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Pioneer SC-LX85 owners - what speakers are you using for 5.1 and for stereo?

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david_tring
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Any Pioneer SC-LX85 owners out there? What speakers are you running for home theatre/stereo music?

Having replaced my previous Onkyo amp a while ago with an ‘85, I think my current 5.1 speaker package of Mission 752 Freedom fronts, Mission 77C centre and Mission M7DS plus a REL Q sub needs upgrading.

But (there’s always a but) in my 6m x 4m lounge the speakers can only go in one place. Both fronts are along the longer wall, with the left one in the corner. And they are about 6” from the wall – yes I know, I know…….but that’s where they have to be OK……..

Monitor Audio’s RX6 Silver AV12 package has had 5 star reviews here and it looked absolutely perfect - right price, excellent built quality and the surround rears were lounge-friendly (i.e. not big square boxes). I borrowed a pair of the fronts and although their detail and clarity was a real eye-opening step up from the 752s; the problem was that with Pink Floyd type rock, once the drum kit's cymbals etc kicked in most of the mid-range was drowned in splashy top!

The SC-LX85 amp is great and I'm very happy with it - but almost every reviewer seems to comment that it's "bright".

So what speakers are people using? How about KEF R500 or R700 fronts? Tannoy DC6T SE? B&W? Even Spendors if they do a matching centre?

If I can't find a suitable full 5.1 package then Plan B would be at least to buy matching fronts and a centre, plus a new sub, and keep the M7DS anyway. 75% of my listening is 2-channel stereo music, so any loss of tonal balance front to back with films would a shame but manageable.

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bigboss
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

david_tring wrote:
The SC-LX85 amp is great and I'm very happy with it - but almost every reviewer seems to comment that it's "bright".

Monitor Audio RX6 Silver AV12 is an exception to most other Monitor Audio speakers and pairs beautifully with the Pioneer.

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My Home Cinema  Pioneer KRP 500A, Yamaha RX-V1900, MA Radius R225HD LCR, R90HD rears, AW12 sub, Panasonic BD60, PS3, Boxee Box, Sky HD, Boxee Box, Logitech Harmony One, Logitech PS3 Adapter, Sonos ZP90

Bedroom Samsung UE32C6510, PS3 slim white, Apple TV, Sonos S5, Sonos ZP90, Audioengine 2, Oppo OPDV971H

Miscellaneous: Synology DS212J + 2 X WD Red 2TB drives, WD 1TB NAS, Sonos ZoneBridge, BT HH3 as modem & AirPort Extreme router

michael hoy
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

I would agree that the RX6 are a good match for the Pioneer.

I do disagree that the 85 is bright, it has a more forward presentation than some. I am running the Monitor Audio Apex with mine.

 

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AV System -  Panasonic 42VT30 ¦ MA Apex 5.1- 4xA10 1xA40+ AW-12 Sub ¦ Van Damme UP LCOFC Speaker Cable ¦ Pioneer SC-LX85 ¦ OPPO 95 ¦ Mark Grant G1500HD Precision audio cable ¦ Sky+ HD(1TB) ¦ Chord Active HDMI ¦ Belkin PF50 mains conditioner.

Bedroom - Sony KDL-40W2000 + Archos 7 streaming from Windows Home Server 2011, Altec Lansing inAir 5000.

Dining Room - Sonos S5.

Music - HP Proliant Server running WHS 2011 ¦ streaming FLAC to Sonos ZP90 and OPPO 95 via SC-LX85.

Hi Fi - Cyrus 8 XPd QX amp ¦ Cyrus PSX-R power supply acting as Pre Amp ¦ Quad 909 Power Amp ¦ Speakers - Spendor A3 ¦ Logitech Squeezebox Touch upgrade by Fidelity Audio ¦ power supply upgrade by Mains Cables R Us ¦ Power Plant Premier mains regenerator.

Controlled by – iPad2 and Harmony 1100.

 

Linnas
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners - what speakers are you using

I've paired LX-56 with Dali Ikon 7s and Vokal (both MK2) for centre, cannot be happier and do not find them overly bright, actually the whole sound presentation is very clear/discernible with ample bass.

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Pioneer LX-56, BDP 450, Dali Ikon 7, Audioquest FLX-SLiP 14/4

david_tring
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

And thanks to all for your replies.  Maybe I was too harsh to judge the MA Silvers?

I hadn't ever run the MCACC function on the amp and was suitable told-off by the dealer when I returned his speakers.......

Would using the MCACC really tame "over bright" (or whatever term we should use) top response?

David

 

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michael hoy
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

david_tring wrote:

And thanks to all for your replies.  Maybe I was too harsh to judge the MA Silvers?

I hadn't ever run the MCACC function on the amp and was suitable told-off by the dealer when I returned his speakers.......

Would using the MCACC really tame "over bright" (or whatever term we should use) top response?

David

 

On the Pioneer you can trim the high frequency using the X curve option.

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AV System -  Panasonic 42VT30 ¦ MA Apex 5.1- 4xA10 1xA40+ AW-12 Sub ¦ Van Damme UP LCOFC Speaker Cable ¦ Pioneer SC-LX85 ¦ OPPO 95 ¦ Mark Grant G1500HD Precision audio cable ¦ Sky+ HD(1TB) ¦ Chord Active HDMI ¦ Belkin PF50 mains conditioner.

Bedroom - Sony KDL-40W2000 + Archos 7 streaming from Windows Home Server 2011, Altec Lansing inAir 5000.

Dining Room - Sonos S5.

Music - HP Proliant Server running WHS 2011 ¦ streaming FLAC to Sonos ZP90 and OPPO 95 via SC-LX85.

Hi Fi - Cyrus 8 XPd QX amp ¦ Cyrus PSX-R power supply acting as Pre Amp ¦ Quad 909 Power Amp ¦ Speakers - Spendor A3 ¦ Logitech Squeezebox Touch upgrade by Fidelity Audio ¦ power supply upgrade by Mains Cables R Us ¦ Power Plant Premier mains regenerator.

Controlled by – iPad2 and Harmony 1100.

 

David@FrankHarvey
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

During my SCLX85 ownership, I used the Miller & Kreisel S150's (now discontinued) and the KEF R300's. Both sounded great. Not bright, not harsh. 

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David @Frank Harvey Hi-Fi, Coventry

Mitsubishi HC7000 / Oppo BDP103 / Audiolab 8200AP / Rotel RMB1575 / kick ass speaker system

john1000000boy
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RE: Pioneer SC-LX85 owners

I use rx6 av12 with my '82 and would not call them bright. Used to have mission 752 fronts also. The rx is a warmer sound than them anyway. My room is not what u would call soft either with wooden floors and not a lot of furnishings either.  Take a look below

 

John

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Panasonic Tx-P65ST50B. Pioneer SC-LX82, Pioneer BDP-LX52, Pioneer PDP-4280XD. Monitor Audio Rx6 Av12. Apple Macbook, Apple Ipad 3g 64gb, Apple iphone 4 8gb, Apple Ipod Touch 32gb, Apple Time Capsule 2tb, Apple TV. Sky HD. Microsoft Xbox 360. Monster Beats Studio HD. Sennheisser CX 300 II. QED Silver Spiral, QED Anniversary XT Speaker Wire, QED HDMI-P. One For All Xsight Touch. Belkin N Router. Devolo Home Plugs. Iomega 1.5tb Hard Drive. Spotify Premium. Philips Fidelio AirPlay spkr dock

My System Thread Best pics start on Page 4:

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/your-system/finally-my-new-system-as-ofnow