What should i upgrade ?

Dan2036

For the best stereo sound what should i add ? A better sub ? An amplifier for the AVR247, something else ?

Hawkeye

You need to give the folks here a budget to get meaningful recommendations. Without that, I'd say a source, CDP or a device that will accept your Ipod. Can't help you there, don't own one.

Gordon

thsmith

WHat size is your room. That will help dtermine if you have a sub and room match.

What do you not like about your setuip ? Music vs HT ?

Dan2036

As far as budget, probably <200$ The room is 11x11 ft. Music is what i'm looking to improve

tcrossma

I'd say a source. Honestly, having started with the Monitor 60's myself with similar equipment as you have, new speakers (along with an Amp and 2-channel Pre) might be in your future if you're really looking for a good 2-channel improvement.

Dan2036

Source as in a cd player ?

tcrossma

Dan2036 wrote: »

Source as in a cd player ?

Correct

wutadumsn23

I would say source and a new sub would be my next recommendation. You would be surprised how much difference a sub can make. The DSW series is a very good sub, and is pretty musical too from what I hear.

-Jeff

Knucklehead

Doro was selling a Cambridge Audio DVD/cd player over the weekend, not sure if he still has it though.

jaxwired

Dan,
I really feel bad for you. You want quality 2 channel stereo sound, but you have a home theater setup. Home theater is all most people know about now days. That's all you see in stores anymore. A home theater can be "ok" for music, but in general, mediocre is about all you will get. Home theater equipment is designed to sound good with movies. That is a very different mission than accurate music reproduction. It's totally different really.

For one thing, a sub is almost always a very bad idea for music. They don't integrate well with the main speakers, and 98% of sub owners have them set way too high for music. It's great for die hard explosions, but pretty much ruins music. So forget the sub altogether. Turn it off for music. That would be the best and cheapest thing you can do to help music sound better. Unfortunately, if you're after something special for music, you really need a whole new 2 channel rig. This doesn't have to break the bank at all, but your need products designed for 2 channel music.

MANSKITO

jaxwired wrote: »

Dan,
I really feel bad for you. You want quality 2 channel stereo sound, but you have a home theater setup. Home theater is all most people know about now days. That's all you see in stores anymore. A home theater can be "ok" for music, but in general, mediocre is about all you will get. Home theater equipment is designed to sound good with movies. That is a very different mission than accurate music reproduction. It's totally different really.

For one thing, a sub is almost always a very bad idea for music. They don't integrate well with the main speakers, and 98% of sub owners have them set way too high for music. It's great for die hard explosions, but pretty much ruins music. So forget the sub altogether. Turn it off for music. That would be the best and cheapest thing you can do to help music sound better. Unfortunately, if you're after something special for music, you really need a whole new 2 channel rig. This doesn't have to break the bank at all, but your need products designed for 2 channel music.

I don't mean to nay say you, but if he gets a 2 channel pre-amp with HT bypass which is what i m doing by recommendation of this forum and a good 2 channel amp (leave the other 3 channels for your AVR ) there is no reason what so ever he can not have a GREAT 2 channel and HT combo system.

With that said there is no reason what so ever that just because there happens to be 3 extra speakers in the same room that you can't have a wonderful time with 2 channel all you need is a nice pre-amp and power amp.
And of course equally nice speakers.

My vote is for the sub, that sub (i have it and have heard others) is a POS.

The psw10 is in fact the worst sub I have ever heard (out side of HTIB). No offence, I love the Polk brand its just the PSW10 is one of there not so hot products.

Its under powered and sloppy even for HT in a bed room (what i have).

A sealed sub will not ruin a 2 channel it will in fact make it better. If the sub is up to the same grade as your speakers. (subs like that don't come cheap)

For example if you like music with Kick drums or anything that has weight on it, I have yet to hear a speaker that can move enough air on its own to actually sound like a kick drum. (I've heard Paradigm, definitive tech, Polk,
Magnepan, and Klipsch ) For example I lOVE AC-DC and any of the speakers i just listed even the Mythos Super towers with built in subs could not make AC-DC sound Like it should (they came damned close). If a speaker can not move as much air as the real life counter part its not going to sound the same, plain and simple.

Not saying speakers can't move that much air its just to get mains that can will set you back a lot more then say nice mains and a nice sub.

Yes they are hard to integrate but it's not impossible.

What I am saying is save some more money and get if you can afford it a power amp and a Pre-amp with HT bypass or if not a cheaper option would be to get a nice sealed sub like the DSW micro-pro 1k.(thats $350 off of new egg) but for 200 you might be able to snag a Adcom GFA 555 off of ebay thats my plain lol.

But don't forget the sub m8 its needed if your after acurite reproduction of sound and don't have the money to get the biggest and the best mains. But he is right most do have it turned up too loud, you don't want a ghetto blaster.

jaxwired

Well, I will agree if you can spend 3k on an REL sub and you spend about a week on position and settings, you might get decent sound. But why go through all that? Just buy decent speakers and forget about it. I can live without that last 20hz as I rarely listen to organ music these days. I'd rather have a tight clean integrated sound as a world class speaker designer intended. But that's just me, some people like a boomy, whompy, floppy, vibrating, echo chamber sound. Lots of cars have that. Maybe if you added a flapping license plate cover to the front of the sub so it vibrates with each thumpety thump? Just an idea. LOL. Only kidding...no offense...I'm sure your sub sounds really great.

MANSKITO

jaxwired wrote: »

Well, I will agree if you can spend 3k on an REL sub and you spend about a week on position and settings, you might get decent sound. But why go through all that? Just buy decent speakers and forget about it. I can live without that last 20hz as I rarely listen to organ music these days. I'd rather have a tight clean integrated sound as a world class speaker designer intended. But that's just me, some people like a boomy, whompy, floppy, vibrating, echo chamber sound. Lots of cars have that. Maybe if you added a flapping license plate cover to the front of the sub so it vibrates with each thumpety thump? Just an idea. LOL. Only kidding...no offense...I'm sure your sub sounds really great.

No it dose not I have the ASStassic Psw10 which is why i want him (and me) to upgrade so badly I have heard what a good sub sounds like and the PSW10 is not a good sub. And a good sub dose not coast 3k that is ridiculous, also its not just about hitting the low notes, its about slam I m sorry most AMP/speaker combos don't have enough slam for all types of music.

Boom/floppy/sloppy etc.. sound is to be avoided sure but a sealed 8inch sub design with a 1200 watt amp to control it can keep up with even the best speakers (examples would be DSW micro pro or def techs super cubes.) You should give subs like that a try cause it sounds like you have not.

ben62670

I certainly am not frowning on your system. We all start somewhere. I would recommend finding some used LSI's and add an amp. Later add a better source and then a Pre.

MANSKITO

Oh I didn't mean to Frown on his was talking about mine. Sorry was arguing with jaxwired about 2 channel and a sub.

Jetmaker737

ben62670 wrote: »

I would recommend finding some used LSI's and add an amp. Later add a better source and then a Pre.

This is what I would do if I was you. In fact it's the exact path I've taken. :cool:

Those monitors are only going to get you so far for 2 ch.

cnh

Jetmaker737 wrote: »

This is what I would do if I was you. In fact it's the exact path I've taken. :cool:

Those monitors are only going to get you so far for 2 ch.

Very very true...they're a good speaker but even against their big brother the M70 they lose the 2 channel war hands down.

If you really want good 2 channel for music.....think LSis from Polk...there are other choices as well. Could go used on the SDAs?

PSW10--OK...not Polk's 'best' effort...you have to under drive it to get anything reasonable from it.

cnh

amulford

MANSKITO wrote: »

Boom/floppy/sloppy etc.. sound is to be avoided sure but a sealed 8inch sub design with a 1200 watt amp to control it can keep up with even the best speakers (examples would be DSW micro pro or def techs super cubes.) You should give subs like that a try cause it sounds like you have not.

I don't know, I have some dual 8" ported subs driven with a 300W cont./600W peak amps (RT3000p's) that have a pretty good amount of **** and are fairly musical.

gdb

Get some SDAs.;)

TNRabbit

You probably need to upgrade your ROOM/SETUP. Many times it's the weakest link in a system. A good read is "Get Better Sound"-- http://www.getbettersound.com/