moving from 2-channel to surround for bedroom system
Hi All,
I currently have a modest 2-channel system in my bedroom, consisting of Polk Monitor 5 Series II speakers, NAD C720BEE receiver, and SlimDevices (Logitech) Squeezebox 3. To my ears the is system sounds very nice, and the NAD receiver is definitely miles ahead of the Yamaha and Denon receivers i previously used with the Monitor 5s (I've had those speakers for a long, long time).
I have decided to put a 50 inch flat panel TV in the bedroom, and am now thinking that I might like to have a surround sound capabilities for watching movies. I've been thinking that I will build the surround system around the Polk Surroundbar 50. If I do this the Monitor 5s and the NAD receiver will have to go, so I'm wondering what would be a good replacement for the NAD. I have definitely heard the Monitor 5s scale up as I have used better quality amplification. I also feel like the NAD receiver is slightly overkill for its current application. So here's what I've considered:
Cambridge Audio 540R V2. I can get a good deal on this because it's discontinued. Also, it is very small physically and that is attractive to me for this application.
Onkyo TX SR304 or TX SR505. These seem like extreme opposite end of the spectrum from the Cambridge Audio, but I can get a refurb 304 for well under $100 or a refurb 505 for under $150.
I haven't really considered anything else at this point, but am looking for suggestions either between these two options or something else entirely.
Finally, I'm wondering if I will be pleased with the Surroundbar 50 for music compared with the Monitor 5s, so If anyone who has experience with the vintage monitor series Polks and the Surroundbar 50 would like to comment, I'm very interested in what you have to say.
Thanks!
George
I currently have a modest 2-channel system in my bedroom, consisting of Polk Monitor 5 Series II speakers, NAD C720BEE receiver, and SlimDevices (Logitech) Squeezebox 3. To my ears the is system sounds very nice, and the NAD receiver is definitely miles ahead of the Yamaha and Denon receivers i previously used with the Monitor 5s (I've had those speakers for a long, long time).
I have decided to put a 50 inch flat panel TV in the bedroom, and am now thinking that I might like to have a surround sound capabilities for watching movies. I've been thinking that I will build the surround system around the Polk Surroundbar 50. If I do this the Monitor 5s and the NAD receiver will have to go, so I'm wondering what would be a good replacement for the NAD. I have definitely heard the Monitor 5s scale up as I have used better quality amplification. I also feel like the NAD receiver is slightly overkill for its current application. So here's what I've considered:
Cambridge Audio 540R V2. I can get a good deal on this because it's discontinued. Also, it is very small physically and that is attractive to me for this application.
Onkyo TX SR304 or TX SR505. These seem like extreme opposite end of the spectrum from the Cambridge Audio, but I can get a refurb 304 for well under $100 or a refurb 505 for under $150.
I haven't really considered anything else at this point, but am looking for suggestions either between these two options or something else entirely.
Finally, I'm wondering if I will be pleased with the Surroundbar 50 for music compared with the Monitor 5s, so If anyone who has experience with the vintage monitor series Polks and the Surroundbar 50 would like to comment, I'm very interested in what you have to say.
Thanks!
George