Upgrade consideration - Monitor Audio RX8 / GS20

[admin_exported]

I currently own the RS package with RS6, RSLCR & RSFX. Since upgrading my amp to the Pioneer SC-LX90 I'm also considering a speaker upgrade. Due to space constraints I have to stick with the same size centre channel but have been advised by Monitor Audio that the RXLCR is an improvement on the RSLCR and will blend well with either the new RX6/8 or the GS series due to having similar driver technology. Where I'm a bit stuck however is the main stereo pair. Has anyone been able to compare the RX6/8 and GS20's and can offer a comparison the RS6's I already have. Ultimately I'm going to go and do a comparison listening test but would like some advice all the same.

I've posted in the HiFi forum as stereo is the main area I'm looking to improve on - I'm pretty happy with the surround sound.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Damien Buckley:I currently own the RS package with RS6, RSLCR & RSFX. Since upgrading my amp to the Pioneer SC-LX90 I'm also considering a speaker upgrade. Due to space constraints I have to stick with the same size centre channel but have been advised by Monitor Audio that the RXLCR is an improvement on the RSLCR and will blend well with either the new RX6/8 or the GS series due to having similar driver technology. Where I'm a bit stuck however is the main stereo pair. Has anyone been able to compare the RX6/8 and GS20's and can offer a comparison the RS6's I already have. Ultimately I'm going to go and do a comparison listening test but would like some advice all the same.

I've posted in the HiFi forum as stereo is the main area I'm looking to improve on - I'm pretty happy with the surround sound.

Personally, I would not change my RS6 package for the RX one. When I fo upgrade, and it won't be for a while, I would go up to another level completely.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Don't change your RSLCR for an RXLCR. The RX's are much smoother than the RS's, and you'll end up with a centre speaker that lacks the life and energy of the front pair. They will sound quite different. Upgrade the front three together.

 

[Anonymous]

That was the idea - MA suggested the RXLCR would go well with the GS20's as they now share the same RST drivers. I'd prefer the GSLCR of course but it wont fit my cabinet. Do you think the GS20's are a fair upgrade from the RS6's to justify the expense? I'd like the Platinum 300's but I need my car at the moment ; )

What do you think of the GS Gerrard?

 

[Frank Harvey]

The GS20's are a worthwhile upgrade on the RS6's, no problems there, you have a decent nough AV amp to warrant the change.

Even though MA have recommended the RXLCR, I'd personally still be against it - the RX and RS are just too different tonally for them to match. You'd get away with RX rears, as rears tend to sound a little thinner and brighter - the RX rears would go perfectly there, but the front three are the most important thing to get right in an AV set up. You could always borrow an RXLCR from our local dealer and give it a try.

We've had the PL300/PL100/PL350c/PLW15 running at our place on the end of the Marantz 8003 pre/power - very nice! The KEF Reference does it for me though.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

Damien Buckley:That was the idea - MA suggested the RXLCR would go well with the GS20's as they now share the same RST drivers. I'd prefer the GSLCR of course but it wont fit my cabinet. Do you think the GS20's are a fair upgrade from the RS6's to justify the expense? I'd like the Platinum 300's but I need my car at the moment ; )

What do you think of the GS Gerrard?

If you had a stereo amp, I would say go for the GS range for sure. The GS AV package would have to be a night and day difference from the RS for me - I can see me upgrading for music but not for home cinema.

 

[Anonymous]

Gerrardasnails:Damien Buckley:That was the idea - MA suggested the RXLCR would go well with the GS20's as they now share the same RST drivers. I'd prefer the GSLCR of course but it wont fit my cabinet. Do you think the GS20's are a fair upgrade from the RS6's to justify the expense? I'd like the Platinum 300's but I need my car at the moment ; )

What do you think of the GS Gerrard?

If you had a stereo amp, I would say go for the GS range for sure. The GS AV package would have to be a night and day difference from the RS for me - I can see me upgrading for music but not for home cinema.hi mate, how much do you think you'd have to spend to see a big improvement over our rs6's and rslcr centre for cinema use? for me also id want it to be worthwhile and a big improvement! im not sure id be happy with the rx series as a upgrade, surely they cant be that much better the the rs series?

 

[jaxwired]

If I were you, I would wait until the later half of this year. I believe MA is replacing the GS line with a GX line. At that time you will be able to pick up a full GS system dirt cheap as retailers dump the discontinued line.

If you can't wait, then I'd buy all RX, not GS. The GS is not worth the big price jump over the RX. Very similar sound and construction IMO.

Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Frank Harvey]

jaxwired: If I were you, I would wait until the later half of this year. I believe MA is replacing the GS line with a GX line. At that time you will be able to pick up a full GS system dirt cheap as retailers dump the discontinued line.

Sorry Jaxwired, but your intel is incorrect.

If you can't wait, then I'd buy all RX, not GS. The GS is not worth the big price jump over the RX. Very similar sound and construction IMO.

Someone who has an RS system and is finding it way too bright might find the RX series worth it, but those ooking to upgrade will be sorely disappointed when they look at what that upgrade had just cost them. Yes, the RX series is better, but the prices they're going to currently get for their RS set up, along with what they'll have to pay out for the RX just ins't going to be worth it. Esepcially if they've bought RS at the prices they've been going for over the past 5 months.

The RX construction is the same as the old RS, which may borrow from the GS range (as all lower ranges do), but not the same. As for the sound, again, quite different. I can demonstrate quite easily how much better the GS20's at £1,600 sound over the RX8's at £1,000.

 

[Gerrardasnails]

fowler:Gerrardasnails:Damien Buckley:That was the idea - MA suggested the RXLCR would go well with the GS20's as they now share the same RST drivers. I'd prefer the GSLCR of course but it wont fit my cabinet. Do you think the GS20's are a fair upgrade from the RS6's to justify the expense? I'd like the Platinum 300's but I need my car at the moment ; )

What do you think of the GS Gerrard?

If you had a stereo amp, I would say go for the GS range for sure. The GS AV package would have to be a night and day difference from the RS for me - I can see me upgrading for music but not for home cinema.hi mate, how much do you think you'd have to spend to see a big improvement over our rs6's and rslcr centre for cinema use? for me also id want it to be worthwhile and a big improvement! im not sure id be happy with the rx series as a upgrade, surely they cant be that much better the the rs series?

I reckon you would need to cough up over £3k for a 5.1 system to make a decent difference. A big improvement, closer to £4-5k. When I listen to my system when watching a good bluray film, it sounds amazing - I'm very happy with it.

 

[Anonymous]

I'm happy with it as it is but feel with the Susano it could be better served with higher end speakers. The GS20's have a significantly wider frequency response than either the RS or RX, (28Hz-43kHz compared to the 38Hz-30kHz with the RS6's) so should be a good upgrade. Of course I'd prefer the Platinum series but then I didn't win the lottery yet lol.

I spoke to MA's marketing guy about it and he suggested I go for the RXLCR with the GS20's due to my space constraints not allowing the GSLCR.

Gerrard - I'm mainly looking to upgrade the stereo performance so I'm not worried about the rears - the amp will balance those up, but the centre would be better if it was closer to the main pair or it will be an obvious difference when in tv/movie use.

On another note, the RX are apparently a fairly big upgrade over the RS due to the fact that they use the RST drivers and hive ports from the GS series but for sure I think you're right about going from RS-RX for the main pair.

I have a great system so I'm in no rush and will wait and see what transpires and what they sound like in a listening test - the MA guy said the GS aren't due for an upgrade for a while as they are only halfway through their product cycle - but then he would say that ; )

 

[Anonymous]

FrankHarveyHiFi:
The RX construction is the same as the old RS, which may borrow from the GS range (as all lower ranges do), but not the same. As for the sound, again, quite different. I can demonstrate quite easily how much better the GS20's at £1,600 sound over the RX8's at £1,000.

So you think the GS20's are a worthwhile upgrade from my RS6's then? I just think I'm selling my amp etc short currently - even though it does sound superb I think it has a lot more to offer.

MA's sales guy told me that the GS won't be upgraded any time soon as they are only halfway through their product cycle.

I may have confused the issue a little however - the main reason I brought up the RX series is that my cabinet cannot accept a center channel larger than the RSLCR I have and MA suggested that the RXLCR - being similar drivers etc - would work better with the GS20's / 60's.

They also suggested that GS60's need a lot more space to work then GS20's - do you agree with this or can you offer any advice on a GS20/60 comparison? Just wish I had extra dough so i could go the whole hog with the PL300's lol - I talk to a guy on the Pioneer LX90 forum and he has the full PL Av series connected to his Susano and it looks incredible and he's over the moon with it.