Can a smart guy/gal help me?
I don’t like to be lazy, and I’ve done my research on all those things I can understand, so I’ve decided to buy a yamaha rx-v3900. For it’s price, it seems to have ALL the great features, whereas comparable denon, sony and onkyos seem to not have either HD tuner, or Ipod docking, or have fewer HDMIs etc. This receiver seems to have it all and supposedly the video processor is great to boot.
But what speaker specs should I look for? I really have no clue about OHMS, hertz, impedance, and THD. That’s just waay too technical for me and I assume most people, since most of us are not actual audio engineers.
So can someone with an idea about speaker audio help?? Here are the specs
140 watts x 7 into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.04% THD
Dolby® TrueHD, DTS-HD™ Master Audio, Dolby® Digital Plus, DTS-HD™ High Resolution Audio, Dolby® Digital EX, DTS-ES™, Pro Logic® IIx, DTS Neo:6, and SRS Circle Surround II decoding
http://www.crutchfield.com/p_022RXV3900/Yamaha-RX-V3900.html?tp=179
I’m not asking for specific speaker models, but at least a rough idea of what should I look for in the speakers themselves (front, center, sorround, surround back, and sub) so that the receiver and speakers make the most out of each other… please! I plan this as a 5+ year investment that’s why I want to buy the right products even if it’s shelling some cash for the receiver with latest features, so I don’t want to ruin it with inadequate speakers for it… Thank you.
Tagged with: audio engineers • circle surround ii • crutchfield • denon • dolby digital ex • dts neo 6 • hd tuner • hertz • high resolution • hz • impedance • ohms • pro logic • rough idea • sorround • speaker models • speaker specs • srs • thd • video processor
Filed under: Branded Docks
Since you already started at Crutchfield, I think it might be easier for you to return back there. Their info pages have some good research material on most Home Theater topics, like speaker selection:
http://www.crutchfield.com/Learn/learningcenter/home/ht_speakers.html
suggestions
1) look for speakers that are rated 8 OHMS, and a power handling that meets or exceeds the Yamaha ( 140 watts ).
2) All speakers are marketed with specs about their frequency response/range. A good rule of thumb is to have a combination of speakers that can fill a range of 20hz (bass) to 20Khz (treble). Quick pyscho-acoustics: your brain processes lower freq or bass tones as presence, depth or size, while using the high freq to detect range and position.
Essentially, a surround sound speaker package contains up to 7 channel speakers and at least 1 subwoofer.
The front and center ‘channel’ speakers should work in a range of at least 100hz, up to 22Khz. Add a subwoofer to bring in power to 20hz to 200hz. These channels form the basis of the stage in front of you (presence, size, distance, position)
The surround channel speakers should work in range of at least 200hz up to 20Khz. These channels add more sense of distance and positioning
3) If possible, check out your area stores and listen to some speakers in action.
When you research speakers designed for specific channels, note the differences in their sizes and specs. Many kits use the same size for all speakers, with the exception of the subwoofer. Other kits or systems use larger speakers for the front channels, to provide more freq range/response; surround channel speakers are usually slightly smaller
Check out Dolby’s website for info on speaker placement:
http://www.dolby.com/consumer/home_entertainment/roomlayout.html
There is more to speakers than specs, so I highly recommend to visit a few stores and LISTEN to them. Go to Magnolia or some other high-end audio store and ask questions.
cnet.com has lots of tutorial articles as well.
You should look for speakers up to 140 Watts each.
You can start with a 5.1 system (6 speakers) and then add 2 more.
Dolby’s web site has very good tutorials as well on speaker placement and sound.
your specs say your receiver is able to put out 140 watts into seven speakers. that is 140 watts each speaker. hence the x7.
8 ohms is the resistance, and 8 is standard in the USA.
20-20,000 Hz is the frequency range this receiver is able to put out.
1Hz =1 speaker vibration per second.
20-20,000 Hz is standard and is also the listening range of the human ear.
20 being the bass (slow)all the way up to 20,000 vibrations per second (very fast) for the tweeter. (high frequency)nothing special here.
0.04% THD or total harmonic distortion is the amount of hiss or ssshhh sound the reciever puts out when nothing is playing. 0.04% is next to nnothing.
i recommend a JBL surround speakers. http://www.jbl.com/home/products/product_detail.aspx?prod=SCS145.5BK&Language=ENG&Country=US&Region=USA&cat=HTS&ser=SCS you want to have speakers rated at around 100 watts to prevent any high volume distortion.
You always want you receiver to put out more than you will need for head room.
think of always driving 55 miles an hour in your car. would you buy a car to only goes up to 55 at full throttle? same with receivers. you need the head room.