I went into an audio store not knowing it was only dj and professional systems nothing home audio. They did a few demos and the stuff kinda sounded better for a fraction of the cost. I have an $80k home theater system, and looks like if I went with pro imi could get more power and same sound for less than half the price, anyone ever notice this?
I use pro cables (Mogami XLR) and have speakers with pro pedigree (active).
There are companies that make both pro and consumer gear (Focal, Harman/JBL, Dynaudio), for good advice I would talk to a rep or a dealer. I think consumer gear looks nicer, no comparison but your budget goes like 2-4 x farther using pro cables and active speakers. One of the top rated consumer DAC’s is Benchmark and they are noted for pro gear. Bryston is noted for consumers yet many recording studios use Brusyon gear. Skywalker sound uses Parsaound amps (they even got a screen credit in Star Wars). I think using BOTH pro and consumer gear is the ticket for bang for the buck
Look at these Focal Active speakers that are triamped with each driver getting its OWN monoblock, a complete 7.1.4 system with 2 subs for $25K . Because they are active you don’t need to buy amps or speaker cables. On the consumer side Focal will sell you a pair of nice towers for the same price BUT they look beautiful LOL.
Pro audio is a pretty meaningless term - too general. Top quality studio level gear is not inexpensive - though not at the same level of cost as high end domestic hi fi. Although, top end pro monitors can be fairly high en in term of price. DJ or live sound gear is a totally different kettle of fish - not really designed to deliver what you would want or listening to music in a domestic setting. However, if we are just talking home theater, then I could certainly see that, given a large room, a small PA could be pretty cost effective. You might not want to listen to music on it, but just for movies it could work.
I don’t want to get pulled into this. But the goals of pro audio are very different than high end audio. In general pro audio concentrates on near field, narrow diapresion and “details forward” to hear all the nuances… allowing them to hear nuances an audiophile does not. So, they sound completely different, pretty unforgiving.
Nothing wrong with the option of good quality pro audio gear. You just won’t read much about it here because that is a different industry targeting a different set of users.
This is how Benchmark positions their pro gear for the home, I don't think the goals are different at all:
BRING THE STUDIO INTO YOUR LIVING ROOM
When Benchmark's professional converters are used in hi-fi applications, studio-quality sound can be enjoyed in a home environment. Enjoy pure music without any coloration from the electronics. Hear the music exactly the way it was heard in the studio, and exactly the way the artists intended.
Discover the natural, uncolored, analog sound of Benchmark converters.
I have been pleased using some components made by "pro" manufacturers.
My Manley Steelhead is a consumer product although Manley makes a lot of pro gear.
I use Bryston monoblock amps in my home theater. They sound great and construction is bulletproof.
I have a Rane graphic equalizer that has stood the test of time. It replaced "consumer grade" equalizers whose sliders became scratchy and inconsistent after only a year or two.
Long ago, I worked with pro audio and found it very much like home audio in a lot of cases. We bi or tri amped everything, but never had a need for fancy power or cables. When you’re filling a hall at a convention center, no one is going to hear the difference anyway. Very dependent on the room, but usually incredibly large and heavy pieces and that same ugly black!
I’m a wanna be musician. I own Focal Solo 6BE monitors and did have a Focal Sub6. They are VERY bright in addition to not having much detail. As I recall, if you fell on the impedance curve you would die from stab wounds. They do not sound at all like the kind of speakers we normally have as audio enthusiasts. They sound dry and have no life. The Sub6 sounded muddy and does not have controls like a modern audiophile subwoofer.
There’s a person here on Agon that runs Genelics in a surroundsound system and loves them.
Pro audio invents innovates audiophile products incorporate this. Many pro audio companies are later discovered by audiophiles the prices go up so audiophiles feel secure knowing they didn't buy pro audio. lol
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