HiFi or AV speakers

[pc.iow]

Can someone advise me on which way to go on the speaker front?
I am trying to decide if it would be best to keep my floor standing Mission speakers for HiFi,and buy a 5.1 system for the AV?

I have been tempted with using the Missions for the front left and right, with a separate centre and two satellite speakers to use for the rears.
Will this be ok or do I need a sub on the rears?
If I keep the Mission’s, will another three speakers look out of place on the wall, ether side and below the screen?

I love the Mission’s, old as they are, but don’t want to rely on an AV setup if that will not sound as good for music. Or are the new 5.1 sets ok for both?
All help and abuse greatly appreciated.
I still have a set of JBL Centurion speakers that are about 35-40 years old that sound just as good as any I have heard .It's just 4 large speakers in a front room now is soooo 1990
.

edit for spellcheck

Edited by pc.iow on Wednesday 25th March 14:45

[Plotloss]

What are you amping everything with?

[pc.iow]

Plotloss said:

What are you amping everything with?

Well...At the moment it's an old Kenwood AV receiver that now smokes when turned up so I think it's best to get me a new one.
I have the Pioneer 436 XDE pannel,and am tempted by the Pioneer AV receiver range, as well as the Onkyo stuff.
Not really sure on my budget but would like to get the receiver and speakers for under £1000.
Do you have any suggestions?

I have right now, got to go and try and set up a Bose system for someone we have just built a house for.
The lady paid £2467.50 for the installation and 'set-up' of this stuff, and they want to charge again to come and do it for her!

[Silver940]

pc.iow said:

I have been tempted with using the Missions for the front left and right, with a separate centre and two satellite speakers to use for the rears.
Will this be ok or do I need a sub on the rears?
If I keep the Mission’s, will another three speakers look out of place on the wall, ether side and below the screen?

.

edit for spellcheck

Edited by pc.iow on Wednesday 25th March 14:45

Exactly what I have done. Sounds great. I have an old Marantz SR4200 Receiver that does a good enough job of music for me. Loud enough rumbles to wake my kids when watching films without a sub. The rears only need to be small as the bass comes from the front.

My Speeks are, Mission 733 ( Custom Fablon finsh )And Eltax HT-2 Centre ( Free ) and some Q Acoustics 1010 rears. Good WAF too.

See here:

http://www.avforums.com/forums/members-home-cinema...

[MaxAndRuby]

Not wishing to hijack the thread, but it's a similar question.

I need to get an AV amp in the near future (5.1), budget about £1000.

I've been thinking about upgrading my hi-fi amp, and just wondering whether their's a pre/power amp combo out there which will do both jobs VERY well. Budget for the holy grail about £5000. Emphasis on stereo!

[Silver940]

Marantz SR7002/Onkyo 905

[JustinP1]

MaxAndRuby said:

Not wishing to hijack the thread, but it's a similar question.

I need to get an AV amp in the near future (5.1), budget about £1000.

I've been thinking about upgrading my hi-fi amp, and just wondering whether their's a pre/power amp combo out there which will do both jobs VERY well. Budget for the holy grail about £5000. Emphasis on stereo!

If I didn't already have a very good 7.1 preamp and separate power amp, this is what I would do to get the best out of the current technology:

Run my CDs off a source like a Mac Mini and have the audio come from one of the current breed of boxes with a DAC and a high class stereo preamp in one. Weiss do one, and do a few more companies. Put that straight into the left and right channels of a good 7.1 power amp. Minimalist and flexible and effectively *is* a stereo system with no compromise.

For the surround stuff I would get a standalone processor and have the outputs to the power amp. If you are lucky, the power amp will be like mine and have XLR and phone inputs for each channel so to change to stereo all you would need do is flick a couple of input switches on the back of the power amp.

[Plotloss]

Onkyo 905 and a bank of the Flying Mole amps could be an option.

[derestrictor]

You always want full range speakers when and wherever you can physically/matrimonially accomodate accordingly.

[navier_stokes]

JustinP1 said:

MaxAndRuby said:

Not wishing to hijack the thread, but it's a similar question.

I need to get an AV amp in the near future (5.1), budget about £1000.

I've been thinking about upgrading my hi-fi amp, and just wondering whether their's a pre/power amp combo out there which will do both jobs VERY well. Budget for the holy grail about £5000. Emphasis on stereo!

If I didn't already have a very good 7.1 preamp and separate power amp, this is what I would do to get the best out of the current technology:

Run my CDs off a source like a Mac Mini and have the audio come from one of the current breed of boxes with a DAC and a high class stereo preamp in one. Weiss do one, and do a few more companies. Put that straight into the left and right channels of a good 7.1 power amp. Minimalist and flexible and effectively *is* a stereo system with no compromise.

For the surround stuff I would get a standalone processor and have the outputs to the power amp. If you are lucky, the power amp will be like mine and have XLR and phone inputs for each channel so to change to stereo all you would need do is flick a couple of input switches on the back of the power amp.

What's the difference between running hi-fi speakers through a DAC->stereo amp compared with AV Processor in 2-channel mode->stereo power amp?

The latter obviously gives the opportunity to switch easily from hi-fi to AV modes, but surely latter option of the two is only using the DAC within the processor anyway so the signal will be just as "clean" as if it was only pumped through a dedicated DAC?

Surely there are AV amps that let you do this? Doesn't the Rotel RSP-1570 provide a decent service in this way?

Taking it a step further, surely their are receivers that let you use ONLY their stereo DAC in 2-channel mode for hi-fi work and then you can switch to AV mode and attach a few lesser speakers for the surrounds, using the hi-fi speakers as fronts?

I'd like to know the answer as I'm more of a hi-fi guy too, but it would be good to have a more "integrated" solution for both hi-fi and AV without compromising on the hi-fi sound.

I'm not talking £5k budgets however, maybe £2k for processor/receiver and stereo power amp.

I guess the question is: of those that have purist 2 channel modes, how good are the DAC's in £1-1.5k processors/receivers in comparison to external DAC's - for a digital source such as a squeezebox?

Edited by navier_stokes on Wednesday 25th March 16:54

[Plotloss]

A Caterham R500 is magical at tight, technical stuff.

A Veyron is unmatched in straight line speed.

A 997 Turbo is a compromise of the two.

A highly foccussed two channel amplifier/speaker combo will always outperform a high end AV reciever on 2 channel content because the convenience of the reciever is a compromise.

Remember the beards edict, as few electronics in as many boxes as possible.

[derestrictor]

Just done the Quantum of Solace opening scene via the Z11: A/V autosoilment (although the Cruise Valkyrie flick trailer just before it looked no less ball bouncing.)

[navier_stokes]

Plotloss said:

A Caterham R500 is magical at tight, technical stuff.

A Veyron is unmatched in straight line speed.

A 997 Turbo is a compromise of the two.

A highly foccussed two channel amplifier/speaker combo will always outperform a high end AV reciever on 2 channel content because the convenience of the reciever is a compromise.

Remember the beards edict, as few electronics in as many boxes as possible.

That's not my comparison though - I'm saying I use the same amplification for the two channel.

What I'm trying to get at is the difference between these two:

1) Digital Source -> External DAC -> two channel amp -> stereo speakers
2) Digital Source -> AV Processor/Receiver used only for its DAC -> two channel amp -> stereo speakers

And do there exist any AV processors/receivers for 2), that can be purely used for 2 channel digital conversion?

Edited by navier_stokes on Wednesday 25th March 17:31

[DavidY]

navier

I use a Meridian 568.2 (basically same guts as the current G68 without quite so many inputs or room correction). As a 2 channel DAC it is a superb device and alos does excellent duty as an AV processor.

I would suggest that to beat a good DAC you will need something of this sort of quality. (Obviously there are some other suitable manufacturers, but I really rate the Meridian kit, from a build, functionality and performance point of view, and s/h they can be a real steal!)

davidy

[pc.iow]

Sorry to try and hijack my thread back but could someone tell me if the Harman Kardon AVR155 is ok?
Its curently on offer at RS for £250.

[Silver940]

pc.iow said:

Sorry to try and hijack my thread back but could someone tell me if the Harman Kardon AVR155 is ok?
Its curently on offer at RS for £250.

Bargain!

That or the Denon stuff in that price bracket is well rated

[WZC1]

MaxAndRuby said:

Not wishing to hijack the thread, but it's a similar question.

I need to get an AV amp in the near future (5.1), budget about £1000.

I've been thinking about upgrading my hi-fi amp, and just wondering whether their's a pre/power amp combo out there which will do both jobs VERY well. Budget for the holy grail about £5000. Emphasis on stereo!

At £5k ish for AV you could look at the Marantz AV8003/MM8003 combination if you want pre/power but you should also look at the Yamaha DSP-Z11. It will depend on the speakers and set up which is better for you. Of course you could push that little bit further and wait for the AV888/P777 from Arcam.

Nick

[WZC1]

pc.iow said:

Sorry to try and hijack my thread back but could someone tell me if the Harman Kardon AVR155 is ok?
Its curently on offer at RS for £250.

I would see if you can check it with your speakers. The Harman amps have always had bags of power but the new 155/255 are not quite as gutsy as older modles. If you haev full range speakers and a big room you may find it working too hard. That said at £250 it is a steal.

Nick

[pc.iow]

Thanks for the reply WZC1.
My front room is quiet large at 4.8 x 5.2,so I may need something with more power.
AVForums recon its a bit 'warm' and under powered so I guess I will keep looking

Edited by pc.iow on Thursday 26th March 10:37

[Plotloss]

pc.iow said:

Thanks for the reply WZC1.
My front room is quiet large at 4.8 x 5.2,so I may need something with more power.
AVForums recon its a bit 'warm' and under powered so I guess I will keep looking

Edited by pc.iow on Thursday 26th March 10:37

Something from Onkyo line might be a good call.

606 at not much more than the HK you've seen.