Looking to Upgrade my current system!

[Andreas]

My source is iTunes(Apple Lossless) on my iMac with a hard connection to my Home Network. My Apple TV is also hardwired and connected to my Arcam AVR 280. My Speakers are Matrix 805's.

My question is where do I start with upgrading? I was thinking of a higher end integrated with a built in DAC. Something like a Hegel H80 (http://www.hegel.com/products/integrated/h80) or a NAD product like the 356 with a DAC module. Or a separate amp with a standalone DAC. Would the sound quality increase that much. The Arcam is a beefy amp so I'm thinking I would at least need 80 watts per channel into 8 ohms to keep basically the same power as I have now.

or Maybe upgrading my source by using the airport express into the Arcam.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

[Pyrrho]

In most cases, if one wants an upgrade in sound, one should be looking at room acoustics or speakers. And that seems to be the case for you, as your receiver, if performing as rated, should be able to drive those speakers quite satisfactorily. And its DACs should be fine as well. I doubt you would get much improvement from anything replacing the Arcam. So my advice is to look for different speakers, or consider room treatments or different placement options, depending on what, exactly, you hope to improve about the sound.

 

[ImcLoud]

I would take advantage of the arcams preouts and add some more dynamic headroom to the system, XPA-200 Stereo Power Amplifier | Emotiva Audio | Emotiva Audio | High-end audio components for audiophiles and videophiles, spanning 2-channel music systems, as well as 5.1 and 7.1 home theaters. Products include multichannel amplifiers, stereo ampli then add a sub or two Dual-SB12-NSD - SVS so for $1600 I think that would make a drastic improvement, my brother had a set of 805's {his brother in law now has them} and I remember them sounding much better with some power on stand by, I am so used to running books with subs, I don't think I can ever go back to no subs, its a violent difference to the positive side that is for sure... Cross the books at 80-90hz play with placement a little and you will be amazed, the good thing is if you don't like it, you can return the amp and the subs...

After that is all done, you can replace the books themselves with something you may like better, but them are pretty solid...

 

[Andreas]

In most cases, if one wants an upgrade in sound, one should be looking at room acoustics or speakers. And that seems to be the case for you, as your receiver, if performing as rated, should be able to drive those speakers quite satisfactorily. And its DACs should be fine as well. I doubt you would get much improvement from anything replacing the Arcam. So my advice is to look for different speakers, or consider room treatments or different placement options, depending on what, exactly, you hope to improve about the sound.

I was thinking along the same lines with regards to the Arcam. Changing the speakers is an option, but they need to be bookshelves. The Matrixes are front ported and seem mostly immune to room placement. My listening area is 13'x15'x9'high with carpet. Its interesting you say "room treatment". NAD's 390DD compensates for standing waves and I thought this may be an option for me. The video on the link is interesting. C 390DD Direct Digital Powered DAC Amplifier - NAD Electronics.

The more I think about it the more I look at the speakers. Will modern day bookshelves give that much better sound then the 805"s. I would be looking at the PMC 21's or 22's or like.
Modern Rock, with some jazz and chamber music. No orchestra. I usually listen, read off the Amp, no louder than 85 decibels.

Thanks for your input.

 

[Andreas]

I would take advantage of the arcams preouts

No pre outs on the 280. The sub isn't what i was looking for right now. Sorta looking for a minimalist system with fewer boxes.

 

[Pyrrho]

I was thinking along the same lines with regards to the Arcam. Changing the speakers is an option, but they need to be bookshelves. The Matrixes are front ported and seem mostly immune to room placement. My listening area is 13'x15'x9'high with carpet. Its interesting you say "room treatment". NAD's 390DD compensates for standing waves and I thought this may be an option for me. The video on the link is interesting. C 390DD Direct Digital Powered DAC Amplifier - NAD Electronics.

The more I think about it the more I look at the speakers. Will modern day bookshelves give that much better sound then the 805"s. I would be looking at the PMC 21's or 22's or like.
Modern Rock, with some jazz and chamber music. No orchestra. I usually listen, read off the Amp, no louder than 85 decibels.

Thanks for your input.

"Better" is subjective. I recommend that you go to all of the local audio stores in your area, with a CDR of music with which you are familiar, of all of the types to which you listen, and audition every type of speaker you can find (e.g., ribbon, horn, dome, whatever) as you can find, of all the brands that you can stand to audition, that are in your price range.

Restricting it to bookshelf speakers limits you quite a bit, but there are many good bookshelf speakers. I personally use Aurum Cantus Leisure 2SE (original U.S. version) for my home theater, where I need small speakers, which can be seen here:

http://www.kellsieavdesign.com/AC_brochure002.JPG

The (less good) international version can be seen here:

Aurum cantus

I have not compared them with your speakers, and even if I had, it would not matter, as it is your opinion, and not mine, that matters when you listen to your system.

Regardless, to improve on what you have, you should expect to pay a good amount of money. If you had junk instead of what you have, it would be relatively inexpensive to get something substantially better.

 

[ReUpRo]

Without any (objective) idea of what the current setup's limitations are, you have a 50-50 chance of actually improving the sound. IMO, the first step is to establish a baseline and understand what can be improved upon. The next step will be to make it happen.

A calibrated mic from Cross Spectrum Labs with Room Eq Wizard or an Omnimic setup get my vote for your next purchase, before you change anything.