Help with Home Theater Upgrade - Please
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 1 Registered: Oct-07 | I am moving my HT from upstairs family room to downstairs room. Room is 18ft wide for first 11 feet then narrows down to 9 feet for next 2 feet then down to 7 feet across for last 5 feet. Ceiling is low at 6.5 feet. My equipment is as follows: Sony KDL-52XBR4 52" LCD on the way BEV satellite HD receiver on the way Currently have Paradigm reference LCR 450 mains Paradigm reference CC 450 centre Paradigm mini MK3's as rears MK 12 powered sub-woofer Sony DVD player (old) will upgrade as budget allows Was thinking of adding Onkyo TX-NR905 and Paradigm ADO 590's for side surrounds. Should be able to do receiver and speakers for $2,500. Want to go to 7.1 with HDMI Is this a good match or would I be better buying a used amp(s) and separate processor for $1,500 or a different receiver? I want and think I need HDMI for the video switching. Thanks in advance for your help and opinions. Jim |
|
|
Silver Member Username: MvanmeterKY USA Post Number: 129 Registered: Jan-06 | I may be out of line here, but you may have the cart before the horse.....spending your available budget to make a great improvement in the audio side of your system without upgrading your "source material" ultimately does not do much good. Please consider upgrading your movie source to HD DVD or Blu-Ray to go along with your HD satellite. Use your existing speakers in a 5.1 setup initially and then budget for future speaker upgrades. In the small space and low ceiling, the Onkyo TX-SR705 would work well while providing HDMI switching.....while a fabulous receiver, the NR905 may be a bit of over-kill. |
|
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-07 | I have a HD Satellite receiver on order. And am hoping the Santa may bring me either the HD DVD or Blue Ray. My dream is to one day upgrade the front to the Studio 100's and CC590. Does your advice on the receiver still hold true. It would allow for a significant savings that would allow me to buy a player right away. Thanks for your help. Jim |
|
|
Silver Member Username: MvanmeterKY USA Post Number: 132 Registered: Jan-06 | I went to www.onkyo.com and to their "Downloads" section for the manual on the SR705. According to the write up, the receiver handles HDMI 1.3a video AND digital audio, and it switches BOTH (some lower end receivers switch video, but not digital audio). The receiver decodes the newer Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD, so it should do your high def DVD player (whichever one) proud ! Get the manual from Onkyo.....hours of night time reading ! 8-} http://www.us.onkyo.com/download/own_manuals.cfm |
|
|
Silver Member Username: MccambleyBREEZY POINT, NY USA Post Number: 433 Registered: Jun-05 | Jim those are some strange room dimensions, it sound like you have a usable area of 18x11. If you put the TV on the short wall and sit 12 feet away you will have a nice set up. I read an article in The Perfect Vision on line that praised tbe XBR4 LCD line but said the new Pioneer Plasma was better. I like Paradigm so your speaker choice sound great to me. As far as the receiver goes I'm not in love with Onkyo but other here like them. | |
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-07 | Thanks for the responses so far. The TV I have ordered and got a smoking deal. I am most definitely interested other receivers if you have any specific recommendations I am all ears. Any receiver must be able to power larger speakers in the future or allow me to add a separate amp. The TV will go on the wide end of the room. The narrow end of the room has the rear door out of the room. |
|
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 295 Registered: Mar-07 | jim why do you want to go to 7.1? and the adp-590`s these type of speakers (and I cant find what they are so im gessing that there Bipole) have to be setup right or your just waisting your time and money, and these would probibly not match your reference speakers and I can think of a lot better receivers than onkycrap, and if you want a separate amp, why dont you keep what you have in speakers for now and let us help you find some nice separates, and take some pictures of the room if you want us to help with what to do |
|
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-07 | The ADP 590 are the Paradigm reference studio surround speakers (bipole). I will be able to set them up on either side of the listening position and am trying to decide if best to go with 1 or two behind the listening position above or beside the door. With the new tv I will require the HDMI switching and I want to leave my H/K AVR80 in my family room as is so I have music and TV still upstairs. I will get some pictures posted once I get the room empty of the junk being stored in it as of now. I am not set on Onkyo or any other brand. Just been going on what others have said in reviews. I am totally open to other suggestions. Thanks for your help. Jim |
|
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 5 Registered: Oct-07 | Sorry Guys I messed up on the size of the room, was using dimensions of room above. Here is what the room actually looks like.
|
|
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 6 Registered: Oct-07 | Sorry for the spelling mistakes did not look before I posted drawing. Jim |
|
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 301 Registered: Mar-07 | line up the rears equilly and pull the center and front speaker in line and keep them a foot away from the walls and to close that 14 foot gap a little more, looks good I think | |
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 7 Registered: Oct-07 | Thank you What would you recommend for receiver in the 1,000 to 1,500 range? Jim |
|
|
Silver Member Username: HuronPost Number: 303 Registered: Mar-07 | for receivers the number one thats on my list to audition would be the Arcam 300 or 350, and if you want compadible HDMI read this first http://www.electronichouse.com/article/the_various_versions_of_hdmi/ what HDMI dos your tv have? |
|
|
New member Username: ThefunvikingPost Number: 8 Registered: Oct-07 | Hi guys I took Martin's advice and downgraded my receiver to the Onkyo TX-SR805. Also am going with a slightly used pair for Paradigm ADP 590 for rears. Looking for another pair to finish off the speakers. Thanks for your help. Jim |
UploadMain Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics