Enter to Win: Rives Audio Test CD 2

[auge.dog]

What has been the most cost effective upgrade or change to your listening environment (acoustical treatments, speakers, specific component, etc.)? Please describe the change as you experienced it. Speakers, I went from one surround set-up and a 2-speaker set-up to two surround set-ups. The speakers I purchased were all upgrades, and the improvement in sound quality is very apparant.

What I had - System 1 - Receiver - Onkyo DR90; Mains - Infinity RS3s; Center - AR 18; Surrounds - Polk R10s
System 2 - Very old Marantz, 2-channel receiver (Sounded great, but one channel is on the fritz) Speakers - Optimus, Minimus 7s

What I have - System 1 - Receiver - Pioneer 912k; mains - Infinity RS3s; Center - AR 18; Surrounds - BIC Venturi 52s;

System 2 - Receiver; Onkyo DR90; Mains - BA HD 5s; Center - AR 18; Surrounds, Polk R10s.

A hodgepodge, but they both sound pretty good, especially system 1.

 

[BMXTRIX]

I think the biggest upgrade I ever had was when I went to new speakers from HTIB speakers. I was in the midst of a new system upgrade and my RX-Z1 was on order, but not in for a few more weeks, so I went ahead and hooked up the speakers (Def Tech BP-30s/2000/BPX) to the cheapie HTIB receiver. WOW! What an upgrade and jump in quality from that single change.

Probably the next big change was going from a Def Tech PF-15TL+ sub to a Velodyne HGS-10... it was huge.

Acoustical treatments? Perhaps some curtains... but it is all limited by my family room theater setup. It is NOT a dedicated listening environment.

 

[maxcooper]

What has been the most cost effective upgrade or change to your listening environment (acoustical treatments, speakers, specific component, etc.)? Please describe the change as you experienced it.

I have been living in an apartment for years and so never bought a sub. I have some tower speakers and figured that they would give me enough bass information to tide me over. However, I am moving to a house now so I finally got a subwoofer. I hooked it up last night. I haven't even really set it up or played any bass-heavy passages yet, but the difference in just "regular" passages is pretty impressive. I was clearly missing a lot for a long time.

I just wish my electronics had better bass management features so I could use the sub for 2-channel music without adding wacky DSP effects (sounds like a church... with bass!). From reading various forums and articles, I have known for years that bass management is a trickier-than-it-should-be issue. But it finally hit home for me when I put on some music and my new sub just sat there doing nothing. I guess my movie/music ratio will be tipped more toward movies until I get that sorted out.

-Max

 

[Fierce Mice]

My most cost effective change has to be rearranging the room layout to maximize benefits from speaker location: it was free, I provided the labor! I previously had a caddy-corner setup that allowed for side surrounds, but the rear wall was gone completely, opening into the kitchen area. I shifted the orientation of the listening area, designed a new bookcase / tv stand / A/V rack and rearranged the furniture. The benefits have been dramatic, and it's still a work in progress!

 

[naisphoo]

The most cost effective room treatment to me was removing the marble coffe table out of my listening area.

 

[Nate552]

Adding a sub. I added a Dayton 12 and it changed the way I watch movies. The soundtrack is now complete!

 

[s1773s]

My system has been progressively dying, piece by piece, due to old age. The most cost effective change i am making is reading this website to learn all i can before i go out and binge on some time and phase coherent speakers and possibly tube amp/ pre-amp to drive them. woo-hoo!

 

[Grendel]

The most cost effective...well, going from cheesy 5.1 sub/sat to real speakers was a no brainer when I did it long long ago..didn't have to spend all that much for a decent quality speaker(jbl)...sounded much better...going from the jbls to b&w was not as "cost effective" but it sounds better...

 

[Lambinator]

Best change: upgrading to good quality speakers for center and surrounds. But then again I'm just getting started so I have plenty more changes coming.

 

[ace2352]

Acoustical Treatments

Other than the carpet that was originally in the house, I do not have any other forms of acoustical treatments. However, I do plan to look into some for the near future, even something simple as drapes over the windows to absorb some sound and prevent too much reflecting.

 

[Spat]

Contest Question: What has been the most cost effective upgrade or change to your listening environment (acoustical treatments, speakers, specific component, etc.)? Please describe the change as you experienced it.

The most cost effective upgrade to my listening environment has to be a corduroy corner couch. It seems to reduce the echoes in the basement listening room. Almost as important though, it is a whole lot more comfortable and inviting than the previous metal-bar futon.