Equipment & Room setup questions

[rrehart]

My setup at home is pretty simple. I have a DirecTV receiver, a PS-3, and a NAS for streaming video, all hooked into a Sony STR-DA5600ES. Video is provided by an Epson 5010 projector calibrated with the S&M calibration disk. Audio is direct (none of the stupid "cinema", "sports", etc... processing happening) output to Miller-Kriesel THX-750 set of matched speakers in a 9.2 configuration. Sound is calibrated with an SPL to THX standards (85db)

I have a small purpose built home theater (15x11), and all the speakers are setup at the proper angles to the listening area as per Dolby's recommendations, with the two subs in the back of the room.

The questions I have are;

1. Should I get a pre-amp? What are the advantages or disadvantages?
2. How can I determine if I need bass traps and where to put them?
3. Do I need sound dampening panels on the ceiling?
4. I use my PS-3 as my blu-ray player, and it seems fine. Would I see a significant difference in sound or video if I upgraded to a high end player?

Your answers are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[rrehart]

Anyone? Buehler? Buehler?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

My setup at home is pretty simple. I have a DirecTV receiver, a PS-3, and a NAS for streaming video, all hooked into a Sony STR-DA5600ES. Video is provided by an Epson 5010 projector calibrated with the S&M calibration disk. Audio is direct (none of the stupid "cinema", "sports", etc... processing happening) output to Miller-Kriesel THX-750 set of matched speakers in a 9.2 configuration. Sound is calibrated with an SPL to THX standards (85db)

I have a small purpose built home theater (15x11), and all the speakers are setup at the proper angles to the listening area as per Dolby's recommendations, with the two subs in the back of the room.

The questions I have are;

1. Should I get a pre-amp? What are the advantages or disadvantages?
2. How can I determine if I need bass traps and where to put them?
3. Do I need sound dampening panels on the ceiling?
4. I use my PS-3 as my blu-ray player, and it seems fine. Would I see a significant difference in sound or video if I upgraded to a high end player?

Your answers are greatly appreciated. Thanks!

1. Going separates (pre-amp and amp) doesn't usually add MUCH benefits vs A/V receiver (in the PRE section) but could provide significant improvements in amplification with purchase of solid amp(s). That said your older sony do have room correction tech, but I doubt it could match anywhere close to industry leader Audyssey xt32

2 and 3 are related. Room treatments are very important, especially in dedicated room and best answers could be provided to you by Room treatments specialists like Acoustic Panels | Bass Traps | Diffusors | GIK Acoustics and www.atsacoustics.com
There are no universal rule. Every room is different. If you attempt to do it yourself - I highly recommend to get proper audio measuring set

4. Not really, except if you get movies from "friends on internet", ps3 could be a major show stopper due to Cinavia copyright protection support.


If I'd had in itch to improve the sound I'd look first into 2 & 3 and then just get a mid-range modern Denon AVR