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SKMDC
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2008-03-20, 09:45

that's audio porn. very nice!
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jcoley2
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2008-03-20, 09:47

Quote:
Originally Posted by SKMDC View Post
that's audio porn. very nice!
I started out wanting to spend $1500 and ended up spending $5500--just like two hours with Spitzers' girl friend.
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Yontsey
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2008-03-20, 09:51

Yeah, Denon's are nice, but I'm not really looking to spend that much. I don't need one that fancy. I was only looking to spend $300-500 and I wanted to get some HDMI input/outputs on it.

How much were those Monitor Audio speakers and where did you get them? I've been searching and everywhere I'm looking brings up UK sites.

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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jcoley2
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2008-03-20, 09:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yontsey View Post
How much were those Monitor Audio speakers and where did you get them? I've been searching and everywhere I'm looking brings up UK sites.
Don't have my receipt handy but like $900/pair for 270's and $400 for the 250. I got a 10% discount off at my local store in Norwalk CT. I am sure they would ship.

Now that I got a job, I can buy more Apple products!
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Yontsey
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2008-03-20, 10:08

Quote:
Originally Posted by SKMDC View Post
that's audio porn. very nice!
you own the sony str-dg910 right? what's your thoughts on it after using it for awhile?
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jcoley2
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2008-03-20, 10:10

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yontsey View Post
you own the sony str-dg910 right? what's your thoughts on it after using it for awhile?
No, I did not buy it.
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Yontsey
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2008-03-20, 10:14

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcoley2 View Post
No, I did not buy it.
ha, I know, I quoted SKMDC
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SKMDC
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2008-03-20, 10:42

Yeah that's what I have and I'm very satisfied with it. (I've had Sony gear for 30 years!) I still wish it had more HDMI ports, I have TV, the DVR, 3 DVD (1 for foreign discs & a DVD recorder, not HD, that upscales) that use HDMI so I had to buy a switching box that's very glitchy.

I wasn't satisfied with the audio at first but then I realized it wasn't my system but the way studios mix certain DVDs.The 5.1 mixes on many DVDs seemed to be mixed for people listening to stereo. Cinemax & HBO's 5.1 mixes seem to take better advantage of the full spectrum.

I watch a lot of Hong Kong movies (the gangster movies from Dragon Dynasty for instance) and their mixes are great, that's when I realized it wasn't my system's inadequacies as much as it was the mixing.

The only other advise I can give is if you are going to have professional installation, wait until you've messed around with the components a bit to get the proper placement and configuration. Make sure everything is where you want it cause it's bitchcakes to move.

One other piece of advice, Harmony remote, the most expensive one you can afford.

"What's a Canadian farm boy to do?"
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Yontsey
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2008-03-20, 11:43

Awesome. I'll prolly order it sometime today.

One thing I was wondering though. Is there any loss of quality running an HDMI through the receiver as opposed to directly into the tv?

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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jcoley2
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2008-03-20, 13:16

One thing that is nice about the Denon is it has 4 (FOUR!) HDMI inputs!
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Yontsey
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2008-03-20, 16:53

I ordered the Sony STR-DG910 and picked up a spool of 100ft wire and an optical audio chord to up grade the wiring in my system.

Im pretty pumped to get a 7.1 system going. Over time I plan on upgrading the speakers but right now I'm content.

Quote:
Originally Posted by jcoley2 View Post
One thing that is nice about the Denon is it has 4 (FOUR!) HDMI inputs!
The one I got has 3 inputs, so that's not bad. Better then a lot of the ones I saw that only have 2.

Is there any loss of quality running an HDMI through the receiver as opposed to directly into the tv?

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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Xaqtly
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2008-03-20, 17:18

I'd like to know that too. I was assuming not since it's a digital signal all the way from the source, through the receiver and to the TV, but I don't know for sure as I haven't tried it. My HDMI sources are going into my TV first because my receiver doesn't have any HDMI inputs.
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Ryan
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2008-03-20, 23:21

Quote:
Originally Posted by faust View Post
Wacthing tv in the dark is bad for your eyes.
Simple, just get one that lights up the room for you.

http://www.projectorcentral.com/Mitsubishi-WD2000U.htm

3000 lumens ought to do the trick.

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NosferaDrew
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2008-03-21, 00:10

Quote:
Originally Posted by faust View Post
I need a new receiver that can do 7.1 and power three zones.

Anyone want to make some suggestions?

Right now I'm leaning towards the Pioneer VSX-94TXH.
Did you end up getting the Pioneer?

I was going to buy the Onkyo TX-SR875, but they have a sale going on at work and I just bought a Sony STR-DA5300ES for $750.
Too good of a deal, so I couldn't pass it up.

Now I need speakers.
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faust
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2008-03-21, 09:46

Quote:
Originally Posted by NosferaDrew View Post
Did you end up getting the Pioneer?

I was going to buy the Onkyo TX-SR875, but they have a sale going on at work and I just bought a Sony STR-DA5300ES for $750.
Too good of a deal, so I couldn't pass it up.

Now I need speakers.
Not yet, ended up getting the 46" Sony XBR4 for the master bedroom first.

Hope to get the Pioneer before summer so I can finish setting up the outdoor speakers as well as the ones in the FRD and FLR
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NosferaDrew
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2008-03-21, 14:45

I've got the same TV! (Well, different bezel. I've got the XBR5).

An indoor/outdoor setup sounds nice, especially in time for summer.
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Yontsey
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2008-03-23, 13:38

I'm thinking about adding a Blu-Ray player to my setup.

Anyone have any recommendations? I was looking at the Samsung BD-P1400.

Anyone own it?
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NosferaDrew
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2008-03-23, 15:21

The PS3 is, by far, the best Blu-ray player you can buy.

I have a PS3 and a Sony BDP-S300 and the S300 takes 20-30 seconds to open the tray and another 30 seconds or more to load the disc.
The PS3 behaves just like a traditional DVD player - instantaneously.

Updating the firmware on any player that doesn't have ethernet is a pain in the ass.

Also, the PS3 is profile 2.0 compatible which makes it pretty future proof. I don't think that the BD-P1400 is 2.0 compatible.
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Yontsey
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2008-03-23, 15:37

Well, I'm pretty sure the bd-p1400 has an ethernet port on it.

What does 2.0 mean?

The main reason I liked the samsung is because it can do 7.1 surround. What does the ps3 do? 5.1 or 7.1?

Die young and save yourself....
@yontsey
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jcoley2
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2008-03-23, 16:29

Quote:
Originally Posted by NosferaDrew View Post
The PS3 is, by far, the best Blu-ray player you can buy.
Ditto.
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NosferaDrew
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2008-03-23, 17:22

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yontsey View Post
Well, I'm pretty sure the bd-p1400 has an ethernet port on it.

What does 2.0 mean?

The main reason I liked the samsung is because it can do 7.1 surround. What does the ps3 do? 5.1 or 7.1?
From Wiki:


Profile 2.0 adds support for BD-Live which ties your BD movie with extra content, games, ringtones, etc. available via the internet (here's a BD-Live demo).
Not really a deal-breaker if you mainly just want to watch the feature and aren't really into all the extras, but it's good to be aware of what 20 offers.

The PS3 outputs 5.1 using optical or HDMI and it will do 7.1, but only over HDMI and only as Dolby TrueHD or PCM.
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rampancy
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2008-03-23, 18:05

Wow, this is a great thread - I can't believe I didn't stumble on this sooner.

If anyone doesn't mind me asking, what are people's opinions on a good mid-range (budget-wise) receiver? My mother was using my dad's old Luxman which cost about $999 back in the 1990's, and our old Sony 27" CRT television has bitten the dust. She's also decided to give away our old B&W 500 series speakers, which worked fine (I guess she just wants to junk everything and just get everything new).

I think she's looking to spend about $2-3K on a receiver and speakers, not including the TV. (I guess she's also going to get a DVD player, too, so any opinions on a good make/model of DVD player would nice too.)

"The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice."
- Mahatma Gandhi
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ginalyn
 
 
2008-04-07, 13:12

for gym music and workout music, I recommend european dance music.......

it's ALWAYS the best motivational tool for me...

.....and you don't have to tell anyone at the office if u just listen to it on the mp3 player at the gym ....

.... here's a compilation series on itunes that I recommend:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...ub+Hits+Vol +
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kieran
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2008-04-07, 13:17

and what might that have to do with Home theaters?

I love spam.
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zippy
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2008-04-07, 14:45

Can someone hand me the nail gun please?
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kieran
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2008-04-07, 14:49



that one?
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zippy
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2008-04-07, 14:58

Quote:
Originally Posted by kieran23kk View Post

that one?
Ah, yes. Thank You.




Quote:
Originally Posted by ginalyn View Post
for gym music and workout music, I recommend european dance music.......

it's ALWAYS the best motivational tool for me...

.....and you don't have to tell anyone at the office if u just listen to it on the mp3 player at the gym ....

.... here's a compilation series on itunes that I recommend:

http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/M...ub+Hits+Vol +
  quote
Swox
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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2008-05-03, 15:40

If I was to get a setup with a PS3 and a Paradigm Atom Monitor System (made in Canada - sweet!), would I need a crazy receiver to get good results from a Blu-Ray disc with Dolby TrueHD sound? As I understand it, the PS3 will handle the decoding of the audio for me, so I should just need something nice to power the speakers. Is that accurate?

Regardless, what would you recommend for this type of setup (I only need the receiver to handle the PS3, though I'd love to be able to plug in my MBP and iPod somehow).

Thanks

Edit: I wonder if I'd be better off getting the Mini Monitors instead, without the sub. I'm not a bass junkie, anyway.

Edit #2: I'm looking at the Yamaha RX-V363 - any reason to not go with this one?

Do not be oppressed by the forces of ignorance and delusion! But rise up now with resolve and courage! Entranced by ignorance, from beginningless time until now, You have had more than enough time to sleep. So do not slumber any longer, but strive after virtue with body, speech, and mind!

Last edited by Swox : 2008-05-03 at 16:00.
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NosferaDrew
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2008-05-04, 00:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by Swox View Post
As I understand it, the PS3 will handle the decoding of the audio for me, so I should just need something nice to power the speakers. Is that accurate?
The PS3 won't decode Dolby TrueHD itself, but it will pass the signal via bitstream to a TrueHD capable receiver.
Unfortunately, the Yamaha RX-V363 isn't capable of decoding TrueHD.
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Swox
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2008-05-04, 03:10

Quote:
Originally Posted by NosferaDrew View Post
The PS3 won't decode Dolby TrueHD itself, but it will pass the signal via bitstream to a TrueHD capable receiver.
Unfortunately, the Yamaha RX-V363 isn't capable of decoding TrueHD.
Everything I've read says the PS3 will decode the Dolby TrueHD. Are you sure?

Yeah, more reading confirms this. You need to send out the audio VIA HDMI, apparently.

Do not be oppressed by the forces of ignorance and delusion! But rise up now with resolve and courage! Entranced by ignorance, from beginningless time until now, You have had more than enough time to sleep. So do not slumber any longer, but strive after virtue with body, speech, and mind!
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