What to get? Speakers and Amp - Advice please.

[Nerve]

Hi.

I finally decided to get an amp and floorstanding fronts to start of my home theatre system. I am quite new to this, so forgive my ignorance. I was looking initially at getting a pair of Boston CS226 with a Pioneer VSX919. After seeing what was out there...I am now overwhelmed by choice.

I've been a fan of pioneer and previous purchases haven't failed me. While the 919 has some nice features, I've heard good things about the Denon in terms of sound quality vs the Pioneer, although I haven't the heard the pioneer hooked up. I upped my budget and now able to get the Denon AVR2310. In terms of speakers, I'm thinking of the B&W 684 for this amp.

Can anyone advise on these combos. The Denon Amps are said to be "warm" compared to the Pioneer, and i think it will complement the Bostons well or the B&W.

I can't really compare the Boston's to the B&W, in terms of price, the B&W are almost twice as what I can get the Bostons. What about sound? I will go again to demo the B&W but a heads up would help.

Thanks.

 

[bandphan]

FWIW AVRS and Amps are designed to be nuetral without any EQ applied. Get the unit that has the features you need and all will be good.

 

[Parrot_HD]

I agree, a good designed amp or amp section wil be engineered to be neutral. The harder part is finding a speaker that you like that will sound as good in your listening environment as it did in the showroom.

Thats the reason I like the Internet direct speaker companies with their 30-day in home trial. If I had to do it over again, I'm pretty sure I wold have went the Aperion route. I still may.

 

[JerryLove]

Thats the reason I like the Internet direct speaker companies with their 30-day in home trial. If I had to do it over again, I'm pretty sure I wold have went the Aperion route. I still may.

I prefer to buy speakers I've never heard from guys I meet online

Seriously: both posts are right. AVRs / amps don't have "sound". Go for features (and reputation for not breaking is good). Speakers have sound. Audition them to find the ones you want; or get out your pocket book and buy something like Bowers and Wilkins 802Ds, then use an EQ to make them sound however you like.

 

[Nerve]

Thanks guys.

I was looking at the amp not being able to drive the speakers effectively. I was under the impression that the sound is as good as the amp, i.e. lousy amp and I will be spending money on relatively expensive speakers for nothing...

 

[Zaluss]

Thanks guys.

I was looking at the amp not being able to drive the speakers effectively. I was under the impression that the sound is as good as the amp, i.e. lousy amp and I will be spending money on relatively expensive speakers for nothing...

Speakers make the biggest impact. Just make sure you get a reliable amp from a reliable company that meets the power requirements (and some) of the speakers your using.

There was a huge difference between my cambridge audio 640a integrated and my onix SP3 integrated in sound with the same speakers, source, and cables. Not sure what to tell you there though as I'm still iffy on a lot of the myths in audio.

 

[bandphan]

Thanks guys.

I was looking at the amp not being able to drive the speakers effectively. I was under the impression that the sound is as good as the amp, i.e. lousy amp and I will be spending money on relatively expensive speakers for nothing...

The Denon will drive the B&Ws fine. If it were me and I was going to spend 1k on speakers, id definetly try more lines out there. Pick your speakers first and then the avr.

 

[bandphan]

There was a huge difference between my cambridge audio 640a integrated and my onix SP3 integrated in sound with the same speakers, source, and cables. Not sure what to tell you there though as I'm still iffy on a lot of the myths in audio.

You have a tube amp, most roll off the high and do sound different. SS amps (and a few high end tubes) tend to play neutral and any coloration comes from the pre/eq/source.

 

[ParadigmDawg]

I decided that picking a system is much easier then we having been making it.

From now on, we just tell everyone to go with this simple set up.

http://www.anthemav.com/NewSitev2.0/AnthemProduct/AVM30_40_50/AVM30_40_50.html

http://www.balanced.com/products/amp/Vk-6200/index.html

http://www.listenup.com/B&W+802D-p-802D-p-.html

2 of these
http://www.seaton-sound-forum.com/post?id=1945927#1

http://www.oppodigital.com/blu-ray-bdp-83/

Don't forget to use BJC or MonoPrice for you cables so you can save some money......

 

[lsiberian]

Hi.

I finally decided to get an amp and floorstanding fronts to start of my home theatre system. I am quite new to this, so forgive my ignorance. I was looking initially at getting a pair of Boston CS226 with a Pioneer VSX919. After seeing what was out there...I am now overwhelmed by choice.

I've been a fan of pioneer and previous purchases haven't failed me. While the 919 has some nice features, I've heard good things about the Denon in terms of sound quality vs the Pioneer, although I haven't the heard the pioneer hooked up. I upped my budget and now able to get the Denon AVR2310. In terms of speakers, I'm thinking of the B&W 684 for this amp.

Can anyone advise on these combos. The Denon Amps are said to be "warm" compared to the Pioneer, and i think it will complement the Bostons well or the B&W.

I can't really compare the Boston's to the B&W, in terms of price, the B&W are almost twice as what I can get the Bostons. What about sound? I will go again to demo the B&W but a heads up would help.

Thanks.

Don't worry about the gimmicks. Keep it simple and cheap.

For the non audiophile I'd say get a couple pairs of Behringer 2030p's http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/321847-REG/Behringer_B2030P_B2030P_2_Way_Passive.html

2 Dayton 12" subshttp://store.audioholics.com/product/1974/66325/dayton-sub-120-12--150-watt-powered-subwoofer

Use the subs for stands on the fronts.
Use a pair of Sanus stands for the surrounds.
http://store.audioholics.com/product/1867/66190/sanus-bf24-basic-foundations-speaker-stands--pair-

Use an Onkyo 706 for your receiver.
http://www.accessories4less.com/make-a-store/item/ONKTXSR706BLK/Onkyo/Tx-sr706-Thx-100w-X-7ch-Theater-Receiver-Black/1.html

 

[Nerve]

Thanks so much guys.

I am off today to demo, B&W 684 and hopefully the Monitors RX6.

Isiberian, those brands are not well stocked where I'm from (SA), but thanks.

Ok will keep posting. This is exciting!

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

FWIW AVRS and Amps are designed to be nuetral without any EQ applied. Get the unit that has the features you need and all will be good.

COLTS lover!!!

SAINTS will beat them in Super Bowl.

But yeah, I agree with the receiver sound. As long as both are in Direct Mode without any kind of EQ or DSPs, they will sound identical.

I will mention my experience with a Pioneer SACD/DVD-A/DVD player. After buying it I found out that the firmware was outdated. I thought I could just go to the Pioneer website and download a firmware from them. Turns out they wanted me to actually ship the player to them (I pay shipping) to have this done.

I said, screw this, I'll just return the player!

So I'm not too impress with Pioneer being up-to-date with the latest firmware.

Denon is a lot more up-to-date IMO.

 

[Nerve]

B&W cm7 it is! . Now for an amp. Deciding on a suitable Demon vs Yamaha now.

 

[JJMP50]

Receiver Choice

From someone who has owned all three (Denon, Pioneer and Yamaha) flip a coin. Just choose by feature/price. The three brands are a dead heat. To do better you would have to go the pre/pro - power amp route IMHO.

 

[Nerve]

The Yamaha has got some nice-to-haves... but for a little less (price and say 10W) I could also get the Marantz 6004... But now I'm reading about how some amps and speakers match.