Turbo Tony
Member
I posted this in the receiver section, but I think it may be better here, considering I'm looking to upgrade to a Pre/Power setup.
Background
My Yamaha DSP-Z7 keeps going into protection mode as soon as it's turned on. I'm getting it checked out by E&M Audio, but they say parts are rare and it may be unrepairable. I've got to face the prospect of a replacement and wanted your thoughts.
Existing Setup
The amp is powering a 5.1 B&W CM setup - the fronts are the CM9 S1 floorstanders, the centre is the B&W Centre 2 and the rears are the B&W DS3 running in dipole mode. They're accompanied by a BK Monolith+ DF.
The system sounds a little too bright to me.
The bass in my room (approx 7m x 4m) is a little node-y and I'm thinking of buying an antimode to help with that. if that doesn't work, it may be time to swap out the Monolith for something that can go a little deeper.
Requirements
Although the system is used mostly for movies (around 70%), I'm much more interested in stereo performance with music.
What I'd like is to warm up the sound. My setup has always sounded too bright for me and its harshness becomes fatiguing after some time. I was planning on swapping the speakers, but I love the centre for movies and, now that the amp might be dead, I'll try to affect it with the amp change.
I'm looking for a warm, rich, slick sound.
My front speakers have a sensitivity of 89 dB.
Questions
1) Should I consider another AV amp, or are pre/power arrangements still offering better quality?
2) Currently, the front speakers are bi-amped. Should I continue doing this, or should I just run them off two channels?
3) Would you recommend using a completely separate amp to run the fronts? My fronts aren't very sensitive at 89dB, so I think they take a fair bit of oomph to get them going.
Products I'm Looking at:
I'm considering the Marantz line, because I've always liked what I've heard from them. I'd love an AV 8802a, but I'm concerned that it's due for a replacement soon. Is the AV 7703 worth considering? Would they best be paired with a Marantz MM8077 amp, or is there another brand I should be considering? Maybe I should just buy an SR7011 and wait for the AV8804 to be released next year?
I've also been looking at Anthem MRX 1120 or AVM60. Personally, I find their looks a little ugly but I'd be willing to ignore that for the reputed sound quality. I'm worried they will sound a little harsh for me though - most reviews have commented on their cooler sound. They're also really expensive!
Finally, there's the Arcam AVR850. I don't know a lot about that one, except that it comes with the highly-rated Dirac room EQ.
Based on reading threads on here and on AVS, I've largely discounted the new Yamaha range, but I'm open to suggestions/recommendations from anyone who has auditioned any of the products I've mentioned (or others that I haven't). I'll do my best to get an in-home demo of anything I plan to buy.
The Way I'm Thinking of Going
At the moment, I'm leaning towards the replacement for the Marantz AV8802a, when it comes out (hopefully in 2018). I'll likely buy a used Marantz SR70xx receiver for the interim, so I can wait until the price begins to drop of the 8804.
Any thoughts?
Background
My Yamaha DSP-Z7 keeps going into protection mode as soon as it's turned on. I'm getting it checked out by E&M Audio, but they say parts are rare and it may be unrepairable. I've got to face the prospect of a replacement and wanted your thoughts.
Existing Setup
The amp is powering a 5.1 B&W CM setup - the fronts are the CM9 S1 floorstanders, the centre is the B&W Centre 2 and the rears are the B&W DS3 running in dipole mode. They're accompanied by a BK Monolith+ DF.
The system sounds a little too bright to me.
The bass in my room (approx 7m x 4m) is a little node-y and I'm thinking of buying an antimode to help with that. if that doesn't work, it may be time to swap out the Monolith for something that can go a little deeper.
Requirements
Although the system is used mostly for movies (around 70%), I'm much more interested in stereo performance with music.
What I'd like is to warm up the sound. My setup has always sounded too bright for me and its harshness becomes fatiguing after some time. I was planning on swapping the speakers, but I love the centre for movies and, now that the amp might be dead, I'll try to affect it with the amp change.
I'm looking for a warm, rich, slick sound.
My front speakers have a sensitivity of 89 dB.
Questions
1) Should I consider another AV amp, or are pre/power arrangements still offering better quality?
2) Currently, the front speakers are bi-amped. Should I continue doing this, or should I just run them off two channels?
3) Would you recommend using a completely separate amp to run the fronts? My fronts aren't very sensitive at 89dB, so I think they take a fair bit of oomph to get them going.
Products I'm Looking at:
I'm considering the Marantz line, because I've always liked what I've heard from them. I'd love an AV 8802a, but I'm concerned that it's due for a replacement soon. Is the AV 7703 worth considering? Would they best be paired with a Marantz MM8077 amp, or is there another brand I should be considering? Maybe I should just buy an SR7011 and wait for the AV8804 to be released next year?
I've also been looking at Anthem MRX 1120 or AVM60. Personally, I find their looks a little ugly but I'd be willing to ignore that for the reputed sound quality. I'm worried they will sound a little harsh for me though - most reviews have commented on their cooler sound. They're also really expensive!
Finally, there's the Arcam AVR850. I don't know a lot about that one, except that it comes with the highly-rated Dirac room EQ.
Based on reading threads on here and on AVS, I've largely discounted the new Yamaha range, but I'm open to suggestions/recommendations from anyone who has auditioned any of the products I've mentioned (or others that I haven't). I'll do my best to get an in-home demo of anything I plan to buy.
The Way I'm Thinking of Going
At the moment, I'm leaning towards the replacement for the Marantz AV8802a, when it comes out (hopefully in 2018). I'll likely buy a used Marantz SR70xx receiver for the interim, so I can wait until the price begins to drop of the 8804.
Any thoughts?
