Newbie - Marantz SR5400 - speakers??

D

desmondo

Guest
Hi all,

I'm Just in the process of moving to a bigger house which has a bigger living room. The most important thing for me of course is that this now allows for me to move in to the world of 5.1 Surround Sound for the first time!

I've been looking around at reviews and offers on at the mo' but would like some advice before I go out and demo some stuff.

I'm looking at getting a Marantz SR5400 AV Receiver and would like some speakers to match. I will be playing a fair amount of CD/DVD Audio music (as a second system) as well as the usual DVD's. I have about £300-£400 available for speakers. Living room is 15 X 15 feet so need to have enough oomph to fill this space.

Looking at the RS site at current bargains:

Fronts: Mission M73i (nice looking floor standers + read some positive remarks searching on the forum)
Rears: Mission M71i (Seem to have decent review from What HiFi + would (visually) match the above + seem Very cheap! )
Centre: Mission MC71 (Very cheap - although searching on here - they don't seem to have many positive remarks!)
Sub: will add at a later date if need be.

Also looking at the Wharfdale 8.3 Diamonds - as a package from Hifi bitz and I'm also going to check out the MS Premier System - although I get the feeling these might fall short on the music front???

So, a No of questions for anyone who has prior experience of these speakers/receiver:

Would the Missions fit the bill? They come nicely within my budget, also look fairly attractive and have the wife’s approval!!

Should I be looking at demoing any other speakers with this receiver?

Am I asking too much for the price?

Any help/ideas/experience of the above would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Rich
 
Mission M70 series have been replaced by the M3 series, look for thhese.

They are better looking, and have been awarded by good reviews.
 
Look for a set of M33 or M34 (front) and M30/M31 (rear) for example!
 
(take a deep breath - you might not come up for air for a while) :D


Hi Desmondo,

I bought a Marantz SR5400 from Richer Sounds recently (also my 1st real move into 5.1 AV), and im also looking at Mission speakers (and any other decent sounding/looking speakers). Go for it - great amp, loads of power, looks great, but give it some room wherever you're placing it - it gets bleedin hot and needs some space to breath (Marantz manual recommends 8 inches space to either side and above).


MY SET-UP:-

I had already bought M71i & M7C1 fronts & centre (to upgrade the 'all treble and no mid' satelites i got with a surround spkr/sub/amp/dvd set), but then decided to upgrade the amp to save damaging the new front speakers (was only 25/30wrms - same as min recommended for the Missions), and while I was at it i decided that i might as well upgrade all the speakers (including the brand new M71i/M7C1's i've just bought)... and so the upgrade path continues before i ever actually get the system completed...).

So im now also looking at Missions replacement series for the M70 range - the already mentioned M30 range.
I'm considering (mouse cursor paused over the buy button for the last few days) M34 floorstanding fronts, M3C2 centre and M3DS bipole rears.

My eyes also keep being dragged back to the US SVS subwoofer site with frightening regularly... i accidentaly worked out the conversion costs and tax/BAX the other daty (as you do)... and emailed for shipping costs... its a slippery slope to poverty via upgrades alright.


SOUND QUALITY OF MISSION M30 RANGE?:-

The only thing thats holding me back is the lack of reviews and comments regarding this new(ish) range (particularly looking for information on sound quality of the M34's). I've been searching the web, news forums, AV forums, and HiFi review sites for a while and have found only a few comments with no real conclusions. The few comments i have seen weren't very promising, but didn't seem completely reliable or very conclusive.

So im looking for the same sort of information as you - does anyone here have any sound quality comments/reviews of the M30 range, in particular for me - the M34 floorstanders & M3C2 centre?

I'm really looking for someone who has these speakers (or others from the range) or has heard them in person for there own view and judgement. If you've compared them with other speakers of a similiar price/type - that would be exactly the sort of comments i'm looking for (dont ask for much do i). I've seen lots of information regarding other brands and ranges, but not these (and they have been out for a while). I'm happy with the sizes and they look lovely for the money, but i dont want to buy £250 floorstanders to find out they will really let me down when listening to stereo sources (as im using the system as 5.1 AV & Stereo HiFi due to space limitation in my new build home - nearly finished).

All observations big or small would be welcome.


DESMONDO SPEAKERS:-

desmondo said:
Fronts: Mission M73i (nice looking floor standers + read some positive remarks searching on the forum)
Rears: Mission M71i (Seem to have decent review from What HiFi + would (visually) match the above + seem Very cheap! )
Centre: Mission MC71 (Very cheap - although searching on here - they don't seem to have many positive remarks!)
Sub: will add at a later date if need be.
Also looking at the Wharfdale 8.3 Diamonds - as a package from Hifi bitz and I'm also going to check out the MS Premier System - although I get the feeling these might fall short on the music front???

As for the speakers you're looking at, the M71i's (if Richers have any left, 'i' is for improved) are a great buy for the money, i'm really impressed with the sound quality, low end, and general build quality for the size and money, all for £60 (i think they used to be about £120 new, before they were discontinued). I would think you could easily use these as direct rears (instead of bipole rears like M7DS or M3DS - which i beleive usually give a more defused rear sound, particularly suited to difficult room and less than perfect speaker locations) and save some money for your budget. As a comparison, the set im looking at (M34/M3C2/M3DS) comes to nearly £500 as a reduced price set (not reduced by much). The discontinued range speakers that Richer are selling have plenty knocked off to make them an attractive buy.

If you're interested in the bipole rears (M77DS older range/M7DS/M3DS) - they are wedge or 'bump' shaped wall mount speakers that can be placed on sides or rear walls and even upside down up at the top of the wall next to ceiling. They have 2 sets of mid/woof and tweet drivers, one pointing from each front face to spread the sound around a bit (not very technical i know) good for many people listening away from the 'sweetspot' and difficult locations. Can still pick up a pair of M7DS for a round £100 on ebay, M3Ds cheapest online price is around £130.

If i remember right the M73i is the single bass driver floorstander - i was looking at this and the M74 (dual basss driver) a while ago and most reviews seem to say they had no major complaints, provided good bang for the buck and looked & sounded good. I have seen a couple of comments (reviews and forums) regarding cabinet construction of budget floorstanders being usually not very well braced, leading to some mid discolouration and sometimes slight boominess, but i got the feeling that this was being compared to much more expensive floorstanders. Somebody did comment that a good pair of stand mount speakers for the same money would probably sound better overall (with perhaps less low end bass, unless you have a good quality sub) - but i have my heart set on floorstanders (the look and the bass response). You can usually mass fill the bottom of these floorstanders to help 'solidify' them a bit (bagged dry sand or lead shot), and maybe floorspikes and mounting discs (whatever the metal discs that spikes on hardwood floors can go onto are called?).

The M7C1 - the lesser of the 2 M70 range centre speakers. The M7C2 is more like a normal box speaker on its side, and i think has larger drive units, whereas the M7C1 is a smaller moulded plastic enclosure (in the same way as the M3C1 and the M3C2 compare). Generally doesn't have a good reputation, but its usually being compared to bigger 'box' centres. I have one at present (£50 from Richer Sounds) and it sounds fine to me, but i haven't heard anything else to compare it with yet. Probably somewhere in between a small satelite and a large standard 'box' centre speaker. Looks okay - a bit more stealth, as it is smaller, not very deep at all, and blends in well with the gentle curve of my black widescreen TV. I'm going for the M3C2 this time as i want to experience the difference that most people state when they compare the 2 (i want it to sound as good as the rest of the system!) If you're going for big fronts like floorstanders i think most people would recommend the bigger of the centres (M7C2/M3C2) rather than the smaller M7C1 (or M3C1) which has been described as 'weaker' sounding than its big brother.
But at the end of the day its up to you - what do you want out of your system looks and sound wise, and what fits into your budget.

I dont know anything about the wharfedale Diamonds - i would equally be interested in hearing reviews and comments concerning any of Missions competition in this price area. Thers semms to be quite a lot of people with Marantz/Mission AV gear. They cant all be wrong. Or are we all sheep ;-)

Hope some of the above info helps.

Good luck with your system. :thumbsup:

Mark.
 
Some info and links regarding Mission AV speakers.
Hope helps.
Mark.


===========================================================================

http://www.mission.co.uk/index1.htm

(M70 range: archive -> M7)
(M30 range: product -> M3)

===========================================================================

m71i
----

- stand mount bookshelf speaker (130mm).
- 25<>75W/Ch.
- 26x17x27.5cm = (HxWxD) 296 x 170 x 275(mm).
- black or beech.

m73
---

- floorstander, 1 bass driver (160mm).
- 25<>100W/Ch.
- 85x20x30.5cm = 850 x 200 x 305 (mm) (HxWxD) .

m74
---

- floorstander, 2 bass drivers (160mm).
- 25<>125w rms.
- 95x20x32cm (HxWxD).

review:-
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=2136

m34
---

- floorstander, 2 bass drivers (165mm).
- Amplifier power: 25-150W/Ch
- Dimensions (HxWxD) 950 x 200 x 330(mm)

===========================================================================

Mision m7 series home cinema speakers

Range:-
-----

/ m70 / m71 / m72 / m73 / m74 / m7c1 / m7c2 / m7ds / m70as

Front:-
-----

m71: Missions m71 is a compact loudspeaker suitable for stand or shelf mounting.
Exhibiting a lively and highly detailed midband, the m71 matches this to an
astonishing low frequency performance seldom found in a compact enclosure.
A new 130mm bonded woven glass composite cone delivers maximum bass performance.

m71i: (improvements?)

m74: Missions m74 is a large two-way tower monitor, the m74 loudspeaker has a
wide frequency response with ultra-high efficiency and extensive power handling.
A tremendous all round performer, the Mission m74 is ideal for both music and home
theatre installations.

Centre:-
------

m7c1: Missions m7c1 centre channel loudspeaker is designed specifically to match
any of the m70 series loudspeakers in home theatre installations to provide centre
"dialogue" channel.

m7c2: The m7c2 is fully shielded to allow it to be placed in close proximity to TV
and video monitors, and its high sensitivity and easy-drive characteristics make it
suitable for all AV amplifiers. Twin 130mm low frequency units integrate seamlessly
with the sheer micro-fibre dome tweeter for wide bandwidth and highly natural vocal
performance and detail.

Rear (bipole):-
----

m7ds: Missions m7ds bipole loudspeaker is similarly designed to provide the rear
"surround" channels in home theatre installations. Superb sound distribution over
a wide listening angle envelops all listeners in the movie theatre experience.
Two low frequency units provide the dynamics for transient performance blending
seamlessly with twin sheer micro-fibre dome treble units.

===========================================================================

Mission m7ds Spec:-

* 25-100W recommended amplifier power
* Twin 110mm glass composite LF cones
* Twin 25mm Micro fibre soft dome HF cones
* Gold-plated terminals, magnetically shielded, 230x360x105mm (HxWxD)

The Mission m7ds bipole loudspeaker is designed specifically to integrate with any of
the m70 series loudspeakers in home theatre installations to provide the rear
"surround" channels. Visually attractive styling and versatility of placement allows
the m7ds to be easily wall or shelf mounted. Superb sound distribution over a wide
listening angle envelops all listeners in the movie theatre experience wherever the
speakers are located.

Two low frequency units provide the dynamics for transient performance blending
seamlessly with twin sheer micro-fibre dome treble units for outstanding dispersion
and rear effect localisation. The smoothly contoured baffle provides excellent
spatial dispersion, minimising "hot seat" effects, and the bipole configuration
ensures the ideal performance for Dolby Surround or Dolby Digital/DTS sources.

===========================================================================

m3 series:-
m31 / m32 / m33 / m34 / m35 / m3c1 / m3c2 / m3ds / m3as

===========================================================================

Mission Reviews:-
###############

HiFi Choice (M7 series):
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_read.asp?ID=1959

Search on www.ecoustics.com:-
(http://www.ecoustics.com/s.php?search=mission&page=2)
(some missed out)

7. Mission M71 Bookshelf Speakers - Hi-Fi Choice (6/02)
URL: http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=2095
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Bookshelf/2002

8. Mission m70 Bookshelf Loudspeakers - Audiofile & AV (2/02)
URL: http://202.186.86.35/audio/story.asp?file=/2002/2/7/audiofile/07mission&sec...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Bookshelf/2002

9. Mission m71 Bookshelf Loudspeakers - Stereophile (2/02)
URL: http://www.stereophile.com/showarchives.cgi?511
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Bookshelf/2002

11. Mission M71 Bookshelf Speakers - AudioEnz (9/01)
URL: http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2001/0904.html
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Bookshelf/2001

12. Mission M71 Bookshelf Speaker - Hi-Fi Choice (2/01)
URL: http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=1068
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Bookshelf/2001

28. Mission m73 Floor Standing Loudspeakers - DJ Voice (9/02)
URL: http://www.djvoicereview.com/.../mission.htm
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Floor_Standing/2002

30. Mission M74 Floor Standing Loudspeakers - Hi-Fi Choice (7/02)
URL: http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=2136
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Floor_Standing/2002

32. Mission m73 Floor Standing Loudspeakers - Audiofile & AV (12/01)
URL: http://202.186.86.35/audio/review.asp?file=/2001/12/20/audiofile/20mission&...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Floor_Standing/2001

33. Mission M74 Floor Standing Speakers - Home Entertainment (10/01)
URL: http://www.home-entertainment.co.uk/grouptest_print.asp?GroupID=1551&Articl...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Floor_Standing/2001

34. Mission M73 Floorstanding Speakers - Hi-Fi Choice (4/01)
URL: http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=1198
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Floor_Standing/2001

60. Mission M70, M71C, 70ASE Home Theater Speaker System - Home Cinema Choice (10/02)
URL: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/frame.html?http://www.homecinemac...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2002

61. Mission Cinema M71 (M71s, M7c1, M70as) Home Theater Speaker System - Home Entertainment (7/02)
URL: http://www.home-entertainment.co.uk/grouptest_print.asp?GroupID=2156&Articl...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2002

62. Mission M7C2 Center Speaker and M7DS Surround Speakers - Home Cinema Choice (4/02)
URL: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/frame.html?http://www.homecinemac...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2002

63. Mission M73, M7C1, M7DS Home Theater Speaker System - Home Cinema Choice (3/02)
URL: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/frame.html?http://www.homecinemac...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2002

64. Mission M Series (m73, m7C1, m7dS) Home Theater Speaker System - T3 Magazine (2/02)
URL: http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/review_print.asp?ID=1959
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2002

67. Mission Cinema M71 Home Theater Speaker System - Home Cinema Choice (8/01)
URL: http://www.homecinemachoice.com/testbench/frame.html?http://www.homecinemac...
Category: Home_Audio/Speakers/Speakers_Reviews/Home_Theater_Systems/2001

homecinemachoice archive reviews (loads! & some pdf's):-
http://www.homecinemachoice.com/fra...achoice.com/cgi-bin/reviews.php?reviewid=2345

=============================================================================
 
WoW!

Cheers for the reply Guys! I am the proud owner of a silver SR5400, courtesey of Peter Tyson @ £289! I've hooked up the speakers from my old Technics mini system and over the last few days i've just been listening to some CD's. Compared to my Technics system the sound quality is superb to say the least + thats just stereo stuff!! Can't wait to get the full 5.1 working! I know what you mean Mark about the heat - it does get rather warm! I have all the speaker wire, phono plugs + wire for interconnects (DIY jobbies), all raring to go, all I'm missing now is some speakers ready for the house move next week.

And what a problem I'm having:

I've been browsing around and as well as the Missions, I've come up with some more speaker options:

Tannoy's: MX4M's, MX1M's and an MXCM come in altogether around the £350 mark inc. delivery These look cool and after having listened to some MX2M's recently and been suitably impressed these feel like they may be a good option.

Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo 3 package: Evo3's, Evo1's and Evo centre all for abount £550. This would be streching well over my budget, but these beauties have had rave reveiws in the press..........

Kef Coda's: Coda 70's, 80 and 90's can be had from RS at a grand total of around £370, Styling is an aquired taste but I've heard very good things about Kef, and these Coda appear to be well received.

As far as the Missions go, I'll now be looking at the M34, M31 and M3C2 I reckon, but the RS prices may sway me over to the discontinued M73i, and M31i's!!!

On one side I want to stretch as far as I can and get something that I'm happy with that will last for years to come, on the other I don't want to spend more money than I need to, as I feel I won't hear/notice the difference!!! The only thing for me now is to find someplace that stocks all of these, arm myself with some of my favourite CD's and DVD's and go and demo them all.

Cheers for the info Mark, :thumbsup: I'll let you know how I get on.

Rich
 
I'm getting a sense of Deja Vu :)

I was looking for an Amp and Speaker upgrade in Jan/Feb this year from an old Sherwood Pro-Logic amp with a mix of Mission and Eltax speakers. Decided to change the speakers first, my shortlist was very similar : Mission M7, Mission M3, Tannoy MX-M, Wharfdale Diamond and the KEF Codas and the MS Premiere. I couldn't find much information on the Mission M3 being so new apart from a couple of short reviews on the M31/M32 in What Hi-Fi and nothing on the rear/surrounds. I wanted a system that was also OK for music so plumped for the Tannoys as they were a good price with floorstanding fronts and a decent centre. Most of the Mission packs I found included the M3C1 centre, and the upgrade cost to the M3C2 sent me over budget. I opting for the Tannoy MX-M - MX3-M floorstander at the front, the MXC-M centre and MX1-M at the rear from hifistore.co.uk.

The Sherwood Amp with 35w/channel wasn't upto the task of driving all the speakers in surround without cranking the volume dial too far round for my liking (amp's fault rather than the speakers) so I quickly upgraded the amp with a Sony STR-DB790, which has loads of grunt to spare.

The bass isn't ground shaking, but I find the sound to be balanced and an enjoyable listen. With hindsight I might be inclined to find the extra for the MX4-M fronts as I'm running without a Sub (tenement block with neighbours).
 
Rich,

I've started looking at other speaker ranges as well.
Now i've included the sets you have spoken off, im starting
to get overwhelmed with choices. I particularly like
the Mordaunt Short range at the moment (not many places
anywhere near here to demo anything tho...).
Times running out because i want them for in the new house ;-)
Let us know how your auditioning goes.

Cheers, Mark.


Looked at:-

Mission: M34 floor / M3C2 centre / M3DS rear (approx £480)
Wharfedale: 8.4 floor / 8 centre / 8 DFS rear
Mordaunt Short: 906 or 914 floor / 905 centre / 903 rear (906 approx £550, 914 approx £600)

Still to possibly look at:-

Kef (Q35.2/Q5/Q9c/Q2DS?)
Acoustic Energy (AE109/AE120?)
B&W (602/603/603s2?)
Quad (11L?)
TDL (still get these?)
Monitor Audio Silver (6/1/LCR?)

Tannoy's: MX4M's, MX1M's and an MXCM (approx £350)
Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo 3 package: Evo3's, Evo1's and Evo centre (approx £550)
Kef Coda's: Coda 70's, 80 and 90's (approx £370)

:rolleyes:
 
More info,

Theres a floorstanders (£250-400) review in... HiFi Choice? (can't remember which mag it is now).

Reviewed: Focals, Tannoy Fusion, Mission M35, Mordaunt Short 904, and a couple of other brands floorstanders.
Tannoy Fusion & (...?) came out top.

Also the next issue of What HiFi has a floorstander review as well, due out June 2nd.
From the picture it looks like they are reviewing Acoustic Energy EVO 3 and coda's floorquakers (& others).
Didnt recognise the bits of any of the others in the small picture. I'll get this when it comes out.

All the 'professional' reviews i have seen of Mission M34/M35/M73/M74 ranges of floorstanders seem to have
similiar conclusions - lots of speaker and bass for the money, good spl, but a little bit boom/tiss as one
reviewer put it (bright treble and emphasised bass) and not as smooth response as many other speakers in the
same price band. Sounds like they would be better for AV/5.1 than for stereo reproduction and i want both to
be good. Of course i'll never know what i think unless i hear them for myself, just haven't found anywhere
that stocks the M34's near me.

I've narrowed my choice down to: Tannoy Fusion, Acoustic energy EVO 3 & Mordaunt Short 914's, for both looks
and sound. Once i've read the next review, i'll be looking to audition and see these in the flesh at stores
in Edinburgh.

Good luck with your system.

Mark.
 
I can't comment on the speakers because I don't have much experience there, however I do own a Marantz SR5400. It's a great receiver! Unfortunately, I've been having some troubles with it, in fact it's in the shop right now.

Now, they may have fixed this on new units, but I was having problems with the dolby digital DSP chipset. Basically, it was a problem with the Cirrus logic DSP that took the dolby digital signal from optical or digital coax. When the receiver heats up a bit, the thermal protection in the DSP trips and the sound cuts out for a fraction of a second before coming on. Has anyone else experience this? It only happens when playing a dolby digital track (or DTS), connected using either optical or digital coax. Also, it takes about half an hour of use before it starts happening. Make sure you do a thorough demo!

Still, I love this receiver and recommend it. I just can't wait to get it back!
 
Well that does it,

Floorstander reviews in 2 mags over the last 2 months - both giving great reviews for the AE EVO3's. I'm definatley gonna have a look at them. Mission M35's were given a good for size and bass rating, but only okay elsewhere for sound quality. One strange thing - The speakers that won 1st place in one review (JM Focals? can't remember - will have to check) came in nearly last in the other mags review - makes you wonder doesn't it...

I'm now looking at (as a full system, TV upgrade in the future):-

TV: Toshiba Wide 28" (got)
DVD: Pioneer 626 (got)
Amp: Marantz SR5400 (got)
Front: AE Aegis EVO 3 floorstanders
Centre: AE Aegis Centre
Rears: Mordaunt Short bipoles
Sub: SVS PB1-ISD (maybe...)

I'll let you know how i get on with checking out the AE EVO's.

Mark.
 
Looked out those Floorstander reviews from this months HiFi mags
for anyone who's interested in buying them for this purpose.

Cheers, Mark.



WHAT HIFI (July 2004)
=========

Floorstander group test (£250-£450):-

ACOUSTIC ENERGY Aegis Evo 3
DALI Concept 6
FOCAL-JMLAB Chorus714s
MONITOR AUDIO Bronze B4
MORDAUNT-SHORT MS914
WHARFEDALE Pacific Evo 20

Winner (5 star) - FOCAL-JMLAB Chorus714s
(also 5 star) - ACOUSTIC ENERGY Aegis Evo 3
(also 5 star) - MORDAUNT-SHORT MS914


HIFI CHOICE (July 2004)
===========

Floorstander group test (£250-£500):-

FOCAL-JMLAB Chorus714s
KEF Q4
MISSION M35
MONITOR AUDIO Bronze B4
MORDAUNT-SHORT Avant 904
TANNOY Fusion 4

Best Buy Award - MONITOR AUDIO Bronze B4
Best Buy Award - TANNOY Fusion 4
 
The MS914's are lovely, my setup includes most of the decleration 900 series range (see my sig), and the Mordaunt Shorts sit very well with Marantz amps.

I use mine with an SR7400, which I'm very pleased with.
 
Sorry I've not been on here for a few weeks so I've fallen behind with the thread - waiting for NTL to get their act together and install broadband in my new house! 2 weeks without a phone or net access is shocking I reckon.

Anyhow I snapped up the Evo package 2 a couple of weeks ago from Peter Tyson. £539, for the Evo 3's, 1's and centre. What can I say. I'm blown away! These beauties fit the bill perfectly. They fill the room with sound completely - the only downside now is the 28 inch TV is far too small for the room, so I need to start saving some pennies for an upgrade there. The sound sure makes up for this though!

I've not had much time to really put them through their paces movie wise, apart from Crouching Tiger, The last Samurai and Raiders of the Lost Ark. This is due to time spent on the house, (and watching just about every Euro 2004 match!!) but I'm very, very pleased what I've heard so far. I've just taken delivery of Fifth Element SE and Fight club SE, so I'll be watching these over the weekend.

One thing that surprised me is that the floor standers have come pre-mass loaded. This seemed strange. Especially as the handbook explains that once they have been mass loaded the plug at the rear is designed not to be removed, so you should decide what to do before inserting the plug! LOL Anyhow saves me from having to bother!

Can anyone recommend a stonking DTS DVD to really stretch the legs of my new system, and impress me even more?

One happy bunny.
Rich
 
Try Blade 2 - it rocks!
 
Hello there.

I'm having a problem finding some speakers too, and reading this topic, I can see that the Acoustic Energy Evo 3, has gotten some amazing reviews?

How do you thing it is with Harman Kardon 3550?

Mainly to be used for Heavy Metal and rock, could it work with that?

Are you still very satisfied with them desmondo?
 
Just unpacked the EVO 3's and centre - the 3's hooked up to my old trusty Pioneer Stereo amp sound amazing - im very impressed (out of the box, with an older mid-range DVD player a source, and a 20 year old amp)!

Still have to run them in and get the rest of the system parts together -but once i do i'll report back on what i find. Already thinking about a future stereo amp upgrade to go with the Marantz SR5400 to give stereo playback better quality - must calm down - im skint!

May take a while as i've just moved into my new house and the floors upstairs and down are like the highland mountains - im not going to be able to lay laminate/underlay for a while yet - where's my baseball bat & wheres that site manager...

Hope all you guys have found the speakers you're looking for, my initial impressions are that the AE Aegis EVO 3's are definately a good buy.

Cheers, Mark.
 
I'm thinking in a SR5400 with this system:

MA Silver S2
MA Bronze central
MA Bronze B1 rear

Maybe a Sub - Rel Quake

What do you think?
 
Falp,

Looks like a good setup, REL's are well renowned (im still looking into gettting an SVS - but i've had enuff courier hassles and damaged goods recently), the MA Bronze range has been praised plenty of times in the press, haven't seen much about the Silver S2's before - look like a quality pair of stand mounter (good stands needed). I considered going for stand mounts after a number of comments regarding bass extention vs dynamics and quality (regarding the extra costs for building large floorstander cabinets & bracing), but my eye-candy fascination won over and i got the EVO 3's (always wanted black monolith-like floorstanders).
There seems to be a good argument for spending your hard earned on stand mounts & stands if your building a system with a sub. As for the SR5400, it seems to have been coupled with plenty of different peices of kit judging by the posts i read through on here b4 buying (got a good deal of £240 from Richer Sounds
:D ), not heard any worrying reports yet. I've only used mine for a short time (house move) but i was impressed with the sound, useability and looks. Only thing is - give it plenty of room to breath, it gets damned hot (Marantz advise 8 inches space top and sides!).
I'd be interested to hear how you got on with the Silver 2's as they appear to be a very good speakers.

AlexS,

Haven't heard the EVO 3's with Harman kit, i've only got mine plugged up to an old Pioneer stereo amp at the moment. Haven tried any heavy stuff yet (my CD's are packed away somewhere), i could only find a few old singles - i aint gonna embaress myself by naming some of them songs :eek:
Did give it a shot with some chillies (californication single) - good impact, strong low end and no screeching top end like my old wharefdales. Won't know they're full potential till they're run in and partnered up with all the other 'right' equipment for my system. Judging by all the press and end user reports, you'd be hard to go wrong with the EVO's.
Is there a demo room near you that may let you listen to your choices partnered up?

Best of luck to both of you (we all need it ;-)

Suppose i'd better get back to working...

Mark.
 

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