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Thread: HK and Athena??? |
    
New member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 2
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 03:11 pm: |
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Hi yall,
I have a Harmon Kardon AVR 230 receiver and am looking at a pair of the Athena Technologies Audition AS-F2 Tower Speakers. I have heard that these speakers require a good amount of power. Will my receiver drive these speakers or would they be starved for more power? I know that the AVR is rated at 50 real watts and that the Athena's handle 250 watts but are these on the same scale? I ask this because HK seems to run a more honest rating system but its difficult to compare it with other components that may have had their ratings calculated differently. |
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New member Username: Raisingaz
Tempe ,
AZ
US
Post Number: 1
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 04:40 pm: |
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I have used an older HK AVR 210 and the Athena AS-C1 center channel(with some in-ceiling R/L and Surrounds rated up to 150 watts) and it worked very well - all had 90Db sesitivity. HK is one of the most accurate at rating power so you don't see real drop offs when driving 5.1 - what they say is generally what you get. The Athena AS-F2s also have a higher sensitivity rating (93Dd I think?) which helps out as well. However, if you are in a larger, open room with cloth furniture and carpeting, spring for the HK PA-2000 or PA-4000 amp - especially if you like it loud. |
New member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 3
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 08, 2004 - 06:37 pm: |
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Anyone running these Athenas off of relatively low powering receivers? Lemme know how it worked out. |
rich in az Unregistered guest |
| Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 06:31 pm: |
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Neal - I am running the AS-F2's and AS-C1 in a 5.1 setup. I had a NAD T743 which is also rated at 50wpc (real power) and the combo was superb. More than enough power for my carpeted 20x20 room. I borrowed a friend's $1500 speakers and did an a/b side by side in stereo mode and preferred the athenas. |
New member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 4
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, June 09, 2004 - 10:41 pm: |
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thanks for the help guys i think im gonna get them pretty soon (waiting to see if a better deal pops up on them) |
Bronze Member Username: Afrogt
Post Number: 14
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 03:09 am: |
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Not sure what deal you have right now but http://www.audioadvisor.com/default.asp has them for $399/pr including free shipping. I know Best Buy had them for $199 ea a few weeks ago but the last time I checked they were back up to $299 each again. |
New member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 5
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 01:00 pm: |
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yeah gregt thats what i was looking at. i saw that i missed the best buy 25% on athenas sale by a few days.... now im gonna see if they put them back on sale. if they are the same price as audioadvisor id get them at best buy to make it easier if theres a defect plus i think best buy had them on 2 years no interest. for now im just gonna keep my eyes open. do you think audioadvisor might go up on the price of them? |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 674
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Thursday, June 10, 2004 - 03:52 pm: |
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don't worry neal. Best Buy is probably going to put them back on sale by the 4th of July. |
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| Posted on Friday, June 11, 2004 - 11:59 am: |
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I have a very similar question, and any help would be appreciated.
I also bought the Athena auditions - 2 x ASF1s for the mains, 2 x ASB1s for the rears and 1x ASC1 for the center. I am not using a sub because i have a small room (11 x 16) and am hoping the F1s will be enough.
Do you guys think that the HK AVR230 will provide enough power to drive this system even without a sub? My concern is the bass demands on the F1s might be too high for 50W per channel, real power or not. However, it is a pretty small room, so it might be enough.
Any thoughts? Advice? Help would be MUCH appreciated.
Thanks! |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 685
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Friday, June 11, 2004 - 06:50 pm: |
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Brad the Athena should do well with the HK. |
New member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 8
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 04:19 pm: |
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looks like best buy has the athenas on sale again.... but only by like 20 bucks a piece. ill keep looking |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 752
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Tuesday, June 15, 2004 - 06:03 pm: |
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Father's day specials, huh? That's a good price but, you may want to buy it now and wait until the 4th of July sale then you can get an adjustment, if the price is lower by then, because it's been less than 30 days!
happy hunting |
New member Username: Sirflexalot
Vancouver,
British colu...
Canada
Post Number: 7
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Wednesday, June 16, 2004 - 04:12 pm: |
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can get those athenas here for 800bux new |
New member Username: Doctor_t
Post Number: 7
Registered: May-04
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| Posted on Friday, June 18, 2004 - 12:06 pm: |
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I heard the AS-F2's being driven by a low powered receiver in store (along with the AS-F1s and the center) and they sounded a little shrill. The highs were sharp and exaggerated, way to fatuiging for extended listening. I've also read reviews of these speakers, and they sounds like a great value for mass-sold speakers, but they may be a little bright, so you do not want a low powered receiver as this will make them sound even more bright (not a good thing.)
Pair it with either a warm sounding or well powered receiver or use an external amp at least for your fronts. Decent used 2 channel amps can be had pretty cheap on audiogon.com or ebay.com. Just my 2 cents |
Bronze Member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 14
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 06:15 pm: |
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i hadnt thought about buying another amp if im not satisfied with the performance. i really want to keep the avr 230 but adding another amp to power the fronts is a good suggestion. do you think something like the h/k pa 2000 would work well? |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 866
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 06:27 pm: |
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neal m,
Do you have this set-up as of yet??
Get it all together first, before taking another step.
Patience, padawan, everything will be revealed in time. |
Bronze Member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 15
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Sunday, June 20, 2004 - 07:17 pm: |
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oh no im not asking as if id actually do this yet. i just dont want to buy the athenas and realize that ill have to spent more than expected to get an extra amp down the line. if anything im trying to get it together before i buy anything else. |
Bronze Member Username: Nealm
Post Number: 16
Registered: Jun-04
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| Posted on Thursday, June 24, 2004 - 06:16 pm: |
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well i got the asf2s in today from audioadvisors. i almost cried when i took the first one out and realized fedex had smashed a corner on it. it looks terrible and isnt even slightly covered by the baffle. i called audioadvisors and it looks like now im going to have to wait a long time while they place and settle a claim with fedex. i dont know what to do other than wait, but i cant help but feel like im the biggest victim of fedex's mistake because ill have to wait weeks to get what i already paid for. |
Silver Member Username: Project6
Post Number: 915
Registered: Dec-03
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| Posted on Thursday, June 24, 2004 - 08:07 pm: |
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that's rough...hope fedex can expedite your next delivery. Sorry to hear that! |
