Please help! have a couple newbie questions

[huyn0081]

Hello everyone i'm kind of new to this hobby and i have couple questions that i need some expert opinion. My room is 23x13 and the ceilling is 10'. My listening perfernce is 70%, 30% movie.

1) I have krell kav/250a amp that power my martin logan ascent panel right now and I'm thinking of getting a monster power amp MPA 5150 SS that push out 150 watt to power the woofer of the ascent and my question is that if it is ok to use the monster amp even those it is less power than the krell? OR i dont need the amp to power the ascent woofer since i'm getting two grotto or a descent.
2)Is it better to run the input of the sub directly to the output of the preamp OR run output from preamp to input of the sub and from output of the sub to input of the amplifier.
3) Which would be a better system:
Front: Ascent
Center: Cinema i
Rear: Clarity
Sub: 2 grotto
OR
Front: Ascent
Center: Cinema i
Rear: Fresco
Sub: Descent
4) And what are your opinion of the new rega Apollo cd player?

 

[Robin]

Questions....

Hello everyone i'm kind of new to this hobby and i have couple questions that i need some expert opinion. My room is 23x13 and the ceilling is 10'. My listening perfernce is 70%, 30% movie.

1) I have krell kav/250a amp that power my martin logan ascent panel right now and I'm thinking of getting a monster power amp MPA 5150 SS that push out 150 watt to power the woofer of the ascent and my question is that if it is ok to use the monster amp even those it is less power than the krell? OR i dont need the amp to power the ascent woofer since i'm getting two grotto or a descent.
2)Is it better to run the input of the sub directly to the output of the preamp OR run output from preamp to input of the sub and from output of the sub to input of the amplifier.
3) Which would be a better system:
Front: Ascent
Center: Cinema i
Rear: Clarity
Sub: 2 grotto
OR
Front: Ascent
Center: Cinema i
Rear: Fresco
Sub: Descent
4) And what are your opinion of the new rega Apollo cd player?

huyn0081,

Welcome to the ML Club!

1). I think bi-amping your Ascents with your Krell and MPA would be a good possibility, I would recommend auditioning the MPA to see how it would sound bi-amped to your Ascents. Your bass will be handled beautifully by your Descent subwoofer.

2). Output from you preamp to your Descent's input.

3). Ascent, Cinema i, Fresco, Descent.

4). Rega Apollo CD player, from the UK seems cool. I could not tell if it plays SACD's. I know it plays MP3's. It seems very well built. I don't think it is offered in the USA. Only by mail order. Personally, I like the Shanling T200 Tubed SACD player, with Bendix Red Bank tubes...
http://www.rega.co.uk/html/apollo.htm

HTH...

Good having you here.

Cheers

-Robin

 

[Jeff Zaret]

huyn0081,

1) I would change the Krell to power the woofer and the Monster to power the panel. You may also look at a tube amp to power the panels and keep the Krell on the woofers.

2) Use the preamp out to the sub. Less noise and a much cleaner and controlable option.

3) I would think you should have some pretty good bass with the Ascents. I would think on Decent or a Depth would be a fine addition.

4) The rega I have no knowledge of and I have never heard one.

Good luck and lets us know

Welcome aboard

Jeff

 

[Craig]

1) It may not be necessary to biamp your Ascents if you're going to add a Descent sub. If you do biamp then try both combinations to see what sounds better to you. I've never heard a Monster amp but if you biamp, I'm willing to bet the Krell is going to do a better job with the woofers.

2) What everyone else said.

3) The Clarity's sound much better than their small size would lead you to expect. However, I find rear speakers less important for HT but make more of an impact when used for multi-channel music such as SACD or DVD-A or even DTS 5.1 channel music. I replaced Aeons for rear speakers with Scripts and was surprised at how well the Scripts worked for both music and HT. I put the Aeons to better use as front speakers and made a 2 channel system with Ascents they replaced. If HT rear surround effect is their only duty then go with the less costly Fresco.

4) I've never heard a Rega CD player so have no opinion or experience to share on that. If it were me, I'd forego the Monster amp and use the money to buy the best frontend component you can afford. With your Krell and ML system, you will hear precisely what your front end component produces. A CD player that is smooth, warm, with a big soundstage and pinpoint imaging. detailed highs, and full bass are characteristics that will complement your system. Players I've owned (or auditioned) that work well with Krell and MLs are ones made by Cary, Electrocompaniet, the Krell SACD and a Sony 333ES SACD. Of course there are many more out there. Audition some players if at all possible.