Suggestions for HT Revamp

[babaseen]

I have enjoyed reading this forum for awhile and finally decided to ask for advice after seeing many knowledgeable post.
My Home Theater setup:
Recent purchase within the last 2 months (very impressed with both): Philips 32" LCD-TV & Oppo DVD player
Older equipment:
Yamaha RX-V870 A/V Receiver
Fronts: B&W 801 Series 3 (15 years old) powered by Adcom GFA-555II
Center: Vienna Acoustics Theatro (6 years old)
Sides: Cambridge Soundworks "the Surround" ( 16 years old)
I want to replace the older stuff and wanted opinions on where to start...I'm guessing the A/V Receiver is probably the starting point. I would prefer to have a Audio only receiver for my HT but I realize this is not the most cost effective choice. I want the same cost versus performance that the Oppo DVD player achieves.
Differing opinions and advice is appreciated.
Thanks in advance.

 

[freemymind]

My .02

Well I am happy with the Oppo DVD player as well. Just a side note and thought have you upgraded the firmware on it lately has a 03/06 upgrade that seemed to solve allot of the issues. Just check out there website for info on how to do it and what it fixes if you have not.
I am also a n00b to all this and almost (not really) wish I had never started reading and trying to figure anything out for myself. Kinda makes me want to throw out all I have...rob a bank and start fresh with the newly gained knowledge I have obtained. (just kidding)
Anyway I may have missed it but do you have a sub? The Reciever is a great place to start though I am still doing research and unsure whitch one I will upgrade to as well. The way I look at it is I watch allot of movies. But intell recently I never tried to listen...I mean really listen to them. So now I listen and I decide what I am missing the most or bugs me the most. (this may be way off way of doing things but being a poe broke boy I need to do what I must for now) First after my TV,remote (needed the remote to use my old pioneer reciever that was better than the in the box kit I got, so that I could hook up a real sub to it and not one from 16 gauge speaker wire) so once I had the remote, I ordered the Sub....wow what a differnence that made. Now I sit back and feel like my center channel is slacking, but you want a center channel to match the other speakers so....here I am...waiting to win the lotto or something anyway sorry for the babbling jsut thought I would throw my useless thoughts out here for you to get confused at (hehe). No but really I believe you can read alll you want and do all the research you want and listen to everyone or noone and still end up highly dissapointed or greatly impressed. However at least you will have more knowledge and opinions than you did before you asked. Bottom line is about what you are missing from your point of view, I dont think anyone could tell you that. I am glad you are back and hanging out with us other n00bs. Just take your time and make the best choice based on what you need is my sugestion. Sorry so long and babled.

Goodluck, and have fun with it!
freemymind

 

[ScottMayo]

Hey freemymind...not really the type of reply I was looking for but maybe I rushed to judgement on the type of folks who hang at Audioholics...no offense. Anyway I had the Cambridge Soundworks Subwoofer with the slave but the 801s go as low as any sub needs to, to "rock the room" so there is no need to use them hence they are now taking up space in my basement but once I replace (or sell the 801s), then I will be needing a sub.

Ease up. You asked for help, there's going to be a mix of views and ideas, and ripping into people who reply is not going to get you far.

My advice is, set a budget. I can come up with upgrades for everything you have listed there, but you probably don't want to spend $35,000 on this project. Know realistically what your price range is and what you want to achieve, and then suggestions can be meaningful.

In the absence of that, I'll make general comments. You're presuably happy with the video, and want better sound. The B&W speakers aren't too bad, even at that age, though I'm surprised to hear you say you're happy with the bass. If it was me I'd replace them eventually, but the first thing I'd look at is room acoustics. That's usually the biggest possible improvement, even though it's about as sexy as road kill and takes effort to implement. But if you're serious about improvement, that's step 1.

Step 2 is the center channel, but if you do a lot of HT you usually want the same general sonic qualities in the center and mains, so if you've got the cash, upgrading all three at once might be a good move. I've got opinions on this, but not knowing your room size, taste and budget, I'll keep them to myself.

There's no point in planning past that point, it depends on what you do with 1 and 2. If it's a small room and money is tight, a recent make A/V will likely get you everying you need. If you have space, need power and end up with revealing speakers, a $600 A/V isn't going to make you happy. That's why I don't recommend starting with a receiver replacement. When you get more accurate speakers, you'll just end up replacing the receiver again anyway. Always make inprovements going down the chain: room first, then speakers, amp & pre/pro, then sources. Otherwise, half the time, you don't know what you've done.

 

[babaseen]

My apologies

More info if anyone is still willing to help.
Room is 23'x19' with all windows and slider covered with tapestry...plus large padded furniture that seems to provide adequate damping. I would venture to say that the room acoustics are as good as they are going get based on the recommendations I 've read here and other websites. Having said that, my tastes are having good HT sound (clarity and separation, but high volume is not a requirement) on a budget of $2500 (unless I sell any of my stuff, which I doubt is worth much these days). I am very satisfied with the video setup so I am only focusing on the audio. My thought was to get an A/V Receiver (since I've gotten pumped on the Denon 3805 from reading this forum) to get the latest processing but now I'm thinking speakers (which is very subjective and hence confusing). I had thought that the Vienna Acoustics Theatro was a great center channel and a good match with the 801s but maybe not. My goal is also to reduce size and weight of all components (which is why the 801s are no longer preferred although they still sound great even when I go and compare the latest setups in the high end audio stores, maybe my ears have suffered some after playing bass guitar for the last 25 or so years) but that is just a preference (I'm an EE from WPI and do not suffer from the heavier is better syndrome).
With all due respect to all that have replied

 

[ScottMayo]

Sorry to freemymind and any others that were offended by my post...didn't mean to flame. Thanks to ScottMayo for the excellent advice and your web site is very informative.

More info if anyone is still willing to help.
Room is 23'x19' with all windows and slider covered with tapestry...plus large padded furniture that seems to provide adequate damping.

It depends on what you like. I'd venture to say that in a room that size, a tapestry and padded furniture are not even the beginning of what can be done, and improvements would be very audible. Of course, how much effort you put into treating a room depends on a number of factors; it can be done inexpensively if you can handle cutting and screwing wooden frames together; it can be done prettily if you buy commercial traps. It also depends on how fussy you want to get. I'm an imaging fanatic: I've done a lot to get a room that allows my speakers to image as well as they can. Not everyone goes to such extremes. It's not that crucial for most HT.

My thought was to get an A/V Receiver (since I've gotten pumped on the Denon 3805 from reading this forum) to get the latest processing but now I'm thinking speakers (which is very subjective and hence confusing). I had thought that the Vienna Acoustics Theatro was a great center channel and a good match with the 801s but maybe not.

If they sound like a good match, they are. You're right - under the measurements and hype, it comes down to what your ears like and how fussy they are. It *is* subjective. But if it's your money, it's good to have the system sound, subjectively, the way you like it to.

If you've got time and inclination, stop by and see what I've built - I'm in your area. You won't build the same thing for $2500, but you'll come away with ideas, and you'll hear the speakers I bought after auditioning B&W, Paradigm, and a lot of other stuff.

My goal is also to reduce size and weight of all components (which is why the 801s are no longer preferred although they still sound great even when I go and compare the latest setups in the high end audio stores,

They're a solid speaker; I almost bought a pair. Why reduce the weight and size? In a room that size you've got room for more or less any size gear you like and can afford; it's not like some folk I know who have to wedge in a good system into a 12x15' room and work around the spouse's pottery collection and redecoration mandates. Speaker mass isn't the end all and be all of speaker design, but higher mass contributes to cabinet stability and rigidness and typically improves accuracy. This isn't to stay there isn't some great small stuff out there. But your 801's are holding their head up with recent designs because they are big enough to deal with the waveforms they generate without shaking all over.

maybe my ears have suffered some after playing bass guitar for the last 25 or so years)

If you stop by, bring some bass tracks. I've got a subwoofer you might find quite decent. I don't use it for all music - the rest of my set up is capable of generating good bass - but when music dips into the bottom octave and stays there, it's nice to have the extra support.

If you want a treat, stop by Spearit Sound in Boston and listen to their Dali Megalines. You won't be buying them, but they are worth a trip from Worcester just to hear. 'Course, I think what I have sounds just as good, and it cost less, but...

 

[freemymind]

Sorry to freemymind and any others that were offended by my post...didn't mean to flame. Thanks to ScottMayo for the excellent advice and your web site is very informative.

No worries, sorry for my post I was just in a rare mood that day, Useally I am rather shy and scared to voice any sort of oppinion at all. Good luck with your upgrades.