills the room? That's what these do. Please note I am in a small room, the speakers are mounted a few cms from the walls; the room is 3m wide with a 2.5m scope screen between them.

As I say, the only issue I have watching movies is a slight boom to the vocals, but that appears an amp issue or a placement issue - it only happens at a certain volume. Above or below, it's fine.

Regarding music, again I feel the amp lets it down noticeably. Music isn't dynamic, it lacks life. I'm sure if I could put a grand down on an amp, it would solve that issue.

When I had the Evo 3s, I was running a Denon 1906. I sold that amp with the speakers so can't test it here, I imagine it would be better than the Sony.
 
Cheers.

How would you class the tonality of these speakers?

Are they bright, neutral, warm?

Feedback from several owners with regards this would be beneficial to anyone considering purchasing them.
 
I'm really not the best person to ask, I have very limited experience, and without trying amps I'm not too sure I'd be correct.

My mate Andy bought the floorstander set, and he classes them as "Crisp". But he's running a much better amp than I. I'd not call them Bright from my listening.

Sorry for being almost no help there :facepalm:

Maybe some other owners with more speaker experience could help :thumbsup:
 
I'm really not the best person to ask, I have very limited experience, and without trying amps I'm not too sure I'd be correct.

My mate Andy bought the floorstander set, and he classes them as "Crisp". But he's running a much better amp than I. I'd not call them Bright from my listening.

Sorry for being almost no help there :facepalm:

Maybe some other owners with more speaker experience could help :thumbsup:

That's fine, no problem :)

The guy from Vibe in the AVForums Video Production classed them as exciting so I thought they may drift towards the bright side.
 
This thread will just end up making me get a new amp, won't it? :eek::rotfl:
 
I'm looking to get the Vibe 5.1 (floorstanders at the front and 1s for the rear) and am also interest in their tone. I plan to get an Onkyo 608 which is, as I understand it, a bright amp.
 
I'm looking to get the Vibe 5.1 (floorstanders at the front and 1s for the rear) and am also interest in their tone. I plan to get an Onkyo 608 which is, as I understand it, a bright amp.

The Onkyo should be fine with those as Forum member Chedworth is using an Onkyo 807 with his and is very pleased :thumbsup:

Forum member Snaglington classed the Vibes tone as neutral, so really they should pair well with any amp.
 
Just opened my Classic set and discovered that the Sub has a 2 pin power plug - is this normal?

also, the connection to the amp (for the sub) has 2 phono's at the amp; what kind of cable so i use?

thanks for any help / guidance.
 
My sub came with a UK plug, by my friends was a 2 prong - just cut it off and put a UK on on it.

I used a 2 to 1 RCA for the sub. You can most likely run it with a single phono just fine, but I didn't have a long enough cable and the one I ended up buying came with an adaptor. I got the IXOS XHK235-900.
 
Thanks for that - looks like these are discontinued. If i use a single phono to phono; will i still get the optimum sound?

cheers.
 
I don't see why not. There is only going to be one driver in the sub.
 
Chain, would you be able to post any pics of your setup with the Monoliths? I too am looking not to have the floor standing ones due to the current layout of the room and would love to know what it might look like.

Cheers
 
These pics aren't that great but you get a sense of them on the wall. I have to hook the curtain over the center speaker as the screen doesn't cover all the window.

screen-and-tv.JPG


batman2.JPG


Hope that helps. I think they're amazing :thumbsup:
 
Just saw this thread which may get better coverage to answer my query as follows:

Having set up my Vibe 5.1 system. I notice that my sub is humming when on standby.

Have to admit that i don't hear the hum when listening to Tv or watching a movie but when i turn the AMP/TV/Set top box to standby or swith off, the Sub is always humming and the red led light is on.

When i turn the switch off at the back of the sub, it's all quiet - does anyone else have this problem?
Can i tweak any settings to turn this down / off or is it a fault?

thanks for any guidance.
 
Cable too near power would be the obvious answer - electrical interference. Mine gives off a very, very, very faint hum, but then I'd not leave it in Standby to be honest.
 
I purchased the 5.1 classic and the instuctions do not say how to setup

I have an onkyo 607 amp

Do i set speakers to large on amp as i have the floor standers

How do i set gain and crossover on amp

And do i use single cable in red or white connection

Thanks
 
Hi Chaps

Been considering a set of these speakers and was wondering whether anybody had found an amp that best suited them?
I, like Chain has a Sony STR-DG820 Amp which he reckons is not getting the best out of the Monoliths, now people have owned these for a while what conclusions, if any have been reached?

Looking to replace speaker set up and Amp if need be, Budget around £1k-1200.

Thanks Ian
 

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