Question Simplifying our set up.

orangepeel

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Morning all.

So after about 10 years with the current system we are looking at a rejig. The way we use AV has changed so we want to maintain quality but simplify use and the set up. Our current set up with how much we use each element is in brackets below. We are open to replacing any element but happy to keep if there is no need to change.

Kit and usage:
  • Marantz receiver Sr6300. No phono stage, has a and broken remote. (heavy)
  • Sony TV KDL-32V4000. Will replace in Jan. (heavy)
  • Humax HDR- FOX T2 (light)
  • Sonos connect (heavy)
  • Pro-ject essential II & phono box. Ground interference issue need to sort if keeping the marantz av amp. (medium)
  • Chromecast (heavy)
  • Android TV box (light)
  • Speakers x4 MA radius 90, MA radius 250 centre, Wharfdale SW250 (heavy)

Priorities:
  1. Simplification
  2. Easy switching between TV, Sonos, vinyl audio. The missus gets p*ssed of with switching from this and that and different volume controls.
  3. Improve music SQ from sonos.
  4. Decent SQ for TV movies ect. Lot of stuff streamed with mixed audio quality anyway.
  5. Reduce number of speakers
  6. Less remotes
Our thoughts:

Separate the sources completely -
  • Buy decent soundbar and go back to stereo Hi-fi for vinyl and Sonos so no switching needed.
  • Buy new/used speakers (£400)
  • Poss new/used stereo amp (£300).
  • New TV (£500).
  • Buy a Soundbar (unsure of cost)

Or
Keep all audio running through amp
  • Keep Amp,
  • sort phono issue out
  • new stereo speakers, keep centre speaker.
  • New TV.
  • Sort remote control out maybe go decent all in one.

Concerns
  • Do I need to replace the amp?
  • Is it good enough anyway for music?
  • Will I miss the centre channel and sub if just have stereo speakers / soundbar?
  • Will I end up buying a soundbar bar sub?
  • Will keeping an amp for TV and music audio still feel a faff for the missus?

We don't need help with replacement TV at this point. It's about getting the audio set up right for now and into the future.

I hope you can make some sense out of that - I'm struggling to! My gut is to separate the systems but concerned I ill end up buying another sub for the soundbar. Sorry for the long post, just though I'd throw it all on the page.

Thanks in advance for any help!

O.
 
Choices, choices :)

Will add more shortly but for me a system is all about usability and that should be anybody should be able to pick up (or even speak to) the remote and know how to use it. It should not matter whether you have one box or 10 then need to be switched on etc.

The remote then should have one button for each activity say Watch TV, Listen To Vinyl, Watch Movie etc.

It should then switch on the relevant boxes and then present you only the controls that you need to use that system for every day usage.

This is why a configurable remote with an LCD display is best imo. A Logitech Ultimate\Elite on special offer on Amazon is usually a good buy and will do this type of thing.

I use a Philips Pronto which unfortunately is no longer made and more powerful than the Logitech but if it ever broke Logitech would be my first port of call.
 
Source Level Matching - plenty of modern AVR's offer you the ability to level match the various Source devices you use.

Reduce Speaker Count - can be easily achieved and depending on the layout of the room and speaker choice can deliver the better Music reproduction you are after.

Simplify Control - see notes from ChuckMountain on a programmable remote.

Joe
 

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