[CornellAlum]

Just a couple of random question for the experts, as I am pretty new to the whole audiophool thing, and if they are rookie questions, my apologies.


1.  I am contemplating going seperates.  The biggest reason is that I need more power to drive the 626r's than I have right now.  I listen to 98.9 percent of unmastered, raw concert recordings, and I find myself having to drive my panasonic modded xr-45 quite hard to get the levels I want in my room.  My question would be, how much would I have to spend dollar-wise to get the same performance I am getting now, but with seperates?  I was thinking a tubed pre perhapss, driving hypex class d modulaes for starters.  Would this be "better?"

2.  I am totally confused on how to adjust the parametric EQ on the parts express sub amp Brian now uses with the active subs.  Mine is external, but it's the exact same.  If someone could tell me what the heck I am doing, I would appreciate it.

3.  I was playing around with the putty last night, removed just a bit, and the bass seemed to tighten up.  Is that what it was supposed to do?


Anyway, thanks for any and all help.  

Daryan

[Campindog]

1. Does the panasonic have "pre-outs"? If so, you can ease into separates with just an amp. Use the panasonic as a pre-amp only. What kind of budget are you considering? Are these soundboard recordings? Most that I've heard are less than stellar, but sometimes great performances.

2. Measure your room with test tones and a Radio Shack SPL meter. Realtraps.com has test tones you can download for free and burn to a cd. The Acuoustics Circle has graph paper to plot your measurments. Identify the peaks in the room and remove them with the eq. The spl meter is not accurate, but you will see where peaks and dips are. Don't try to raise dips.  You'll be fighting the room. I don't have the PE amp, but you should have 3 controls. Fc is the frequency of the peak, db will be the amount to cut, and Q will be how far away from Fc you want to changes to have impact. For Q think is the peak a sharp spike or a rolling hill. Remeasure to confirm your changes.

3. Exactly. Add/remove putty for the best sound, then tweak the pots if you think it's necessary. Small changes only and don't crank the mid/hi pots.

[John Casler]

My question would be, how much would I have to spend dollar-wise to get the same performance I am getting now, but with seperates? I was thinking a tubed pre perhapss, driving hypex class d modulaes for starters. Would this be "better?"
  ...

The 626R sound and perform best with a good amount of "real" power, if they are run "full range".  While wattages are really relative, I found the Son of Ampzilla, with a "real" 100wpc was adequate.  This however doesn't translate into 100wpc from a receiver.

If you do not run the 626R "full range" then they can do OK with slightly less power, but I would shoot for 100-150 quality wpc.

I have not used the HYPEX amps so cannot comment.

  I am totally confused on how to adjust the parametric EQ on the parts express sub amp Brian now uses with the active subs. Mine is external, but it's the exact same. If someone could tell me what the heck I am doing, I would appreciate it.
...

Visit the online manual below for instructions:

http://www.partsexpress.com/pdf/300-808.pdf

  I was playing around with the putty last night, removed just a bit, and the bass seemed to tighten up. Is that what it was supposed to do? ...

The putty is only a small part of "tuning" the LARGER.

Placement and orientation can also have a dramatic effect on the bass.

However, if you remove a small amount and the bass improves, then that is the dorrect thing to do.

However "always" use a familiar bass cut or cuts for tuning purposes, or you'll drive yourself crazy.  Some bass is just not defined.

If you have a familiar cut, simply remove putty "until" the very last removal begins to sound less clear and "wooly".  Then "add back" the last amount removed, and you have tuned the PR.

[CornellAlum]

Thanks for the help guys.  FWIW, my budget would be in the neighborhood of 2 G's give or take I would imagine.   Any reccomendations for a tube pre/amp combo in this arena I can check out?  John, currently I have the larger dead in the middle of my room.  At the moment it is extended a foot ahead of the 626's, and there is no way around this until I finish my rack and relocate the entertainment center to the garage where it belongs.  Does this sound OK for where it is, or should I move it to one side to be in the same plane as the speakers...though I am not sure how one wopuld get in my door.  Maybe I can snap a picture and post it.

Daryan