Rock and Roll System

I too own a Les Paul and a Marshall 4x12 cabinet with Hughes&Kettner valve/solid hybrid head. It also has much more impact than my hifi, though I usually don't play my hifi too loud because of the hearing thing.

Part of the problem is that rock CDs are usually massively compressed in the CD mastering so they will sound OK on car radios, boom boxes etc. I am not sure high end hifi will ever make it sound live because of this compression.

I have also found that a "live, dynamic" sound requires a lot of low frequencies, so pick main speakers that are flat to at least 20Hz, or get a sub(s). I notice you've got this angle covered. Here again you're at the mercy of the recording/mixing/mastering engineers, though, since many CDs which should have these low frequencies don't. (e.g. they replace kick drum with crappy sampled sounds, record bass guitar directly with a cabinet simulator etc).

In summary, it sounds like you have good gear already, and buying more expensive gear may just highlight the deficiencies of the recordings. Ever wondered why some relatively cheap car stereos sound so foot-tapping .... they work well with the crummy source material.

As a caveat I should add that my experience is with much cheaper equipment (Mission/Cyrus/Audiolab/Densen/Spica/REL) but I think even my equipment shows how poor the recordings are, so I dread to think how they might sound on your gear.

Aroc, I am using two classe CA-400's (one each for main and surround pair-very effortless) and one CAV-150 (for center). The REL has its own amp, only 100W albeit very efficient.

Aroc; I use 400 watt Melos Monoblocks with my SC-V's

I based my comments on the fact that most live rock has an EXTREMELY high distortion factor along with being reproduced by a speaker system that is primarily horn based. Duplicating that scenario as close as possible will give you the most "realistic" reproduction of that type of event. Keep in mind that i'm speaking from two different points of view. I have worked / still do work as a professional sound engineer. I also enjoy "jamming" to some of these same bands at home.

Since most "mid fi" amps tend to compress and smear when pushed hard, this produces similar sonics to the Crown, Carver, Carvin, Crest, Peavey, BGW, Yamaha, etc... amps that are used at these events. The horn section / large woofer used as a mid will break up and distort in a similar manner to what you hear when bands are "jamming" at a concert. This also helps to recreate the "grunge" that accompanies the normally "cleaned up" but still highly compressed recording. The fact that the Heresy runs a 12" for the upper bass / midrange just like MOST front loaded PA cabinets also helps to duplicate that same type of presentation.

As to volume, concert level for hard rock / metal requires a MINIMUM of 108+ db's AVERAGE at the LISTENING POSITION. If you're not getting "chest compression" on kick drums, it is NOT loud enough or your system doesn't go low enough at volume. I experienced this watching the primarily "acoustic" band "Days Of The New" at a distance of appr 60' from the stage. As many of you know, this band is not "heavy" at all.

If you listen to your speakers at one meter, use the figures presented by the manufacturer. Otherwise, you'll have to measure for yourself in your room at your listening position to see what you think is "loud enough".

For the record, Klipsch La Scala's are rated to produce 128 db's at one meter. I know for a fact that they can do at least 118 db's average at a 10' listening distance. They do not sound as good as Heresy's in unmodified form, but will play louder and sound less strained doing it. For rock and roll, more power is better and too much is not enough : ) Sean
>

PS... WHAT ????? Did you say something ??? : )

Forget the Heresy's - get KHorns. NOTHING plays louder or with more punch - and you'll *never* need more than 100 watts per channel. Your room *requires* a big speaker, the KHorns fit that bill and produce substantial bass output, too.