The Official Premier Acoustic Speakers Thread

[jsr]

I think the PA-6C should be fine. However, having said that, I've found I liked larger centers as I moved up from HTIBs to 5.25" to 6.5" centers. Make sure you have the room for the PA-8C if you plan on getting it...it's quite large. Keep in mind you can also turn up the center channel level a couple of dB over the L/R if needed. While I think the PA-6C will be fine, I don't think the PA-8C would be bad. If you can afford and fit the PA-8C, as long as you don't think it will look odd, go for it, but I don't think it's needed.

Also, just to update (in case the same thing happens to you), I verified the copper colored midbass drivers as identical to the silver colored drivers in the motor, frame, surround, spider design. The only thing different is the cone. Along with the different color, the dust cap is different between the two in both shape (concave vs. convex) and size. Thus far, my PA-6S quasi-bipoles are performing well.

[chaselo1987]

Originally Posted by jsr

I think the PA-6C should be fine. However, having said that, I've found I liked larger centers as I moved up from HTIBs to 5.25" to 6.5" centers. Make sure you have the room for the PA-8C if you plan on getting it...it's quite large. Keep in mind you can also turn up the center channel level a couple of dB over the L/R if needed. While I think the PA-6C will be fine, I don't think the PA-8C would be bad. If you can afford and fit the PA-8C, as long as you don't think it will look odd, go for it, but I don't think it's needed.

Also, just to update (in case the same thing happens to you), I verified the copper colored midbass drivers as identical to the silver colored drivers in the motor, frame, surround, spider design. The only thing different is the cone. Along with the different color, the dust cap is different between the two in both shape (concave vs. convex) and size. Thus far, my PA-6S quasi-bipoles are performing well.

Thanks man. I will still be sure and request for the silvered colored cones. Cosmetically it looks a lot nicer. The Titanium series I believe. I have measured under my TV and it will fit. I have about 11 inches of room, and that just barely makes the cut for the PA-8C. I'm stretching financially to get the PA-8C. I may just settle for the PA-6C and if I don't like I can return for upgrade.

[chaselo1987]

I have recently purchased the PA-6F system with PA-8C upgrade. Please check out some of the photos as a reference. They are extremely great speakers. The 8C is AMAZING!! Feels so good being able to hear absolutely everything said in movies. Makes my other 5" long center speaker from a Samsung HTIB look very very sad. Thing probably had 1 or 2 3"midranges and thats it. It's crazy how much ive learned now.

[derzauberer]

Nice setup. This is really welcome news too. We hear so much about Polk, Klipsch, and other well know brands at this site. Nice to hear from pioneers who dare tread were others dare not.

Wow that center is truly gigantic! One of the largest I've seen. It even dwarfs your towers. It looks like it could eat them for breakfast. I don't know, but it seems there shouldn't be any real need for a large center when you have a PA-120 sub to take up the slack in the bass department.

You had a 5 in long center? I did too long ago. Actually it was a little larger than yours but still tiny. It was an Infinity bookshelf. But it did superbly well as a center. The dialogue was very distinct and easy to follow down to a whisper. The downside was that my sub had to be crossed over above 100 Hz to protect the Infinity from going into distortion or even frying it while trying to reproduce lower bass. Where are you crossing the 8C over at, or are you running it as large (full range, no crossover between center and sub)?

[chaselo1987]

Originally Posted by derzauberer

Nice setup. This is really welcome news too. We hear so much about Polk, Klipsch, and other well know brands at this site. Nice to hear from pioneers who dare tread were others dare not.

Wow that center is truly gigantic! One of the largest I've seen. It even dwarfs your towers. It looks like it could eat them for breakfast. I don't know, but it seems there shouldn't be any real need for a large center when you have a PA-120 sub to take up the slack in the bass department.

You had a 5 in long center? I did too long ago. Actually it was a little larger than yours but still tiny. It was an Infinity bookshelf. But it did superbly well as a center. The dialogue was very distinct and easy to follow down to a whisper. The downside was that my sub had to be crossed over above 100 Hz to protect the Infinity from going into distortion or even frying it while trying to reproduce lower bass. Where are you crossing the 8C over at, or are you running it as large (full range, no crossover between center and sub)?

Well, unfortunately I am still new to the whole receiver thing and setting it all up. I will be playing with it some more this weekend. I believe the Center is set at small because I did not have a large option. It was either small or off. I have it crossed-over at 80hz still. One thing that pushed me to a big center was me HATING my old center. It played no bass period. I couldnt' hear whispers or nothing, I would have to cut the volume all the way up on talking scenes, and then cut it down when music and action played. VERY ANNOYING. (It was a crappy HTIB) The 8C plays everything so smooth, clear and loud. Bass coming from it is awesome. I watched King Kong and just the breathing was crazy clean. I have the fronts set at small, should they be at large?

Not exactly sure what the whole small large thing means.

As for the Sub, I personally believe the system sounds better when the sub doesn't have to always do all of the work. You can hear bass from the speakers themselves, and the Sub just handles the very low bass frequencies.

[derzauberer]

Originally Posted by chaselo1987

Not exactly sure what the whole small large thing means.

Large = The speakers are not Bass Managed.
Small = The speakers are Bass Managed.

Big Daddy our speaker/subwoofer guru, explains it well here.

As for the Sub, I personally believe the system sounds better when the sub doesn't have to always do all of the work. You can hear bass from the speakers themselves, and the Sub just handles the very low bass frequencies.

Big Daddy's guide to bass management is a valuable resource. It'll help you understand what a dedicated subwoofer is really supposed to do and why you really don't want your center and fronts to handle bass below 60 Hz in most HT systems. An 80 Hz crossover in bass management is a good starting point unless your speakers are small satellite types. I think your PA-6S will be the limiting factor in your system. Your other speaker may do ok with 60 Hz crossover, but the 6S will most certainly need an 80 Hz one.

Big Daddy explains all this much better than I can in his guide.

[chaselo1987]

Originally Posted by derzauberer

Large = The speakers are not Bass Managed.
Small = The speakers are Bass Managed.

Big Daddy our speaker/subwoofer guru, explains it well here.


Big Daddy's guide to bass management is a valuable resource. It'll help you understand what a dedicated subwoofer is really supposed to do and why you really don't want your center and fronts to handle bass below 60 Hz in most HT systems. An 80 Hz crossover in bass management is a good starting point unless your speakers are small satellite types. I think your PA-6S will be the limiting factor in your system. Your other speaker may do ok with 60 Hz crossover, but the 6S will most certainly need an 80 Hz one.

Big Daddy explains all this much better than I can in his guide.

Gotcha, ya when I got home I placed the speakers to Large and I could definitely hear bass from them. I have the crossover set at 80hz on all speakers, even the center. The front stage is all set at Large to. This being my first REAL HT, (non-HTIB), the rears are awesome from what I've had. The bass and clarity from them are outstanding. However, I can't wait to get the PA-8F towers, and put the 6F's on the side, and the 6S in the back.

I am totally enjoying my new system, and I thank Blu-ray.com for showing me the light. Thanks a lot peepz.

[derzauberer]

Originally Posted by chaselo1987

Gotcha, ya when I got home I placed the speakers to Large and I could definitely hear bass from them. I have the crossover set at 80hz on all speakers, even the center. The front stage is all set at Large to. This being my first REAL HT, (non-HTIB), the rears are awesome from what I've had. The bass and clarity from them are outstanding. However, I can't wait to get the PA-8F towers, and put the 6F's on the side, and the 6S in the back.

I am totally enjoying my new system, and I thank Blu-ray.com for showing me the light. Thanks a lot peepz.

Those PA-8F towers are probably like your 8C center. You'll have a great front soundstage.

Using towers for side surrounds is no overkill. Those towers will have cleaner sound and greater dynamic range than those 6S surround speakers assuming your AVR can handle it.

Very nice system you got there. Happy to hear that you are enjoying it. Sounds like PA really rocks.