Monitor Audio Owners & Discussion Thread

petetherock · June 10, 2006

Hi I am considering the MA RS6, GS10 or GS 20,

anyone has experience with these?

Thanks

P

mojoe1624705824 · June 11, 2006

i'm interested in these too... but yet to find time to op by for audition.

only read reviews about the MA RS6... stereophile is singing praises about it..

http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/306monitor/

"There's nothing much more I can say—the flawless and exceptional Silver RS6 gave me more listening pleasure than any other loudspeaker I have reviewed for Stereophile. In my more than 20 years of reviewing, I have not reviewed an audio component that produced greater sound quality per dollar than Monitor Audio's Silver RS6."

not sure how believable, so just got to listen for yourself :)

Norman_Chan · June 11, 2006

Go and audition for yourself ...you will love it ...RS6 about S$1.2k+ and the GS10 about S$1.6k+ ...think the GS20 is about S$2k++

togz · June 11, 2006

Heard the GS10 for few minutes and compared with GR10, GS10 sounds wider(dont know how to explain that). Driven by small tube cayin amp, cant remember exact model.

petetherock · June 11, 2006

Hey what do you?

Does the GS 20 have enough bass to do without sub? Then I have enough funds to get it instead of the RS setup.

I actually have a small Quake, so I do have one, but for HT not sure if this will do?

Norman_Chan · June 11, 2006

Heard the GS10 for few minutes and compared with GR10, GS10 sounds wider(dont know how to explain that). Driven by small tube cayin amp, cant remember exact model.

Agreed that the GS10 sound better than the GR10 on the same setup in the shop demo.

togz · June 12, 2006

Hey what do you?

Does the GS 20 have enough bass to do without sub? Then I have enough funds to get it instead of the RS setup.

I actually have a small Quake, so I do have one, but for HT not sure if this will do?

..think GS20 is around 2.9K+

It depends how much is enough for you. :) I have small MJ Acoustics before and serves me well for 2 years.

petetherock · June 13, 2006

I just found a good website, which gives a sterling review of the GS 60 and LCR - but you need to read German or get it translated:

http://www.areadvd.de/lm/AV_Hardware/test_mags60_1.shtml.

Pete

macnux · June 26, 2006

Just curious ....what amp do you intend to pair the MA to?

petetherock · June 26, 2006

I got a Marantz SR 12, a reference series THX AV reciever - used to be their top of the line.

I am deciding between the RS6 and LCR or a GS LCR X 3 front

P

macnux · June 26, 2006

I got a Marantz SR 12, a reference series THX AV reciever - used to be their top of the line.

I am deciding between the RS6 and LCR or a GS LCR X 3 front

P

If you have the space for the RS6, can't go very wrong. Incredibly taught bass, superb imaging (needs space here ....) and I dun think there are much better value you can find out there at this price level:)

petetherock · August 14, 2007

This is the first instalment of my impression of the Monitor Audio RS 6, RS 1 RS LCR with a Marantz SR 12.

I like these brands and make no attempts to hide this fact. I had been searching for a new HT based setup, trying to keep an open mind, yet remembering my Bronze and Marantz system that gave a wonderful account of itself.

An ensuing saga comes to a temporary halt. My search for a HT based system came to a fortuitous point thanks to a incidental purchase from a brother in the forum. We had been communicating about his system and he came to point where he felt he wanted a musical system and was willing to flog off his MA RS system.

This aided my decision process about choosing my speakers and solved my own dilemma about selecting either the GS or RS series from Monitor Audio. I had been considering that for HT, plus the fact that I may not be able to discern the extra expense of paying for the GS setup and I actually believe the main components which underpin the HT experience are the subwoofer and the centre speaker. If these are competent, the left and rights plus the rears will fall into place. Obviously a decent amp which can drive the selected speaker system will help and the appropriate application of DSP and surround effects plus a good source playing a well mastered disc will complete the HT experience and room treatment will transform the home into a proper Lido.

But enough about how this set came into my possession. The system now consisted of

a Pioneer DV 545 and a Panasonic EX85 as the source (both will be weaker than a proper CD transport);

Marantz SR 12 S1 (7.1 channel THX Ultra II receiver) putting out 110 true watts per channel into 8ohms (more into 6 or 4);

Monitor Audio RS series HT plus a SVS PB 12plus.

The listening area is a 3.5 by 4m room but with lots of room treatment to dampen the enthusiastic bass. No port plugs were used. They were toed in such that the speaker face points directly at the listening position. The hotspot was about 3m from each speaker in a 60degree angle.

Ancillary connections consisted of Audioquest interconnects, QED XT300 tube wires (chosen for their neutral sound with no silver in them)

For more information on the amp, it is an ancient amp by current standards with no auto-setup, HDMI and a full review can be found in issue 255 of Hi Fi Choice.

The SVS is a brutal beast of gale force proportions.

Suffice to say, it represents a wonderful package of extension, tightness and slam with the main issue being that WAF is miserable (it weighs and resembles a washing machine)

Reviews of the Panasonic DVD Hard disk recorder are also readily found online at Whxx Lo Fi and Home Cinema Choice.

Many other mags including hi fi choice, Whxx Lo Fi etc carry reviews of the MAs.

This initial review is with the stereo pair of floorstanders. Visually the RS6 has high showroom appeal, with real wood veneers and a certain elegance only bested by speakers in a different price range, such as the GS series. At the listening position the tweeters are just about at my ear level or slightly lower. There is a plinth for the floor-standers and the speakers can be bi-wired. Build quality for a set of made in China speakers is very good. You get a feeling of high value for money.

I began with stereo, and as the speakers had been in use previously there was no run-in period. Using a single run of the QED XT 300 tube, the initial impression was pretty impressive, with a serious wall of bass hitting you. The Monitor Audio RS series is about fun, in a roller coaster fashion, and it is hardly subtle. The speakers make their presence felt, and the soundstage is forward, with a definite emphasis in the mid-bass region. In a more confined space the bass can dominate an become unruly or muddy. Give them enough space to breath and they will reward you with a extension and slam that you may not miss a subwoofer even for movies. However there is a definite emphasis of bass around the 60Hz region, which may account for a slam element which helps them become popular with HT or dance music. This can be disconcerting to those desiring a flatter response curve. There is not much output to note under 40 Hz or so.

The treble has been noted in various quarters to be on the bright side of neutral, hence partnering this speaker is essential. Get it wrong and you will suffer a grating sound. A warmer amp will definitely help.

A point to note is that if you audition this speaker in the showroom, it is driven by tubes, or Primare amps and the room is pretty insulated, so the treble is pretty much tamed and in fact the speaker may sound a lot more subdued than it really is. If your room is very much ‘alive’ it may pay dividends to do some room treatment at crucial reflection points. Get some help from experienced brothers here.

Stereophile gave this speaker a resounding recommendation (perhaps too sterling) and some other magazines also gushed effusively about it. I like the sound, but it is definitely not the last word in sound quality. Neither is it the most neutral speaker in the world.

With my Panasonic, there was a hardness to it with the treble poorly held in rein and it would be quite fatiguing for music in the long term. For HT, this was very exciting and gave a ride by the seat of your pants kind of experience, despite enhancing the HT fun.

Swopping over to my warmer and I reckon better sounding Pioneer, I got more information retrieval without the hardness, and the ride whilst still exciting, became something I can listen to for hours, without my ears bleeding. Imaging was also more accurate and stable, with a deeper soundstage and individual instruments could be discern more easily.

The metal tweeter also seems to need some warming up, with a sweeter sound after using it for half an hour or more, although this could be ear conditioning.

I reckon a warmer or neutral source, perhaps along the lines of the SACD 7001 from Marantz, or a NAD CD player will help bring the best out of the system. I look forward to trying it with the new DV 7001 Marantz DVD player which get most of the innards of the well regards DV 9600.

So how should I describe the RS 6? If it was a person, she would be energetic, sporty, dynamic, colourful and exciting, with nary a dull moment. She would be beautiful and shapely, tall and slim with a vivacious personality to match her looks.She would also be capable of telling the truth, the whole truth and reveal most of the message, from the highs to the lows. She needs room to breathe, and does not like being hemmed in. give her her space and the songs she sings will be seared permanently into your memory. And at the end of it all, you will still feel she’s the one

betty boop · August 14, 2007

hehe a nice read peter, good ot hear your enjoying the stuff.

petetherock · August 14, 2007

Cheers mate

Just got my 300 HD DVD and Hot Fuzz in the mail, I would advise a 50m safety distance from my home when things go thumping this coming weekend.....

The heat from the amp ought to keep me warm

More reviews to come...

hehe a nice read peter, good ot hear your enjoying the stuff.

petetherock · August 14, 2007

Connected my XA2 to the SR 12 S1 using new monoprice interconnects, 3 pairs in all.

I can't say much about the video yet as my video end is still waiting for calibration.

Listening to True HD and even regular DTS / DD is fabulous. The pairing is superb and there is detail but with the new power cables, wiring, and conditioners I seemed to have tamed the slightly bright treble and avoid masking over detail.

Now I can hear more nuances from soundtracks I missed out on, and with the new firmware the XA2 seems to have licked the LFE issue.

For those contemplating the XA2 with a transformer, I recommend using a line conditioner (I use a Belkin) there is a little help.

Next step, adding Xindak jumpers for the wire terminals and hooking up the rears to the walls / stands with the new OFC Shark cable from USA.

petetherock · August 17, 2007

A social magnet, the hi fi

How to make friends or have a gathering...

Add a large screen, preferably 50 inches and up, place plenty of speakers in a small room, add a subwoofer and mix.

Then turn up the volume for effect, voila, you have the perfect social tool.

Watching alone is ok, and it can get decadent, but with a few friends, the whole Lido experience becomes transformed.

Now that the pairing of the MA and the Marantz has been running for a while, I can say that this is a good partnership, complementing each other well.

The same caveat applies for those thinking of using the RS 6 in a small space, and it is best used with the 'large' settings for speakers, letting the sub take over after 80Hz

My next tweak is to find a dedicated socket for the amp seperate from the other items to see if this improves the sound.

Even as I stare enviously at the new amps with the auto-setup, new HDMI versions (mine has zilch), the warm smooth sound of the SR 12 tells me its ok and I enjoy sitting in the hi fi room typing my essays ans reports.

Some additional notes, avoid listening front on to the RS, toe in and be a little higher than the tweeter for less treble energy.

Give the speakers space or have lots of room treatment. A decent set of cables, nothing too exotic or exhorbitant will help and avoid silver ones.

Use the spikes, especially on a wooden floor to tighten the bass.

A carpet does wonders too, and having a few posters about with padding also helps stray bass notes.

And once you get your setup, sit back and enjoy

petetherock · August 19, 2007

Spent Saturday night and a bit of Sunday trying out some of old movies and CDs.

Some of these stuff, I hadn't played for a while and in the newly setup room, it is quite a revelation listening to my old Emil Chau CDs, esp after the nordost treatment.

Those 'audiophile cds' I acquired from China this year sound smooth, detailed and through the XA2, it acquits itself well as a cd transport, feeding a coaxial output to be decoded using the twin DACs per channel in the SR 12.

Friends have pm - ed me asking if this speaker is neutral, it isn't, with a nice meaty bass, and a rather shiny treble, which can give plenty of detail but can potentially jar with treble proud sources. My previous Dynaudios and KEF Reference series were kinder on the ears, giving a more neutral sound.

However the word is exciting, which is nicely tempered by the warmer sonic signature of the Marantz to give a detailed yet more smooth sound. Room setup, without the aid of modern auto-setup and eq takes a lot longer and after about 3-4 months, I am getting more satisfied with my system.

There is good steering in movies, with effects running seamlessly from the front to the back in panning effects, ambient moments are effortless created, but when sounds need to be pinpoint, you can easily locate the source. On the other hand, the pairing can create a good envelop of sound that allows you to forget its not the local cinema, but a small room of modest proportions. Actually the close distance between the front pair and the rear surrounds lends more to the the small jump from front to back, and there is no gap in the panning.

Next project, using it in 7.1, and tweaking the power sockets.....

petetherock · September 1, 2007

Just got a pair of Eltax HT-2 Bipolar rear speakers I got back from a friend.

I am now playing 7.1, with the Eltaxs in surround duty and the rear backs in monopole.

If the effect before was a wonderful experience of surround effect, this is now even better! The wrap-around effect is very effective and allows for an even superior cinematic experience. Even with 7 speakers, the Marantz is still keeping cool, probably since most of the bass is handled by the SVS. It reaches fairly unbearably deafening levels at -20db or so. A comfortable volume (for me anyway) is about 30-25 - db.

Time for another round of playing my favourite videos. I look forward to my next batch of HD videos too!

Edited September 1, 2007 by petetherock

petetherock · September 5, 2007

Hi friends

I am on to my 2nd set of MAs, having owned the Bronze series and I love to share their sound with other like minded friends, so I am posting this so others can ask questions and share tips and for owners to log in too.

petetherock : MA RS 6, LCR & 1