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204.131.179.1
What do you have now, how do you like it, and what changes would you like to make (or would you do things differently if you were starting from scratch today?).
Right now, I've got nothing, but will post a list later today or tomorrow of some items that look especially interesting to me, and why.
Follow Ups:
(my earlier posting seems to have gotten lost in the ether, so here it is again in simplified form)
Thanks folks! I hadn't thought to go with efficient, full-range speakers all 'round, but to the extent that I can comfortably squeeze that into my tiny (118 x 104 INCH) TV room, I'd like to give that a try. And I'd like a *sense* of having low bass without actually rattling the walls and waking the neighbors!
Some speakers that currently interest me (mostly itty bitty speakers + woofer)
Energy RC-Mini
Energy Act6
DIY Xpress Nightingale (just a 3" full-range Tang-Band driver in a ported box)
Mission M-Cube
Monitor Audio R45
Speaker City Peanut
Horn Shoppe horns (doesn't make center speakers though)
Home-made 4.5 liter cabinets w/3" Fostex full range drivers
Hsu Research Enthusiast 1 package (horn-loaded tweeters! But maybe too much speaker for such a tiny space?)
Linn Sizmik subwoofer (the smaller 10-incher, which still seems like an awful lot of woofer for the tiny space?)
Home-made 8" subwoofer per plans in current Audio Xpress magazine: Plate amplifier forms the entire back of the cabinet!
Electronics
Much as I'd love to try a Naim n-Vi all-in-one package the DVD may be wasted on me (no multi region?) it costs several thou, and it doesn't do HDMI or much of any other onboard audio processing. And my HD DVD and Blu-Ray players only support 2-channel sound from the analog outputs. Yet I'm really reluctant to swap out my Sony PS/3 in particular because I think it may be *the* most future-proof and compatible B-D player. Hence I want to try using HDMI 1.3x for the audio connection
It's kind a whale, but this receiver interests me because it supports the high-def audio formats via HDMI, has 3 HDMI inputs, and what the heck, it seems to also act as a networked music device similar to Slim Device's Transporter, and I already have a media server full of lossless audio just waiting for something of the sort. It also costs a bit less than Transporter.
Denon AVR-3808ci
http://usa.denon.com/ProductDetails/3510.asp
Unfortunately with the PS3, one may have to for access to lossless tracks though. I know of no other way in what I've been researching. Still, I cannot handshake with what I have as my display only allows for a component connection for the video with best resolution at 1080i.
I'll need to turn my attention to other BD players with audio analog outs. I want uncompreesed 5 channel PCM. I have heard it in 2.0 using optical on my friend's PS3 and his system and I can only image what the result would be with the rest of the channels!
I have Denon 3803 AVR with Monitor Audio speakers all the way around including a sub. For SD DVD, I have just been making a coaxial connection to my Denon DVD1920 universal player to get DD and DTS in 5.1.
Getting a BD player with analog outs, I'll be able to enjoy an upgrade in audio sound also!!
Thanks for the link! Actually, my experience to date has been that the audio for all bonus materials on my Blu-Ray and HD DVD movies work fine over HDMI. Whether it's coming through as 5.1 channels of lossless audio is another matter, but it's really the main movie soundtrack that I care about: The animated oompa loompas, picture-in-picture features and director's commentary tracks don't need full lossless perfection as far as I'm concerned.
If I already owned a very nice surround processor or receiver that just so happened to lack HDMI 1.3 and TrueHD processing, I probably wouldn't want to replace it just for that either. But I'm starting from scratch here, and the Denon 3808 and others still seem to have a full set of analog inputs, so aside from costing more, I'm not seeing a downside to getting a 1.3x-equipped model.
I'll agree with Oscar on the desirability of identical full range speakers all round. I'm running a 6.1 system with 2 pairs of full range floorstanders for the front and side L & R speakers and 2 timbre-matched centre speakers as the centre and rear surround. The auto-setup process on my Denon 2807 receiver sets the crossover frequency to 40 Hz on all of them which was a nice confirmation that the centre speakers, although having slightly different sized boxes and driver layout (a horizonta layout for the centre speakers) but identical drivers really do match the floorstanders extremely well. I also use a REL sub.
With a good soundtrack the sound is very impressive with all speakers handling sound down to 40 Hz. Try something like the battle scene with the oliphants in front of Minis Tirith in the 3rd Lord of the Rings movie and you'll really appreciate having speakers that can handle bass all around. Provided the sound quality is good, quantity can count for a hell of a lot with that sort of soundtrack. Having good, low frequency stomping all around you is both impressive and great fun. You can do fine with full range front speakers and a sub but it is worth getting full range bass all around if you can.
My HT system is separate to my audio system and in a different room. When it comes to music I definitely prefer the sound of the audio system which has better quality components and is in a better room. The sound of the HT system on music is good but not great in the area where it's located, an open plan area with lots of glass windows and a ceramic tiled floor without rugs or carpet. The Audyssey EQ feature of the Denon does a good job with the room but not as good as I've done with DIY acoustic treatments in the audio room.
What would I do differently? I'd like a bigger room for the HT system. You really do need space for surround sound and decent distances to speakers. The receiver's room EQ does a good job but I've got it crammed into a limited space and a bit more space would be nice, especially if it was a room that I could treat acoustically rather than an open plan area.
Having said all of the above, surround sound is relatively new here. I was running stereo with a sub for the HT system up until January. You can do very well with just that but having the extra speakers is fun and it really does add to the enjoyment with a lot of movies, probably the ones that rely on sound effects most of all, but even so it does add to the enjoyment. I could go back to stereo for HT if it ever came to the crunch but I would prefer not to. If you're short on budget and think you can manage it, I'd say go stereo with a sub and a decent receiver to start, then add matching side surrounds next and a centre speaker after that for a full 5.1 system. You can definitely do it in stages and you will appreciate each addition. You can also happily stop at 5.1. Adding rear surrounds is not necessary but it does add something to movies with a 6.1 surround track.
David Aiken
My two channel audio system with two subs, and am perfectly happy with it.
Rod
Be sure you get very efficient speakers and/or very power amps to handle the dynamic range of uncompressed PCM movie sound tracks. Oh yeah, don't forget the multiple subwoofers for the ".1" channel; quantity dependent on room size. I'm a big fan of pure analog multichannel preamps. They are more likely to support volume controls which "damage" the audio sound the least. I needed at least a 2x6 multichannel switcher, wound up with a 4x6 switcher of which 3 full banks are currently in use.
I have 4 of 5 speakers identical; the fifth speaker was a Center channel compromise because of the annoying need to put the center somewhere close to where the display is. The alternative was the acoustically transparent screen to put the center speaker behind. But I've heard about an "acousticallly transparent" screen which turned out to be "not so visually transparent" for movie watching. Full range speakers with Equidistant spacing in the ITU configuration. I've got this part covered. The mistake was relatively inefficient speakers designed to deal more with music audio than movie "kablooie" sound effects. Of course, the speakers I have now were supposed to be of the "Speakers for life" variety.... whoops.
Make sure your system can support subsonic filtering of sound effects. You may not want <10 Hz sound transients being forced fed to your excursion-limited speaker woofers at extreme volumes. Otherwise, bass management won't be needed provided you are using FULL-range speakers at every position. You want to distribute that bass per the author's intent. Time Alignment won't be necessary since of course you've placed the speakers at equal distance from the primary listening position.
And of course you'll want your system to support SACD/DVD-A/DAD/TrueHD/DTS HD MA, 5.1 uncompressed PCM etc.... Add two more channels if your room works best in a 7.1 configuration.
And don't forget the room treatments (e.g. bass traps, curtains to diminize reflections).
see link below
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