Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Seperates owners

What is your setup for Pre/Pro and amp.
And what are your thought on them.

I am looking at a few possiblities
1) Emotive MPS1
2) 1 x 3ch and 2 x 2 ch amps
3) 4 x 2ch where I am thinking of running a dual centre channel
and finally
4) 7 or 8 mono blocks

I don't want a 7 channel amp as I may as well go with a A/V Reciever. Although Denon's 4306 or 4806/7 would be nice

I have used the Outlaw 990/7125 combo for about one year. I know that you are not as interested in 7-channel amps, but this one will power anything Axiom makes, and you could get this combo cheaper than a 4306, IIRC. Mine is hooked up to an Epic 80/500 system in 5:1 in my home theater and a pair of W3s in my hobby room.

I've got the components in an Ikea glass-front cabinet and cut out most of the back for ventilation. I've never had to use a fan, as they run warm, never hot. I've listened to movies as loud as the wife would let me (-25dB). I've briefly listened to music at 0 dB, but extended play at -20 dB is more frequent and not a problem on the system or my ears.

I'm not qualified to write audiophile reviews, but to me the sound is clean and detailed. The sound stage, if I'm using that right, is really impressive on SACDs and DVD-As, where I would swear that I'm at a live performance.

I'm sure that the monoblock guys will chime in soon ...

Denon 2805 as a prepro driving my center and 4 Qs8's and using preout to my EP600

2 Odyssey Khartago Mono Extreme's driving my M80's

ps: I owned an MPS-1 for 3 months and it would keep shutting down when combined with my 80's at levels that it should not based on specs. just my opinion.

Mr. Quack... a report on the Odysseys please!

Rotel RB 1080 with a Rotel RC 1070 preamp.

So far I'm very impressed with these amps. I know the skeptics won't believe me, but I can truely hear a difference compared to my Denon alone, or even the Emotiva MPS-1 at higher levels.

It was pretty obvious to me.

Any shut downs yet?

never mind gogl'd them

they are up there in Price alittle too much

Not even close Rick, they just keep on a going just like the energizer bunny.

I do need to figure out something with my AV opening as I really don't have a lot of ventilation. Since these are A A/B amps, even at idle they are in A mode and generate more heat. As they migrate to A/B mode when listening to music, they get cooler. My top amp is warmer than the bottom since the bottom amp heat filters up through it...

Look here

If you consider what your getting on the inside, they are not to much.

No, I don't doubt that, but for a 3ch and two 2ch's at $5000 cdn it is double what I want to spend.I figure at $2500 - $3000 I can get away with her giving me a disgusted ...your frickin crazy look..... and I think with the Axiom's a HSU or two and a denon as a pre pro I am gettting away pretty good. We won't go the drum route yet ,if she ever puts two and two together I could be kissin A&& for a while. She probably does but, I guess that why I drive a 91' escort and she drives a 04' sunfire so I figure we're even in the end.

But seriously I need to put limits on this and $3000 is the most I want to spend.... I am also going to put out $2500 - $3000 in a few years for a pre/pro.

wouldn't it be sweet if axiom comes out with $2995 on their amp

I have a Denon 2105 (90W/channel) driving 7 speakers and my EP600 in my 4,000 cubic foot room. I paid $Can350 a few years ago for it. In my opinion, this is all anyone should ever need in "normal" home theater environments (no flaming on my opinion please ). Someday, I may get a $3,000 amp to impress my friends even more .

My mono's are just to drive my 80's, no real reason I need more amps for the other speakers. Ok, maybe the center some day, however, my Denon does just fine with the other 5 speakers.

For about $1500 I have basically an equivelent to a $7-8,000 Symphonic Line amp, not to shaby and my 80's have never sounded so good.

Axiom man, I'm using the rotel combo which is 1075 amp and 1068 pre/pro. I love the combo and I can truly hear a difference over my denon 2803 receiver since I moved into another house with much bigger square footage. The denon was fine, but it started clipping when I played at high volumes, but with the rotel I can play it all day and it sounds very clean. I think the whole combo was near $3000 which is better than paying $3000 for a flagship receiver.

I'm a huge Rotel fan as well. You wouldn't be disappointed with these products ereed has mentioned. That being said, they would cost much more than Emotiva or Outlaw.

I'm using an Adcom GTP 880 prepro and 2 carver m-400t 2ch amps. I was using one side of a carver tfm-35 for the center, but it's in for service at the moment so I'm running phantom center. I bought one of the m-400t's new in 1985 when 200 wpc was not so common. I had never had more than 15 wpc and was tired of running out of amp- problem solved. The carvers produce ZERO heat, they are far and away the coolest running components I own. If I was buying new today, the axiom amp would be my first consideration, followed by Rotel, Adcom, Oddesy, etc. If you're a careful shopper you can score some spectacular 2ch amps used. The Carver m-1.5t was $1k in 1985 and considered a bargain new, you can get a nice one used for less than half that. Same with other brands.

Glad to hear you're enjoying your new amps! It's good news that there are no shutdown issues. It seems your amp 'odyssey' is over!


If you remember a few weeks ago you said:

Quote:

---

Good point Rick, and one I've been wanting to ask as well. Seems many like to reference articles and base everything on math, etc., but have they actually been involved in real world test themselves.

I'm looking at a Russound AB-2 switcher so I can jump back/forth between my Denon and Amps. I plan to invite some friends over for some tests. I'm not even going to tell them what they are testing.

---

Are you still planning this informal test? I'd be curious as to the results.

I don't have friends that come over
actually my brother is also over to see if I got something new. He will be over next month when the new HSU comes in and say how his $400 Reel 12 is a better sub.
He is already squakin that his Futureshop Athena's are better
He keep trying to up me but keeps getting worse. ex. is he went from Monitor Audio Bronze to the friggin FS Athena's

I saw that. $60 for a pair of Athena towers. I haven't heard them but if you're a poor student, how can you go wrong?

I think if I were looking for a HT separate combo, I’d save my pennies and go with the Axiom amp. For Pre/Pro, Integra is rumored to be releasing one this summer. Again, just rumors, but its MSRP is set at $1600 US.

More rumors:

Integra DTC 9.8

HMDI 1.3
THX Ultra II
Three zones
Balanced inputs
Balanced outputs
Audysey room EQ (possibly the Pro version)
Five HDMI inputs / two outputs
Plays ALL high res audio formats
Burr-Brown 1796 DAC’s for all channels
Pure DSD decoding via HDMI audio input
Two Sub Woofer outputs
Reon VX Video Processor (possibly the Realta, but unconfirmed)
HD, Sirius and XM radio tuner (can play all three on all three zones simultaneously)
3 year warrantee

Yep, I want one……

All right, yeah, that sounds pretty hot.

now that sounds like a good pre/pro ....well atleast the options are.

Looks as if these rumors might just end up being true. I've been following this thread at AVS. A picture is posted now.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=10742872#post10742872

Hmmm, I only see four HDMI inputs, not five, on the DTC-9.8. Maybe the rumor was updated. I didn't look back through. I'm thinking of pairing that up with an Emotiva LPA-1, though I'm also thinking an amp with XLR connections would be cooler. I don't know if it really results in a lower noise floor or not.

Ya, and I only see one Sub pre out too....

This is definately a Pre/Pro to keep an eye on though. Integra makes some pretty nice stuff.

Another one to keep an eye on...

NAD T175

The link specs state HDMI 1.2, but its releace has just been delayed to incorporate 1.3 along with all their new receivers. The T175 MSRP is rumored to be $2000 US. Should be on shelves in August.

http://www.digitalvideoht.it/files/NAD_T175.pdf

Does anyone know what it means that the Integra line uses "hand-picked" parts, as opposed to Onkyo not? After all, for the new Onkyo receivers, they worked with THX engineers the whole way to ensure it was all handy and dandy to the max. I guess hand-picking didn't figure into it. I may still end up with an Onkyo receiver instead of the Integra preamp. I would kind of like separates just because I've never had separates, and I'm curious, but I may not be able to see the justification on the preamp vs. receiver side. I'll still probably end up with a dedicated amplifier, though, even if I end up with a 140 watt/channel THX Ultra 2 receiver. I mean, I'll try the Emotiva, and if it doesn't seem to give me headroom I can hear, I'll send it back. Yeah, maybe I'll just get the receiver and TRY the amp. That will probably satisfy my curiosity more than getting the preamp and amp together and never seeing if the dedicated amplifier is making a difference. Plus, maybe I'll save some money on a good internet deal instead of having to go through a local dealer (even though I like the local Integra dealer).

Hand-picked parts to me means that the manufacturing department calls to engineering and says "Help! I've got boards that don't meet spec...again!". The design engineer goes to the line for the umpteenth time, establishes that another marginal design has been discovered yet again and corrective action consists of screening parts that have wide margins in order to make the board work so that the company can ship to recognize revenue. The root cause is never established and preventative action is never put in place because the company is short-staffed and doesn't have a quality culture.

Is this what you wanted to hear ?

Ha ha, I don't know, but it sounds reasonable.

My setup is an Anthem AVM 20 (a bit old now and there are newer models, AVM30, 40, 50 and Statement D1 etc..) powerered with a 2 channel Anthem MC20 and a 5 channel Adcom GFA7400 amp.

I have had this setup for about 5 years now and absolutely no complaints. Love it... no reason to upgrade yet..

Cheers,

Riker

Sony TA E9000ES 5.1 processor + Anthem PVA 5 (5 channel amp), Michaura M665 fronts (like Axiom M60s), super tweeters, Axiom made Merak MC634 center (heavily modded), Mission M77ds side surrounds, Dahlquist PDQ1500 sub, Sony DVP7000.

Sound quality is wonderful.
______________________________________

Processor: Integra DTC 9.4, amps: 3 Yamaha M80s, 1 Integra M504. Fronts Thiel CS3.6, center Axiom Made Merak MC6H (modded), side surrounds, Axiom QS8s, back surrounds, Michaura M55s (like Axiom M22s), SVS sub.

Sound quality? Unbelievably good.

______________________________________

Antique Sound Labs MG S1 15DT (5 wpc SET tube integrated), Ah! Njoe Tjoeb tube output CDP, H.H. Scott Stereomaster tube tuner, Dahlquist DQM 905s and supertweeters, Velodyne CHT10.

Sound quality - heavenly.
___________________________________

Kenwood KA9100, integrated amp. Michaura M66 speakers (like Axiom M50s - but great), Vance Dickason Titanic sub, Sony CA9ES CDP.

Sound quality - terrific.

____________________________

Sonic Impact T-Amp (modded), Michaura M55 (like Axiom M22s), Klipsch LF10 sub, Sandisk MP3 player, Oppo 971 DVD player.

Sound quality? Terrific.

Oooh. Got no receivers... only separates.