2. home-theater
  3. 1076256136

Where should I go next?

Hi all, I am relatively new to high end, and am building from the bottom up. Literally. I currently have an old Sony STRDE875, DD & DTS, 5-ch. I am playing through an all - Infinity speaker system, Entra One floorstanders L/R, Entra Center, Entra Two surrounds, and an Entra Sub.
I have started building by purchasing a Monster HTPS-7000ss, which although did extend my soundstage and enhanced imaging, detail, and bass response, has not had all that huge of an effect considering my front end.
I also recently purchased a Pioneer ElitE DV-47ai player, and am very very happy with the video performance (through a Philips 4:3 flatscreen, non-HD) as well as the multichannel performance. The stereo performance i really cannot gauge until i have upgraded my front end, but what i can hear in my system now is nothing short of spectacular (even the girlfriend could hear the diff) after my Sony DVD/CD player. I am running some hgiher-quality front cables that i recieved from a friend in the high-end industry, and am not sure what they are. I have Monster XP for surrounds, and a Transparent MusicWave for the center.

Where do I go next? How should i attack this system? I have been thinking a B&K Ref.50 / Ref 200.7 setup might be great, but am really open to suggestions from more experienced 'philes. I do want to build a system that is flat-out phenomenal for both music and movies, from power and speaker cables and interconnects on up to the speakers, which will probably come last - the Entras were cheap, and apart from an overly strong midbass response, are damn good for the cash - $1600 for the whole set F/Surr/sub.

I will purchase most of my equip off of Audiogon, used, and although i'd like to, cant afford the huge prices of Theta Digital or Levinson etc.

HELP! Where Do I go From Here? Any sugestions are welcome either here or on my email. breitlingdj@yahoo.com

THanks, JonBrown
breitlingdj

Showing 2 responses by breitlingdj

breitlingdj OP
23 posts
 
I will of course have to make a trade - off...I love music and movies equally, but if push were to come to shove, I would like the full immersion that a multi-channel setup gives me. In regards to the wallet issue - there's never enough no matter how ya put it. I'm basically going to do what i can when I can. I do want to have a multi-zone setup, but for now i am just going to concentrate on the theatre setup, and one that allows me to listen to stereo recordings off of CD and LP. I am a DJ, and thus have at my immediate disposal a few Technics Direct-Drive tables...admittedly not audiphile-quality, but paired with an Ortofon cartridge, pretty good for what they are. I do want 7 channels for the HT setup, but am not overly concerned with power - i think 125-200 wpc would be all that i would need.
In regards to speakers, I have auditioned Monitor Audio's Gold Reference (60s, 20s, 10s, FX, and Centre) and I do love their FB212 sub. I have also demoed Martin Logans (beautiful, maybe a bit airy and analytical), B&W (various, both with and without the Nautilus tweeters), Genelec, Infinity (Intermezzo & Prelude), Polk Lsi's, etc. I have heard many good things about Dynaudio, Paradigm, Aerial (a good friend has a Levinson / Aerial 2-ch system), Revel, and on up the line- I do think that $10000 is about all i can spend for my speaker package, not including subs. Thus Wilson is out of my range unfortunately.
THe room is relatively regular - sized, about 18' x 22', with vaulted ceilings, and the room is carpeted. I have plenty of furniture space, as i built my own rack and TV stand - the rack can hold pre/prs, amp, DVD and CD transports, and allows for easy cable separation and mamagement. The TV stand has openings where i can store amplifiers, power centers, you name it. I know jack about rooom treatments.

Any suggestions for speakers, front end (multichannel but still very good stereo), cables? I have a trasparent cable and it is decent, even with the SOny, but I do know a man in NC that will make any kind of cable i need with DHLabs cables and Cardas connectors.

HELP! Feedback!
Jon
breitlingdj OP
23 posts
 
I know this much: I do not like bright speakers, or any that sound too analytical or cool. I like warmth and smoothness above all, and of course a wide, deep soundstage, but i guess we can't have it all. Or can we?

PS - Anybody have any ideas either positive or negative on Aragon separates? Plinius Odeon? anything else that you feel is important to a good setup, either 2-ch or multi-ch let me know.

Thanks, guys. Help is appreciated.
jonb
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