Need Advice on Theos Purchase and Pre/Pro!

[JLasher22443]

So I have another question to ask the group here.

Is my current Rotel RMB-1095 going to allow for these new Montis speakers to really sing?

What I mean is when listening to them in the store they were connected to a McIntosh Amp and sounded Awesome! Now they sound great but it just seems like they are missing something?

So my next planned upgrade was to purchase a Pre/Pro like the Integra DHC 80.3; but now I'm wondering if it should be a new amp instead. What I had in mind was a McIntosh MC452 or 302 to just run the Montis fronts and keep the center and rears on the Rotel?

Now I'm assuming that by purchasing the Integra that the new Audyssey MultEQ XT32 will do a great job in correcting the room for me and I'm hoping the amp I have does not hinder the Montis speakers; but I'm not sure.

So can someone please provide me with sound advice as to which route would be best for my system?

Thanks in Advance!

 

[jmschnur]

The 80.3 with Audyssey 32 will really help your system and in the scheme of things not as expensive as other alternatives bu quite good. After that I would get a stereo good amp for the Montis. There will be a number of choices. I use a Bryston 4 sst to good effect. You could use your existing amp for the surrounds and center and the system will sing well. The store where you purchased the Montis has both the Mac and the Bryston so you can do a true comparison of the amps.

 

[projectormovielover]

I got to try an integra 80.2 and the anthem avm40/50 pre with ARC and prefer ARC instead of xt32. It done wonders for my logans in movies like nothing else I have heard

 

[jmschnur]

Is the $2-3k difference between ARC and Audyssey xt 32 pro in the Integra worth it? I really did not find much difference between the two in terms of the sound in a 5.1 home theater.

 

[dmusoke]

I got to try an integra 80.2 and the anthem avm40/50 pre with ARC and prefer ARC instead of xt32. It done wonders for my logans in movies like nothing else I have heard

+1 ... ARC om my D2v makes my Spires sing really well

 

[JLasher22443]

Thanks jmschnur! I'll have to schedule something with them to go out and take a listen. Like I said I remember the Mac sounding unbelievable when I was there so I'll see if I can have them set up the Integra with the Mac and the Bryston.

 

[jmschnur]

It is a user friendly store. They let me set the soundstage when I auditioned the Montis and Ethos.

 

[JLasher22443]

It is a user friendly store. They let me set the soundstage when I auditioned the Montis and Ethos.

Well I stopped by yesterday but did not get to audition the equipment as planned. They were out of stock with the DHC 80.3 but I did get to bullsh!t for awhile. I think after all of the discussing my plan is going to be to go with the MC 452 and the DHC-80.3. The guys there were really informative and David the owner was great. So now I just need to save a little more cash and place the order. My CPA needs to hurry up and get me my money! LOL Thanks again jmschnur for the advice.

 

[jmschnur]

Should be great! By the way I did get the Montis. After break in we are really enjoying them.

Good luck on your system.

 

[JLasher22443]

Well I have still been enjoying the Montis but have been working none stop on making my room look and sound better. Equipment upgrades are coming but for now I'm doing some minor room changes.

First, it has been a struggle to figure out exactly how I was going to black out all of my windows. The current room darkening blinds and curtains just looked like crap and I needed to get rid of them. So I started trying different things to black out the windows.

First I tried painting the windows. I used water based paint and for some reason it took several coats and still came out real crappy, as shown below.

As you can see there were still small places where light would penetrate through and I was not satisfied.

Next I tried Limo Tint. This turned out horrible and only was installed on one window and then taken off immediately.

Next I tried Black Contact Paper. This worked ok except it still let light through and it would take 3 layers to keep the light completely out. Below is with one layer on the window.

But I didn't like this look either. See my plan is to hang Movie Posters inside of the windows once blacked out and have them look like showcases. The window have 6" sills so I felt it would be cool to hang our favorite movie posters inside.

Then it came to me. Since two windows were directly behind the Montis speakers they needed to have some noise dampening to reduce the reflecting sound coming out of the rear of the Montises. So I thought why not insulation.

So I headed off to Lowe's to get some 1" Foam Board. This came in 4' x 8' sheets and was very rugged. So I began measuring and cutting so that the Styrofoam would slide right into the window sill.

 

[JLasher22443]

Once I had the shapes cut out for each window I had this.

Then I wrapped them all with black fabric and hot glued them to the back side like so.

Now since I had the one layer of black contact paper already installed on the windows, it gave a black look from the outside. So you don't see any of the silver reflective surface.

Then once all were wrapped I had to jam them back into the sills which was not an easy task. Now all I we need to do is order some movie posters and hang them inside.

My next task I think is going to be some bass traps in the corners. With the new speakers the house is just rumbling now. Which makes me very happy, but the wife, not so much.

Also I have a question for the forum; how far apart should I have the Montis speakers? Currently the Montis speakers are 3' off the back wall and about 7' apart. Is it possible for me to spread them apart from each other another foot or so?

They sound great now and I really don't want to move them, but if you sit in the two outside chairs, the speakers are in the view of the screen by about 6". So my question is, does it matter how far apart you have the speakers?

Thanks for reading and any advice would be much appreciative!

 

[projectormovielover]

Awesome screen you have there to go with those great speakers

 

[tsv_1]

Awesome screen you have there to go with those great speakers

Agreed... really nice screen, nice room... nice setup. Seems ashame to have to black out those beautiful arched windows. Oh the sacrifices we make for this hobby of ours

On your speaker separation question Jason, When I had Summit-Xs in my room, I found I could place them much further from each other than I had ever thought possible and still not suffer any significant suck-out at "center stage". I think mine were about 9ft apart with no problem. Of course that was diff speakers in a diff room, but just sharing my experience. As always, the best way to tell is to try it out and see what works for you.

Cheers

 

[jmschnur]

I do not think you would want to get closer than 1 foot from the walls with 2 feet being better. If you make them 8' apart then you should be from 8-12 feet or so from the center line of the speakers. The Montis manual talks about this.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

 

[JLasher22443]

Thanks everyone for the nice comments.

I'm going to have to read more of the manual jmschnur about this so thanks. Currently they are about 5' off of each side wall as well; so when I get home I'll move them apart from each other at least another foot, maybe two, then see how they sound. I just wanted to clarify before I started moving them.

 

[Gordon Gray]

Jason,

Also set 5' / panel to back wall. Will likely need to adjust the x-over but you'll get much better dimensionality.

Once you get used to that, you can start experimenting with panel azimuth.

GG

 

[Rickk]

The blacked out windows are a bit spooky. Wonder if the neighbors have yet noticed that light never escapes from that room? Otherwise nice job... -Rick

 

[bzr]

Way to go, well done!!

 

[JLasher22443]

The blacked out windows are a bit spooky. Wonder if the neighbors have yet noticed that light never escapes from that room? Otherwise nice job... -Rick

LOL! No we live in a small town where everyone knows everyone and my neighbors on both sides have been in my house and know whats in that room. One neighbor is in his 80's and has made comments about the loud bass he hears from time to time. Sometimes I'll see him out front and he will give me the old, " So, must have been an action movie last night huh?" LOL!

 

[tsv_1]

One of the curses of getting old... HF hearing goes out the window, so all that's left to annoy is the LF