Time for a new set up

[chewie13]

Hi guys,

I'm moving house later this year and the new place will have a dedicated cinema room.

Currently I have a Yamaha A5 amp running Tannoy MX3/MXC/MX1 setup with a HD950 DVD player. I also have a PJ TX200 for vision and a DRH Screen. My sub has just gone to the big cinema room in the sky.

So with the move I think it may be time to upgrade a little on the sound front. I really like the idea of a processor/power amp combo but at the same time i know i need to improve the speakers and get a new sub. So with a budget of about 3K what upgrades would you recommend and can i get a decent set up using a pre power set up?

I recently listened to B&W MT1 with the PV1 and the Quad L-ite package all through a AVR350. Too be honest both set ups were lacking something so i'm thinking if i have the room I should go for full size speakers.

I'm happy to buy 2nd hand (probably need to) and i'm willing to build up slowly. I am 100% movies for this and want the budget to at least get somewhere near tackling the amplification and front three speakers.

Any help greatly appreciated.

 

[chewie13]

Anyone got any suggestions?

 

[AngelEyes]

Just recommending what I know, second hand prices:

M&K LCR 850s for front 3, approx £1000
SVS PB12 Plus Subwoofer £725 on forum powerbuy
Rotel RSP1068 Processor, approx £750
Rotel RMB1075 Power Amp, approx £600

A little over budget but you could always scale down the sub to maybe an PB12 NSD for £450

This setup would really sound amazing in a dedicated room
Just my opinion of course

edit: or change the M&Ks for SVS SBS-01 5.0 speaker package which is £450. These speakers are fantastic for the price and it leaves more for a sub and amplification etc.

 

[chewie13]

Thanks AngelEyes,

I was drawn to the Rotels as they seem to offer good value. I'm hopefully going to have a listen to the M&Ks soon although I'm keen to listen to fullsize speakers to like the PMCs and the ProAcs'.

I was also thinking about the A52 Parasound but i'm unlikely to be able to get a listen to that so it would be more of a gamble.

In terms of processors I'm guessing the 1068 is best value. Is it really worth my while going for the Parasound over the Rotel?

B

 

[AngelEyes]

The Rotels do seem popular so you would have no problem reselling it, one went last night on the auctiuon site for £500 which I believe is a lot less than the Parasound (understandably so).

The biggest problem with taking big step ups in performance is that you sometimes don't realise how good your new kit is. I have enjoyed the gradual process as it makes you appreciate each new bit of kit that much more.

I might be tempted to run the rotel from your receivers pre-outs before you buy a processor too just so you enjoy the processor upgrade all the more. If you change all your kit at once it is hard to say where most of the benefit is coming from.

Each to their own of course.

Edit: If money was no object I would get the Parasound, for the looks alone it would be worth it

 

[slingshot]

chewie you didn't really say what you wanted to achieve, i.e. improvements in movies or music.

Crustyloafer around these forums works for seven-oaks in Edinburgh I think and they stock PMC's for you to listen to.

I guess a change of you're front 3 to GB1's and a DB1 centre would be somewhere about 1,400 (unless you can find them second hand). This would leave 1,600 for pre/power and a sub. If it was my money and bear in mind I'm more interested in music than movies, I'd look at a BK sub, or a DIY kit from someone like IPL acoustics, and spend the rest on something like a Rotel pre/power combo. I loved my old Rotel 1066, regretted selling it and buying a TAG to be honest.

Slingshot

 

[AngelEyes]

chewie you didn't really say what you wanted to achieve, i.e. improvements in movies or music.
Slingshot

He did mention a little about it.

I am 100% movies for this and want the budget to at least get somewhere near tackling the amplification and front three speakers.

 

[slingshot]

bugger I should learn to read properly !
Are you sure he didn't edit that just to make me look stupid ?

Sorry just ignore me and I'll go and take some more pills !

 

[AngelEyes]

don't worry I do it all the time

 

[chewie13]

Thanks Slingshot,

Crustyloafer has been in touch and I think I really need to get in and listen to these speakers. I'll be interest to see what else compares to them.

I had thought about using the pre outs from my existing amp and this might be a good compromise for the interim.

I know I'm not going to have a chance to listen to the subwoofer and I think the choice may come down to either BK or SVS (if I said that the budget for that is probably going to be between £400 and £600, I'm sure you'll guess which models I'm talking about).

It's just a shame you can't hear everything together so a softly softly approach is probably best.

 

[slingshot]

Chewie if you're not interested in music. It may be worth having a listen to say either the DB1's or TB2's all round and then investing more in the centre and a decent sub. I think if I was interested in just movies I'd be tempted to go this route.

I used to run my Rotel stuff into Rega Speakers and these were pretty impressive for movies, I've also listened to a lot of speakers when changing and in addition to the PMC and Proacs you mentioned you may want to try Dynaudio to the list.

Slingshot.

 

[chewie13]

Cheers Slingshot,

I guess I really need to hear these speakers as I'm slightly confused on whether to get Floorstanders or not. I'd like to hear the M&Ks and if you think that the DB1's would be just as good as the GB1s then I'll try and give them a listen as well.

Just out a matter of interest will standmounts sound just as good if I invest more money in the sub?

B

 

[slingshot]

Tough question I guess, I'm more interested in music than movies, but I bought a pair of PMC OB1's for music. To be honest I can't tell much difference in surround between setting them to large or small and my sub is just a homemade DIY job. So for me I think it's more about the mid and treble that makes the difference. With this in mind I believe that the DB, TB, GB and FB all use the same tweeter, so MAY sound similar if a sub was doing the bottom 80 or 100Hz.

My centre is a TB2 if I went through the same again, but with a more movie oriented requirement I'd try and demo say DB1's all round but try a CB6 centre, they are supposed to be pretty awsome (I guess at £1600 it should be !)

I've heard a couple of M&K setup's at shows and demo's and may well be worth a try for movies, voices always seemed very clear to me.

Let us know how you get on, have you got a demo booked yet.

Slingshot