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Upgrade what? Tough one. Semi-high end HT

S

spacemanspliff1

Member
So I would like opinions. I have:

1.Two great speakers, that are expensive to add to and keep it matching.
2. A decent 2 channel amp.
3. A manual, push button audio switchbox w/ no sub out.
4. An old but still nice CRT monitor. Sony 22" G500.
5. A very ghetto but working and kind of quiet gaming PC (280GTX, C2D 3.2 ghz cpu, 4gb ram, XP pro) and xbox 360 setup. Pics coming soon.
6. iMod for music source.
7. Tripp lite power I250 conditioner for my monitor. Keeps it looking nice and clean lol. I bought it for my dac but I sold it.

I play fps. I do not think anything out there will give me the speed of my G500. I must have it lightning fast or my play suffers. Currently, my best play settings are 1600x1024 @ 100HZ.

What would you do with $2000?

pics, cheers as always.

http://i153.photobucket.com/al...andrewway/DSC01554.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/al...andrewway/DSC01553.jpg

The 360 is in a large tupperware w/ two 120mm fans and the towel is over the noisy dvd drive portion lol. Works.

And yes, I really would love to get the cable mess cleaned up too.
 
Originally posted by: sivart
buy some real furniture?
Click to expand...

:laugh: I think that's a good idea too.

How about a sub? For FPS gaming, you're probably missing a lot of the low end with those 450s.
 
Perhaps some direction? Do you want to replace the CRT? That seems a decent route, but if you're happy with the tube, keep it.

You have a nice audio system, but where exactly are you going? Do you want to branch into video, more computer, more cowbell, what?

I recently bought the following:

Samsung LN52A630 $1700
Panasonic BD player $230
Mirage nano subsat system with omni CC $700
Crate & Barrel 63" loop credenza $600
Pioneer 1018 receiver $429 (now they raised it ~$100)
Dell GX280 SFF system with wireless internet and wireless Adesso keyboard & ASUS 4550 video $300


I'm thrilled with my setup, does everything I want it to do. I could use more cowbell, but then you can always have more cowbell.

 
2000$? Buy a subwoofer. Something like the JL Fathom 112, ACI Maestro XL 😀 I <3 my sub 🙂

On a serious note, the first two things I would upgrade would be the screen and the subwoofer. Also, read a little about good setup just to make sure your environment is setup as optimally as possible. Realtraps.com has some guides as to how to setup a stereo system. I would consider the table being in front of the speakers to be a problem due to the reflections off of the surface.
 
$2000 should be able to buy an awesome sub and display. Take a look at the LCD thread in the video forum and see what lightning-fast displays are over there.
 
Furniture is tough. Very little out there that is actually tall enough and big enough. If I could get something wrap around that actually supports my elbows. That would be nice.

They are 550s and go to 40hz and I used to have a sub but needed it more downstairs. I will get a sub for sure. Just need to get a pre-amp or something that I can use my Pop Pulse amp with. I very seriously doubt there is a receiver out there which competes with my little amp.

I was thinking of using my downstairs receiver. It is a Denon 589. I just don't think I could use it and my amp and get to use the Audyssey room calibration.

The video is small but works for one person ok. I doubt anything out there is as fast. That is my question there. IS there as fast or fast enough and bigger? Remember, I do not think that the 120hz lcds actually accept that signal from a pc? They internally upscale it? Dunno. That's why I am asking.

thanks
 
I guess I haven't looked at my 550s with the grills off in a while. My experience with the 550s and 850s is that they really need subs. Yeah, you'd want to get a receiver with pre-outs or a pre-amp in order to keep using your existing amp.

Are the 550s the MKIIs or the originals?
If they're the classics, you might want to change out the crossover if you want a DIY project
http://www.skiingninja.com/category-s/65.htm
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
I guess I haven't looked at my 550s with the grills off in a while. My experience with the 550s and 850s is that they really need subs. Yeah, you'd want to get a receiver with pre-outs or a pre-amp in order to keep using your existing amp.

Are the 550s the MKIIs or the originals?
If they're the classics, you might want to change out the crossover if you want a DIY project
http://www.skiingninja.com/category-s/65.htm
Click to expand...

Subwoofers are always needed regardless of the speaker for "faithful reproduction of the entire music spectrum" 😀

But without proper setup of speakers, listening position OP, you won't be getting great sound.
 
Originally posted by: spacemanspliff1
Furniture is tough. Very little out there that is actually tall enough and big enough. If I could get something wrap around that actually supports my elbows. That would be nice.
Click to expand...

I can say that I haven't seen anyone else use tupperware to house their actual equipment 😉

 
Hey the stupid 360 died from heat so I gave it air. LOT'S of air lol. Anyway, they are MKIIs with stands. Paid $400 for them. They are on isolation risers to boot so they are pretty well isolated from the floor and any vibrations. I take sound REALLY seriously but am limited $$ wise.

I guess I should introduce myself as king of budget-fi? I almost always buy used and try to find it local.

So the Sony FW900 is really the only upgrade path I think. If so, I would rather put the $$ into audio and tweaks. The speakers are positioned properly but the room has normal issues. I do get a good, focused center image for the most part but I know, from experience, that the audio "visual" could be much more detailed. I was thinking of GIK acoustics for a kit to help.

For a sub, I was thinking about trying TSC T300 sub. It is a dual 10" driver config. http://www.thespeakercompany.c...Subwoofer-P104C17.aspx

I still need something with a sub out or us the speaker line out from the sub. I don't care much for that idea as a readily accessible, source/volume control would be preferable. Just unsure of how to proceed there. I know that an HDMI capable receiver like the Onkyo 506 is a good deal but again with the using the external amp and the audyssey room calibration software conflict? Probably an issue. Maybe I will just have to go up the ladder and get an upper level processor. I really like the Audyssey calibration though. It works well in my downstairs HT.

I have their LCR-3P front 3 speaker package downstairs and they pass the audio test for HT use and I will give them a thumbs up for music too. Especially for the $$.
 
I think that maybe I should just get an HT receiver, a mid-fi surround package like Energy or The Speaker Company and call it a friggin DAY.

I can always setup the two channel for music separate with my iMod as source and a passive Pre of some sort. Parasound probably.
 
What are you hoping to improve from the existing system?

I'm having a hard time figuring out what you want from the system that it doesn't do already. You're looking for a surround sound system? Better bass? Just want to spend $2k on something?
 
Originally posted by: spacemanspliff1
So I would like opinions. I have:

1.Two great speakers, that are expensive to add to and keep it matching.
2. A decent 2 channel amp.
3. A manual, push button audio switchbox w/ no sub out.
4. An old but still nice CRT monitor. Sony 22" G500.
5. A very ghetto but working and kind of quiet gaming PC (280GTX, C2D 3.2 ghz cpu, 4gb ram, XP pro) and xbox 360 setup. Pics coming soon.
6. iMod for music source.
7. Tripp lite power I250 conditioner for my monitor. Keeps it looking nice and clean lol. I bought it for my dac but I sold it.

I play fps. I do not think anything out there will give me the speed of my G500. I must have it lightning fast or my play suffers. Currently, my best play settings are 1280x1024 @ 100HZ.

What would you do with $2000?

pics, cheers as always.

http://i153.photobucket.com/al...andrewway/DSC01554.jpg

http://i153.photobucket.com/al...andrewway/DSC01553.jpg

The 360 is in a large tupperware w/ two 120mm fans and the towel is over the noisy dvd drive portion lol. Works.

And yes, I really would love to get the cable mess cleaned up too.
Click to expand...

OK, because we don't seem to know what you want ...

 
Surround for gaming seems to be what I want most. I wanted a larger screen but yeah. I don't think I will be ok with anything slower than my crt.

Integrating two systems might be a bit much though. I WANT to use my 550s but they are just too damn big when you put the center and surrounds. I have no clue how I could get a bigfoot to work with my setup. A smaller 5.1 appears to be the obvious choice. I will probably just sell the 550s at this point. Too damn big atm.

For music, I have my iMod and headphones already so yeah.

Ok, well, what receiver should I get to use a PC, 360 and a PS3 with? The Onkyo 506 or what? This is now mid-fi so bang for the buck items only.

Another little thing is that I have BNC and vga inputs for the G500 with a switch in the front. I suppose hdmi will screw this up with the ps3 but my 360 is hooked up via vga atm.
 
What if you switched out the HT speakers downstairs and built a rocket system down there?

I guess getting ebony would be tough though if you care about veneer matching.
 
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
What if you switched out the HT speakers downstairs and built a rocket system down there?

I guess getting ebony would be tough though if you care about veneer matching.
Click to expand...

Wife. They are too big....blah blah blah. She doesn't want to see anything but a tv screen.
 
Originally posted by: spacemanspliff1
Originally posted by: YOyoYOhowsDAjello
What if you switched out the HT speakers downstairs and built a rocket system down there?

I guess getting ebony would be tough though if you care about veneer matching.
Click to expand...

Wife. They are too big....blah blah blah. She doesn't want to see anything but a tv screen.
Click to expand...

I trust that you're in charge of the room pictured above? 😉
 
Man room yes indeed. Within reason though. I am trying to make more room though. I think getting speakers that do ok near a wall is a good idea here. The 550s need to much breathing room to sound right. They take up half of the room effectively.
 
Originally posted by: spacemanspliff1
Man room yes indeed. Within reason though. I am trying to make more room though. I think getting speakers that do ok near a wall is a good idea here. The 550s need to much breathing room to sound right. They take up half of the room effectively.
Click to expand...

Most all speakers need quite a bit of space around them to sound fine. That's just how the physics of sound waves works. Reflections harm the source, so moving a speaker as far away as possible from reflecting surfaces tends to help the sound quality quite a bit.
 
Originally posted by: spacemanspliff1
Ok here's what I think I should get:

http://www.thespeakercompany.c...-System-Black-P53.aspx

http://www.thespeakercompany.c...Subwoofer-P104C17.aspx

What receiver though? I want one with HDMI audio capable and the Audyssey room calibration. What is the least expensive, decent model?

I will contact GIK acoustics about room treatment. Having a wall of windows sucks.
Click to expand...

There are various levels of audyssey room calibration. The highest level (the most useful) i've only seen on the 2k$ level pre/pros. Perhaps Yoyo and anybody else would be able to better help you with more reasonably priced receivers with some helpful audyssey programming built in.

Glenn and Bryan at GIK are very helpful, they will ask you many questions so that they can better understand your situation. Solutions can vary from 180$-2k$ typically, so set your budget goals before you call them, but realize that your room may be a bit more expensive to fix due to the wall-o-windows.
 
With Onkyo's current generation I believe it's

576 and up you get LPCM over HDMI
606 and up you get DolbyTrueHD, DTS-HD-MA over HDMI

506, 576, 606 you get Audyssey 2EQ
706, 806 you get Audyssey MultEQ
876, 906 you get Audyssey MultEQ XT


Denon's HDMI capabilities
http://www.usa.denon.com/AVR_4...ilities_xx09_v0708.pdf

1609, 1709, 1909, 2309CI, 589, 689, 789, 889, you get Audyssey MultEQ
2809CI, 989, you get Audyssey MultEQ XT
3808CI, 4308CI, 5308CI you get Audyssey MultEQ Pro

I haven't really been looking to other manufacturers to know if they're using audyssey or not. It should be pretty easy for you to look up though.
 
Yeah it is onkyo and denon for me too. I just wanted to know which one will work with 2 hdmi sources.

My room is really a pita. I have an empty basement with concrete floors and brick walls. Problem is they also put about a ton of crappy particle board everywhere to go with the crazy wtf wiring which I have been slowly working on. It is going to be two years before that area is ready.
 
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