2.1 $1000 budget.

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I'm not sure which Xonar you tried, or the way in which you listened to it - but I was very impressed with it (after an op-amp upgrade) at least in the headphone department ( I have the Essence ST - PCI... of note I did not like the Essence STX - PCIe card strangely enough).

It was that Xonar HD Deluxe with DTS-HD MA & Dolby TrueHD bitstream via HDMI (with TMT3 software) and PCM 7.1 analog output (RCA).

I did not use a headphone.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

You should buy a brand new theta digital casablanca III HD

You mean spend about $14K on a component that has like 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output?

 

[GranteedEV]

You mean spend about $14K on a component that has like 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output?

Or get a used casablanca 3 and spend 5k on an upgrade adding HDMI

 

[Flyingnugget]

So If I bought This.
SVS PB10-NSD
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/pb10nsd-powered-box-subwoofer-10-nsd-series-woofer-black-p-5.html

Behringer 2030p
http://cgi.ebay.ca/BEHRINGER-TRUTH-B2030P-STUDIO-MONITOR-PAIR-NEW-/370450594897?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5640937c51

Onkyo TX-SR308
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=52639

What do I need to connect it all, would this work?

I have a S/PDIF Digital optical output from my motherboard. So I could use a cable like this? 6ft optical toslink to toslink to go from computer to receiver.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=1419&seq=1&format=2

The behringer 2030p can be connected to the receiver via 16ga audio wire?

Subwoofer is connected from the receivers subwoofer pre out to the subwoofer imput via RCA cable like this one?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021810&p_id=655&seq=1&format=2

 

[jinjuku]

Yep, that list about covers it. 16 AWG will work provided the runs aren't too long. I just use 12AWG and be done with it.

 

[GranteedEV]

So If I bought This.
SVS PB10-NSD
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/pb10nsd-powered-box-subwoofer-10-nsd-series-woofer-black-p-5.html

Behringer 2030p
http://cgi.ebay.ca/BEHRINGER-TRUTH-B2030P-STUDIO-MONITOR-PAIR-NEW-/370450594897?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5640937c51

Onkyo TX-SR308
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=52639

What do I need to connect it all, would this work?

I have a S/PDIF Digital optical output from my motherboard. So I could use a cable like this? 6ft optical toslink to toslink to go from computer to receiver.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=1419&seq=1&format=2

The behringer 2030p can be connected to the receiver via 16ga audio wire?

Subwoofer is connected from the receivers subwoofer pre out to the subwoofer imput via RCA cable like this one?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021810&p_id=655&seq=1&format=2

My suggestion, I feel like I may have already given it, is to go with

Behringer 2030A mains instead.
MiniDSP instead of the Onkyo.

The miniDSP will give you the crossover (with a lot more flexibility than the Onkyo will), and won't take up much desk space either. I think you could even mount it inside an ATX case from what I can see of it.

With the money you save you just get an external DAC.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

What do I need to connect it all, would this work?

I have a S/PDIF Digital optical output from my motherboard.

Why not just use the HDMI cable for from your ATI card to the Onkyo?

Or get a used casablanca 3 and spend 5k on an upgrade adding HDMI

I hope I will never have to buy another pre-pro or AVR again.

 

[KEW]

I hope I will never have to buy another pre-pro or AVR again.

That is a curious statement!
What's your game plan?
Are you going to become a Luddite and swear off new technologies?

 

[sholling]

So If I bought This.
SVS PB10-NSD
http://www.sonicboomaudio.com/pb10nsd-powered-box-subwoofer-10-nsd-series-woofer-black-p-5.html

Behringer 2030p
http://cgi.ebay.ca/BEHRINGER-TRUTH-B2030P-STUDIO-MONITOR-PAIR-NEW-/370450594897?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5640937c51

Onkyo TX-SR308
http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php?sku=52639

What do I need to connect it all, would this work?

I have a S/PDIF Digital optical output from my motherboard. So I could use a cable like this? 6ft optical toslink to toslink to go from computer to receiver.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10229&cs_id=1022901&p_id=1419&seq=1&format=2

The behringer 2030p can be connected to the receiver via 16ga audio wire?

Subwoofer is connected from the receivers subwoofer pre out to the subwoofer imput via RCA cable like this one?
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=102&cp_id=10218&cs_id=1021810&p_id=655&seq=1&format=2

Perfect and the use of a receiver gives you room to grow it into a 5.1 system should you choose to. The only change that I'd make is although 16ga wire is all that you need I usually buy 12 or 14ga.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

That is a curious statement!
What's your game plan?
Are you going to become a Luddite and swear off new technologies?

Never say Never, right?

I believe the Sound technology (TrueHD/DTS-HD MA) has fully matured. I think increasing the number of speakers in a home room environment is just silly.

The only thing left to mature is the Video technology, and I don't mean 3D.

I'm talking about 4K & 8K video format, but most people think that is also silly for even a 120" screen.

What I really meant to say was that I hope my pre-pro and AVR never malfunction and if I upgrade to the 4K/8K format, it will be 10 years later.

...........................

But getting back to the PC-AVR hook-up question, why not use the HDMI instead of Optical?

 

[sholling]

Why not just use the HDMI cable for from your ATI card to the Onkyo?

I would be afraid that passing computer video through the receiver would hinder gaming performance. I have no evidence that it would but it's just one more bit of processing. That's why I use the S/PDIF Digital optical output.

I hope I will never have to buy another pre-pro or AVR again.

Good luck! I thought the same thing when I bought a Sansui 9090DB in the 70s. The thing was a beast but there will always be a newer better must have feature. It may be more more sophisticated audio processing such as a successor to Audyssey MultiEQ XT32. It may be a new completely incompatible video connector system for super-double-bandwidth-blu-ray-on-steroids. It may be mood measuring telepathic auto-tuning.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I would be afraid that passing computer video through the receiver would hinder gaming performance. I have no evidence that it would but it's just one more bit of processing. That's why I use the S/PDIF Digital optical output.


Good luck! I thought the same thing when I bought a Sansui 9090DB in the 70s. The thing was a beast but there will always be a newer better must have feature. It may be more more sophisticated audio processing such as a successor to Audyssey MultiEQ XT32. It may be a new completely incompatible video connector system for super-double-bandwidth-blu-ray-on-steroids. It may be mood measuring telepathic auto-tuning.

The HDMI on that Onkyo is simply Pass-Thru, so there is no processing involved.

Besides, how is the Video connected to the Display? Regular VGA connection?

I would assume that 1080p graphics is the goal, right?

And that ATI card has 2 HDMI outputs?

As far as technologies is concerned, sure there are always some minor "improvements", but the major significant ones are now hard to come by.

Back then, you have Stereo sound, and later Dolby Pro-Logic. Now were already have UNCOMPRESSED master-quality sound. How can you improve on that?

With Video, sure, I mentioned 4K & 8K, but the cheapest 4K consumer system out there is like $200,000.

It is going to be a while before that catches on.

I a lot of "purist" people, like myself, couldn't care less about Audyssey and any kind of Room EQ, Tones, or DSPs. A lot of us will always stick with Pure Direct.

I wish I could custom build my Pre-pro like a PC.

I would not include 80% of what is in there, including Audyssey.

 

[KEW]

mood measuring telepathic auto-tuning.

(three year old voice on)

want... one...

 

[sholling]

Back then, you have Stereo sound, and later Dolby Pro-Logic. Now were already have UNCOMPRESSED master-quality sound. How can you improve on that?

Uncompressed when referring to digital is always a relative term so perhaps higher bit-rates.

With Video, sure, I mentioned 4K & 8K, but the cheapest 4K consumer system out there is like $200,000.

For now, but technology has a habit of getting cheap quickly and 3D will drive it even though IMO 3D is a gimmick/fad at least until it gets a lot better - which it will over the next 5 years.

I a lot of "purist" people, like myself, couldn't care less about Audyssey and any kind of Room EQ, Tones, or DSPs. A lot of us will always stick with Pure Direct.

I disable Audyssey myself (it was like taking a blanket off my speakers and sub) but that doesn't mean that at some point it won't become so good that I reconsider and try it again - it's just not there yet. On the other hand I do EQ my subs and it makes a heck of a difference.

 

[KEW]

For now, but technology has a habit of getting cheap quickly and 3D will drive it even though IMO 3D is a gimmick/fad at least until it gets a lot better - which it will over the next 5 years.

Agreed!
There have been some technologies like the spoken natural language interface which continue to be evasive long after they were expected to be solved, but current theater 3D implementations are good enough to establish the technology is not out-of-reach - it is just a matter of time.

 

[zumbo]

I disable Audyssey myself (it was like taking a blanket off my speakers and sub) but that doesn't mean that at some point it won't become so good that I reconsider and try it again - it's just not there yet. On the other hand I do EQ my subs and it makes a heck of a difference.

But members seem to express Audyssey hung the moon?

I have to admit, YPAO makes a vast difference in my system. Of coarse I tweak the speaker size and x-over.

 

[sholling]

Agreed!
There have been some technologies like the spoken natural language interface which continue to be evasive long after they were expected to be solved, but current theater 3D implementations are good enough to establish the technology is not out-of-reach - it is just a matter of time.

I'm old enough to remember when an employer handed me responsibility for a North Star Horizon personal computer in the late 70s. That state of the art $3000ish (in 1970s money) computer was powered by a Z80 processor that's still used - in calculators and appliances. 40 years later I have a notebook with thousands of times the power that cost 1/3 as much or about 1/10th when adjusted for inflation.

 

[Flyingnugget]

Why not just use the HDMI cable for from your ATI card to the Onkyo?

The HDMI on that Onkyo is simply Pass-Thru, so there is no processing involved.

Besides, how is the Video connected to the Display? Regular VGA connection?

I would assume that 1080p graphics is the goal, right?

And that ATI card has 2 HDMI outputs?

My computer is hooked to my displays with DVI cables.

I run my main display at 1920x1200.

I want to keep my graphics card out of the equation because in the past I have had a ton of driver related problems. Uninstalling the audio drivers for the card fixed some problems. I dont need video going into the receiver so its best to just avoid it.

Ill be getting a HDMI cable as well since they are so cheap. That way I can always try it.

Ill be getting 12ga wire now, thanks.

 

[sholling]

But members seem to express Audyssey hung the moon?

I have to admit, YPAO makes a vast difference in my system. Of coarse I tweak the speaker size and x-over.

I'm sure it depends a lot on the room and two of my rooms may just completely stump Audyssey. That was my point in using it as an example, that future versions might be able to do wonders for a difficult room and Audyssey will keep improving their product to drive receiver sales and royalties. My next receiver purchase won't be before 2012 and by then maybe MultiEQ XT32 will be replaced by MiracleEQ XT64 for impossible rooms.

 

[zumbo]

I'm sure it depends a lot on the room and two of my rooms may just completely stump Audyssey. That was my point in using it as an example, that future versions might be able to do wonders for a difficult room and Audyssey will keep improving their product to drive receiver sales and royalties. My next receiver purchase won't be before 2012 and by then maybe MultiEQ XT32 will be replaced by MiracleEQ XT64 for impossible rooms.

My room is beyond impossible. You would be stumped as to why I even spent what I did. But, it does sound sweet.