Axiom Home Page Forums General Discussion Home Theater Emotiva LPA-1 vs Do-all recievers in $$$ class

Wow. Fantastic performance from an $800 integrated receiver.

I really don't think there is anything wrong with the 2600 - at -6db on the volume control, you've most likely hit the max output and are clippping. What was the input level/voltage from the source DVD? My Yamaha (albeit a much lower model) only goes to 0dB max, not +20dB. I thought the 2600 was the same. Driving the M80's, I can only go up to about -10db, and it starts to clip. At that point, I've either reached the max output of the transistors, and/or the max voltage available from the power supply. I've got it set to 8ohm, and the thing has NEVER shut down. (But I back it off when I hear it clip)

Randy was dealing with the same thing with his Emo - but it's design just shut it down before it would clip. We're just hitting the max output available AT that certain load and input voltage.

Another thing I've noticed is that even though my Denon would also go to +20 on the volume knob, that was only if all my speakers were set to 0dB. Say I had my 80's calibrated to +6dB in the receiver setup. Then the highest I can go with the volume is +14dB (20dB - 6dB).

So even though you have your volume at -6dB for movies, you potentially could be at higher levels for any given speaker that is calibrated with higher dB levels than 0dB.

Perhaps I didn't properly describe my problem, but my problem isn't that major, after all I've had this configuration for almost a year. The problems I'm having are much more subtle than that, like I said, volumes aren't that high, but the high frequencies are slightly harsh, dialog can be irritating on certain sources, for example, on Letters From Iwo Jima, just about every line of dialog is very harsh. Other movies, like Star Wars III have a slightly harsh hiss on S's.

JC from axiom suggested to use the yammie cinema EQ, but I have no idea how to make those adjustments. JC also assured me that the LPA-1 will give me a cleaner sound than the yammie despite the lower power rating.

Like every neophyte audioholic, I'm just looking for ways to increase the performance of my system, given the high regard of the epic 60-500 system, I'm hoping to hear what people in some of these topics and in the reviews hear. I don't believe I've quite gotten there yet.

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I rarely watch movies at more than -6db but even at that point high frequencies are harsh and it quickly becomes fatiguing.

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This is not a problem with the electronics.
Either the volume is too loud in such case anyone's ears tire after awhile, or you are not enjoying the tweeter section as much as you once did.
Although it can be considered blasphemy by some, a 1-2dB dip in some of the upper end spectrum can 'sound' nicer on the ears. This is what i found with the Monitor Audio speakers that i auditioned.

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a 1-2dB dip in some of the upper end spectrum can 'sound' nicer on the ears.

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Good point. Axiom can send you some resistors for your tweeters that will attenuate them as john mentioned.

How do I do that? Axiom can send me what?

Call and ask them about the resistors, they do indeed have them.

drew88,
I found the output of the Axiom tweeter to be a bit 'hard' on my ears. Yes i could use the harsh or bright words, {did i just say that out loud?}, so Joe had suggested and sent out a resistor to place just before the tweeters to knock down their signal by a dB or two.
I personally found it integrated better with midrange and put the two more into SPL sync (i.e., my ears were not as fatigued over time). I have resistors on the tweeters for the M60s and VP150.

As far as i could tell (in a blind test with my M60s, one with and one w/o the resistor), it did nothing to the quality of the sound. Now only some horrible or bright recordings pierce the ears. I'm still bitter at the terrible quality of U2- Joshua Tree.