Towers All Over

**SteveCallas** · **10-17-07, 10:51 PM**

Closeout prices on Boston Acoustics VR series speakers = Steve getting some VR1 towers for surround use to match the VR3 mains and VR1 center, and pushing the Ascend 340s to rear duty

I gained 3db sensitivity on each surround using the VR1s instead of the 340s and 4db sensitivity on each rear using the 340s instead of the RCA bookshelves. Deeper extension and more headroom as well - not bad, not bad at all

**Sonnie** · **10-18-07, 12:22 AM**

I've been contemplating a new cabinet for my equipment up front so that I can accommodate a VR1 center. I know the VR1 excludes the midrange speaker like the VR2 and VR3 have. Have you noticed any issues with the difference?

**SteveCallas** · **10-18-07, 12:42 AM**

No, it matches very well. Some have even theorized that a VR1 makes for a better center than a 3rd VR3 or a VR2 because you have two 6.5" woofers handling everything below the crossover with the tweeter, providing more clean headroom in the range where a center channel could use it the most. That makes sense, but at the same time, the smaller, dedicated 4.5" midrange in the VR3 or VR2 will provide better imaging and dispersion. And I doubt the dedicated midrange is ever stressed all that much being crossed at 2800hz and 400hz - that's a pretty "easy" range.

What's nice is that I notice more presence and oomph from a tower center, and it has a better FR, extension, dispersion, and power handling than a typical horizontal center - the front soundstage is more uniform. And with 5 towers and 2 mini towers, the system is extremely power efficient and pretty effortless on anything I could dare throw at it. The closeout prices are a steal for these VR speakers.

**Sonnie** · **10-18-07, 11:05 AM**

Well this definitely sounds promising. Now I just have to figure out how I'm gonna go about getting my hands on another Yamaha receiver. The Denon makes these Boston's way too bright for my DVD concerts.

**thewire** · **10-18-07, 03:11 PM**

I did this with Polk Rti70 and the Csi40 (not a tower) but I'm close I guess. All towers is very nice. Good to see I am not the only one.

**SteveCallas** · **10-18-07, 10:56 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

Now I just have to figure out how I'm gonna go about getting my hands on another Yamaha receiver. The Denon makes these Boston's way too bright for my DVD concerts.

I remember you having a not so great usability experience with the RX 1700, whereas my HTR 5890 seems to do everything I want and nothing I don't in terms of usability - but it doesn't have all the newest bells ad whistles like HDMI switching and whatnot. So I'd maybe take a look at the 6090 with the only caution that the display and menu system appears to have changed from the 5890 model to the 5990 model and those thereafter. Yamaha shares the amp sections between RX and HTR units, there is a corresponding RX to every HTR.

**Sonnie** · **10-18-07, 11:13 PM**

Yeah, I was disappointed with the features of the V1700. The display is too small for me to read the volume level number, which clues me in to where I need to be to start a movie. I like having that reference and being able to see it. There were a couple of other quirks too, but I think I could live with those versus the brightness of the Denon with the Boston's.

I'm also hoping maybe the V1800 will have OSD over HDMI with HD playback. That would solve my issue with the volume display being so small if the volume would display on-screen during playback of HD-DVD and Blu-ray.

Rodny and I purchased the V1700 at the same time and we both have Boston's, although his are the VR3's and mine the VR2's. He heard my setup a couple of weeks ago and agreed that the Boston's are definitely brighter with the Denon versus the V1700. That was one thing I really liked about the V1700... warm and laid back, the best sounding anything I'd had in my HT room. I just didn't realize how much different is was. Or maybe the Denon 2807 is that much different from my previous 3805 and 3806 Denon's.

**SteveCallas** · **10-19-07, 12:06 AM**

Interesting. Sonnie, can you take a pass through FR measurement of your Denon with RoomEQ Wizard? I know that Yamaha's are dead flat from 5hz to well past 20khz - I wonder if the Denon purposefully skews the higher frequencies? I doubt it, but if the difference is as big as you say, something is going on.

**Sonnie** · **10-19-07, 01:59 AM**

Yeah... I guess I can... at least I think I can. It may be a few days before I can get to it though.

**conchyjoe7** · **10-24-07, 01:33 PM**

Sonnie...Denon bright? Yamaha warm? Wow things must have changed a great deal in the past 2-3 years as that is exactly the opposite of what things were when I had (and sold) receivers. In any case if you love your concert DVDs, get a receiver with THX Ultra2...Turn to the re-eq mode and the problem will immediately be solved...enjoy!
Cheers,
Konky.

**alexadams77** · **11-16-07, 09:32 AM**

I ended up buying m60's, now m80's, and put my old Bose 701's in the rear. I'd say that if you have the room, go ahead and put floor standing speakers all around. To me, they sound a lot more fuller, but this comparison is just based off of Bose 301 vs 701. In my current HT room right now, floor standers aren't the way to go because of room restrictions. They're there now, but they need to go, to make my living room less......compact.

**Atama** · **11-16-07, 11:30 PM**

Nice set up Steve! Is that an old school NES I see on the right? A sega Satrun on the left? Very nice indeed...

**Sonnie** · **11-16-07, 11:51 PM**

Quote:

Sonnie wrote:

Yeah... I guess I can... at least I think I can. It may be a few days before I can get to it though.

Well... I forgot all about this, but I can tell ya that the ML's do not exhibit the same brightness as the Boston's... nowhere even close.

**SteveCallas** · **11-17-07, 12:09 AM**

I've got an Atari 7800, NES, SEGA Genesis, and N64 on the tv stand. I should have held on to the SuperNES

**looneybomber** · **11-30-07, 11:55 PM**

In one minute, my 15mo could cause thousands of dollars of damage if alone in that room. He's my biggest hurdle right now with my theater setup. I'm assuming you don't have young kids?

**SteveCallas** · **12-01-07, 02:06 AM**

No - I still consider myself a young kid, just turned 25

**looneybomber** · **12-02-07, 02:50 AM**

Quote:

SteveCallas wrote:

No - I still consider myself a young kid, just turned 25

Ha, I turned 25 in July...but, caring for a 15mo made me grow up a little bit.

**Atama** · **12-02-07, 01:43 PM**

Wait until you have a 15 month old AND a 2 month old. Kinda wrecks HT plans.

**SteveCallas** · **12-02-07, 01:48 PM**

I've got no plans for children for at least the next 10 years, if ever.

**nova** · **12-02-07, 05:21 PM**

Ha ha ha,... try to balance HT and or other personal hobbies with four kids; 18, 10, 5, newborn and a wife, and two German Shorthairs. Especially when you want to be the kid

That's one reason I like big solid towers in front and wall mounted surrounds.

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