Should I BIN my Yamaha RXV359 please help!

[windsurfing33]

Hello All,
Please could someone help me. I have in the last year or so become increasingly obsessed with my "Tech" generally and now I think I need to concentrate on the audio side of things. At present I have a old Yamaha RXV359 with the 5.1 speakers that I got with it. But I don't feel overwhelmed by what it is producing! I would like a bit of wow factor.
I currently have a:
50" plasma LG pq6000
Virgin Tivo HD
Slim Xbox 360
My questions are:
1. Do I just upgrade my speaker package? (bookshelf or 5.1)?
2. Or do I go and but a new 5.1 system and av reciever (had my eye on LG SR906 from Ritcher sounds or something around the £200 mark)?

This is driving me crazy.
Please would someone help me make a decision.
Many Thanks

 

[PSM1]

I take it you have an active sub with your speakers.
£200 will just about get you a new receiver of comparable quality to your current reciever so you will gain nothing in audio quality except for a few extra bells and whistles like HD audio. But then considering you have budget speakers I am not sure how much benefit you will get from the HD audio anyway.
If you really want to improve your current sound quality you are going to need to spend more the £200. I would be looking to up that budget to around £750 or more.

 

[Badger0-0]

The speakers that were supplied with the 359 were basic, to say the least.
Around £110 for all of them, if I remember correctly.

Hence that's where I'd put the money.
Don't worry about the rears, just concentrate on the front 3 and the sub.
And you don't have to do it all at once either.
In fact, I'd just spend that £200 on the front 3 for now, then spend on a sub when more funds become available (a BK xls 200 would be a big upgrade there, but that's £200+ on it's own).

And yes, the 359 is pretty basic, but it was a very good route into surround. It can power better speakers and still has a bit of mileage in it yet.

Don't upgrade the whole thing, do it bit by bit, because as PSM says, £200 buys you next to nothing.

 

[windsurfing33]

Many thanks for help, my mind is at rest now. I am thinking of starting on the front three to start with. Would a set of wharf dale diamond 9's bookshelf speakers be a good start? I can get to richer sounds on Saturday so any ideas for what I can by from the one in hull?

 

[PSM1]

The Wharfedale diamond 9s would be a good place to start as they are well regarded speakers at a good price. Superfi do a pair of 9.1s and the SW150 sub for around £250 which is a great price considering you get a reasonable sub for that too. You could get that for now and then save some more and get diamond 10s up front and then put the 9.1s to rear duties.

 

[Badger0-0]

Superfi do a pair of 9.1s and the SW150 sub for around £250

That's a good call.
My only concern would be if the centre can keep up with the Wharfs.

 

[eaglemmoomin]

That's a good call.
My only concern would be if the centre can keep up with the Wharfs.

If it sounds wierd then, if the Yam can run a phantom centre thats an interim solution unless the OP can get a good deal out of Superfi on a diamond centre or source a diamond 9 centre second hand for chips.

 

[Badger0-0]

Another good call

 

[windsurfing33]

Many thanks for the replies!! I went to richer sounds to buy some new speakers as suggested. I came away with two cambridge audio Minx Min20's. I swapped them for the front two as a starting point then I will add to the speakers and finally sub woofer all from the same system. All I can say is that the two I bought have made a MASSIVE difference already. Wow...I am saving now to complete the system. I will eventually buy a new amp once I have all speakers and woofer. Thanks again guys....

 

[Badger0-0]

Glad you're happier now

 

[Badger0-0]

Oh, sub then centre (or the other way round if you like), then finally the rears if you're going to upgrade those too