Help with a new system: $1500-$2000

[ParadigmDawg]

Is here:

I hope you can see what I mean by kind of a half-wall. The fireplace in the middle there divides the living room from the dining room-- but it doesn't close off either room completely.

I think that room arrangement eliminates floorstanding speakers-- the Tv is going to be above the fireplace, so there's nowhere for speakers of that size to go without having them sort of "hang out" awkwardly at the end of that half-wall.

My house, two houses ago, had that same wall and fireplace. I always kind of liked it.

We had a formal dining room that made a good little HT room.

Explore all options before using that little wall as the focal of your HT area.

 

[Cobratron]

ImCloud gives great advice he helped me with my system. I bought a sub from SVS which is a cylinder form. Sounds amazing and the wife loves it since it blends in well opposed to a large sub box

 

[ankurdesai]

absolutely

Thanks for the Wharfedale recco-- just bought them.

Thoughts on the Marantz SR5007 for $600? Is there a better deal out there on an AVR with pre-amps?

 

[Steve81]

Thanks for the Wharfedale recco-- just bought them.

Thoughts on the Marantz SR5007 for $600? Is there a better deal out there on an AVR with pre-amps?

There's this if you're OK with a refurb:

Onkyo TX-NR709 7.2-Channel 3-D Ready Network A/V Receiver | Accessories4less

Comparable in terms of power, Audyssey MultEQ XT, etc and still comes with a 1 year warranty.

 

[ImcLoud]

Thanks for the Wharfedale recco-- just bought them.

Thoughts on the Marantz SR5007 for $600? Is there a better deal out there on an AVR with pre-amps?

I would go with the 709, very nice unit if you want to spend more than a few hundred it is a good choice, I believe its $450, sometimes Pioneer has the 1222 on sale for $600 and that is a good buy, but not sure when it will come back, probably a couple weeks......
Congrats on the Diamonds, and the Music direct guys are awesome... Please let everyone know what you think when you get them all set up, not enough wharfedale guys on this forum Although a few other forums are flooded with them ...

The first thing you are going to notice with the diamonds is their build quality, they have a piano black front baffle that cleans up like a mirror, and the shape and rosewood are 1st rate... I actually know 2 people with the 10.1 bookshelfs and they have been very pleased, plus if you have any problems, I have the contact info for Bob at wharfedale {the US rep}, great people over there and he will address any issues you could possibly have...

Im confident you will love them though, they are very laid back, warm speakers, no in your face punchyness {not in the low end or more important the top end}. Set your fronts to cross at 80 or 100 hz. {small} and you will get great sound especially with audy avr

Well anyway good luck I am psyched for you....

 

[ankurdesai]

Last question

Thanks so much for all the tips and advice so far.

I've got my receiver down to 2 options (I have eliminated the Onkyo TX-NR709 because I heard about some nasty defect problem that I would rather not deal with).

A4L has the (refurbed) Marantz SR5007 for $600 and the (refurbed) Denon AVR-3311ci for $500. Seems like maybe the AVR-3311ci is the better deal, since it's nearer to the top of the Denon line and the SR5007 is nearer to the bottom of the Marantz line. The Marantz looks sexier, but then again the thing is going to be in a cabinet anyway, so that might not be a major issue.

Which one would you guys go with? AirPlay is not important to me as I have an AppleTV. I also don't have any legacy gear, so all I need is a few HDMI inputs. Both are 7.2 systems with full pre-outs and Audyssey XT, so no tiebreakers there. Should I just go with the Denon because it's $100 cheaper?

Thanks again to all-- I know I'm going to be thrilled with the result because of your expertise and time. Will post pics and reviews when I'm done to try to help out the community in return.

 

[Steve81]

The Denon seems like a good bet. Found a bench test of the newer 3312CI which I'd assume is pretty comparable in power to the 3311.

Denon AVR-3312CI A/V Receiver HT Labs Measures | Home Theater

Looks like it should be a pretty good unit on the face of things; of course if you find yourself needing more juice, there's always the preamp outs.

 

[jostenmeat]

It pains me a little to say this OP, you seem like a swell guy, you earnestly want good audio, you're willing to spend some to get there:

But if it was my place, and that's the only place the TV could go, right above the fireplace, with only that little space around it, somewhat shoved in a corner . . .

I'd just forget the audio hunt entirely, and use the TV speakers. I might split some hairs, ask around, to see which of the TV candidates might have more acceptable sound.

For the hassle, the detraction from the looks, the compromise of setup, that is just my honest statement, and that comes from someone who has a bunch of speakers right now.

FWIW, I've suggested a similar thing to at least one good friend of mine, and I'm pretty sure to my brother as well for one particular setup he was thinking about.

Maybe I'll change my mind if something dawns on me, maybe I'm missing certain possibilities.

Lastly, I would never run the fireplace at the same as the TV, and I probably wouldn't run the TV for quite a while if a fire was recently lit up. But then again, mine would be a huge plasma.

 

[zieglj01]

A4L has the (refurbed) Marantz SR5007 for $600 and the (refurbed) Denon AVR-3311ci for $500. Seems like maybe the AVR-3311ci is the better deal, since it's nearer to the top of the Denon line and the SR5007 is nearer to the bottom of the Marantz line.

Which one would you guys go with?
Thanks again to all-- I know I'm going to be thrilled

Regardless of what receiver you buy, the Marantz is not a lower
line receiver.

I wish you luck and maybe you will be thrilled >>> however that
is a lot of money being invested for a system, that will be thrown
in a corner of the room - to where you will not be able to reap the
full benefits of it. Good Luck.

 

[ankurdesai]

Ok...

... You guys talked me into it-- wife has agreed to reorient the living room, which opens up a nice big wall for the display. added bonus is that I now have room for some floor standing tower speakers.

I've seen some wharfedale evo2-20s for $480-- does it matter that they don't match the center and surround speakers (which are wharfedale diamond 10.1s)?

 

[zieglj01]

... You guys talked me into it-- wife has agreed to reorient the living room, which opens up a nice big wall for the display. added bonus is that I now have room for some floor standing tower speakers.

I've seen some wharfedale evo2-20s for $480-- does it matter that they don't match the center and surround speakers (which are wharfedale diamond 10.1s)?

I prefer to series match, the front channel speakers and center.
If mainly doing home theater over surround sound music, then
using something different for surrounds can work ok, for mainly
surround sound effects.

 

[ImcLoud]

If you are going with towers now, get the 10.5 diamonds, they are around $1000 at music direct but check them out here...

Wharfedale Diamond 10 5 Rosewood ea Open Box 3 Way Floorstanding Speaker 703340285648 | eBay

I had a chance to play with the Diamonds the other day, I like the sound of the 10.5 towers with the smallest center {it was the cc I believe}. There are 2 larger centers that sound good too, but that small center reproduced voice very well, realistic and defined...

Out of all the towers the {I didnt try the 10.3's, just the 10.4, 5, 6 , and 7's} and out of all of them the 5's would be my choice for home theater, and then the 7s for music... They really make a lot of speakers in the diamond 10 series, and they are all good, but a few stuck out, the 10.1 bookshelfs are really nice {go to youtube there are vids, on there people love them things}, then that small center {small centers are awesome ,I am using a cmt340se center and it sticks out past my fireplace!!! so I am starting to appreciate small center channels with big sound}, and then the 10.5 and 10.7 towers sound really good, level and warm, the highs and mids sound about the same between the two, but the 7 reached a lot lower { but with a theater this is useless, now for 2.0 music its nice, 2 different animals for sure when bass is put in the equation}.. I will admit the diamond sub is a bust and the 10.2 bookshelf is quite large and doesnt sound as defined as the 10.1...

If I had to pick a system for surround sound, I would say small center, 10.5 towers, and then either the 10.1 or dfs surrounds {10.1's will be overkill but since when is that a bad thing..}