Help a newbie out. Thanks!!

[Joe Schmoe]

Boston Acoustics speakers sound excellent, and are deeply discounted right now at CC and One Call.

 

[darien87]

I wouldn't buy any speakers at Circuit City or Best Buy

Normally, I would agree with this statement, but Circuit City has recently put the Boston Acoustics VR series on sale at ridiculously low prices. Check out the VR 2's or VR 3's.

Looks like Joe Schmoe beat me to it.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Normally, I would agree with this statement, but Circuit City has recently put the Boston Acoustics VR series on sale at ridiculously low prices. Check out the VR 2's or VR 3's.

Looks like Joe Schmoe beat me to it.

Okay, I take it back
Looks like Best Buy now also features Magnolia Home Theater, which has some high-end stuff including Definitive Technology, Martin Logan, Denon, and some other cool stuff.

 

[gus6464]

Okay, I take it back
Looks like Best Buy now also features Magnolia Home Theater, which has some high-end stuff including Definitive Technology, Martin Logan, Denon, and some other cool stuff.

AcuDefTechGuy you have to go check out the Mythos ST unless you haven't seen them already. By far the best looking tower I have seen with bass that is pretty unheard of for something so thin.

Only thing that sucks about MHT and Martin Logan is that they only carry the half electrostat stuff like Montage and Clarity. I would love to hear the full electrostats.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Minimal Impedance

AcuDefTechGuy you have to go check out the Mythos ST unless you haven't seen them already. By far the best looking tower I have seen with bass that is pretty unheard of for something so thin.

Only thing that sucks about MHT and Martin Logan is that they only carry the half electrostat stuff like Montage and Clarity. I would love to hear the full electrostats.

I agree completely. For something that sleek looking and slim, the sound (highs, midrange, subwoofer) is phenomenal.

The one thing I wondered about is the minimal impedance on the Mythos vs. the "older" models (SuperTower, CLR, SM, etc.).
According to Home Theater Magazine Equipment Test, the measured minimal impedance on the Mythos is around 4-5 ohms. The measured minimal impedance on the older DefTechs are around 2 ohms. The efficiency is about the same for all of them.

I asked a DefTech Rep once, and he said the lower the ohms, the better. And in the DefTech manual, it says that if you could manually set the impedance on your amps, you should set it at the lower ohms.

But I think I've read somewhere in The Audio Critic that says you should use the higher ohms because it's more efficient?

I may be wrong.

 

[PopDisplay]

Is the $800 budget for both receiver and speakers? Because if that's the case it will be kinda hard considering the recommended receiver will be half your budget (Onkyo TX-SR605 $400 at J&R).

Thanks for the tip. I bought a new Onkyo SR605 on Ebay for $329 + 27 S&H.
That savings gives me a few more $ to spend on speakers.

Dave

 

[reallyslow]

Update...

I have a Denon 3803 already... Should I use it and save $400 on the Onkyo 605? Or is the Denon 3803 too outdated???

Thanks!!!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I have a Denon 3803 already... Should I use it and save $400 on the Onkyo 605? Or is the Denon 3803 too outdated???

Thanks!!!

Does the Denon 3803 have 7.1 or 5.1 Analog inputs?
If it does I wouldn't buy the Onkyo 605.

 

[reallyslow]

Excuse my ignorance once again...

What is the analog input for? Why is it necessary?

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Excuse my ignorance once again...

What is the analog input for? Why is it necessary?

To use the new surround formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, you need either a HDMI 1.3 receiver (Onkyo 605) or a 5.1 or 7.1 analog inputs on your receiver.
For example, the upcoming Denon Blu-Ray player will have Bitstream for TrueHD & DTS-MA via HDMI 1.3. It will also have internal decoding for TrueHD and DTS-MA for outputing via the 7.1 Analog outputs. Thus, if your receiver has the 5.1/7.1 Analog inputs, you can still listen to TrueHD and DTS-MA without any HDMI cables or the Onkyo 605.

 

[avaserfi]

To use the new surround formats like Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD MA, you need either a HDMI 1.3 receiver (Onkyo 605) or a 5.1 or 7.1 analog inputs on your receiver.
For example, the upcoming Denon Blu-Ray player will have Bitstream for TrueHD & DTS-MA via HDMI 1.3. It will also have internal decoding for TrueHD and DTS-MA for outputing via the 7.1 Analog outputs. Thus, if your receiver has the 5.1/7.1 Analog inputs, you can still listen to TrueHD and DTS-MA without any HDMI cables or the Onkyo 605.

There is one slight problem with that statement. Since all HD players also decode the Dolby and DTS formats internally they can send out the signal post the decode via HDMI 1.1 (might be 1.2) or higher and as long as your receiver can handle an audio signal via HDMI (should be LPCM) you won't have a problem using those formats. The onkyo 605 will allow you to decode these signals internally rather than have them decoded in the player itself if you have a player that sends a bitstream signal which I think hasn't been released while using analog outputs is similar to using an older version of HDMI where the player does the decoding. I am not 100 percent of all the ways things are decoded in these aspects but am pretty sure this is how it all happens.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

There is one slight problem with that statement. Since all HD players also decode the Dolby and DTS formats internally they can send out the signal post the decode via HDMI 1.1 (might be 1.2) or higher and as long as your receiver can handle an audio signal via HDMI (should be LPCM) you won't have a problem using those formats. The onkyo 605 will allow you to decode these signals internally rather than have them decoded in the player itself if you have a player that sends a bitstream signal which I think hasn't been released while using analog outputs is similar to using an older version of HDMI where the player does the decoding. I am not 100 percent of all the ways things are decoded in these aspects but am pretty sure this is how it all happens.

Yeah, maybe it is possible to send even DTS-MA via HDMI 1.1/1.2, as long as the HD player can decode it. I guess HDMI 1.3 is only necessary for the DTS-MA BITSTREAM. Since the upcoming Denon blu-ray and Onkyo HDDVD can both decode DTS-MA, I gues you don't even need HDMI 1.3.

I talked to a DTS engineer on the phone. He said DTS-MA is totally different from even DTS-HD High Resolution. He didn't know whether HDMI 1.3 was neccessary for DTS-MA. He was not absolutely sure. So the question that no one is absolutely sure about is whether the DTS-MA DECODED SIGNAL can even pass through HDMI 1.2/1.1???
The only thing I am 100% sure of, is that the DTS-MA decoded signal will pass through the 7.1 Analog inputs.

 

[avaserfi]

Yeah, maybe it is possible to send even DTS-MA via HDMI 1.1/1.2, as long as the HD player can decode it. I guess HDMI 1.3 is only necessary for the DTS-MA BITSTREAM. Since the upcoming Denon blu-ray and Onkyo HDDVD can both decode DTS-MA, I gues you don't even need HDMI 1.3.

I talked to a DTS engineer on the phone. He said DTS-MA is totally different from even DTS-HD High Resolution. He didn't know whether HDMI 1.3 was neccessary for DTS-MA. He was not absolutely sure. So the question that no one is absolutely sure about is whether the DTS-MA DECODED SIGNAL can even pass through HDMI 1.2/1.1???
The only thing I am 100% sure of, is that the DTS-MA decoded signal will pass through the 7.1 Analog inputs.

I know that if you let your disc player do the internal decoding than you do not need HDMI 1.3 (I know I don't) as all you need to do is pass the decoded data via a lower spec HDMI. If you want use a bitstream signal I am pretty sure no matter the format you will need hdmi 1.3 as the only receivers that decode HD audio internally have HDMI 1.3. Right now most players do not decode DTS-MA but at the same time how many movies have that option?

All I was trying to point out is the only thing actually needed to take advantage of these new HD audio formats are either analog outputs which you explained or a receiver that can work with audio via HDMI and doesn't just pass it through.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Right now most players do not decode DTS-MA but at the same time how many movies have that option?

Yeah, I think only FOX and Lionsgate are the only two that are making DTS-MA movies, and FOX is not currently cranking out any new HD movies.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I know that if you let your disc player do the internal decoding than you do not need HDMI 1.3 (I know I don't) as all you need to do is pass the decoded data via a lower spec HDMI. If you want use a bitstream signal I am pretty sure no matter the format you will need hdmi 1.3 as the only receivers that decode HD audio internally have HDMI 1.3. Right now most players do not decode DTS-MA but at the same time how many movies have that option?

All I was trying to point out is the only thing actually needed to take advantage of these new HD audio formats are either analog outputs which you explained or a receiver that can work with audio via HDMI and doesn't just pass it through.

Hey, from what I understand, HDMI 1.1 can only handle about 742 .5 MB/s per channel. If that's true, for 7.1, that's a max of 5.94 GB/s TOTAL. But DTS-MA is up to 17 or 19 GB/s Total. So it would not fit.
HDMI 1.3 is 3.4 GB/s per channel = 27.2 GB/s total, which would allow DTS-MA.

Am I wrong again?

 

[avaserfi]

Hey, from what I understand, HDMI 1.1 can only handle about 742 .5 MB/s per channel. If that's true, for 7.1, that's a max of 5.94 GB/s TOTAL. But DTS-MA is up to 17 or 19 GB/s Total. So it would not fit.
HDMI 1.3 is 3.4 GB/s per channel = 27.2 GB/s total, which would allow DTS-MA.

Am I wrong again?

Taken right from the brand new article on AH

"HDMI 1.3a supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers. TrueHD and DTS-HD are lossless audio codec formats used on HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio."

http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/understanding-hdmi-ver-1.3

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

Taken right from the brand new article on AH

"HDMI 1.3a supports output of Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio streams for external decoding by AV receivers. TrueHD and DTS-HD are lossless audio codec formats used on HD DVDs and Blu-ray Discs. If the disc player can decode these streams into uncompressed audio, then HDMI 1.3 is not necessary, as all versions of HDMI can transport uncompressed audio."

http://www.audioholics.com/education/display-formats-technology/understanding-hdmi-ver-1.3

I was too lazy to read, but I knew you would read it first and correct me as usual

 

[reallyslow]

Hey Mazer

Onkyo TX-SR605 receiver can be had for around $400. This will give you the ability to up-grade in the future.

Speakers

Ascend Acoustics CMT-340 SE $568

http://www.ascendacoustics.com/pages/products/speakers/cmt340m/cmt340m.html

AV123

I would recommend the MTM towers or the X-CS's as mains. If you want to do a center it's up to you.

http://www.av123.com/products_category_brand.php?section=speakers&brand=55

SVS

http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-sbs01.cfm

http://www.svsound.com/products-spks-scs01.cfm

Subwoofer

I'll give you a few choices

HSU STF-2 $349

http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/stf-2.html

AV123 Rocket Rocket UFW-10 $599

http://www.av123.com/products_product.php?section=subwoofers&product=1.1

AV123 is coming out with a new X-series sub, x-plosive $399

http://av123forum.com/showthread.php?t=22692

SVS PB10-NSD $429

http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm

SVS

I've been really busy so I never got into following up on this stuff... Any updates since this last post or components?

Thanks,

James