I have an A/V set-up which should cope with a range of uses: films, TV, pop music, and classical music. However, for me, the most important of these is classical music. I would like to optimise the set-up for this even if it is sub-optimal for other uses. One advice that I anticipate is to use a separate system for music: money, space, and wife constraints do not allow this.
Here is my set-up:
Receiver Denon X3200W - a recent upgrade from an Onkyo 605.
Front speakers: Tannoy Revolution R3.
Centre speaker: Tannoy Sensys C
Rear speakers: Mission m60i
Subwoofer: BK Gemini.
A bit of a mixed bag due to history and available bargains. The R3s were bought when I had just a stereo set-up.
Sources:
Stereo from iPod Classic via Onkyo ND S1 digital dock connected by optical. Most tracks have come from CD and use either Apple Lossless or AAC 320kbps VBR.
5.1 from BluRay or HDDVD in DTS MA or Dolby TrueHD via Panasonic BD35 or Toshiba EP35. I still have quite a few HDDVDs with some favourite music (and a few films).
My ideal is to close my eyes and imagine that the performers are actually in the room.
One particular topic that interests me is the bass management.
Classical music covers quite a range. Two broad categories are: orchestral and chamber. Obviously, imaging that a whole orchestra is in my house is stretch. My room is a little small even for a realistic chamber performance but much closer. If the optimal settings for these two genres or the two sources are different then I am willing to tolerate that.
Orchestral: the lowest note from a standard double bass is about 41Hz but many can go down to 32Hz and this is used occasionally. An extreme case is R Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra (the 2001 music) which starts with a 16Hz organ note.
Chamber: mostly the lower limit is about 64Hz (bottom note of a cello) but the double bass features occasionally and the piano can also go lower. So, again down to 32Hz would be good.
So far, I have just run Audyssey and not overridden anything that it has done. This seems to be a good start and it already sounds better than the Onkyo.
(Frequencies above are approximate but quite close.)
Here is my set-up:
Receiver Denon X3200W - a recent upgrade from an Onkyo 605.
Front speakers: Tannoy Revolution R3.
Centre speaker: Tannoy Sensys C
Rear speakers: Mission m60i
Subwoofer: BK Gemini.
A bit of a mixed bag due to history and available bargains. The R3s were bought when I had just a stereo set-up.
Sources:
Stereo from iPod Classic via Onkyo ND S1 digital dock connected by optical. Most tracks have come from CD and use either Apple Lossless or AAC 320kbps VBR.
5.1 from BluRay or HDDVD in DTS MA or Dolby TrueHD via Panasonic BD35 or Toshiba EP35. I still have quite a few HDDVDs with some favourite music (and a few films).
My ideal is to close my eyes and imagine that the performers are actually in the room.
One particular topic that interests me is the bass management.
Classical music covers quite a range. Two broad categories are: orchestral and chamber. Obviously, imaging that a whole orchestra is in my house is stretch. My room is a little small even for a realistic chamber performance but much closer. If the optimal settings for these two genres or the two sources are different then I am willing to tolerate that.
Orchestral: the lowest note from a standard double bass is about 41Hz but many can go down to 32Hz and this is used occasionally. An extreme case is R Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra (the 2001 music) which starts with a 16Hz organ note.
Chamber: mostly the lower limit is about 64Hz (bottom note of a cello) but the double bass features occasionally and the piano can also go lower. So, again down to 32Hz would be good.
So far, I have just run Audyssey and not overridden anything that it has done. This seems to be a good start and it already sounds better than the Onkyo.
(Frequencies above are approximate but quite close.)