Hello,

I've decided to build two separate rooms, one for movies/games and the second just for music. I have two Onkyo receivers, one a 805(7.1) and the other a 807(7.2). I also have a Rotel 1070. All three claim 130 wpc rms. My speakers are M80's, V150 and M22's, with a mixed bag for surrounds. Right now I use the Onkyo 807 to run my 7.1 set-up with the front pre-out's to the Rotel 1070 to power the M80's. With the power output being so close is this a waste of an amp? The Onkyo 805 will be used to run a 3.1 set-up using the M22's. My current sub, a Polk Audio 505, will stay with the M22's. I'm trying to decide between the EP800 or two EP500 to go with the M80's. Any thoughts on mixing or matching things better/differently?

Thanks

I'm fairly confused.

Is the 3.1 setup the "music room" system? How much will you use each system, and how critical is your listening?

I have the 805 and like it very much.

Do I understand correctly that the M80's are staying with the 807 in the theater/game system?

If you DON'T have the QS series surrounds, I highly recommend them. Highly.

I don't think you're "wasting" the Rotel.

I've often thought that - if I had it to do over again, and I were going to have a HT system and also a music-only system - I might get M22's for the HT system. I have M60's and they are great, but for primarily-video content, I think that M22's and good sub(s) would be more than adequate. Of course, if you're NOT going to be using the music-only system for critical listening, the M80's would be utterly wasted there. I guess my point is that the M80's without a sub would be a wonderful 2-channel system. You need a sub for HT and for the M22's, so maybe that's a good match.

As to the "which subs" question, it depends on how much you want to spend, how big your room is, and how many seats you need to cover.

So, I guess I need more info to have much of an opinion, but I certainly envy your resources and flexibility.

Michael, I think that I followed, and the first comment would be that the 807 should have no problem handling that setup alone, but also using the 1070 there wouldn't be a "waste" unless you had some useful alternate purpose for it.

Next, if you're indicating that the room "just for music" will be only 3.1, I'd strongly suggest that you consider instead a 5.1(or even 4.1)setup. My listening is overwhelmingly music and I'd never listen using only front speakers if surrounds were available. Extracting the natural surround ambience that was mixed into the front channels in 2-channel source material(there was no place else to put it)using a mode such as DPLII significantly increases the realism and enjoyment in listening to music. QS surrounds for this room(and the other as well)would be suggested.

As for the subs, the ability to place two subs properly to minimize the effect of room bass modes, basically at the mid-points of opposing side or front and back walls, or in diagonally opposite corners, would be the better arrangement in my view.

Outlaw Audio is selling the LFM-1EX on sale for $549 till next week. You could get 4 of those which will spank a single EP800 and give you smoother bass all around.

You say that like being spanked is a bad thing.

i am currently using a EP600 and a JBL 8" sub together... They work well.. Many times you can't even tell the JBL is plugged in.. However, if you do unplug it you can tell a slight difference. The 600 is so much more powerful in my case that the 600 pretty much controls the "sound" and the JBL is there just to add a few DB's to the room.

This whole problem comes from the wife not wanting to "sit in the basemnet". I should clarifie the music only room doesn't mean a room just for music. It will be the great room on the main floor, it just won't be used for watching movies. She won't let me do two full HT set-ups. I'm leaning towards keeping the M80's for the music room and the M22's + sub for the movie room. As for the resources, almost everything but the M80's have come from http://www.canuckaudiomart.com. Thanks for the replys!