21st Century Recomendations

[jmltinc]

Hi folks!

I am new to this forum and I guess to audiophile equipment and techniques as well. I once considered myself an audiophile, with cutting edge stereo equipment, but that was 25 years ago.

I am seeking other Member's recomendations as to equipment (what happened to Separates?). Family obligations now keeps me to a 'reasonable' budget of under $10,000. The good old days of spending every penny is gone.

My system would serve dual duty: Home Theatre and Stereo Listening (especially the old vinyl!). The room is 22' x 22' with a vaulted 16' ceiling. The front facing wall is solid raised panel wood with to-the-floor windows flanking the TV. One adjacent wall is raised panel with a 6' wide opening almost in the middle into the another room. The opposite (rear) wall is built-in bookcases with an 8' wide opening in the middle to still another room. Unfortunately the other adjacent wall is brick.

I would like to switch HDMI components, provide for storage of I-Pod and MP3 format music (with on-screen menu please). Wanted, but not necessarily needed (depending upon performance and the Group's recomendations) would be the ability to change and shape crossover points. The ability to grow the system over time would be a plus.

If anyone could point me somewhere so I can get back up to speed would be terrific, and all recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

-John

 

[chadnliz]

What are your goals, music taste and decor preference? At that budget you have alot of options and you will also need to address your square room but that can be worked out. Along with great info here you really need to poke around Audiogon.com for more valuable information, the more you know the better off you will be and both here and there are some great folks eager and happy to help you in your journey. I emailed you a mesage to check out, and wish you good luck in your search, cheers

 

[Warpdrv]

John.... Welcome to Audioholics....

Now is a great time to start getting into the new technologies available, there are many advances that would be awe-inspiring for a HT as well as 2 channel environment. Your vaulted ceiling can be very helpful in relieving standing waves that are more easily found in square or rectangular rooms...

Seperates are still out there and there are some great products available, but HDMI 1.3 is just coming available, and only a few manufactures are making products to serve that format, but many are just out on the horizon.

Is there a list of products that you are inquiring about... Speakers, Subs, Pre-Amps, Amps, Plasma, Projection...? What do you have in mind...?


Give us an idea of what your looking for, so we can be of more help...

 

[MDS]

I would like to switch HDMI components, provide for storage of I-Pod and MP3 format music (with on-screen menu please). Wanted, but not necessarily needed (depending upon performance and the Group's recomendations) would be the ability to change and shape crossover points.

There are lots of good choices from the top tier manufacturers. They differ slightly in terms of features offered at a given price point but all are remarkably similar, except for possibly ease of use and design of the menus and control functions.

- re: switching HDMI: I would not buy a receiver that is HDMI 'pass-thru' only as they cannot process the audio which kind of defeats the purpose of HDMI switching. You want HDMI repeating (often labeled 'switching', which is incredibly confusing because the pass-thru receivers can also switch). The entry point is usually around $500 (new - retail).

- re: iPod and MP3 storage: The best solution is separate from the receiver; in other words, just another source device to the receiver as opposed to a receiver with built-in ethernet streaming capability (very limited and always bug laden). If you want on screen display, you'd look for iPod docks from the same manufacturer as the receiver. With a dock, you can use the receiver remote to control the iPod and get on screen display. You don't need a dock because you can connect the iPod to any analog audio input.

- re: xover points: Nearly all brands now offer independent xover selection per channel. I don't think that is a big deal unless your speakes are kinda mismatched where the mains may go down to 40 Hz, but the center and surrounds can only go down to 100 Hz.

The ability to grow the system over time would be a plus.

With enough inputs, HDMI switching, and support for the latest digital audio formats you can expand simply by purchasing new source devices and will be reasonably future proof for awhile.

Most of the time when people are trying to think of future expansion they tend to mean the ability to add an external amp later. That requires a receiver with pre-outs for all channels and that issue will make my point that all the brands differ only slightly at a given price point; eg. at the $500 price point some Yamaha models offer pre-outs but not HDMI repeating; at the same price point Onkyo offers HDMI repeating but not pre-outs.

 

[jmltinc]

Thanks to chadnliz for the redirect to Audiogon for more info. You can never get enough (at least I can't). I would reply to your email, but I am unfamiliar with this forum (maybe read stupid?), and it tells me I must have 5 posts before I can send a PM. As soon as I reach the five, I'll write.

Thanks,
-John

 

[jmltinc]

Thank you Warpdrv for the reply. I was not too worried about standing waves as two walls have large doorway openings (proof will be in the pudding). I am more concerned about reflection from the brick wall. Maybe I can get the wife into hanging tapestries!

The room was not acoustically friendly when we bought the house. I set up my beloved stereo equipment and it sounded absolutely awfull. So bad, it collects dust in the basement and I moved on to competition-grade car audio (over that now!).

From what i have been able to gleen on HDMI switching, the crowd is split 50-50 as to whether it degrades the picture. My guess is a good unit will not; but you are inplying there is not a lot out there. I will have to take that part slow.

Already have a 58" plasma. Am looking to pitch the Elite THX/Dolby 5.1 receiver and Polk surrounds for all new goodies.

Thanks
-J

 

[jmltinc]

MDS,

I am glad to hear there is plenty out there to choose from. I can see that on the shelves of the stores or on the Internet, but I hadn't a clue whether it was junk or not.
Thanks for the comments.

Pass-thru? Switched? Oh boy, I have a lot to learn here. I think I let the world of A/V pass me by here.

I agree on your comments regarding digital storage. I wish manufacturers were clearer about how information is displayed and how the menus worked.

Having the ability to change and shape the x-over points was a great advantage in the car stereo gig. The Pioneer ODR system allowed selection of four separate bands, with independent placement of each band's upper and lower x-over points. Add to that, the slope and level adjustment, you could dial in to any speaker system (of course, we are talking individual speakers and not a system in a cabinet). Probably the most important aspect of this system was the ability to adjust timing from each speaker to eliminate phasing problems and present a real center stage.

And yes, when I speak of future, I am talking of amps (amongst other goodies).

I am looking forward to the input I can get on this.

Thanks again,
-J

 

[jcPanny]

HT Options

J,
Nice budget. Clarify whether you are look for just A/V electronics, or if you also need a display, 5.1 or 7.1 speakers, distributed audio in other rooms, etc.

Here are some ideas:

Pre-pro: Integra 9.8 - $1500
http://www.integrahometheater.com/model.cfm?m=DTC-9.8&class=Separates&p=i

HT Amplifier: $800-$2k - Emotiva, Rotel, Parasound, etc.
http://www.emotiva.com/xpa5.html

MP3, picture, and video storage and streaming: Apple TV, $300.

Remote: URC or Harmony, $200+

BluRay Player: PS3, $400

Room Treatments: $1-2k for the whole room.

For speakers, listen to lots of options in your budget and let your ears decide.

 

[jmltinc]

jcPanny,

Display? If you mean a TV monitor, that is covered. I am concerned with audio only - capable of both Surround as well as Audiophile-quality stereo listening.

I don't know about the 7.1 vs 5.1. I have 5.1 now, but no listening experience with 7.1. Is it worth it? If I go 7.1, the center satellites will probably have to be mounted high on the wall (where the ceiling starts) or low on the ceiling, as one side wall is all brick w/ fireplace. I suppose a small satellite could be placed on the raised hearth, but I will have exposed wiring, with what I suppose will be an inferior speaker, listening angle, etc.

Did not think about whole-house audio. As long as I can turn the wife's lousy music off, I would be interested.

I'll get some time in the next couple days and check the links you gave me.

Thanks,
-J

 

[chadnliz]

At your size room just go 5.1, it will be just fine and save you cash..my offer is open at all times if you wish to write or call.

 

[roll - gybe]

I would offer a 2-ch friendly set up since you like music and have previously dabbled in audiophilia. There are a lot of ways to go about it. For example, I have an integrated amp with "HT bypass" (bypasses the integrated pre) so I can have a HT system feeding into my amp for the front 2-ch and controlling the volume, effects, etc while the music audio transports go directly through the amp and 2-ch. Just one way to do it, and I got here by accident.

A lot of people here, have a lot of great info about receivers, but if you have an undeniable passion for separates and some hard to drive fronts, maybe think about a pre-amp strategy.

Is your existing audio gear going to be put to use? If you like those speakers, get them going again and find someone who can provide a timbre matching center. Maybe getting one costly center to compliment nice fronts will cost less in total. Or go with a phantom center. You don't need one. I don't use one.

I think the rears can be anything. use your room to decide on dipoles or omnis.


Now if you are into digital storage - ie MP3, FLAC, WAV I highly recommend you check out the slimdevices products. They have a great forum too. It gets a little techy, and I have had to learn as I went, but most of the digital devices are techy first music second. slimdevices delivers great music as the objective, just using your computer and network. their approach is open source and all about the audio (opposite of steve jobs)