Goin' Budget HT

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Accord99

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Yeah, they do it but it's done in a way that's clean enough that nobody will be able to notice if I'm understanding correctly.

Actually, the Xi-Fi does support bit-perfect SPDIF output. It's one of the options in the Music Mode I believe. The A2 7.1 Value and A4 Pro also support perfect 44.1KHz digital output. For those cards, the option is in the Creative Audio Console->Bit Accurate tab.

I thought we were talking analog via a 5.1 connection

 

[SonicIce]

god i have to stay out of these threads or else im going to get a job and buy a home theatre

 

[alcoholbob]

Theoretically if you are going to resample, you need at least twice the bandwidth of the original signal in order to avoid distortion and errors. Secondly, 44.1->48 is in no way a linear resampling. It's going to be ugly either way.

Xi-Fi does have bit perfect SPDIF output. But it doesn't support DDL, neither does the Audigy 4Pro. So unfortunately, it's kind of a meaningless option, unless you have some kind of incredible receiver.

And if you are going to going to offload to a receiver anyway...it's better to buy a soundcard for the cheap that does it well (plus with DDL). For $80-90, a DDL digital card can be had. Better than spending $250+ for a great analog sound card just to use the coaxial/toslink out to offload work for the receiver ; P

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: Nohr
I've decided to delve in to the world of HT audio for the first time. Just ordered these:

Receiver: Panasonic SA-XR55K - 7.1, digital amplifier - $230 at Amazon

Speakers: Athena Audition AS-F2 - Floorstanding, dual 8" woofers, 1" tweeter - $400 for the pair including shipping. Got the very last set AudioAdvisor.com had in stock.

I listen to a lot more music than I watch movies so I went with just the two front speakers for now. I can always throw in matching centers and rears later on. I had strongly considered the Fluance SV-10 floorstanders but at $300 + $65 shipping it was worth paying a bit extra to jump to the Athenas.

Can't wait for it all to arrive. My current main sound system is a set of Logitech Z-640 computer speakers and they just aren't cutting it anymore. Should be a huge difference.

Everything arrived earlier today. Words cannot begin to explain the difference. :Q The detail & clarity, bass, stereo imaging, it's nuts! If my Logitech Z640 set had legs it'd be hiding under my bed about now.

Athena w/o grill
Overall
I know the pics are crappy, I probably should've spent some of my audio budget on a digicam.

A friend came over and I blasted some country & classic rock he's familiar with. He's got a Yamaha RX-777 stereo receiver, pair of Klipsch KG 4.5 speakers (horn tweeter & 10" woofer), and an Optimus 10" sub. Comparing just the front speakers without his sub he said he was impressed. His system is 10 years old but it's the only real competing setup I've heard personally.

Anyway, I'm a very happy camper. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: Nohr
I've decided to delve in to the world of HT audio for the first time. Just ordered these:

Receiver: Panasonic SA-XR55K - 7.1, digital amplifier - $230 at Amazon

Speakers: Athena Audition AS-F2 - Floorstanding, dual 8" woofers, 1" tweeter - $400 for the pair including shipping. Got the very last set AudioAdvisor.com had in stock.

I listen to a lot more music than I watch movies so I went with just the two front speakers for now. I can always throw in matching centers and rears later on. I had strongly considered the Fluance SV-10 floorstanders but at $300 + $65 shipping it was worth paying a bit extra to jump to the Athenas.

Can't wait for it all to arrive. My current main sound system is a set of Logitech Z-640 computer speakers and they just aren't cutting it anymore. Should be a huge difference.

Everything arrived earlier today. Words cannot begin to explain the difference. :Q The detail & clarity, bass, stereo imaging, it's nuts! If my Logitech Z640 set had legs it'd be hiding under my bed about now.

Athena w/o grill
Overall
I know the pics are crappy, I probably should've spent some of my audio budget on a digicam.

A friend came over and I blasted some country & classic rock he's familiar with. He's got a Yamaha RX-777 stereo receiver, pair of Klipsch KG 4.5 speakers (horn tweeter & 10" woofer), and an Optimus 10" sub. Comparing just the front speakers without his sub he said he was impressed. His system is 10 years old but it's the only real competing setup I've heard personally.

Anyway, I'm a very happy camper. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

Cool. Glad you're happy with them.

Something really needs to be done about that tv now.

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Cool. Glad you're happy with them.

Something really needs to be done about that tv now.

Don't you dare tempt me! I don't want to hear it! lol

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
Cool. Glad you're happy with them.

Something really needs to be done about that tv now.

Don't you dare tempt me! I don't want to hear it! lol

:laugh:

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: Nohr
I've decided to delve in to the world of HT audio for the first time. Just ordered these:

Receiver: Panasonic SA-XR55K - 7.1, digital amplifier - $230 at Amazon

Speakers: Athena Audition AS-F2 - Floorstanding, dual 8" woofers, 1" tweeter - $400 for the pair including shipping. Got the very last set AudioAdvisor.com had in stock.

I listen to a lot more music than I watch movies so I went with just the two front speakers for now. I can always throw in matching centers and rears later on. I had strongly considered the Fluance SV-10 floorstanders but at $300 + $65 shipping it was worth paying a bit extra to jump to the Athenas.

Can't wait for it all to arrive. My current main sound system is a set of Logitech Z-640 computer speakers and they just aren't cutting it anymore. Should be a huge difference.

Everything arrived earlier today. Words cannot begin to explain the difference. :Q The detail & clarity, bass, stereo imaging, it's nuts! If my Logitech Z640 set had legs it'd be hiding under my bed about now.

Athena w/o grill
Overall
I know the pics are crappy, I probably should've spent some of my audio budget on a digicam.

A friend came over and I blasted some country & classic rock he's familiar with. He's got a Yamaha RX-777 stereo receiver, pair of Klipsch KG 4.5 speakers (horn tweeter & 10" woofer), and an Optimus 10" sub. Comparing just the front speakers without his sub he said he was impressed. His system is 10 years old but it's the only real competing setup I've heard personally.

Anyway, I'm a very happy camper. Some of the best money I've ever spent.

Most excellent choice on the receiver and the Athenas. If I had to buy a pair of budget floorstanders, those are the ones Id get for sure.

And dude, with the XR-55, you can biamp those, especially since the AS-F2s can handle up to 250 per channel.

 

[Nohr]

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Most excellent choice on the receiver and the Athenas. If I had to buy a pair of budget floorstanders, those are the ones Id get for sure.

And dude, with the XR-55, you can biamp those, especially since the AS-F2s can handle up to 250 per channel.

I know the XR55 can bi-amp, but don't I need four binding posts on each speaker? They only have two.

Unless you mean dual-amping which the receiver does by default in stereo mode.

 

[Excelsior]

Originally posted by: Nohr

Originally posted by: Excelsior
Most excellent choice on the receiver and the Athenas. If I had to buy a pair of budget floorstanders, those are the ones Id get for sure.

And dude, with the XR-55, you can biamp those, especially since the AS-F2s can handle up to 250 per channel.

I know the XR55 can bi-amp, but don't I need four binding posts on each speaker? They only have two.

Unless you mean dual-amping which the receiver does by default in stereo mode.

Oh right, my bad.

 

[alcoholbob]

Dual-amping...does that really mean you'll get like 160+W per channel in that mode? ~300+W fed into two channels? Drool that's some crazy dynamic range.

 

[alcoholbob]

Holy cow...currently theoretically I can get about 106+db peaks on my system...with an SA-XR55, I'd be getting 118db peaks O_O (at 6-7 feet listening distance).

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Astrallite
Holy cow...currently theoretically I can get about 106+db peaks on my system...with an SA-XR55, I'd be getting 118db peaks O_O (at 6-7 feet listening distance).

Goodbye hearing