Apartment set up

[brianedm]

Next up is getting a new blu ray player and then after that either a new tv stand or something like this....

Salamander Designs Ltd.

I'm glad you like it!

 

[fuzz092888]

Near term future upgrades:
1) Panasonic DMP-BDT220 with skype camera
2) tv stand with mount attached to get my center off the ground with acoustical foam underneath

That will probably be the end of immediate upgrades until I buy my own place, after which I'll start looking at
1) Emotiva XPA-5
2) 18" TC-Sounds LMS-Ultra 5400 in Custom Box
3) salk song towers, song center, song surrounds (the ultimate dream)
4) higher quality display, probably panasonic plasma or projector system

Any thoughts? Alot of the later ones are dare to dream scenarios for now, but it's good to have goals.

I fixed number 2 for you If you're going to aim higher, point straight up.

Depends on how far away you plan on being for the display. I'm assuming light won't be an issue for whatever your future home is. So I'll say that my personal preference for a viewing distance of 8-15ish feet is panny plasma, but any farther than that would probably be a projector. My only thing is that the projector+screen I have in mind are about 4X the cost of the plasma, but hey, this is for way down the road right?

 

[brianedm]

Still putting off the blu ray player purchase. Still wavering between the Panasonic and the Oppo. Have to pay for a cruise at the end of the month so I'll hold off until that's done. Probably in September or so I'll order. I did just order 200 feet of 12 gauge speaker wire from monoprice tho. I don't think it'll make a huge difference but my surrounds have pretty long wire runs so I figure better safe than sorry (current wire is only 16 gauge), and may as well have the same wire gauge going to all the speakers.

 

[fuzz092888]

Still putting off the blu ray player purchase. Still wavering between the Panasonic and the Oppo. Have to pay for a cruise at the end of the month so I'll hold off until that's done. Probably in September or so I'll order. I did just order 200 feet of 12 gauge speaker wire from monoprice tho. I don't think it'll make a huge difference but my surrounds have pretty long wire runs so I figure better safe than sorry (current wire is only 16 gauge), and may as well have the same wire gauge going to all the speakers.

You may have been able to get away with 14, but monoprice is so cheap you might as well just go with 12.

The panasonic's are excellent blu-ray players and had I not seen and heard the oppo's I'd probably get one of those as my next blu-ray. Unfortunately for myself and my wallet I have heard and seen the oppo. I think they're worth the extra money because I truly believe they deliver. YMMV, but I highly doubt you'd regret either.

 

[Hookedonc4]

Hey guys,

This is my current set up. I know I need to add a sub sometime soon, leaning towards SVS for that. I know polks aren't the most popular around here but I'm really happy with them Pics taken with iphone, sorry

Speakers
Towers- Polk Rti a7
Center- Polk Csi a6 (I've got it flipped upside down so the speakers are actually facing slightly upward)
Rears- Polk Rti a1

Electronics
Sharp LC-60e78un
Denon avr-3312 ci
Sony BDP-S360
Logitech Harmony one
APC j35b
Sirius satellite radio dock
Optik tv pvr
xbox 360 with kinect

Nice!!!

Thanks for sharing...

 

[brianedm]

Wire came in on Friday and Monoprice only put in 2 pairs of banana plugs and not the 10 I ordered. Think I'm just gonna go bare wire for now and I'll use the banana plugs in a week or so when they arrive.

 

[fuzz092888]

I've used the monoprice banana plugs and they're ok. I really prefer the sewell silverback ones. I can't tell the difference in performance, but the silverbacks really hold the wire in there and the silver case covers the exposed area where you stripped the wire. I may also try the GLS Audio ones next time around. YMMV. The two that I mentioned are definitely more expensive than monoprice, but from my experience they are more secure and I don't have to worry about fanning the strands or having any exposed wire.

Amazon.com: Sewell Silverback Banana Plugs, Dual Screw Lock, 12 Pair (24 Pieces): Electronics

Official Speaker Repair Site - Orange County Speaker - Home of GLS Audio: Locking Plugs

 

[brianedm]

I've used the monoprice banana plugs and they're ok. I really prefer the sewell silverback ones. I can't tell the difference in performance, but the silverbacks really hold the wire in there and the silver case covers the exposed area where you stripped the wire. I may also try the GLS Audio ones next time around. YMMV. The two that I mentioned are definitely more expensive than monoprice, but from my experience they are more secure and I don't have to worry about fanning the strands or having any exposed wire.

Amazon.com: Sewell Silverback Banana Plugs, Dual Screw Lock, 12 Pair (24 Pieces): Electronics

Official Speaker Repair Site - Orange County Speaker - Home of GLS Audio: Locking Plugs

Neither of those will ship to Canada. I'm sure there's better options than the Monoprice banana plugs out there. If I have any issues with the monoprice ones I'll do more investigation into my options. Thanks for the suggestions though

 

[fuzz092888]

Neither of those will ship to Canada. I'm sure there's better options than the Monoprice banana plugs out there. If I have any issues with the monoprice ones I'll do more investigation into my options. Thanks for the suggestions though

I doubt you'll have issues, they're not bad plugs. I just don't like the fan method in general. I don't feel it's as secure.

GLS Audio Black Chrome Series "Generation 4" Gold Connector Banana Plugs Banana Clips - 20 Pack (10 Reds & 10 Blacks).: Amazon.ca: Electronics

For whatever reason, they're almost double the price than buying them in the US.

 

[Adam]

I doubt you'll have issues, they're not bad plugs. I just don't like the fan method in general. I don't feel it's as secure.

I have some of the Monoprice closed-type plugs, and they work fine. I have some older Radio Shack banana plugs that are similar in that they use the fan method, and I like the RS plugs just a bit better. Both have worked fine for me. I don't like assembling the ones with the fan method, but once they're done, they've treated me well. I don't tend to yank on my cable, though (leave it alone, guys, just leave it... ).

 

[brianedm]

Finally got around to doing the wiring today. Took EXACTLY 100 feet of speaker wire, haha. Couldn't get more accurate than that. At least I didn't have to take the plastic of the 2nd spool and you never know when you'll need more speaker wire

 

[brianedm]

Due to my fickle nature, I'm now considering ordering a 2nd pb 12-nsd. With audyssey eq xt would it calibrate the levels on both subs or just the one?

 

[brianedm]

Nevermind. My manual tells me I can do it but I'll need to level match them all by hand with an spl meter then run Audyssey. hmm.

 

[brianedm]

And I pulled the trigger on an spl meter, great gramma, and pb 12-nsd. Yay almost $1000 in impulse purchases!

 

[brianedm]

Took a long time but after Sonic Boom figured out some customs issues everything has arrived. Look what else showed up! Christmas came early!

 

[XTZ]

The Avenger movie will put the SVS to the test!

/XTZ

 

[brianedm]

It's true. Just watched it. The 2nd sub officially made my home theater sound better than ANY commercial theater I've ever been to. Halfway through I moved my AVR onto the evening setting as I was feeling bad for my neighbours. I could feel every explosion in my chest whether I was in the sweet spot or not. Unreal.

 

[brianedm]

Sometimes I feel like I post too much in here but I get so excited I can't help but share

Ordered one of these today...

Solves the problem of getting my center channel up on top of my entertainment center, gives me more options for future center upgrades, I'll be able to put my center on some speaker dudes, and allows me to move the dual subs up to the front of the room. The component stand to the right of my tv stand won't be needed anymore I love the dual subs but just feel it'd be more immersive if I felt explosions coming from in front of me rather than behind It's an expensive solution to the problem... but still the best solution I can find. It's on order but the shop said it could take up to a month to arrive.

 

[96cobra10101]

Nice setup, Avengers is definitely a fun watch!

 

[dpc]

That TV mount looks interesting. Who makes it and where did you get it?