I've been reading this forum for many months now, and have come to appreciate the advice offered by many of the regulars... Please forgive this very long initial post, I just wanted to try to answer some of the questions I'm anticipating getting back...
I'm planning on assembling a new home theater system from scratch. I do have an old Sony stereo receiver with a CD player and DVD player, with Advent Graduates hooked up. This system certainly provides far superior sound to my TV's speakers, but I'm ready to move up. The old system will probably go to my office for quiet background listening.
I'd a like a 7.1 system with excellent musical abilities, yet also strong with home theater. I love movies but dislike TV. I'm leaning toward a neutral, verging on very slightly warm, sound, with crisp clean highs, natural voice/midrange, and tightly controlled bass without being boomy. My music is mostly rock, with some jazz, blues, classical, bluegrass. I'm not much of a metal, hip-hop, or hardcore fan. House and techno sometimes. I have mostly CDs, a few surround SACDs, no DVD-Audio yet. We do have an iPod, but controlling it via receiver is not essential as long as I can just plug it into an aux input. I'd like an auto-setup for speakers settings, decent bass management, and video transcoding to component at least. Not sure if I need HDMI, but definitely don't want to buy now if that means obsolescence when HDMI 1.3 products become available. I do intend to get Blu-Ray or HD-DVD once the format war is won and a victor declared.
The room I'm putting this will be suboptimal, to say the least, but I don't have much choice. It's 23'x13', with a somewhat vaulted ceiling, hardwood floors, and two large openings on one long wall to the kitchen and dining room. I'm figuring I'll need some acoustical treatment, with a rug on the floor between the seating and the front speakers, as well as some absorption for first reflections and bass traps in the corners, and heavy curtains to pull over the openings during serious listening/movietime. I'm budgeting up to about $6000 for the audio components, with additional funds for a new widescreen HDTV (possibly the Sony KDS-60A2000), cables, furniture, etc.
One challenge for me in planning this system is a lack of time during business hours to get out to audio retailers, not to mention that there are few in the area. And when I have been out, everything sounds pretty good in the insular listening room environment, so I don't necessarily find that sort of auditioning incredibly helpful. I did like the sound of B&W (multiple models) and the Monitor Audio RS6, though I have concerns about brightness...
Cut to the chase--I'm thinking of auditioning a number of options, primarily internet-direct, at home, then returning the less-favored. Before I make some purchases (and commit myself to a number of shipping and return fees), I'd like to hear opinions from anyone who has heard combinations of the following:
Source: Cambridge Audio DV89 (most likely) Oppo perhaps Denon 2910 or other maybe
Speakers: Ascend Acoustics 340s up front, 170's sides and rears Magnepan MMG's (five) Aperion Audio 633T's, 634-VAC, 534-SS sides, 532LR rears Axiom Audio 80-350 system Thinking also of B&W bookshelves, not sure which models... (I do recognize that the 1070 probably won't drive the Magnepans or the Axiom setup)
Subwoofer: HSU Research VTF-3 MK2
Feel free to flame for the lengthy post (I'll get out the Nomex), but feedback is most welcome... any single elements or combinations of the above to avoid? Any additional suggestions to audition, especially for speakers with the 990/7700, or alternative pre-amp/amp? Other thoughts? Thanks very much.
Given what you have explained, I would probably narrow my choices for receiver down to Outlaw, Marantz and Rotel. You are right about not spending money on HD yet, so go with either Oppo or CA for DVD.
Speakers are a different beast altogether so I can't help you much there. I own Axiom and Aperion and have friends who have bought Aperion, so I can vouch for them. Many others here have vouched for Maggies and Ascend. I don't think you can do much better than HSU for the price.
My my, what an excellent well thought out post! Only one thing - which way will the system be oriented? With the main fronts on the long wall shooting across, or against the short wall shoooting down the length?
Given your requirement for quality music as well as HT, I would remove the Denon 2807 from the list of receivers. Although this is a fine receiver, it doesn't bear comparison with the likes of the 4306 and the Arcam 350. It's great in HT but musically it falls down heavily in my view.
I only know a few models (Arcam, Denons and Rotels) from those you've chosen. Of those I know, the Arcam is the most to my taste musically. However, the Denons have a very cinematic feel in HT which is very nice indeed. The Arcam is less cinematic but more natural. the Rotels are fine receivers, very well made and with a good sound and good power, but they did not sell at all well in the last year to 18 months. Perhaps it was the looks, since the performance was competitive, but you should bear this in mind.
Source-wise, this is a fraught situation. You mention you have SACDs so you really want a player that can handle them. Denon's new 2930 is a fine machine and it replaces a very good machine too (2910). This will allow you to take advantage of your SACDs and DVD-As should you buy any. Try not to go too 'light' on the source. You need a decent player in order to get the right video and audio into the system. The ilk of the 2930 is really the minimum, especially in the musical sense since you're most likely going to use analogue between the player and receiver for that. This lowers the chances of degrading jitter distortion, but the quality DACs in the receiver could be better 'enough' to give you better results from the digital connection if the source quality isn't good enough.
Speakers - the world is so much your oyster. The only brand which you mention that I know well is B&W. You don't mention which ones. I suggest that the B&W DM600 series (600, 601S3, 602, 602.5, 603) is somewhat long in the tooth now. The 700 series hasn't sold well but is beautifully made and pretty good. B&W now have a new range called XT which is *very* pleasing to the eye and really a very good performer (surprised, since I'm not a big fan of B&W) throughout the range, but it ain't cheap.
Since I don't know what else is available in your area, I can only suggest brands you may wish to consider and which I know work well with both Arcam and Denon. These would be Totem Acoustic, Dynaudio and Focal JmLab. The latter have just come out with the new Chorus V range which is a fine performer indeed.
Subwoofers: I don't know the HSU, but it comes well recommended on the forums. Personally I have very positive experiences with Velodyne and M&K. Both brands make remarkably good subs.
Cabling is important. Try to stick to one cable 'loom' throughout, not mixing brands. In my case I use Chord Co cables with my Arcam kit but also with the Denons and Rotels that I have used, and I get excellent results (but I should at the price). Needless to say, you do need to choose cables which will be sympathetic to the system.
Per your question, the system will be oriented longitudinally, i.e., fronts on the short wall. And actually, there is a large radiator on that wall (like I said, the room is suboptimal!), so the L/R/C speakers, TV, and everything else will be out several feet from the wall. *Sigh* That's the only way I can see to do it.
Regarding B&W, I was considering the 600s, but also the new CM series... haven't heard it yet.
I'd have to say I've been leaning toward Ascend, due to all the positive chatter, and not for cost reasons but for quality of sound (obviously not of looks). I'd consider pricier, prettier alternatives with equal or better sound (neutral, accurate, but not harsh or overly bright).
And leaning toward Outlaw 990/7700, though not sure it's entirely worth the cost for me... Auditioning may answer that, if I have some comparables to compare. So to speak.
Just my 2 cents, based on my limited experience with Marantz, B&W and Ascends.
I suggest you do not make a decision on speakers without listening to the B&W 705 (fronts), before.
I guess sealed subs would be more precise for music than the ported ones. So, consider this, before you pick one up.
Marantz makes good receivers (decent power, warm, musical refinement), but maybe the the 5600 is too low in their line up, considering the aimed quality. Try the 7500, at least.
If you go with Ascends, consider the HTM-200 for sides and rears. Less intrusive than the 170, yet absolutely "competent" for the surround duty. Unless you are a heavy listener of SACD (and need more balance all around), you probably won't need more than this. Save in the surrounds, to get the best L/C/R you can.
FWIW, most speakers prefer to be in 'free space'. A couple of feet away from the wall is usually a good thing. The reason I asked about orientation is that when the speakers are close to a side wall, you can easily suffer out of phase first reflections which make more noise in the system. Shooting across the room often resolves that problem, but then you're usually a lot closer to the speakers which can have its own problems. If the system is a bit noisy (as opposed to loud), you can mitigate the problem by either toeing in the speakers quite severely (although this has bad effects on the image which becomes pinched in the middle), or you can bring the speakers closer together and not toeing in at all.
Frank, I'm expecting they'll be at least 3 feet from the front wall, probably 2 feet from the side walls. As you say, I'll be playing with them to figure out the best configuration.