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Cambridge Soundworks Ensemble - Page 2

post #16 of 27
10/31/04 at 9:04pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by comabereni
Hey Mike. Ideally, the MMGs would be mounted right on the wall, or stand only 6" to 8" off the wall. I am definitely using a sub no matter what I choose.

What do you think-- is that too close?


Wodgy,

Same question about the Atoms--if I'm using a sub, how much back clearance would they need?

In summary, does having limited back clearance just kill the sound quality of these speakers, or is it mostly a bass limited problem I can correct with a subwoofer?
Thanks.
Check out the MMG-W, they are wall mounted for home theater applications. They are on Manepan.com. There is also an MMG-C, center channel available.
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post #17 of 27
11/1/04 at 1:48am
Quote:
Originally Posted by comabereni
Same question about the Atoms--if I'm using a sub, how much back clearance would they need?
Ideally, about 1.5-2 feet. The Atoms are pretty good in that they're not too deep. (There are some ludicrous "bookshelf" speakers out there that are both deep and need to be placed far out from the wall, in many cases making them less practical than narrow floorstanders.)

Quote:
In summary, does having limited back clearance just kill the sound quality of these speakers, or is it mostly a bass limited problem I can correct with a subwoofer?
Too close to the back wall generally means too much bass. It doesn't really kill the sound quality though, at least in my experience, certainly not as much as being too close to the side walls. Being offset from the side walls makes a huge difference and is very important.
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post #18 of 27
11/1/04 at 2:16am
comabereni,

You didn't specify what type of TV you have, but even if you have one of the hang-on-the-wall LCD/plasma TV, you will need to pull the left/right channel speakers out from the same plane as your screen in order to maximize their performance. Otherwise, that screen will become one giant reflector for the sound of your left/right speakers. If you are pulling your speakers out from the wall, then anywhere from 12 inches to 24 inches will be fine.
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post #19 of 27
11/1/04 at 3:03am
In my experience, the farther you can get from the rear wall the better, with all the speakers I have had. It really helps the image depth, something that simply isn't as pronounced in headphone listening. We're talking inches for headphones vs. feet for speakers. Having things inbetween the speakers like a tv or whatnot is also deadly in my experience.

Of course, with atoms...I'm not altogether sure how much image depth you can possibly get with them in the first place. Same can be said about most commercial speakers in this price range, I suppose.
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post #20 of 27
11/1/04 at 11:10am
Thread Starter 
Neat. Looks like I'm good any way I decide (MMG-W, or Atoms).

I could move Atoms a little farther apart so they fire back into built-in bookcases 20" deep, or if use MMG's, mount them more closely together so they don't overhang the bookcases. The television is completely above and behind and nothing is in the way between the front speakers. Finally, I can keep either speaker choice a couple feet from the side walls.

Thanks everyone.
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post #21 of 27
11/3/04 at 3:04am
Thread Starter 

Paradigm Atoms

I bought the last non-used pair of Paradigm Atoms in Utah. They are white v.2's and were set up as rear channels at Broadway Music. The store manager reluctantly accepted my offer of $140 incl. tax. He also tried very hard to sell me a pair of Titans for $229, but my research said the Atoms are better, especially since I plan to use a sub. It's too late tonight to take them for a spin since the family is asleep, so I won't know how they sound with my equipment, here in my home until tomorrow morning.

Does anyone have an amplifier, amp/dac suggestion in the $500-$1,000 range (used is okay) to power the Atoms (prefer tubes/tube-like sound)? I am committed to using a PC music server as a source--will ultimately be running lossless compression from a low-noise Via Epia mini-ITX based machine with an upscale soundcard, but all I have for an amp at the moment is an aging mid-fi Pioneer receiver (VSX-5400).

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. Also, it appears there are no Magnepan dealers in Utah. The manager at Broadway, one of a small handful of high-end audio dealers in the state, said no one had even asked him about Maggies in 5 years. He told me that if it weren't for Paradigm products, he would probably be out of business by now. From what I can tell, it seems local-only audio shops are struggling to stay in business, probably due to mail order and the Internet. Those that remain appear to specialize in custom audio and home-automation installations.
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post #22 of 27
11/3/04 at 3:15am
I think the MMGs are only available direct from MMG anyway.

Congrats on the atoms! I really hope that they're as good as the reviewers say.

Have you considered a digital receiver, sharp, panny, or jvc? They would save you a bundle if you like their sound. The Panny is supposed to be pretty mean with a digital input.
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post #23 of 27
11/3/04 at 3:24am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ooheadsoo
I think the MMGs are available direct from MMG anyway.

Congrats on the atoms! I really hope that they're as good as the reviewers say.
I hope I like them too. I doubt I'll know their potential (cheap as they are) until I bring my music server on-line and do something different for amplification.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ooheadsoo
Have you considered a digital receiver, sharp, panny, or jvc? They would save you a bundle if you like their sound. The Panny is supposed to be pretty mean with a digital input.
I haven't considered anything yet. It's been almost a decade since I shopped loudspeaker equipment--too many other things going on in my life.
I'll take a look at digital receivers. Regarding the 'panny', are you referring to Panasonic?. What specific model do you recommend?

Remember that I'm spoiled on quality sound from headphones now, so I'm going to be hard to satisfy .

Thanks,

-coma
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post #24 of 27
11/3/04 at 3:37am
(oops I meant that the mmgs are available ONLY from magnepan direct.)

Yes, Panasonic XR-25, 45, 50, and the not released 70. The 45 and 25 are discontinued, the 50 is the only current model.

As for sound quality, the speakers are pretty important, so I was a bit bewildered that you chose the atoms...

I use a JVC and am plenty happy. It beats my old amplification chain which was composed of a diy tube preamp ($500) and an old 80s NAD power section ($200 used) and the JVC wins without a doubt in my mind. It costs 1/2-1/3. Some may prefer the Panasonic.
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post #25 of 27
11/3/04 at 3:55am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ooheadsoo
(oops I meant that the mmgs are available ONLY from magnepan direct.)

Yes, Panasonic XR-25, 45, 50, and the not released 70. The 45 and 25 are discontinued, the 50 is the only current model.

As for sound quality, the speakers are pretty important, so I was a bit bewildered that you chose the atoms...

I use a JVC and am plenty happy. It beats my old amplification chain which was composed of a diy tube preamp ($500) and an old 80s NAD power section ($200 used) and the JVC wins without a doubt in my mind. It costs 1/2-1/3. Some may prefer the Panasonic.
Thanks ooheadsoo. I'll definitely look into your amplification suggestions/ recommendations.

The Atoms were just an easy buy since I found them available locally and they cost less than $200. They have garnered some rave reviews over the years--including one I remember saying Paradigm might be surprised when they find they are selling fewer higher end models due to how nicely the Atoms sound. I haven't read anything to suggest MMG's would completely destroy the Atoms (and especially the $300 MMG-W model that I would be choosing due to space contraints). At any rate, I still plan to pick up a pair of MMG-W's eventually and A/B them against the Atoms. Given the great reviews both have received, I'm actually expecting a 'Grado vs. Sennheiser' kind of result. And if I decide the MMG-W's are keepers, I can always get them in white cloth to match and stick these white Atoms on stands or wall mounts and use them as rear channel speakers.
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post #26 of 27
11/8/04 at 7:01pm
Have you considered the Hsu Research subs? I think they have a model for under $500 (VTF-2 Series II) that's said to be hard to beat. It has greater dynamic range and lower distortion than most of the competition.
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post #27 of 27
11/8/04 at 8:33pm
My experience with Hsu subs tell me that the are pretty darn awesome for home theater no matter how you use it. For music, getting it to blend is the tough part. If you can get it set up well, then it could be ok as well. It's all in the setup. If you can't get it set up well, you'll probably walk away with a really bad taste in your mouth.
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