Where to put the money....

[Archangelo]

Hi,

I'm fairly new to the audio life, and the question is -- with limited resources ->

I have an opportunity to get a Arcam AVR 280 @ $1,500

Or a Marantz 6003 @ $700.

My listening is mostly Classical & Jazz, and I'll have an Oppo Blu-ray player for video (and CDs).

My current Denon AV receiver & Paradigm Studios give me a sound that's more "tinny" in the upper ranges than I'd prefer.

So, there's a difference in the budget of $800. Am seeking Forum advice on the decision: a) Do I go with the Marantz and get a speaker upgrade? Or b) go w/ the Arcam, and hope that its more neutral electronics will help the speakers' upper range?

Or is there an option c)?

All opinions greatly appreciated...

Archangelo

 

[Seth=L]

Marantz!

Paying more than twice for the Arcam would be insane considering the limited gain it would give. If you have $1500 to spend then put $700 into the Marantz and $900 into a power amplifier.

The Arcam and Marantz should both be very neutral. The Audessey auto equalization on the Marantz will benefit you quite well for home theater, so I'd say in the end it will probably sound more appropriate anyway.

 

[KEW]

Why aren't you considering only upgrading speakers?
Are you planning to replace your Denon regardless?
Speakers are by far the biggest variable which effects your sound, and your description of the sound as "tinny" implies that you may need more change than an amp would provide.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Hi,

I'm fairly new to the audio life, and the question is -- with limited resources ->

I have an opportunity to get a Arcam AVR 280 @ $1,500

Or a Marantz 6003 @ $700.

My listening is mostly Classical & Jazz, and I'll have an Oppo Blu-ray player for video (and CDs).

My current Denon AV receiver & Paradigm Studios give me a sound that's more "tinny" in the upper ranges than I'd prefer.

So, there's a difference in the budget of $800. Am seeking Forum advice on the decision: a) Do I go with the Marantz and get a speaker upgrade? Or b) go w/ the Arcam, and hope that its more neutral electronics will help the speakers' upper range?

Or is there an option c)?

All opinions greatly appreciated...

Archangelo

Have you tried to go into that menu or manual and see if that receiver has any form of built in EQ? Use it if it has one. Problem solved

 

[Highbar]

Hi,

I'm fairly new to the audio life, and the question is -- with limited resources ->

I have an opportunity to get a Arcam AVR 280 @ $1,500

Or a Marantz 6003 @ $700.

My listening is mostly Classical & Jazz, and I'll have an Oppo Blu-ray player for video (and CDs).

My current Denon AV receiver & Paradigm Studios give me a sound that's more "tinny" in the upper ranges than I'd prefer.

So, there's a difference in the budget of $800. Am seeking Forum advice on the decision: a) Do I go with the Marantz and get a speaker upgrade? Or b) go w/ the Arcam, and hope that its more neutral electronics will help the speakers' upper range?

Or is there an option c)?

All opinions greatly appreciated...

Archangelo

Sounds like a speaker issue not really an electronics one. What model Denon and Paradigm's do you have? It could also be an issue that some room treatments would help with. Do you have a lot hard surfaces in the room?

 

[allargon]

Sounds like a speaker issue not really an electronics one. What model Denon and Paradigm's do you have? It could also be an issue that some room treatments would help with. Do you have a lot hard surfaces in the room?

I planned to ask the OP the same thing. $1500 isn't a limited budget. It's just not an unlimited budget. 1/3 of that w/ some easy DIY and elbow grease could make for some very effective room treatments.

 

[lsiberian]

I planned to ask the OP the same thing. $1500 isn't a limited budget. It's just not an unlimited budget. 1/3 of that w/ some easy DIY and elbow grease could make for some very effective room treatments.

1/3rd is enough to buy them already made.

It costs far less to make them.

You can get material for 10 dollars a roll at home depot. Have them cuts some frames for you. A little glue and fabric and bam you got some treatments.

 

[JerryLove]

My answer has already been given by others, but I'll repeat it.

Go change the settings in the equalizer in your receiver: $0
Try other listening modes ("jazz", "live", "vocals", etc) and see if you like that sound better: $0
Change speakers: Cost varies.

Denon makes a very good receiver, and I doubt you are short power, so the sound is caused by your equalizer (which you can set flat if you like) and your speakers. Changing receivers won't help.

Paradigms can be a bit bright for the tastes of many. I find they are awesome HT units, but have mixed feelings on them (my experience is mostly Studio v3 range) for stereo music.

As an aside: I'd love to see the market adopt two things that don't exist now.

1) I'd like to see all speakers come with a list (better still, on a memory stick / downloadable) of EQ settings to bring them flat (this would be particularly awesome to do pre D-A conversion so as to have a basically unlimited band equlizer).

2) I'd like to see EQs have set trends for "more bright", "less bright", etc. I see these in computer audio cards, but not in home electronics. The closest I see is the surround modes "jazz", "hall", etc.

 

[mnnc]

$1500.....Emotiva power amp and processor.

 

[tcarcio]

I agree also with useing the money to upgrade your speakers first. Then room treatments would help more. Go and audition,audition,audition, and then audition a little more.

 

[billman1965]

I agree also with useing the money to upgrade your speakers first. Then room treatments would help more. Go and audition,audition,audition, and then audition a little more.

I agree. I had a full paradigm HT setup. I really did not like the mains for music though. I have had Dali Euphonias since then, and man what a difference. Yes, you do need power, you need good sources, but you can build a system around a good speaker setup.

Good luck....
Bill

 

[fredk]

1) I'd like to see all speakers come with a list (better still, on a memory stick / downloadable) of EQ settings to bring them flat

Well the Studios already come with that list: nothing. They are already a flat/neutral speaker. Thing is, most people prefer to have the highs rolled off a little.

Fortunately this is easy to do with EQ/tone controls. That is the first thing I would try as well.

I also agree on the receiver unless you need to upgrade for other features.

 

[PENG]

Well the Studios already come with that list: nothing. They are already a flat/neutral speaker. Thing is, most people prefer to have the highs rolled off a little.

Fortunately this is easy to do with EQ/tone controls. That is the first thing I would try as well.

I also agree on the receiver unless you need to upgrade for other features.

It is obviously all in relative terms only as I have never seen a FR graph for a speaker that is flat and I always find it strange that people don't spend more time researching which speaker they should buy, than they do on amps. I can imagine that the room FR curve for speakers would be even further from being flat. In that sense EQ is the only way to achieve hi fidelity from FR stand point.

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi,

I'm fairly new to the audio life, and the question is -- with limited resources ->

I have an opportunity to get a Arcam AVR 280 @ $1,500

Or a Marantz 6003 @ $700.

My listening is mostly Classical & Jazz, and I'll have an Oppo Blu-ray player for video (and CDs).

My current Denon AV receiver & Paradigm Studios give me a sound that's more "tinny" in the upper ranges than I'd prefer.

So, there's a difference in the budget of $800. Am seeking Forum advice on the decision: a) Do I go with the Marantz and get a speaker upgrade? Or b) go w/ the Arcam, and hope that its more neutral electronics will help the speakers' upper range?

Or is there an option c)?

All opinions greatly appreciated...

Archangelo

If you are a classical music fan, then Paradigm speakers are not for you. I had been expecting great things of those speakers. I had my first opportunity to audition these Studio 100s at a dealer I have known for years who has recently taken them on. I was with my trusted friend, and the speakers were driven by Rotel top of the line separates. We used a pair of B & W 803s speakers for comparison.

The Paradigms were as you describe and worse. They had a full house of faults we both abhor in speakers.

My friend and I have been doing the rounds of Twin Cities dealers in the last few months. Things are slow, and the dealers know we are not in the market and things are above board. In any event a sold a couple on the B & W 803 s speakers while we were there.

Classical music and jazz for that matter is very unforgiving of speaker faults.

We have now listened to speakers up to $50,000 per pair by the way, and those were dreadful. My friend and I are in agreement that of the speakers we have auditioned, only speakers by Spendor and the B & W 800 range above bookshelf size are the only ones we could live with for the type of music we listen to, and I suspect you listen to also. I'm sure there are some others out there, but I can only recommend what we have auditioned. Paradigm are not even in striking distance of our recommended list.

I use speakers of my design and build, which you can see in my signature, and my friend has a pair of B & W 800 Ds.