<font color='#000000'>I'm fairly new to the hi-res scene, but I've made a few purchases recently and would like to share my impressions...
First, my system:
Paradigm Studio 80s v2 in rosenut veneer - front L/R
Paradigm CC-350 - center
Infinity Silvers - surrounds L/R
H/K Signature 2.0 preamp/processor/tuner
H/K Signature 2.1 5 ch. amp
Toshiba SD4700 DVD-Video/DVD-Audio/CD/HDCD player
AlphaCore Goertz MI2 bi-wires for the fronts, Monster Cable 12 AWG for everything else.
Recent music purchases:
1) ELP - "Brain Salad Surgery" DVD-Audio
Very good sound, pretty nice use of the multi-ch.
capabilities although there is a mis-match in loudness
levels between the fronts and rears. The spinning
"computer" sound at the end of Karn Evil 9 is quite
reminiscent of the sound I heard at the live show in '73
2) Doobie Bros. - "The Captain and Me" DVD-Audio
This sounds terrific - every instrument and voice is
clear as a bell, soundstage is very wide and somewhat
deep, multi-ch. mix is very pleasant with the rears mostly
being used for ambience.
3) Grateful Dead - "American Beauty" DVD-Audio
Whoa! This one blew me away - the soundstage is
very wide, several feet beyond the boundaries of the
front speakers (!!) and the voices and instruments are
crystal clear. Good use of the rears is shown by being
predominantly for ambience with the occasional backing
vocal appearing behind/beside you. If you're a
DeadHead, this one should bring a big grin to your face.
4) Yes - "Symphonic Live" DVD-Video, DTS 5.1
A very good concert video - finally, a video editor
who is not trying to emulate that goddamn annoying
MTV-style of incessant quick cuts from camera to
camera. The sound quality is very good, I have
never heard such deep bass as what I'm getting near
the end of "Starship Trooper". I *did* find the imaging
to be somewhat imprecise on the symphonic side, but it's
asking a lot of my speakers to offer that kind of precision
considering they are only 10 ft. apart from each other.
Rear speakers were used mostly for ambience, definitely
*my* preference, and, I think, completely necessary to
accurately portray a live event.
Jon Anderson's vocals were stunning, he hasn't lost a
note, near as I can tell. All in all, a very good live
concert brought right into your living room for a mere
$15 - a boatload cheaper than the last tickets I paid for...
I have several more, maybe I'll post more impressions after I've had a chance to audition more thoroughly...
-RW-</font>