Seeking approval

[Morticae]

Hey all. I'm putting together a home theater system and I'm just looking for a little validation and/or differences of opinion on what I'm trying to do. This will be in a relatively small room (under 3000ft^3 I guesstimate) with a less than ideal shape (somewhat like a fat L).

I already have:
1) Westinghouse LVM-47W1 1080P 47" LCD
2) DirecTV HD-DVD HR20
3) A bunch of crappy, 10 year old audio equipment

I intend to buy:
1) Ascend speakers 4 x CBM-170 SE and 1 x CMT-340 SE
2) HSU VTF-2 MK3 subwoofer
3) Onkyo TX-SR705
4) HD-DVD player (waiting for price to lower and format wars to progress on this)
5) 1TB external eSata drive for the HR20
6) Higher quality cables from Monoprice.com (optical, interconnects and speaker wire)

So my questions are:
1) What do you think? I'm shooting for ~$2000 for audio and I already have the TV.
2) Is any of this unbalanced?
3) I want the Onkyo because I've always heard good things. I want the 705 because it has a phono level input. 3 HDMIs make a bit of difference too. Otherwise, the 605 seems right there with it. Should I check out equivalent Yamahas? Denons? If so, what are their comparable units?
4) Does anyone have a compelling argument against Monoprice cables? I am an electrical engineer & computer scientist, so I'd like to hear a convincing argument that the construction of these will somehow induce cross-talk, loop-back, current induction.... something to explain why they're inferior?

I really appreciate any feedback you guys can give me. Also, I need this before we get into the heart of the football season since I'm going to need to impress my guests

Thanks guys.

 

[Adam]

Hey, welcome to the forum!

Here's some of my thinking on this:

1) I don't know anything about Ascend speakers, but Hsu and Onkyo are good brands.

2) 3000 ft^3 isn't really all that small of a room. I'd suggest e-mailing Hsu and asking them which of their subs they'd recommend (if you haven't already). They should give you a straight answer. SVS also makes great subs, and I have one of them and am quite happy.

3) I am an Onkyo fan, so I'd back up your choice. If you can spare a couple of hundred more, I'd recommend looking at the Onkyo 805 (about $810 at Amazon.com). It's been getting great reviews, and my impression is that the amplifier section in the 805 is better than that in the 705. I'll bet the 705 is also a good unit, though, so it's just a suggestion.

4) From what I've read, monoprice cables are well made and work well. I can't give any reason to not use them.

5) Wish that I could justify a 1TB drive, but I'm too cheap. I'd rather buy two 500GB drives for the cost savings.

Adam

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Approved!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey all. I'm putting together a home theater system and I'm just looking for a little validation and/or differences of opinion on what I'm trying to do. This will be in a relatively small room (under 3000ft^3 I guesstimate) with a less than ideal shape (somewhat like a fat L).

I already have:
1) Westinghouse LVM-47W1 1080P 47" LCD
2) DirecTV HD-DVD HR20
3) A bunch of crappy, 10 year old audio equipment

I intend to buy:
1) Ascend speakers 4 x CBM-170 SE and 1 x CMT-340 SE
2) HSU VTF-2 MK3 subwoofer
3) Onkyo TX-SR705
4) HD-DVD player (waiting for price to lower and format wars to progress on this)
5) 1TB external eSata drive for the HR20
6) Higher quality cables from Monoprice.com (optical, interconnects and speaker wire)

So my questions are:
1) What do you think? I'm shooting for ~$2000 for audio and I already have the TV.
2) Is any of this unbalanced?
3) I want the Onkyo because I've always heard good things. I want the 705 because it has a phono level input. 3 HDMIs make a bit of difference too. Otherwise, the 605 seems right there with it. Should I check out equivalent Yamahas? Denons? If so, what are their comparable units?
4) Does anyone have a compelling argument against Monoprice cables? I am an electrical engineer & computer scientist, so I'd like to hear a convincing argument that the construction of these will somehow induce cross-talk, loop-back, current induction.... something to explain why they're inferior?

I really appreciate any feedback you guys can give me. Also, I need this before we get into the heart of the football season since I'm going to need to impress my guests

Thanks guys.

 

[Seth=L]

I also approve. The Ascends should sound very nice with that setup.

 

[Morticae]

re: Adam
I will have to post a drawing of the room or something. It is probably closer to 2000-2500, and the L shape makes the actual theater area even smaller. I know the shape will affect the acoustics, but that is exactly why I'm not buying knock-out, throw-down speakers. I've heard these Ascends are very good for the price (reviewed here as well I think?).

Is the Onkyo 805 a little overkill for the 5.1 setup I have? Is the Onkyo 705 a little underkill if I decide to go 7.1 with better speakers in the future?

And as for the 1TB drive... it will probably actually be 3 500GB drives RAID 5ed in an eSata enclosure. I am a manager at a telecom/computer resale company so this is not a problem

Thanks guys! Please keep the comments coming!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

The 705 onk will drive the In-Room Sensitivity 91dB @ 1 watt / 1 meter ascend speakers easily.

I have a friend who has the 170's and loves them. Great bank for the buck.

 

[Morticae]

I know what all those words mean separately but, somehow, your particular combination has rendered them foreign. So the 705 is plenty for these speakers. Is it plenty if I go 7.1?

Also I'm not entirely sure how the zoning works.... I already have in-wall wired outdoor speakers. Can I set those up on 6/7 and give them the gift of independence they crave?

 

[rnatalli]

I've heard a few Ascend speakers and they're great speakers. You have some good picks on your list so it should be a great system.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

lol...it just means that the ascends are sensitve and dont require a lot of power to drive them. Yes the Onk will drive 7 just fine.

I know what all those words mean separately but, somehow, your particular combination has rendered them foreign. So the 705 is plenty for these speakers. Is it plenty if I go 7.1?

Also I'm not entirely sure how the zoning works.... I already have in-wall wired outdoor speakers. Can I set those up on 6/7 and give them the gift of independence they crave?

 

[AVRat]

Stamp of approval... and yes you can use the rear channel amps for independent zoning.

 

[Seth=L]

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

3) I am an Onkyo fan, so I'd back up your choice. If you can spare a couple of hundred more, I'd recommend looking at the Onkyo 805 (about $810 at Amazon.com).
4) From what I've read, monoprice cables are well made and work well. I can't give any reason to not use them.

I second the Onkyo 805 for $810 (w/ Free S/H from Amazon.com).
For cables/wires, my first choice would be Blue Jeans Cable, & second choice would be Monoprice.

 

[Davemcc]

Overall, it looks like a well thought out plan. I would suggest upgrading the sub, though. Call both Hsu and SVS and see what they have to say.

 

[Morticae]

So you think the VTF-3 MK3 would be better balanced with these speakers? Does the VTF-2 not push enough noise? Most of my experience with subs is in car audio, so the wattage requirements are totally foreign to me here.

That's an extra $200 pushing me past my goal of $2000. While that's not a huge problem, I just want to make sure this will fill a legitimate void in my setup and not just add a $200 'ars gratis artis' to the system.

If I go to the 805, that's an extra $150 as well, putting me somewhere around the $2500 range. I know that audio value is totally dependent on personal subjectivity, but do you think this represents a good value for my money?

In summary:
Onkyo 705 -> Onkyo 805
HSU VTF-2 MK2 -> HSU VTF-3 MK3
>= $350 of improvement?

 

[ParadigmDawg]

The best thing to do is call HSU or SVS and tell them the size of your room. Both companies will give you an honest answer and not try to up-sale you. If you need to save money somewhere else then I would say do it in the AVR. You do not need an 800 buck AVR to power the very efficient Ascends; I used a 300 buck AVR to power my Paradigms and it did a good job. Look for the least expensive AVR that has the features you need and don’t get caught up on the power rating.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

In summary:
Onkyo 705 -> Onkyo 805
HSU VTF-2 MK2 -> HSU VTF-3 MK3
>= $350 of improvement?

It's a vicious cycle, isn't it?
It's a trap, I tell you.
Where does it stop with this upgrade madness?
Are you an audioholic who constantly asks, "How can I improve my system"?
If you are truly not, then I would not spend that extra $350.

I started out with a speaker budget goal of $2K and ended up spending $6K.
I figured if I got the top of the line, I wouldn't need to upgrade anymore.

Maybe that $350 should be used for a HD DVD or blu-ray player...
Unless you are an audioholic

 

[AVRat]

Stick with your original plan. Don't let these guys talk you into upping the ante. The HSU VTF-2 is rated up to a room of 4500 cu. ft.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I feel your pain brother. I started out with a 2k budget and a plan to build a system a little better than my HTIB and place a nice flat panel on the fireplace (see my sad first attempt in the picture below) I am now 12k deep and that doesnt account for the bedroom set up

It's a vicious cycle, isn't it?
It's a trap, I tell you.
Where does it stop with this upgrade madness?
Are you an audioholic who constantly asks, "How can I improve my system"?
If you are truly not, then I would not spend that extra $350.

I started out with a speaker budget goal of $2K and ended up spending $6K.
I figured if I got the top of the line, I wouldn't need to upgrade anymore.

Maybe that $350 should be used for a HD DVD or blu-ray player...
Unless you are an audioholic

 

[Morticae]

Stick with your original plan. Don't let these guys talk you into upping the ante. The HSU VTF-2 is rated up to a room of 4500 cu. ft.

I thought it would probably be enough, but that's why I asked here of course. I mean, all of this is completely subjective anyway... I don't *need* a system at all (neither do any of you, though you may not admit it!), but the idea of the sound of frag grenades ricocheting around my room gets me all hot and bothered. I think the 705 has features that I legitimately need (phono for example), so I will probably stick there.

Now to break out my pro wiring skillz (the one thing I do have here) and start fishing some line!

 

[ParadigmDawg]

Can you stop by my house and clean up all that crap and maze of wires hehind my credenza?

Now to break out my pro wiring skillz (the one thing I do have here) and start fishing some line!