Description

I've just gotten into audio since June 08. My audio comes from my AppleTV (connected to my Mac running iTunes with 320 kbps aac) A Denon turntable (stock cartridge), a Playstation 3 (blurays), and soon to be SACD player. I use 14 and 16 gauge wire (sadly) and HDMI for everything except the TT of course.

In the last four months I've started reading everything and in the last two months I've been checking AudiogoN several times a week. I started with:

Pioneer VSX-817s, Polk R50s and my computer attached.

Not soon after I added the Denon DP-300F turntable as well as a pair of Polk RTi6s. At this point the R50 went in the back with the RTi6s in front. Next came a PS3 and an AppleTV. From here I was able to separate my stereo from my computer directly. I then added the CSi5.

As of November 08 I had sold my R50s and my VSX-817, added RTi8s and the Marantz SR5003. I moved the RTi6s in back. I also shortly (2 weeks) had a Audiosource AMP300. This went away fast. I'm running generic speaker wires of mixed gauges (14 and 16 gauge).

By the 1 year mark I plan to have a Emotiva XPA-5 with a HSU Research subwoofer (or SVS cylinder) and new wiring. Also I will have a SACD player by January.

Beyond the 1 year mark I see rejection of multichannel audio and the birth of my real first two channel system.
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Components Toggle details

    • Denon DP-300F
    turntable stock cartidge
    • Yamaha YST-SW216
    A weak sub, 10 inches, next to go
    • Polk Audio RTi8
    Newest speaker addition. 300 dollars for a pair from Fry's. In my mind a killer deal
    • Polk Audio RTi6
    My first RTis and also the first pair of speakers I could get real enjoyment from!
    • Polk Audio CSi5
    Center chan, I was told the CSi5 runs circles over the CSi3, cant say for sure since I havent heard the 3 but I do enjoy this center channel. Unfortunately I have it quite a bit high up. Maybe I'll build a shelf below the TV for it.
    • Sony Playstation 3
    You know it.
    • Marantz SR5003
    This thing smokes my old receiver. I still have yet to properly amplify. It takes 8 seconds to switch digital sources and I get blue screen in that time. Annoying? Yes. Impatient? Yes.
    • Apple TV
    AppleTV

Comments 8

Showing all comments by ekobesky.

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You know, some of today's home theater receivers come within shouting distance of budget-priced "audiophile" integrated amps. With that in mind:

(1) Pioneer's receivers in particular can sound very good. Your receiver is probably fine. Keep it until you can afford something much, much more expensive. In fact, try to borrow whatever you plan to replace it with to make sure it's really an improvement that's worth the money.

(2) As for the SACD player, there are so few discs out there these days and the difference between regular CDs and SACDs will be so slight as to go unnoticed in a system like yours. Save your money and use it for #3 below.

(3) The built-in phono stage and the stock cartridge that came with your Denon turntable leave a lot to be desired. Buy an outboard phono stage in the $100 range like the Cambridge Audio 540P, NAD PP2, Music Hall Phono Pack, Pro-ject Phono Box or similar and upgrade the cartridge to something like the $99 Ortofon 2M Red or Denon's own DL-110 for $140. You will hear a major difference now and even more so if you later use it in a dedicated two-channel system.

(4) Your receiver probably has decent DACs. Try feeding the signal from your digital sources into its optical or coaxial digital inputs. That may yield a nice improvement.

(5) Your speaker wire is fine for now. Wire is the finishing touch. When you get a system that you're happy with, THEN think about upgrading your speaker wire and interconnects.

(6) Finally, there's no reason why your home theater and 2-channel rigs can't coexist. Many integrated amps have home theater pass-through circuits so you can use your "audiophile" integrated amp for 2-channel and your HT receiver for movies without ever swapping a cable. Also, there are many "audiophile" home theater receivers available from the likes of NAD, Rotel, Cambridge Audio, Arcam, and so on. Don't count them out.

And don't listen to people who tell you stuff like "put your Playstation 3 on a $500 isolation platform" or "upgrade the power cord on your $300 receiver to a $1000 wire" or "replace your 14-gauge wire with $500 Fire Breathing Dragon Super Speaker Cable and it will make your system sound three times as expensive."

Just be sensible and enjoy. What you have now is not bad at all.

ekobesky