Avr-5805

[kdiddy]

I am looking to start a home theater set up using Martin Logan drivers. For the front I am planning on using either the Aeoni,Ascenti, or maybe a newer driver our ML rep. mentioned. The center will the Theateri. My surrounds are undecided, I will use either the scripti or the cinemai. I will be going strictly 5.1 for the time being.

I am trying to decide what components to power these speakers with. At our store, I have listened to the Aeoni's mated with three fresco's running off a 4806, and that set up sounded pretty good. I know that alot of people dont like to use receivers for thier ML's, but I have heard nothing but praise about the 5805. It has all the features I could want and more. its sound quality is said to rival that of many seperates out there. Ive never heard the unit on any ML's, just on some of b&w's higher end stuff and some THX series Klipsch drivers.

I also have access to some of b&k's products. We currently have a Ref50II and a ref2005II in stock, and I might even go that route. Oddly enough, I could go either route and spend about the same, a little more for the b&k set up.

Any suggestions are welcome. Thanks in advance.

 

[asindc]

Welcome to the Club, in both senses.

I just bought a pair of Ascent i after auditioning a few Aeon i and Ascent i at various Tweeter stores and a local boutique. I went with the Ascents because ML is offering close out prices now. The bottom is more robust and the soundstage is more effortless than the Aeons.

As far as the Denon 5805, one of the Tweeter stores was running the Ascents on a 5805. I didn't like the setup, but I had already heard them on a Yamaha (don't know which one, just one of the higher end models, but not the flagship), B&K separates, and McIntosh separates. Based on that limited experience, I would go with separates for same the money, or the 4806 as a prepro and buy a used amp. BTW, the Yamaha sounded better than the Denon, or at least the setup was better at that store.

As I type this, I'm listening to jazz through my Ascents and my Pioneer Elite 49TXi. Lovely. I plan on adding a 200 watt per channel amp soon, plus upgrading to the Depth. As nice as my Pio Elite sounds, the amp will makes the Ascents blossom. I do plan on keeping the Pio as a prepro, as I love its features and sound. Every situation where I've listened to an A/B/A test for without amp/amp/without amp, the amp clearly makes a dramatic improvement. I've witnessed such tests with the flagship Yamaha and the Denon 5803.

As many members have quoted one of our friends here, "trust your ears." My opinion of Denon is by no means meant to be a barometer. Just another two cents added to the equation.

 

[kdiddy]

There could have been many reasons why the 5805 didn't sound that good to you. I woulld probably point a finger at the set up first. It took me a little while to set up the 4806 with the Aeoni, you can't be a slacker when setting up the Aud. Eq. It is an auto eq, but with ML's and other drivers of this type, you have to do the set up at multiple listening positions and mulitple hieghts at the main listening position to get the best results. I actually got that advice from a online review of the 5805, which uses the same auto eq system.

Anyways, I don't really want to use a receiver as a pre/pro because I wont be using the receivers internal amplifier. It just seems like a waste. The money isn't really that much of an issue, I just want to use what I buy to the best of it's abilities. The main goal is to make the speakers sound as good as I can in the space I have.

Thanks for the reply by the way.