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A/V-Gaf ... Help me choose my speaker finish!

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Raistlin

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I'm purchasing some minimalist speakers for my living room setup, and am drawing a blank on what color to go with. My initial impression is to jump on the hand-polished steel (I've always liked the metal & black look), but I'm not sure.

Anyway, I'm trying to go with a contemporary vibe. Here are the offerings (all from http://www.orbaudio.com/)


Pearl White, Hand-Polished Steel, Hand-Antiqued Copper, Metallic Black, Hand-Antiqued Bronze:

cincomaster.jpg



Also note, I'm actually going with the Mod 2's (dual speakers), either throughout, or for all but the surrounds ... in case that makes any difference. Here's some pics:

500august0613.gif
500august062.gif

500august065.gif
500august063.gif


MOAR at linky: http://www.orbaudio.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=4



Lastly, let us not forget the stands. Obviously the selection may change based on the speaker finish. I should note, I'm not quite sure exactly where I'm going with these. I plan to eventually get a classy, long TV stand ... so the front 3 do not necessarily need the tall stands. So I suppose this is more for the surrounds, though I could certainly use them for the front L/R until I make a TV stand purchase. Basically, I haven't decided whether to go with wall mounts, or use these stands for surrounds ... but assume that's what they would be for long-term. Acoustically, I think I'll generally be fine either way ... but I'm kind of leaning towards the tall stands because they offer greater flexibility of placement, and they look so damn sexy. :D

Anyway, here's what's available optionally from the manufacturer.


TOSS (Tubes Of Sculpted Steel), available in Ice White and Solar Black:

500TOSSpromo2.jpg



HOSS (Hunk of Solid Steel), available in Stainless Steel:

400hosssilver.jpg




Also, higher-end stands for the fronts:

BOSS (apparently, they couldn't come up with an acronym), available in Stainless Steel:

boss4.jpg




Otherwise, they come with the little stands portrayed in the top-most picture. I believe they default to black for everything finish except white (which comes with white stands).






For those that care, I was thinking of going in this general sort of direction for the stand (though the TV would actually be on stand, at least until/if I get a wall-mountable set).

Plasma_TV_Stand_Wenge_Ann_Wall_Unit_123_Modloft_Furniture.jpg


Not necessarily that color or design, but that's the gist of where I'm currently leaning.



Oh, and the speakers will be paired to this (Marantz NR-1501 'Slimline'):

height.650_width.650_modified.1260891278.3304.nr1501.jpg

height.650_width.650_modified.1260891296.3305.nr1501a.jpg

height.650_width.650_modified.1260891310.3306.nr1501b.jpg
 
Tobor said:
I agree. How much are those speakers?
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Check out the front page: http://www.orbaudio.com/

It matters what speaker configuration you get. I'm probably going with either the People's Choice or Mod2 configuration ($1,098 and $1,289 respectively. Both sets are 5.1, and include a sub).

Getting the non black or white finishes does cost extra though. It's kind of neat that you can mix and match though (for example, get white surrounds for wall-mounting, and then a higher-end finish on the fronts.
 
I really like the Copper finish. But it really depends on the rest of the room. So for that reason hand polished... steel.
 
Onix said:
Check out the front page: http://www.orbaudio.com/

It matters what speaker configuration you get. I'm probably going with either the People's Choice or Mod2 configuration ($1,098 and $1,289 respectively. Both sets are 5.1, and include a sub).

Getting the non black or white finishes does cost extra though. It's kind of neat that you can mix and match though (for example, get white surrounds for wall-mounting, and then a higher-end finish on the fronts.
Click to expand...
I love minimalist style speakers. I gotta find a showroom and give them a test listen. Color me interested.
 
Onix said:
Check out the front page: http://www.orbaudio.com/

It matters what speaker configuration you get. I'm probably going with either the People's Choice or Mod2 configuration ($1,098 and $1,289 respectively. Both sets are 5.1, and include a sub).

Getting the non black or white finishes does cost extra though. It's kind of neat that you can mix and match though (for example, get white surrounds for wall-mounting, and then a higher-end finish on the fronts.
Click to expand...
Interesting. I'll have to keep these in mind when I decide to upgrade.
 
entrement said:
I love minimalist style speakers. I gotta find a showroom and give them a test listen. Color me interested.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, they're internet-direct (which is why they can be priced as they are), but it appears you can schedule showings in NYC and California.


You should check out the reviews though, they've received raves for years. While obviously speakers are a bit of a personal thing, they're generally regarded as amongst the top performers for the price and size. And obviously if you are cool with the styling, really nothing comes close for the price.
 
slider said:
I really like the Copper finish. But it really depends on the rest of the room. So for that reason hand polished... steel.
Click to expand...

Wow, you pretty much read my mind. I too like the Copper, but I've never really had an accents with that color, so it's hard to tell if I'll really dig it in person. The steel is definitely the safer bet (and actually matches some of my current HT furniture, though that may be changing).



As for the room though, I think Copper can certainly work. White ceiling, and light beige walls, with one accent wall. The accent wall is currently brown, though I'm planning to paint that to an undetermined color in the Spring.

My largest piece of furniture (pretty much the elephant in the room) is a beige microfiber sectional. That's actually going to eventually make its way downstairs once my retarded man-cave is complete ... but that's probably 1.5 years off. At that point, I'll likely go with two smallish contemporary/minimalist couches facing each other (trendy leather type stuff).

For now, the TV stand is actually back against one of the normal walls. Though later when I rearrange, it will be against the accent wall.
 
Dragona Akehi said:
I'm boring and low-key: black.
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Nothing wrong with that. Main reason I'm considering something different is because I generally don't go crazy with color, and rely on a few accents to spruce things up. I'm not a crazy color/fabric kind of guy for my furniture ... and don't tend to go nuts on the walls either.
 
Onix said:
Nothing wrong with that. Main reason I'm considering something different is because I generally don't go crazy with color, and rely on a few accents to spruce things up. I'm not a crazy color/fabric kind of guy for my furniture ... and don't tend to go nuts on the walls either.
Click to expand...

To better explain my post, I personally feel that speakers should be as "invisible" as possible. Silly thing perhaps, but it's how I feel.
 
Onix said:
Wow, you pretty much read my mind. I too like the Copper, but I've never really had an accents with that color, so it's hard to tell if I'll really dig it in person. The steel is definitely the safer bet (and actually matches some of my current HT furniture, though that may be changing).

As for the room though, I think Copper can certainly work. White ceiling, and light beige walls, with one accent wall. The accent wall is currently brown, though I'm planning to paint that to an undetermined color in the Spring.

For now, the TV stand is actually back against one of the normal walls. Though later when I rearrange, it will be against the accent wall.
Click to expand...

Easy for me to say, cos it's not my money, but I'll say do it. Get some copper in there and move it around the room for a final decision though.

Of course if you're not feeling that brave the Steel will look great too.

I look forward to the personal review of the speakers. I've got a crappy Mordaunt Short 5.1 outfit (with a 7.1 receiver) so am actively thinking about upgrading.
 
slider said:
Easy for me to say, cos it's not my money, but I'll say do it. Get some copper in there and move it around the room for a final decision though.

Of course if you're not feeling that brave the Steel will look great too.
Click to expand...

Hmm ... it's going to be a tough choice. I'll have to think about it for a bit. I may give them a call and see what sort of return policy they have ... maybe get a pair in each (copper and steel), set them up, and see how they look in the room.


Out of curiosity, what do you think about the stands? I'm digging the curvy ones for the surrounds.



I look forward to the personal review of the speakers. I've got a crappy Mordaunt Short 5.1 outfit (with a 7.1 receiver) so am actively thinking about upgrading.
Click to expand...

Once things are set up a bit, I'll definitely post my impressions. For a few reasons, it may be a bit hard for one to glean too much from them though:

* I'll be using it with a new receiver that was just ordered (that Marantz in the OP), so there won't be a constant as far as that goes.

* This will actually be my first sub/sat setup. So while I can obviously give general impressions, I can't really compare it to anything (other than stuff I've tested in stores - but those are such sub-optimal conditions, it's hardly worth noting :p) for people to looking for relative impressions.

* I'm not going to A/B it versus my high-end set up. That has been decommissioned and packed away until my dedicated theater is built. I can't believe I actually had that monstrosity in an apartment living room :lol Such delightful overkill :p

So basically, it will be impressions from a vacuum.
 
Dragona Akehi said:
To better explain my post, I personally feel that speakers should be as "invisible" as possible. Silly thing perhaps, but it's how I feel.
Click to expand...

Not silly, many people feel that way.



While a stereotype, it is amusing to see how this sort of thing tends to fall on gender lines. Being a guy, I'm quite happy to show them off. :D Interestingly, if you troll some HT forums and magazines, you'll see something called WAF when talking about the style and form-factor for components, particularly speakers. It stands for Wife Acceptance Factor :p


Generally though, I have good taste in decor, and that also translates to speakers. My main speakers are furniture-grade Macassar Ebony, and even if you wouldn't want the speakers in this thread too visible, you have to admit they're pretty stylish. Basically, my significant others have been able to at least tolerate my A/V addiction. :)
 
Onix said:
Hmm ... it's going to be a tough choice. I'll have to think about it for a bit.

Out of curiosity, what do you think about the stands? I'm digging the curvy ones for the surrounds.
Click to expand...

Heh, curvy stands doesn't sound like my cup ot tea but the pics tell a different story. Especially for surrounds (like you I don't think they'd be right for the fronts).

Once things are set up a bit, I'll definitely post my impressions. For a few reasons, it may be a bit hard for one to glean too much from them though:
...
So basically, it will be impressions from a vacuum.
Click to expand...

No arguing with that. I've been caught up in comparisons where I drove myself crazy. For me, and my limited knowledge/experience, a clean slate works best. If it's good enough initially I'll stop worrying and feel the noise.

As an aside it sounds like you've got a big project ahead. :)
 
Onix said:
Not silly, many people feel that way.



While a stereotype, it is amusing to see how this sort of thing tends to fall on gender lines. Being a guy, I'm quite happy to show them off. :D Interestingly, if you troll some HT forums and magazines, you'll see something called WAF when talking about the style and form-factor for components, particularly speakers. It stands for Wife Acceptance Factor :p


Generally though, I have good taste in decor, and that also translates to speakers. My main speakers are furniture-grade Macassar Ebony, and even if you wouldn't want the speakers in this thread too visible, you have to admit they're pretty stylish. Basically, my significant others have been able to at least tolerate my A/V addiction. :)
Click to expand...

I actually quite like the design of the speakers themselves. And as for showing shit off, I have two huge Billy Bookcases with all my games and assorted nerd related crap in the front room. So I wouldn't chalk this up to WAF syndrome. :P

In the case of speakers, I think it's because the more invisible/low-key they are, the better the immersion I seem to get from using them. Not that home theatres are all that lighted while in use but... yeah. How I feel.

In addition, these speakers are already going for the minimal, clean look: making them black simply adds to their design and invisibility in my opinion.

That said, go for the curved stands. They are gorgeous.
 
I agree with Dragona here.

black. those speakers will disappear.


unless you want to show them off, if so, then copper on black stands.
 
Nakazato said:
i kinda like the copper
Edit: nice reciver might try to pick one up myself and sell my Onkyo due to size
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Aw crap.

I ordered mine from accessories4less earlier tonight (link).

It's a refurb, but they are an authorized Marantz dealer (and the only authorized online dealer of refurbs iirc). They come direct from the factory and come with a warranty. Thing was $399 ... $200 off retail.


After I had ordered there was only one left, and I was going to send you a PM so as to not announce the price to lurkers. When I went to get the link though, it was sold out.

Sorry :(
 
I'd avoid the white or bronze, and the curved stands look like something you'd get from monoprice. All the other options are pretty baller looking, so you can't lose
 
Onix said:
Aw crap.

I ordered mine from accessories4less earlier tonight (link).

It's a refurb, but they are an authorized Marantz dealer (and the only authorized online dealer of refurbs iirc). They come direct from the factory and come with a warranty. Thing was $399 ... $200 off retail.


After I had ordered there was only one left, and I was going to send you a PM so as to not announce the price to lurkers. When I went to get the link though, it was sold out.

Sorry :(
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lol its cool :P I need to get the money for it since im only getting a pay check 1 every month or so :(

fun thing is i got my onkyo from there lol XD and didnt realize i didnt need to pay shipping cause i lived down the street from the place in college
 
Witchfinder General said:
Lifestyle speakers, Onix? Really? I'm disappointed. Still, I guess they're for a second system.

Hand-Polished Steel
Click to expand...

:lol

Come on, the design is about acoustic science ... you know that ... though yeah, the color options are certainly lifestyle in nature :p
 
I know all about WAF :)

if you had White Walls I'd be tempted by the White ones to be more discrete and coordinating. Otherwise, coordinate with your other furniture - AV or otherwise - sounds like steel in that case

I'd also wallount all around. I started doing that while toddler-proofing our lounge ands it's stuck with me. Especially if your TV will eventually be wallmounted. Flanked by speakers will look better than stands. If you do want stands though, I much prefer the look of the HOSS ones
 
Yea i was surprised that your getting these Onix, dont you have a nice hi-fi?? I use the paradigm monitor series for my HT (atoms and mini-monitors) there small enough to stay out of the way and still sound nice. But do let me know about that marantz reciever, I'm in the market for something with HDMI that sounds nice.
 
Winged Creature said:
Yea i was surprised that your getting these Onix, dont you have a nice hi-fi??
Click to expand...

Yes, I do have a decent hi-fi setup, as well as a pretty serious surround sound system. The problem is that the surround system is a bit too serious :p It's crazy unwieldy for a living room (or at least a non-bachelor pad-living room), so I've decommissioned it.

Not to worry though, it's been decommissioned in my living room only. Next Summer I will begin construction of my dedicated home theater in the basement. It will be a closed off, 'black room', housing stadium seating and front projection. My higher end equipment is going there ... or at least some iteration, I'm always upgrading some part of it. I think the speakers have a good shot of staying, though I will likely upgrade the crossovers in them.


I use the paradigm monitor series for my HT (atoms and mini-monitors) there small enough to stay out of the way and still sound nice. But do let me know about that marantz reciever, I'm in the market for something with HDMI that sounds nice.
Click to expand...

Will do. My main concern is the power handling of the Marantz. Since my living room setup is really just a secondary system though, I think it will be fine. I'm really not planning on hitting reference volumes or anything like that. It's there to just get clean, accurate sound, at relatively normal volume levels. And since it's in my living room, I figure I might as well have it look pretty too :p

If one where to use it as their main receiver though (and they like things loud), it would matter the speakers and room its coupled to.
 
Winged Creature said:
Out of curiosity whats in your main refrence HT
Click to expand...

Speakers:
Mains - Onix Rocket RS-750 - MLS Signature Edition
Center - Onix Rocket RSC-200 "Bigfoot"
Surrounds - Onix Rocket RSS-300 Adaptive Dipoles
Rears - Onix Rocket RS-750 - MLS Signature Edition
Subwoofer - Boston Acoustics VR-2000 THX

Audio Processing:
Onkyo Professional PR-SC885P Pre/Pro
Boston Acoustics A-7200 7-Channel Amp

Video Processing:
Anchor Bay DVDO Edge - Video Processor
Algolith Flea HDMI - Noise Reduction




Parts of it are being scavenged for use with my living room set up until the theater is ready (for example, I'll be using the video processing and probably the sub), but once the black room is done ... I'll have to test how things sound and look.

For example, my sub, while it was once great is pretty long in the tooth. It does pretty well with music though, so I plan to put it in my 'studio' (I'm also working on a mini recording studio / listening area). The main theater will get all new subwoofers.

In reality, everything will be up for eventual upgrade, because it always is :p When moving to a new room (and front projection) though, that sort of mentality is doubly true. Will my amp be enough? What about the center channel? Will I want new processing, both for video and audio? Moving to a 100-120" screen may warrant better video processing, not to mention there is lots of new tech coming out (higher than 1080p? 3D?) that may require an upgrade. Even for the audio processing, there are lots of new techs hitting I may want to take advantage of (height channels, etc. from Dolby Pro Logic IIz, Audyssey DSX, and DTS-HD).




BTW - Yes, I took my name because I love my speakers :p Well, I should say that once Dragona accidentally perma-banned my Raistlin account (RIP), I had to pick a new name :D
 
There's nothing wrong with the orbs - they get really good writeups. I guess because they're small and 'iifestyle' they get put into the 'can't be any good' camp. Sure, they're not serious speakers, but they're damn good.
 
They look like ornaments, so copper. If they looked like furniture, black.

Copper.

I should say that once Dragona accidentally perma-banned my Raistlin account
Click to expand...

Raistlism confirmed.
 
Dragona Akehi said:
Actually, if you want I could change your name back. I just thought you had decided to go with a new name for the new boards. :P
Click to expand...

Haha :D


Interesting proposition. Let me think about that ;)
 
I've never heard the orbs, but lets hope they will hold you down till you get ur new room for the big setup completed, cause that system is a very nice one.
 
Well...I'll give you my impressions...

White - Because you'll have white trim in the room/house and they will pop if they are wall mounted.

Black - To be consistent

Copper - Because copper is fucking rad. The very reason I wanted to get a copper cooking pot set, but man, those things are a bitch to keep shiny.
 
As an update, my receiver should be showing up tomorrow.


Now for the speakers, as stated I originally intended to get some in Copper and some in Steel for a comparison. However after talking with one of their reps for a bit, I decided to just say fuck it and order the Steel.

While in the one picture the Copper looks really awesome, the reality is that it's 'new' copper. So even with the antiquing, he said they can be a bit 'pink' in the light :\ I suppose it wouldn't kill me to test both finishes, but I'm fairly confident what the result would be. And I want my speakers now :p


So ... I ordered a Mod2 5.1 set. Should be getting tracking info tomorrow or the next day. w00t!!!
 
Figure I'd give a quick update ...


So far, not bad. Once they were broken in and room-eq'd, they have a pretty impressive soundstage for their size. However, they are a bit forward for my tastes, and have a pretty narrow sweet-spot.


To make things more interestingly, I happened to find some Mirage Omnisat V2's at a very nice price, and decided to order those for an in-house comparison. Basically, it will be the same deal as the Orbs - a set of 5 matching small(ish) speakers. These take up a bit more space than the Orbs, but not much. Coming with that however, is a wider frequency response.


This will be a pretty interesting comparison. While they may be in the same ballpark size-wise, I suspect they couldn't be more different in sound. The Orbs are a bit bright, with laser imaging, and the Mirage are expected to be more warm and use omnidirectional sound. So while imaging won't be quite as accurate, the soundstage and sweet-spot should be quite huge.


2zi69zm.jpg
24wa59u.jpg


Note, those aren't particularly flattering pictures. While obviously not in the same class as the orbs in looks, they are actually quite nice in person versus most other speaker designs.
 
So in a turn for the awesome, I just opened up the box of Mirage's and they aren't V2's (the previous gen) ... they're OS3's :p

I'll be doing tests over the next several hours of the orbs with high res content (BluRay's, SACD's, DVD-A) ... and will do the same with the Mirage's tomorrow.
 
How did you find the marantz slim line reciever? Im looking at that model right now and I'm wondering if would be able to power the paradigm monitor series. I dont think it will have a problem since that speaker line is very efficient.
 
Winged Creature said:
How did you find the marantz slim line reciever? Im looking at that model right now and I'm wondering if would be able to power the paradigm monitor series. I dont think it will have a problem since that speaker line is very efficient.
Click to expand...

I think you'd be fine.

The speakers I've been testing are nowhere near as sensitive as the Paradigms, and I'm able to get good volume without going into distortion land. As long as you don't have a really huge room, and aren't looking to kill your ears, it's a great little receiver. Probably the only thing I wish it had was an 'all stereo' mode.



SapientWolf said:
The nerd in me is saying, "Fuck aesthetics. Utility first!" but those black speakers are pretty sexy.
Click to expand...

Well, I've actually decided to send the Orbs back. I'm going with Mirage (though getting some upgraded ones for the fronts). I'll be running 2 x OMD-5 and a OMD-C1 in the ront, and 3 x OS3 Sat for the surrounds/rear. I figure 6.1 is fine for my living room. I'm also getting an Elemental Designs A3S-250 for .1 duties.

The extra pair of OS3's will be used as height/presence channels in my 9.2 dedicated setup.


Obviously they aren't in the same class as the Orb's aesthetically, but they are nicer looking than most. I'll update the thread with my impressions soon.
 
Winged Creature said:
How does it sound more importantly?
Click to expand...

So far, pretty damn nice. My current layout is not conducive to good sound (I'll do what I can with it once everything is set up) ... but I'm quite happy with the results thus far.
 
Im still debating if I should get the SR5004 or SR6004. I want the sound to be the best HT can for that $500 to $1000 price range. For pure hi-fi I have a seperate set-up.
 
Well, it matters your needs.

In general, the more power the better. I personally am using this in a secondary room. And while the room does open up to a large part of the floor, that is behind the listening area ... so you really aren't far from the speakers (or reflections).

If your room is large, it might be good to go with something bigger, though your speakers sensitivity may make that moot. Even though this is rated at 50w, Marantz actually measures all channels/full freq iirc. This thing is probably more powerful than what many supposed 100w receivers are. One nice thing about the 5004 and 6004 is they both have Audyssey MultEQ however. I have it on my main pre/pro, and am quite happy with it. The 1501 actually uses their proprietary MRAC solution. It isn't bad, but not quite up to Audyssey standards. If you have a particularly troublesome room, that may factor into your decision.

If you check out accessories4less, they have a few 5004 and 6004 refurbs at $599 and $849 respectively!
 
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