Originally Posted By: BigHonu

How are PLIIx/DSX working out for you? Any more thoughts/observations?


So far I can say w/o a doubt I don't like PLIIz or either DSX height/wides
for most music with the one exception being large outdoor concerts where the
wides are more realistic in their envelopment.

For movies it's still pretty much a coin toss whether the heights or wides
are better but both beat out the rears in my situation. However, I have
been doing some experimenting in anticipation of getting the curtains and
"finalizing" my setup and what I've found so far is pretty straight forward.

Heights - preferred uses: Games and some movies but not music.

Great for ambient sounds like echoes, wind and rain, really impressive when
it happens.

Have slightly more impact when the L/C/R below a large screen.

Generally creates a wall-of-sound effect but coming only from the front.
Can seem tunnel like the farther back the seats.


Wides - preferred uses: Movies and some music (large concerts).

Great for ambient sounds normally occurring on the horizontal plane like
street noise and machinery which happens more often, but not as impressive
as when the heights kick in.

Have more effect the smaller the angle between the mains and the wider the
angle between the wides.

Occasionally throws a directional queue distractingly off the screen.

Cause a sharp rise in volume during some video games when planning off
center.

Don't seem to smooth hard pans from the mains to the surrounds much if at
all.

Occasionally anticipates the arrival of action coming from off screen L/R
but not back to front.

Generally creates a more enveloping soundstage seeming more immersive more
often.

Unfortunately the way the Onkyo 3007 is set up I can't switch easily between
the PLIIz and DSX heights as it requires cycling through all the various
options or switching between modes like "cinema," "music," "game" and "THX."
However, switching between heights and wides in DSX is a simple double
button push.

Note: in all cases I've been testing the heights and wides at the
appropriate angles while I have OTOH been moving the mains around trying
different locations. Also, I've used the default volume settings for the
height and wides. Dolby at least and maybe DSX allows a way to boost or
drop the gain of the heights w/o directly changing the speakers calibration.
I've been limiting some testing and evaluation pending the installation of
my curtains since they will have a huge sonic impact on my room.

 Originally Posted By: BigHonu

70lb curtains?!!! You may need some kind of heavy duty pulley system to open
and close those puppies!


I was a little shocked at how heavy they are, however they will cover both
side walls and the front wall when closed.


3M80 2M22 6QS8 2M2 1EP500 Sony BDP-S590 Panny-7000 Onkyo-3007 Carada-134 Xbox Buttkicker AS-EQ1