MA RX1 & tone controls

danrv

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Hi

I've recently purchased a pair of Monitor Audio RX1's for my 12ft X 12ft room

but have found the bass so overwhelming I've had to stick the bungs in

and switch on the tone controls on my Rotel RA-01(which I don't like to do).

I've experimented with speaker positioning and they're on good stands.

I feel that I've had to tweak the speaker sound so much that I'm now

not getting the original sound quality from them.

Anybody else have similar problems?

Cambridge Audio 640C

Rotel RA-01

MA RX1

Atacama Nexus 6

(sorry 'bout the spacing.Can't get sentences any closer together).
 

Frank Harvey

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This can be a problem with rear ported speakers. They generally need plenty of room behind them, especially if put against a solid brick wall - partition walls can be a little more forgiving. I'm personally not a fan of using bungs to control bass as they do change a speaker's characteristics so much that they're no longer doing what they were originally intended to. If you're using bungs AND tone controls, you really do have the wrong speaker for your situation. You could try the new KEF Q100's, or the Dali Lektor 3's, which are both front ported, and should be easier to position in your situation. Other speakers from the likes of B&W, Dynaudio and Quad for example, also won't suit your situation due to being rear ported, and generally producing quite a lot of bass. You could also try the ATC SCM7, which is a sealed cabinet design, so is an ideal candidate. The drawback of a sealed design is a trade off in sensitivity - the SCM7's are 84dB, whereas other similar speakers are 87-89dB, which is roughly twice a loud for the same volume from the amp. They do need a couple more notches on your volume control, so if you already reach the 11 o'clock position on your volume control, your amp may well run out of steam when things get busy. Do audition to make sure this isn't the case.
 
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Anonymous

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danrv:

Hi

I've recently purchased a pair of Monitor Audio RX1's for my 12ft X 12ft room

but have found the bass so overwhelming I've had to stick the bungs in

and switch on the tone controls on my Rotel RA-01(which I don't like to do).

I've experimented with speaker positioning and they're on good stands.

I feel that I've had to tweak the speaker sound so much that I'm

not getting the original sound quality from them.

Anybody else have similar problems?

Cambridge Audio 640C

Rotel RA-01

MA RX1

Atacama Nexus 6

(sorry 'bout the spacing.Can't get sentences any closer together).

hi there....

Your description of the MA RX1 is exactly the reason I discounted them after audition. I think if your having to alter the tone controls and fiddle endlessly then unfortunatly they need to be returned from whence they came. You will never be satisfied with the sound. I mean your options for similar priced standmounts are good, and there are some excellent alternatives.

AVI Neutron 5

B & W 685 or CM5,,,,,,,,,,which should blend well with the Rotel.

Rega RS1

EB1

If your room suffers from Bass problems like my living room you could add soft furnishings...........but in the end you need to get the right speakers if you are going to use it for 20 years plus.

The AVI and the Rega might be more suited as they are leaner sounding.......

Maybe your dealer would do a deal on something else from the shop in exchange.....or if within 30 days of purchase just take them back.

D
 
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Anonymous

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Check with David from Frank Harvey HIFI about the 30 day rule.......... I have always used it and ......if I am genuinely unhappy with a product I have purchased I take it back........and either exchange for another product or ask for my money back..........I do not do it the whole time so don't think I abuse the system it's just that if you are spending £400 it has to be the right decision.

Furthermore to the speaker decision ..... IMO it may be worth auditioning the new BX1...........

Dave
 
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Anonymous

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just out of curiosity how much room have you given the speakers to breath? they really need to be a good 18" from any side/rear walls.
 

Crocodile

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AFAIK, faulty goods aside, any exchange policy is solely at the discretion of the dealer. Something that should be established before parting with your cash. Unfortunately there are still retailers around who would rather look at the short term inconvenience of an exchange rather than the long term benefits of a satisfied customer.

Don't forget to take your listening position into consideration as well. In the same way that having the speakers too close to the wall will reinforce the bass, so will having your ears too close to the opposite wall.
 

danrv

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brittondave:

Furthermore to the speaker decision ..... IMO it may be worth auditioning the new BX1...........

Dave

Thanks. Looks like a good bet being a smaller speaker.Has a rear port though.

The BX2 with a bigger bass/mid driver than the RX1 may not solve the problem.

Stresses the importance of a home demo which I was unable to do,or an exchange policy like Richer Sounds offer.

This could go on for months! Bringing new speakers home,running them in etc..

I've actually had better results going completely by WHF reviews and buying without hearing it first as in my Sony SS86E speakers

and Cambridge Audio 640C CD player. £370 is a bit different though.
 
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Anonymous

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danrv:brittondave:

Furthermore to the speaker decision ..... IMO it may be worth auditioning the new BX1...........

Dave

Thanks. Looks like a good bet being a smaller speaker.Has a rear port though.

The BX2 with a bigger bass/mid driver than the RX1 may not solve the problem.

Stresses the importance of a home demo which I was unable to do,or an exchange policy like Richer Sounds offer.

This could go on for months! Bringing new speakers home,running them in etc..

I've actually had better results going completely by WHF reviews and buying without hearing it first as in my Sony SS86E speakers

and Cambridge Audio 640C CD player. £370 is a bit different though.

Um I used to have the BR2's and I really liked them but their bass overwhelmed my downstairs setup.......and they are front ported........

sometimes rooms just don't like bass and don't react well to sub frequencies........of course you could spend loads of time or money on acoustic treatment... but I couldn't be bothered, it really isn't practical with kids( carpets, soft furnishings)........so my main listening room for music is upstairs where the acoustics are perfect.

my downstairs room just doesn't like loads of bass, so in the end I started experimenting having the Br1's as my fronts, and I found success. They just are the right speaker for that room regardless of price vs their older brothers.

I think it would be a good idea to try a smaller speaker if possible,,,,,and remember just because they are small doesn't mean they can't kick ass when they need to. My volume knob doen't have to be very far up at all before they start letting rip....

D
 

danrv

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Blackdawn:Go for the Lektor 1 or 2's.

The Lektor 2 is the right size on my Atacama's but

the smaller Lektor 1 has the better reviews.

The RX1's have too much bass. Do you think the Lektor 1's will have sufficient?

Don't want boomy,just well balanced and controlled.

I would have to sell my RX1's as I don't think I'd get a refund.
 
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Anonymous

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There is one other thing you could try and that is get a packet of straws,cut them in half and selotape a bundle together. Then plug the holes with them. It still allows the air to flow in and out but it cuts down on boom and tightens the sound a little. What speaker cable are you using out of curiosity?

oh, and i would maybe consider the dali lektor 2's. The 1's will not have enough bass but the 2's will and should be tighter and not as much of it compared to the mon audios. What about epos m5i's? i have the M5's and love them.Previously i had mon audio RS1's and the epos are better.
 

danrv

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Thanks

I've heard about the straws.Hadn't considered it as the foam is denser and therefore

more effective at reducing the bass.

I'll give it a go as everything else about the speakers is fine.

I'm using QED Silver Anniversary XT speaker cable which I've recently bought.Replaced

Cable Talk 3.1.
 
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Anonymous

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I had similar experiences with a pair of MA BR5.

The bass was either overwhelming or just not there. I experimented with interconnects and speaker cable and i only got marginal benefits. Also tried positioning, etc. and it didnït worked. I concluded that my listening room was the cause i almost came to terms with the fact that nice sound would be impossible. As a last resource i used the supplied spikes under the speakers which i never used because my floor is concrete with tiles over it.

So, i canït exactly explain why but the bass become much much more controlled and the imaging improved greately.

Hope this helps.

Good luck.
 

grifz

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I found the rx6 were booming at first when new . But after run in time i felt they eased up on the bass and brightend up more. Also pure direct mode is definetly the best setting for my rx range , better than other pre-set modes.
 

tommyskins

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I recommend giving the Rega RS1 an audition, I used to own B&W 685's but found them a over powering with bass. The RS1 have improved my listening tenfold..
emotion-5.gif
 
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Anonymous

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grifz:I found the rx6 were booming at first when new . But after run in time i felt they eased up on the bass and brightend up more. Also pure direct mode is definetly the best setting for my rx range , better than other pre-set modes.

I really do welcome amp manufacturers that put tone controls into their products+ a defeat switch. This keeps the purists happy as well. A 'good' set of tone controls will make our job easier, that is to say compensating for room boundries.
 

grifz

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I totally agree , what i was refering to was pure-direct mode seems to have less bass and more clarity with the rx,s so may help with boom imo .
 

danrv

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Thanks

I agree. I'd much rather use pure-direct setting on the Rotel and experiment with

speaker positioning.

I'm gonna try and get used to it and I'm not sure they're totally run in yet.
 

danrv

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Sold the RX1's in the end. Having to use the bungs in the ports I'm sure was affecting bass quality and midrange. Now looking at the Dali Lektor 2's which should be less fussy with positioning.
 

danrv

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Thanks for the help.I do agree. I thought that when auditioning,the bass maybe too much but with bungs considered I took a chance.I did ask about possibility of exchange if not happy but they said once opened they can't sell them as new. Is 30 days a standard return time in sales 'cos the time's nearly up.

They do have:

B&W 685 (do like these but may have similar problems being a biggish speaker)

B&W CM1 (rear ported)

Monitor Audio BX2 (my 2nd choice)

Wharfedale Diamond 10.1 (rear ported)

May have a chance of swapping if I went for something more expensive but have spent enough already.

Prehaps I would have had more flexibility at my local Richer Sounds.I do think the Dali Lektor 2's from Richer Sounds would fit the bill perfectly.
 

danrv

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Crocodile:

In the same way that having the speakers too close to the wall will reinforce the bass, so will having your ears too close to the opposite wall.

That's what I find. The sound changes and the bass is increased a little when I sit in

the normal positition against the opposite wall.Due to the size of the room this is the only seating position option.
 

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