how to power ESL, Motif, Motion4, dynamo1k for 5.1

3 years ago I purchased this setup...
ESL = main
Motif = Center
Motion 4 = rears
Dynamo 1000 = Sub
powered with a Pioneer Elite $1,600 receiver.

it is used 50/50 for music and movies at above avg volume.
I have never been happy with the sound.

I am now ready to throw $1,500 at the system to improve the sound.

What is your thoughts for what to get?

Anthem 225 stereo integrated amp just for electromotion ESL. Price approx. $1500

Anthem 225 has pre-amplifier output to powered subwoofer can be attached.

I think it may be possible to bridge elite receiver channels for Motion 4 rears.

Subwoofer can be attached to elite receiver that has two bridged channels.

What component are using for source?

I am possibly the wrong person to help you in home theater set up.

If i was in your shoes i would sell the pioneer receiver and source in addition to buying the Anthem integrated.

With additional cash i would buy Oppo 105D. Also sell Motif and Motion 4. I would keep the Dynamo sub.

Buy audio quest columbia XLR interconnects 1m. With remainder amount i would buy 10 feet pair Kimber Cable 8TC.

I have listened to the Electromotion ESL with Anthem 225 and the acoustics were good.

Instead of the Anthem 225, for the same price you can get Odyssey Audio Stratos Stereo Plus power amplifier.

I have not heard the Stratos but has favorable review in The Absolute Sound magazine.

I'm in the same boat as you 50/50 movies/music. Buying used audio equipment from CL or eBay would make that $1,500 go a long way. I got my Anthem MCA-5 series 2 for $500 on eBay. If I were you I would sell the Pioneer and buy a used amp and pre-pro. If you don't care about Atmos/DTS-X there are tons of people upgrading to it so they are dumping their old equipment cheap. I'm saving up to buy the Marantz AV7702mk2 myself.

Accompanying Electromotion ESL try to have the following:

Oppo 105D. $1299. Very good video and audio.

XLR 1 meter interconnects e.g Audio Quest Columbia. Used to be available at Musicdirect at reduced price. $249.

Odyssey audio Stratos Plus stereo Power amplifier. $1500.

Kimber cable 8TC Full Range SBAN with both ends not spade connectors. Musicdirect 8 feet $453, 10 feet $545. Not possible to attach spades to EM ESL.

I do not know however may be possible to attach powered subwoofer to Oppo 105D in addition to XLR output directly to power amplifier.

Conclusion:

With this set up music should sound very good. Picture should be excellent. You will not get multichannel sound. However movie sound tracks should

also be good in stereo sound.

Thanks guys for some direction...
I did some research and please correct me if i am misunderstanding...
I could keep my pioneer receiver but run the signal pre-amp out of the pioneer and into the anthem.
Something like a PVA5 or the MCA50
or maybe PVA3 or MCA30 and power the rears from the pioneer

yes I am still a newbie to understanding my system.

roleplay said:

Thanks guys for some direction...
I did some research and please correct me if i am misunderstanding...
I could keep my pioneer receiver but run the signal pre-amp out of the pioneer and into the anthem.
Something like a PVA5 or the MCA50
or maybe PVA3 or MCA30 and power the rears from the pioneer

yes I am still a newbie to understanding my system.

Click to expand...

I think would be possible and is a good idea. Perhaps receiver preamp out is stereo. In case you will have to use 2 channel power amp not 3 or 5.

Hope other forum members also provide their input in case i am mistaken.

Have fun listening to music!:music:

Guys, i purchased the ANTHEM A5 (used $1500)
I am getting ready to hook it all back up in my new home.
I want to upgrade the speaker cables, so my next question is...
What is the best 15 foot cable for under $100?

thanks n advance

bluejeanscable.com sell a 10 AWG cable for $1 per ft. Their locking banana connectors are approx. $15 per cable. This brings a 15’ stereo cable pair to a little under $60, if you DIY. BJC will terminate the cables for $30 for the pair. DIY is easy, and you could dress up the cable in TechFlex and heat shrink. But that would cost at least another $1 per ft, and make the cable stiffer as well.

roleplay said:

3 years ago I purchased this setup...
ESL = main
Motif = Center
Motion 4 = rears
Dynamo 1000 = Sub
powered with a Pioneer Elite $1,600 receiver.

it is used 50/50 for music and movies at above avg volume.
I have never been happy with the sound.

I am now ready to throw $1,500 at the system to improve the sound.

What is your thoughts for what to get?

Click to expand...

I had the NAD Master series Trio ($14,000), Spires, more amps etc. Friends cheap Onkyo with XT32/Klipch blew it away

The biggest difference I made is when I purchased a cheap 50 watt Denon with Atmos/XT32. That combo destroyed my separates and made watching movies more immersive. In fact, I never listened to music in surround until I got ATMOS. Just read the hundreds of reviews on AVS who agree.

Sell your current receiver
Marantz/Denon ATMOS/XT32 for maybe around $500?
4 in-ceiling speakers i.e. Martin Logan IC or whatever you prefer
Optionally, substitute XT32 with a NanoAVR-DL (dirac Live) $700

Some broformation to avoid i.e. bros passing down information they heard from other bros, would include things like quality watts, cables, amps and reference levels. The best sounds my system has ever made was after reducing the watts and amp but improving the processing and room correction. As far as watts go, maybe you can use a meter under C rating to test your listening levels and plug that into an online calculator to see how much power you actually need. You might be surprised. I used a watt meter and pulled around 7 watts peak at my normal listening levels. Most people on the AVS forum went ahead and posted their listening levels which averaged between 70-80db which surprised a lot of people who thought they needed "reference levels" only to find out how loud and deafening that actually is. So why did I buy a 100 lb amp? I was a victim of marketing. And after nobody would fix it because it being too heavy to lift on their work bench, I finally sold it and have never been happier

snyderkv said:

......improving the processing and room correction.

Click to expand...

You betcha.

Get a $150 used grant fidelity 2 channel tube buffer for fun casual music like streaming spotify etc. If you drop some good tubes in it will sound even better, panels love tubes!

projectormovielover said:

Get a $150 used grant fidelity 2 channel tube buffer for fun casual music like streaming spotify etc. If you drop some good tubes in it will sound even better, panels love tubes!

Click to expand...

Roleplay, this quote is exactly what I'm talking about. Plus, you mentioned you watch movies 50% of the time so I'm guessing my suggestion would work better for you

I now added the anthem A5 amplifier and a OPPO 105D Blue ray Player.
I plan on bypassing my receiver all together and see how it sounds.

Anybody have any experience using the OPPO 105d without a receiver and going directly through the amplifier?

OPPO claims that one of the benefits of the 105d is its analog outputs and the 105D can be used as a pre.

I am curious what any body knows....

ESL = main
Motif = Center
Motion 4 = rears
Dynamo 1000 = Sub
OPPO 105D Blue Ray
Anthem A5 Amp