flip550 Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Hey all, looking at starting my HT setup next week, and want to know if the pieces i'm looking at fit together. I'm after heavy bass/good quality mainly for music but also movies(through pc, and also PS3), everything ive read on these LSK F6's are only good reviews, and coming from someone who thought a $50 Logitech 2.1 sounded pretty good to me... i cant wait to hear these. My setup for the last 7 years: onboard sound XMS $200 5.1 amp bought like 10 years ago. some Akai speakers that came with a stereo my olds bought in the 1990's. I remember about 5 years ago, hearing a mates system and it was heaven, he had a set of Jamo D 165's for his mains, which he is now selling, but after reading reviews, they just are just ment for big bass, and big sound? well he's offering $350 and a chance to audition them before i buy. what do you's think? Setup looking to buy. Onkyo tx-sr608 7.1 amp ($720us from Hivizone) LSK F6's or Jamo D 165's Emotiva XPA-5 This is all for now, I'll buy the rest of the speakers after tax time, also would i need a DAC? i see the Onkyo amp has one built in, still dont really understand what they are/do. And 90% of the source will be coming from my PC, 50/50 music/movies Thanks a bunch. Jeffrey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 G'day Jeff, Welcome- I'd definitely wait til you have the other gear, then hook your mates' speakers up at your place and see how they sound. You may like them, you may not, but that will be the only way to be sure whether they suit you and your room. It may also help steer you in the right direction for speakers (if the Jamo don't do it for you). The DAC in the receiver will be adequate, but probably not stellar. Again, set it up and listen for yourself after you have decided on speakers. If you think it is lacking, then perhaps think about a stand alone DAC. Where's "no" by the way? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flip550 Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Yeah i will be buying the av receiver first, but its a bit hard to hear a pair of LSK's first as they are not in many shops, but all i've read is good reviews. DAC stands for digital to analogue converter? why does it need to convert? the source from my pc is digital? why cant it stay digital the whole way? this is what im not understading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Yeah i will be buying the av receiver first, but its a bit hard to hear a pair of LSK's first as they are not in many shops, but all i've read is good reviews. DAC stands for digital to analogue converter? why does it need to convert? the source from my pc is digital? why cant it stay digital the whole way? this is what im not understading. Simply because speakers are not digital devices- they can only reproduce an analogue signal. So somewhere along the line it must be converted, and I think the easiest point to do this is before any amplification stages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelennor Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Since you're planning on an XPA-5 anyway, why not consider using Emotiva's UMC-1 processor instead of an AV receiver? I'm using one quite successfully with my LSK setup (F6/C6/S250), and it sounds great to my ears. You may find that the DAC in the UMC-1 is good enough that you can get away without an external one. I definitely noticed an improvement in 2 channel going from Marantz SR-4200 to the UMC-1, and Marantz has a solid track record in 2 channel performance with their receivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick69 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 Firstly - Read up on the Specs of that Onkyo AV receiver. http://www.onkyousa.com/model.cfm?m=TX-SR608&class=Receiver&p=i The 608 has NO Pre-outs for L/C/R so it would be pointless to get it and the Emotiva XPA-5 together. As far as i'm aware you have to go up to the TX-SR 708 in order to get 7.1 pre-outs (possibly see if they have the 707 from last year and get a discount). So really your 1st question is - Should i get the Onkyo TX-SR708, the Emotiva UMC1 or possibly something else? After that then ask your mate if you can borrow his speakers for a week and see if they work for you. If they work you just saved $430 bucks. If they dont you can then consider ordering the F6's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Spencer Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 It's been a while since I've heard LSK speakers, but I found them to be good for the price. I'd probably go the Emotiva processor + power amps as well. An alternative is to get a 2nd hand AV receiver for around $450 with pre outs then add a power amp for the mains - Behringer A500. Not as impressive but the price is nice. If you want some serious bass then I'd suggest a DIY sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flip550 Posted January 27, 2011 Author Share Posted January 27, 2011 thanks for the replies, i was this close to buying the 608 last week, lucky something came up, n i couldnt afford it. hmm i dont really like the look of the umc-1, but then again its got a better dac.. would i save money if i shipped the emotiva gear together? how much is that aus import tax? would i be better buying separate? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverWolf Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 (edited) If it's the silver trims on the sides you don't like on the Emotiva gear they just unscrew, some folks prefer the "all black" look while others often make custom trims or even complete faces. To answer the other question it would cost more to have both the UMC-1 and XPA-5 shipped together as shipping costs are the same either way but you will pay import duties and GST if bring them in together. To work out how much check the Australian customs website but from memory it's 5% duty on the purchase price of the goods (in AUD) and then 10% GST on the whole total (including the shipping/insurance and customs duty). I'd go with the LSK's, good value there and decent sound or look at other options but I'd leave the Jamo's alone if it were me. Very bloated in the bottom end and they have horrid little grills infront of the dome tweeters that deflect directly down at the ground and mids quite veiled as well, they were a popular mass made speaker in the 80's by Jamo for teenagers. Jamo do make some good loudspeakers but the "D" series were not HiFi but that said have a listen to them (as well as other speakers) and see what you think. In the end all that really matters is that YOU like what YOUR listening to and not what others suggest or tell you. The little behringer A500 is a nice amp for the money and does a good job unless you like listening to piano which they don't do too well with. Edited January 28, 2011 by Mitcon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Spencer Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 Wayne, Piano is something I find annoying. A lot of recordings make it sound like there is a piano the width of the room! I don't know too much about making recordings, but it seems they are usually close miked so it doesn't surprise me they sound like they do. Who enjoys listening to a piano with your head inside it? Out into the room, where it has a sense of location in space with some room reverberation, it sounds more natural. Seems to me they should be recorded that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverWolf Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 I know what you mean Paul and I agree mate though I do enjoy a bit of Nina though I think thats more for that moddy yet elegant voice of hers than the Piano. I do like Piano but can't remember once single bit of music I have bought simply for the enojyment of that instrument. Sorry to wander off-topic folks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flip550 Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 Finally an update! Ordered a UMC-1 which I'll get in less than a week, being super excited i decided to go audition some speakers at Carlton audio visual today, as LSK have basically disappeared, i said i wouldn't impulse buy but.... auditioned 5ish different speakers, liked the rx6's but wanted a bit more, and ended up going with the Monitor Audio rx8's which were $2800, but got for $2200! And will order the xpa-5 tomorrow, cant wait! if anyone has bought a xpa-5, how much was shipping? when i ordered the umc-1, i accidently sent two enquires, and two seperate staff replied, one quoting 110 for shipping, the other 140! Also what cables would i need to connect the pre/pro to the xpa-5? would it just be rca cables? Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverWolf Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 Yep, just RCA cables for the interconnections..I'd suggest buying some decent RCA cables if you don't already have some but there's no need to spend silly money on them, as for shipping costs on the XPA-5 amp it'll be around $200. The amp is a monster and boxed would weigh over 40kg, exciting times ahead. I bet you can't wait to get it all set-up for a listen lol, enjoy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flip550 Posted July 3, 2011 Author Share Posted July 3, 2011 Thanks for that, are the RCA cables from emotivas website good enough? And yep feels like I'm 10 again and it's Christmas! Haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverWolf Posted July 3, 2011 Share Posted July 3, 2011 The Emotiva RCA cables are fine, I have them myself (had a voucher so used it to try their cables). I use the basic Ultra series RCA leads for my HT connections (except HDMI which I use X-series) and for all my stereo interconnects I use the X-series RCA leads. I'm very happy with all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pelennor Posted July 6, 2011 Share Posted July 6, 2011 Finally an update!Ordered a UMC-1 which I'll get in less than a week, being super excited i decided to go audition some speakers at Carlton audio visual today, as LSK have basically disappeared, i said i wouldn't impulse buy but.... auditioned 5ish different speakers, liked the rx6's but wanted a bit more, and ended up going with the Monitor Audio rx8's which were $2800, but got for $2200! And will order the xpa-5 tomorrow, cant wait! if anyone has bought a xpa-5, how much was shipping? when i ordered the umc-1, i accidently sent two enquires, and two seperate staff replied, one quoting 110 for shipping, the other 140! Also what cables would i need to connect the pre/pro to the xpa-5? would it just be rca cables? Thanks in advance I think RCA cable wise you'll be happy with any decent quality cable. You're going to be in for a treat once it all arrives and you've got it set up... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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