Need Guidance buying 5.1 HT Spkrs & Receiver

[Clay Bertrand]

KEW,

I think maybe dudes from GA and dudes from CA think alike!!! Your thinking on the warranty necessity and leeriness of 3rd party vendors OUTSIDE the Amazon Fulfillment is how I am too. I can't speak to Giegar or anyone else's experiences with Blinq or Refurbs etc. But similar to your example about a failied return of a $40 item, I have had to return a 2 month old $700 dishwasher, a four month old $300 Moen Faucet and a 3 month old Sharp Microwave to Home Depot and Lowe's over the past two years. ALL were bad and needed repair (faucet was just BAD)..... But at 2-4 months OLD????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO WAY. Thats BS!! I won't buy an appliance I expect to last 5 years minimum, pay for better than the low end and then have to deal with it breaking and having to be repaired so soon after purchase. I may be out of line, but I feel a replacement unit is in order in such circumstances.

Things are made these days with a built in Rate of Failure in mind.

IN A NUTSHELL: I agree strongly with you that Accessories4Less' 1 year is the minimum I will accept as well. AMAZON FULFILLMENT also.

STILL: AMAZON PRICES these like commodities!!! Today, the link for Amazon Warehouse shows ALL PRICES at $709.16 all thru Amazon only. No 3rd parties at all. Weird!!

I will probably end up getting the NEW one for $92.00 more through Amazon.

QUESTION (repeated from previous post):

KEW, you had mentioned the use of the Denon Stereo Surround for streaming Pandora in the background while doing things around the house. AirPlay is ok but limited in specs and limited TO APPLE PRODUCTS SOOO

How much do/would YOU value WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity as an AVR feature??

 

[KEW]

I am a bit of a Luddite. Thus far Pandora has worked for me, but I do have an extensive library on my computer. I am thinking my next phase will be to plug in my ipod or tablet, then later, tie in my entire collection via Wi-Fi (probably through my Sony BDP-S590 - Current model is BDPS5200).

There are other people here much farther along this curve that I am. BoredSystemAdministrator is probably the most savvy among the regulars if you want to PM him.

When Amazon came out with the Kindle Fire HDX, they eliminated the HDMI port in favor of Wi-Fi. That is a statement that Wi-Fi is readily available. At the same time it is just starting to show up on AVR's. I am thinking a "smart" BluRay has you covered. You don't need a "smart" BluRay, "smart" TV, and "smart" AVR. You are paying for redundancy you don't need. It makes sense to make the BluRay smart as it costs the least and the smart features are the most likely to become obsolete. Smart is not the same as Wi-fi, but it would be largely worthless without Wi-fi.

I "cut the cable" years ago, so everything I watch is technically wireless. Used to be through a Roku, but I now let my BluRay handle it. However, it is all through services like Hulu and Netflix. I do not have a wireless connection to my personal music collection yet.

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Swerd,

I am hoping that the Audyessy will help me compensate for what the room lacks. Its one of the reasons I am more convinced to go with a product like Denon that uses Audyessy technology.

BLUE RAY PLAYERS???? What are THOSE???!?!?!?

I've been so focused on the Audio I haven't even thought about what the SmartTV can do or a Blue Ray Player!!

Damn......I'm gonna have a lot more questions

Stupid Question:
Do the Denon X4000s have LAN connectivity???

 

[KEW]

Do the Denon X4000s have LAN connectivity???

Top left!

 

[Swerd]

LAN and RS-232 connections ? Those are so 20th century.

I've been so focused on the Audio I haven't even thought about what the SmartTV can do or a Blue Ray Player!!

Damn......I'm gonna have a lot more questions

You've been too focused on AVRs and EQ through various automatic software-based solutions. You haven't had time to get into archaic audio sources from the mid 20th century, or the truly neurotic audio obsessions:

• Phonographs & vinyl records
• FM radio (the original wireless)
• High-power and high-priced boutique amplifiers that substitute as room heaters
• Exotic speaker cables
• Exotic interconnects (you know, the non-wireless type)
• Exotic power cables, or any wires where the purity of copper is >99%
• Silver cables
  
• Cable lifters
• Cryogenic treated cables

Get your priorities straight, rookie!

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Swerd,

LOL.....I'm making arrangements to visit the glorious 150% PURE COPPER mines operated by MonsterCable!!!! I understand its actually MEGA COPPER and that it is found in the same mineral veins as the purest GLITTER mined by elfin people deep in the hidden caves of Capadocia!!!!!!!!

Love the comment on the AMPS as ROOM HEATERS!!! Maybe they were on to something!!! After all, Viagra was originally a heart medicine before the research found its highest and best use!!!!! lol

 

[Clay Bertrand]

I do have an interesting development......I have began inspecting my wiring and it appears I was WRONG about what I have prewired (sorta).

Previously, I was posting based on the specs I could read off of the one EXTERIOR run of speaker wire going to my left rear. The specs clearly state is is 16 AWG copper.

I assumed I would be rewiring everything.

BUT I found that ALL of my other wiring for the Fronts, Center, and Rear Right are all 14AWG ZipLine.

SO, I have 4 of my 5 speakers wired with 14 and the remaining 1 with 16 AWG. I CAN'T have all 14 and ONE weak link at 16 if I want to do it RIGHT!!

I should only have to rewire the one exterior line so long as there are not any other problems with the other lines (i.e. a rat eating it etc.). Rewiring ONE is better than rewiring FIVE because 1 < 5!!!!!!!!!!! AAAAAND that is the extent of my MATH knowledge.

I will be attempting to get a custom length of exterior 14AWG from Blue Jeans as they "cut to order" by the foot IF they carry exterior.....

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Swerd and KEW

I realize the LAN is Older tech than the WiFi but the WiFi is new (to AVRs) and still evolving. Because my house was prewired with Cat-6, I will have the ability to have a LAN cable directly wired to my router to use with any devices that would benefit from a DIRECT CONNECT. I currently have my home office hard wired to the network because the cables were predone and each bedroom has wired ethernet network connectivity. I use WiFi for wireless device data (iphone, tablet laptop etc), music streaming, and I have a couple of printers using the network in addition to any visitors with devices.

I think the ability to connect OLD SCHOOL STYLE via the LAN with the AVR, TV, BRP etc. is great albeit archaic!!!

As I am a Costco believer, I stopped in to review their latest routers and BRPs.

I will likely grab this router:
http://www.costco.com/Linksys-E8350-AC2400-Dual-Band-Wireless-Router.product.100153587.html

The BlueRay SONY players they have seem to get decent reviews while the Samsungs didn't really. None of what Costco had seemed to get good music streaming reviews from the WiFi. BRP works but the streaming seems to be spotty.

The TV is a Samsung Smart TV but I don't want to stream music with my TV or have to have the TV on to stream or something funky like that.

I need to figure the best way to hook everything up!!

I will make sure I have a network Cat-6 run from the router to the component area (if not already there).

QUESTION:
Does anyone know what would be the best order of wiring up the components as far as the most efficient use of any PassThru ability between the Cable Receiver, AVR (Denon X4000), a "Smart" BRP, and the Samsung 6300 Smart TV??

IOW, do I go HDMI from Cable Receiver to the AVR, HDMI from AVR to Blue Ray Player and HDMI from AVR to TV etc. in the most effective yet efficient/nonredundant way??

 

[Swerd]

SO, I have 4 of my 5 speakers wired with 14 and the remaining 1 with 16 AWG. I CAN'T have all 14 and ONE weak link at 16 if I want to do it RIGHT!!

It's not like one 16 g speaker wire and four 14 g wires will tear the Space-Time continuum and create a Black Hole.

However, if you read the fine print of the Audyessy EQ protocol, it does warn about using mixed speaker wire gauges. It taxes the capacity of the limited processing chip, causing possible overheating, chip failure, … …, tearing the Space-Time continuum, yada yada yada.

Let it be. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

Remember what Ascend Audio said about the top 10 items important for sound quality in descending order:

1.) The Loudspeakers
2.) The Loudspeakers
3.) The Loudspeakers
4.) The Loudspeakers
5.) The Loudspeakers
6.) The Loudspeakers
7.) The Room
8-10.) Everything else

I don't see speaker wires in that list. Maybe they can be grouped with Everything else .

 

[Ty Wayne]

Hey Clay. Got my Ascend 340's (L,R, & C), as well as my 170's today. I work nights, so in a sleep deprived state today I hooked em up and pumped up the volume. I must say, Im impressed thus far! They sound great. I only listened for about 15-20 minutes and then reluctantly went back to sleep. I put in a ZZ top blu-ray concert and uh, yeah, it rocked! I cant wait to get my sub though. No doubt I'll have some improvement once I get it next month. Im looking forward to some days off so I can tweak and play.

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Thanks for the specific heads up on the Audyessy warnings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I will HAVE to get that exterior wire for sure after ready this!! The Space Time Continuum be damned....I ain't gonna let that thing get torn on my watch!! lol

Yeah, I was at first, thinking NO PROBLEM but then.....as I thought about it, I kept thinking "I gotta redo that run." I do like me my Symmetry after all!!!!!! Plus I thought that with all the speakers being the same regular sized (as opposed to smaller Satellites) I thought I would have a weak Left Rear sound or something just being off.

Then I thought that maybe the Audyessy would have problems calibrating with the different gauge at one speaker. That further convinced me to rework that 16 AWG.

Now that a read the term "Chip Failure"??!!?!?!?

Say No More. Uhhh YEAH. That's getting a rewire ASAP!!!

 

[Swerd]

QUESTION:
Does anyone know what would be the best order of wiring up the components as far as the most efficient use of any PassThru ability between the Cable Receiver, AVR (Denon X4000), a "Smart" BRP, and the Samsung 6300 Smart TV??

IOW, do I go HDMI from Cable Receiver to the AVR, HDMI from AVR to Blue Ray Player and HDMI from AVR to TV etc. in the most effective yet efficient/nonredundant way??

Yes, make the AVR the center of things, and use HDMI connections as much as possible.

Consider the Cable Receiver (does it have HDMI connections?), Blue Ray player as audio & video sources that provide unprocessed digital signals to the AVR. If you use a broadcast antenna, the TV also becomes another audio & video source.

The TV is a video processor and monitor in the sense that the cable box or BR player provide the digital video signals, passes them on through the AVR, to display on the TV screen.

All the audio signals are processed in the AVR, converted to analog, amplified, and sent out to the speakers.

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Hey TY,

BITCHEN man!!! Can't wait to hear how you settle in with those!! I'm going up tomorrow to Ascend and to HSU to grab everything and I will probably pull the trigger on an AVR in the next day or so too. We should be able to compare some good notes in the coming weeks on the 340s!!!!! Cool that I can communicate with someone getting Ascends really close in time to when I am.

You are getting me excited to hear these!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Swerd,

I will be using only the Cable Receiver (coax IN, HDMI OUT), the AVR, the BRP, and the TV. No gaming console, broadcast (say whattttttttt??? Gotta look that one up ) use, or other components. Just TV, AVR, BRP, Cable Receiver.

If I understand your advice, it is basically to run everything thru the AVR and run the HDMI to and from for all connections where possible. (from KEWs posted pic of the rear of the AVR, it seems there is are plenty of HDMIs for a number of components).

Is my understanding accurate??

 

[Swerd]

Is my understanding accurate??

Yes

 

[Ty Wayne]

Yeah, Im thinking I might want a new receiver!? LOL. I have a 400 watt (80 per 5) Pioneer (VSX-522-K). I noticed when briefly listening to some music on some Directv channels that I could max out the volume and the speakers still sounded great! I got to get them some more power! LOL. No, really, they were plenty loud, and when I put in the blu-ray, playing DTS or Dolby 5.1, they were PLENTY loud and clear! I think this is the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

 

[Clay Bertrand]

Swerd,

Right on man!! Got it. I feel a little stupid for that query but I just wanted to make sure. Clearly the rear of that X4000 looks like you could connect anything from a Ham Radio to a Tesla!!!!

TY, with these speakers, you may never go outside again in your life!!! I may become a MUSIC HERMIT myself!! I understand that Churches and Banquet halls have been outfitted with 340s. They are designed for a LARGE room. I think they will do the both of us just FINE!!!!!!!!!!! You already got some bangin' speakers!! Problem is, when one thing is new, it makes everything else look old!! Slippery Slope my friend!! But if you fall down that slope you will have sound you can almost touch!! I'd wading into the AVR waters very soon now and I will share all relevant info and experience with what I get.

THINGS ARE STARTIN' TO COME TOGETHER!!!!!!!

(Sorry for all the Exclamation points!!!!! I'm just getting STOKED!!!)

QUESTION:
When y'all flyin/drivin/trainin out for the big party I'm throwin once everything is all installed and dialed in?? I gotta start stocking up on Party materials......

 

[Swerd]

Right on man!! Got it. I feel a little stupid for that query but I just wanted to make sure.

No need to feel stupid, or to make excuses. The only stupid question is the one you don't ask .

Your questions have been rather good, and you've seem willing to listen to advice. It shows that you've been thinking and reading a lot about all this. That kept me interested, and probably did the same for others at AH as well.

We've had other newbies on AH who want to spend no more than $400 for an entire system . And we've had those with aging stereo systems from 25 years ago or longer who don't understand the advantages of the newer digital AV systems. They want to get a new system, but don't want to learn about what's available now. In comparison, talking with you and Ty has been fun.

I hope you work out all the potential kinks in your system, and I hope you love the results!

 

[lsiberian]

Swerd,

Right on man!! Got it. I feel a little stupid for that query but I just wanted to make sure. Clearly the rear of that X4000 looks like you could connect anything from a Ham Radio to a Tesla!!!!

TY, with these speakers, you may never go outside again in your life!!! I may become a MUSIC HERMIT myself!! I understand that Churches and Banquet halls have been outfitted with 340s. They are designed for a LARGE room. I think they will do the both of us just FINE!!!!!!!!!!! You already got some bangin' speakers!! Problem is, when one thing is new, it makes everything else look old!! Slippery Slope my friend!! But if you fall down that slope you will have sound you can almost touch!! I'd wading into the AVR waters very soon now and I will share all relevant info and experience with what I get.

THINGS ARE STARTIN' TO COME TOGETHER!!!!!!!

(Sorry for all the Exclamation points!!!!! I'm just getting STOKED!!!)

QUESTION:
When y'all flyin/drivin/trainin out for the big party I'm throwin once everything is all installed and dialed in?? I gotta start stocking up on Party materials......

If you want loud then look at JTRs. I'm a huge proponent of starting with the front 3 speakers and then added surrounds and a sub later. The more money you put in your front speakers better your system will be long term. You can't really go wrong with most of the speakers recommended here. Until you've heard a great sound system you just don't know how great they can sound.

 

[KEW]

Clay,
Just wanted to say I haven't been ignoring you, but Swerd has been doing a good job of responding with good info before I do.
That said, I'm about to start ignoring you while I am out of town Thursday and Friday.
I will be keeping up on my tablet, but am loathe to type much on it.
Looking forward to reading about your Ascend/Hsu experience!