Any audiophiles out there?

[latexeses]

I am starting to work on a surround sound system for the house and was wondering what the members here have and if you like what you have or have any suggestions.

What got me going was the chance to pick up a Yamaha DSP-A1 at a ridiculously low price. No it's not hot!

I run Wharfedale E30's on the stereo system but the price of their surround system would have me selling everything here that wasn't nailed down.
Anyone running Polk RM85's or RM 95's?

I would appreciate the input. Expensive or not it would be nice to have an idea what is out there. Back in the day it took me six months of reading and research everything I could find about the system I wound up buying and it is still running good today.
Thanks for your time folks.
Rodger

[Guy_b_g]

Right now I am running a set of Paradigm monitors, a Dahlquist 15" powered sub, and a set of 4 Polk surrounds with a Pioneer VSX 816 7.1 receiver, I used the MACC system microphone for setup. Sounds great. Mostly use it for movies.

I also have a set of AR9lsi speakers with an Audcom tube preamp and a Perreaux 200 watt power amp at my girlfriend house for just music.

DSP A1 is a highly regarded receiver, Polk surrounds work fine, the main thing is setup, get that right and you should be good to go.

[TopCatGr58]

Well,

I'm not an audioSNOB , however I also haven't gotten a system from WALMART either! A few years ago, I found a KENWOOD system...
VR-414 with a decent Multimedia amp. It has the fiberoptic digital input, and processes the dolby 5.1 signal great, has the subwoofer as well as the 5 surround speakers, makes movies fun to watch and listen to .....when SWMBO will let me turn it up! The amp is also an AM/FM TUNER. I am ablet to input the digital out from my BLUERAY DVD player, as well as my Xbox! I can't remember how much it was, but I'm sure it wasn't over $200.00

It has a remote control, able to change listening modes from Stereo, DOLBY, etc., along with selecting the different input sources, volume, tuning, etc.!

I don't fall for the BOSE hype!
T.C.

[petejw]

Hey Latexeses,
Ive got a wharfdale surround sound stereo system, (sp89) 200w front speakers , 12" subwoofer and 3 rear speakers which is a few years old now, but sounds loud and distortion free,
connected up2 a pioneer 7.1 amp which is also a few years old now.

[crazy steve]

This may sound strange, but look at the weight of the units you're interested in when comparing. Generally, the lighter the unit, the more they skimped on the power supply and/or amplifier stages. That's the real heart of the unit, and a bunch of features you'll probably never use is a poor trade-off.

To be honest, I've never been that impressed with 'surround sound' as there isn't that much good material to play unless you're a complete action/sci-fi movie freak and play it back at theatre sound levels. I have a 'TV' system and a Music system currently, and the surround system is decidely lo-buck. I had a much better one, but it got stolen and I didn't bother replacing it with 'equal' stuff.

For music, I've got a 'Mac Stack' (MC2300, C712), 901's, and 18" Velodyne sub. The amp is nearly 40 years old (130 lbs and still worth it's original price, if not more!), and this can still nearly blow you out the door.

Of course, I may not be as impressed with surround due to not-as-good hearing anymore after playing FZ, the Dead, and Steve Miller at concert-level volumes over the years.....

'78E original owner

[tw1980]

I don't think I could make an argument with anything anyone said or any of the choices of equipment recommendations.Like crazy steve said surround sound is not all it's cracked up to be.Depending on the room dimensions you may enjoy stereo more except for action movies.Stereo systems are like cars.You can spend as much money as you want,find one that fits your own budget. Terry

[Guy_b_g]

Not a big fan of the 901s as accurate speakers...but I love the rest of your choices Steve.

My dream speakers are the B&W 801s, they were used for years as most audiophile's "reference standard" mid price speakers.

I'll probably never spring for them though...with my hearing loss it doesn't matter if the speaker is completely accurate...my ears sure aren't.

My step dad Keith (he's an enthusiast) went to an audiophile shop in Portland a week or so ago looking for some decent surround speakers, and listened to a set of Wilson Audio Specialties Alexandria X-2 Series 2 speakers, hooked up to some top of the line stuff...bad idea to listen to a $148,000.00 set of speakers and then go listen to the "cheap" stuff...lol...he'll have to start all over again on another trip.
I've never heard a set of these, and they sure are ugly, but Keith was amazed by the sound.

http://www.avguide.com/review/tested...a-x-2-series-2

[Ken Talbot]

Ah, flashbacks to the past! I "used to be" a bit of an audiophile back in the day, back when I could hear the difference one tonearm made versus another when compared with the same cartridge, turntable, amp, and speakers.

The system I put together then, and still have in operation today, includes a Linn Sondek LP12 turntable with a Hadcock GH-228 unipivot tonearm holding a Shure V15 Mark 4 cartridge. This all runs through a Rotel RA1412 integrated amp to a set of Design Acoustic D12 speakers. I do run an input from my DVD player into the Rotel so I can watch the occasional movie with "big sound" if I'm feeling in the mood. Other than that, months or years will go by between sessions with some of my collection of audiophile vinyl from Nautilus and Sheffield Labs. Ah, to be young again, and to be able to hear the difference...

[latexeses]

Damn. Some of you guys have more in your sound system than I have in my house! I love the sound of the Wharfedales. Had them since 79. Deb and I hauled them into a high end stereo shop about 1990 to see if there was an upgrade exciting enough to make us want to change. Nothing we heard came close for the money we had in the E30's. The sales man was even surprised. We would have had to almost double our original investment to get an improvement and they would have been double the size! Don't even remember what they were.

Still have a Bang Olfson turntable. I just checked on a cartridge (MMC2). Looks like it's worth about twice the the rest of the turntable.

Ken,
The guy I got this A1 from had a bunch of Rotel stuff he was selling as well. A Rotel RA 1062 for one. B&W 602, 600... Don't know much about them

Steve,
Back in the 60's when I was a little shaver our next door neighbor tried to give my folks a stereo that belonged to her son. He apparently didn't take it with him when he moved out. It was three pieces and had a funny name...Macintosh... My mom didn't want all that stuff in the house....It went the same place as my ball cards I suppose.

[crazy steve]

Not a big fan of the 901s as accurate speakers...but I love the rest of your choices Steve

Yeah, I've taken a lot of abuse over the years for hanging on to them. Mine are the original 'series I' models by the way. The IIs only had a little tweak in the equalizer and the IIIs were just a cosmetic update. The big problem with them back then was that they ate so much power you rarely heard them with enough amp behind them; anything under 200 per side and you were wasting your time. And they're extremely touchy about placement. I've hung mine off the ceiling and that made a huge difference. Everything after the IIIs from Bose is a POS, and if I offend anybody by saying that, sorry.

I'll go into 'boutique' stores every so often and let some tie-wearing slime demonstrate the latest and greatest for me. There's some amazing speakers out there, with instrument placement and detail that's nearly unbelievable. But the funny thing is, very few sound any better than the 901s to me when they're playing what I like to listen to, and many end up sounding harsh; I like loud rock, and preferably live. The 901s put up a distinct 'wall of sound' that I haven't heard from any other speaker that I can afford, and that's why I keep 'em. 'Thirty Seconds over Winterland' at warp drive still gives me a head rush....

Other stuff? A Sony ES CD changer, Linn turntable/cartridge, and a TASCAM CDR/CDRW burner. The Velodyne became needed when I got the CD player; a lot more low frequency stuff, and the Mac had enough poop to toast a few 901 voice coils. Still have the Revox A77 and Advent 100A in the closet (with my C28 Mac preamp) and a couple of DAT decks (those were an expensive 'oops'). I've been slowly archiving my unreleased live stuff and selected albums onto CD; one of these days I'll get done.

'78E original owner

[crazy steve]

Steve,
Back in the 60's when I was a little shaver our next door neighbor tried to give my folks a stereo that belonged to her son. He apparently didn't take it with him when he moved out. It was three pieces and had a funny name...Macintosh... My mom didn't want all that stuff in the house....It went the same place as my ball cards I suppose.

Might have been tube stuff... worth big bucks today.

[latexeses]

I think I was about ten or so and it looked like the inside of our TV. I can remember the glass front of the "raidio" and the name on the glass.

It sat on a shelf in the garage for about a month before dad had to get rid of it. Didn't bother me much at the time....

[79XS11F]

I still enjoy my "old school" Luxman M02 amp which delivers 300 watts of class A power to a pair of Tanoy DC6000 Speakers. The signal is delivered to the amp through Yamaha control amp with built in equalizer. This set up is rather old now but can still make the hair stand up on the back of your neck at 1/2 volume and remains very clear.
Rob

[DiverRay]

My "good" equipment is in storage No room for the speakers or amp. I have an older Pioneer "elite" receiver, 5.1 +2, Warfedale center speaker, Infinity rear, and an OLD pair of AMT1B ESS pyramid main speakers. I paid almost $1,500 just for the ESS in 1978, and they will STILL kick almost anything else with the quality of sound.
Once I get a real job again, maybe I can look for a bigger place to live, and have a nice system once again!

[GARTHXS]

you will probably hate this then

I have some cheap chinese speakers and tuner , But the tuner is surround sound 5.1 and it has 1200watts with two tower 300 watt loudspeakers 10" woofs , 2 4" mid in each and 2 tweets . this thing is really easy to hear, the volume is measured in decibels and it is louder than an airplane