Bookshelfs required immediately - Please help

[saketb]

I'm in need for a pair of bookshelf speakers for my onkyo tx-sr508 receiver. Currently using the onkyo 528 which is a 120watts per channel speakers.

My primary requirement is to get atleast 120watts speakers. I would be using the current onkyo fronts as Front Highs.

As, I am new in selection for a compatible speakers, I request all forum members to suggest me narrow down my selection from the below speakers.

Any suggestion for other speaker brands would be welcome.

1. Polk Audio RTi A3 (150watts) (8ohms)
2. Polk Audio TSi 200 (150watts)
3. Wharfedale Diamond 9.2 (100watts)
4. Wharfedale Diamond 10.2 (100watts)

 

[imgene]

Check out MS Aviano 2, they are very close match for Wharfedale 10.2. It has a broad range to offer as compared to 10.2.

 

[elangoas]

I'm in need for a pair of bookshelf speakers for my onkyo tx-sr508 receiver. Currently using the onkyo 528 which is a 120watts per channel speakers.

My primary requirement is to get atleast 120watts speakers. I would be using the current onkyo fronts as Front Highs.

As, I am new in selection for a compatible speakers, I request all forum members to suggest me narrow down my selection from the below speakers.

Any suggestion for other speaker brands would be welcome.

1. Polk Audio RTi A3 (150watts) (8ohms)
2. Polk Audio TSi 200 (150watts)
3. Wharfedale Diamond 9.2 (100watts)
4. Wharfedale Diamond 10.2 (100watts)

Look at the speaker sensitivity (db) rating rather than power handling.

 

[saketb]

Look at the speaker sensitivity (db) rating rather than power handling.

You said speaker sensitivity - should it be lower or higher????
And won't the speakers (100watts) damage if using a receiver of 160watts????

 

[Latheesh]

Take your receiver and visit

PRO-FX - MG road - you can audition Polk there
VECTORS - Brigade road - for Wharf

and see which one you really want!

 

[Bluu]

You said speaker sensitivity - should it be lower or higher????
And won't the speakers (100watts) damage if using a receiver of 160watts????

Speaker sensitivity has to match with the amp.

Speakers can only get damaged if you play them at full volume. 160w is a LOT of power. You will never be able to listen to them at full volume. I suggest you do the auditions as mentioned by Latheesh instead of bothering with watts and sensitivity.

 

[kaptan]

Look at the speaker sensitivity (db) rating rather than power handling.

Just for knowledge sensitivity need to be high or less

 

[deepakgang]

More sensitivity means less power required for the same loudness level. So more sensitivity is better from a driving point of view. eg, a 100 w amp can excite a 90 db sensitive speaker to produce same loudness as a 200 w amp driving a 87 db sensitive speaker..
every 3 db increase in loudness needs twice as much power.. you can search here for more techinical details.

 

[elangoas]

You said speaker sensitivity - should it be lower or higher????
And won't the speakers (100watts) damage if using a receiver of 160watts????

Higher sensitivity (db) rating of the speakers means easy for the amplifier to drive the speakers. If you haven't heard of Mission speakers, you can consider their M series (90 + db Sensitivity). They are also good speakers.

I have owned an Onkyo receiver in the past and i can firmly say they are not as powerful as the specs that you have mentioned. Now this 160W power is 1 channel driven. Not all channels driven. So it should produce roughly around 35wpc - 50wpc when all the 7 channels are driven.

Wharfedale Diamond 9 series are good speakers. They have a sensitivity around 86db. They need very good power from the amplifier to get the best results.

 

[kaptan]

So 92 db speakers are better for any amp

 

[elangoas]

So 92 db speakers are better for any amp

Definetly yes.

 

[anm]

I think speaker design is all about compromises, in fact almost everything is that way. If it is more sensitive, it MAY also be too sensitive to noise etc.
Klipsch has high sensitivity speakers.

 

[HTuser]

If you are planning to use the new Book Shelf speakers with Onkyo 528 for a longer period, buy speakers similar to the one on 528 series. Even a Onkyo Surround speaker SKR 4700 will do.
Otherwise center and surrounds will not match with the new Front L/R BS speakers.

For e.g if you buy RTi A3 and use along with 528, the effects in L/R will overpower the voice coming through the Center. You will end up selling 528 and buying center and surrounds in the RTi series.

In case you listen to music in stereo mode using the new BS speakers select them according to that. But for movies speakers in the same series is recommend for better surround effect.

In case you are planning to sell 528 and buy new set of 5.1 speakers, you can audition many speakers and choose the one you like.
There are more options when it comes to speakers
Polk Audio
Wharfdale
Monitor Audio
Q Acoustics
Tannoy
KEF
....

You need to choose based on your budget and listening preferences.

 

[deepakgang]

correct. it all depends on what you want and wha tthe speaker could be used for. engineers can make a speaker more sensitive. but there are other factors.
high sensitive speakers will make the whole music sound louder.. so if you enjoy rock and metal and if you use a 102 spl speaker with a 200w amplifier .. you and your neighbours all will be horrified to listen it again. it might be best suited for jazz and soft music.

so consider sensitivity when you have a low power amp .. but still most suggest to go for 90+ or atleast 86+ sensitivity... there are great sounding speakers which have 85 db sensitivity but just that they need a powerful amp
that along with TDH or the harmonic distortion < 0.1 % will ensure you have pretty clean sound

 

[sarge_in]

Sensitivity is just one piece of the puzzle. Within a decent range, say 86-87db upwards, concentrate more on how the speaker sounds, as each speaker sounds quite different.

 

[mridulgoel]

Dear Saket

Check the :
Q Acoustics 2010 (15w - 75w RMS @ 6 Ohms) - Rs.13,100
Q Acoustics 2020 (25w - 75w RMS @ 6 Ohms) - Rs.15,900

Should match your setup. You can visit the showroom and demo the same...

 

[saketb]

Thanks a lot everyone for suggesting and giving so much information.

Is it okay if I change my fronts first and then go for the centre and then the surrounds in a staggered manner. I think the powered sub (onkyo 150watts) what I've is good enough, so I save here.

Looks like the Polk Audio RTi A3 is good. The price quoted is about 20,500/- for a pair.

Any suggestions on this.

 

[Bluu]

Is it okay if I change my fronts first and then go for the centre and then the surrounds in a staggered manner.

Looks like the Polk Audio RTi A3 is good. The price quoted is about 20,500/- for a pair.

Any suggestions on this.

Yes, if you need to, you can definitely take the step-by-step route. Have you heard the Polk's? Reviews say they are good and for most part, you cannot go wrong with Polk but only you can decide if they sound good to you. You can ask ProFX for a home demo. A friend of mine had the KEF IQ90s with him for a week so the RTis should not be an issue.

Else, you can take your AVR to the showroom for a demo. I cannot comment about the pricing.

 

[saketb]

Now that I've finalised the Polk Audio RTi A3, there are certain setting I would like to know before I commit on the product.

As, the onkyo tx-sr508 has only 1 setting for the crossover, i.e., for the front channel speakers. If I change it as per the RTi A3 (cone size: 16.51 cm) will it affect the other onkyo speakers (centre, surround back & front heights) which have a cone size: 8 cm & a frequency response of 80 Hz-20 kHz, as they are small or satellites.

As per the manual its mentioned to set the crossover frequency as below. If I go as per the manual I need to set the frequency of my onkyo speakers (cone size) at 150 Hz.

Over 8in. (20cm) - 40/50/60 Hz
6-1/2 to 8in (16 to 20cm) - 80 Hz
5-1/4 to 6-1/2in (13 to 16cm) - 100 Hz
3-1/2 to 5-1/4in (9 to 13cm) - 120 Hz
Under 3-1/2in (9cm) - 150/200 Hz

The RTiA3's Overall Frequency Response is mentioned as 40Hz-27kHz, so what happens if I select 40Hz in the crossover frequency setting of the receiver?

Its a little confusing subject here.... kindly help on this matter.

 

[gobble]

A more commonly recommended match is for amp power to be 1.5x to 2x speaker continuous rating. So a 60W to 80W speaker is recommended.

--G