Help!! Experienced A/V people FEEDBACK. (1 Viewer)

[tonyGar]

I am going from a Family Room Setup to build-out of a dedicated media room. The room is somewhat small....20 Feet by 12.5 Feet and the ceiling height is only 7 Feet. I am going to get a front projector... Maybe the Sharp series since I read it was good with small rooms.

Anyways, I have the following equipment. What should I use and what should I upgrade on! Please feel free to opine!

1. Floor Speakers: B & W DM 603: These were bought as audio speakers. Would they make good Home Theatre Speakers (front Left and Right)?

2. Center Channel: Bose VCS - 10 The center channel speakers from Bose look awfully thin and small is that all someone would need for a dedicated media room???

3. Bass - Subwoofer: JBL PB-10. Would this be good for a Subwoofer for a dedicated Home Theater?

4. A/V Receiver: Sony STR-DE975 Virtual 6.1 Maxtrix (110 W X 5)

I could upgrade all of this if I have to. I want it to sound good but if some of these pieces strike you experienced people as worth re-using please let me know!! Be honest and blunt if you need to!!

Thank you

Tony

 

[Citizen87645]

I would upgrade your speakers first, especially since you don't have surrounds yet. The B&Ws would probably do fine, so that means staying with the same company for the center and surrounds.

 

[Dennis Gardner]

I agree, that speakers should stay with same brand if you like the B&Ws. This is for an even transition from channel to channel.

For a projector, you need to do alot of research to see what technology looks best for you. They each have pros and cons to their design. You need to consider where you will put the pj, since the 7 foot ceiling may have it hang lower than you would like, if ceiling mounted.

 

[Leo Kerr]

Yes, do find out if the dread Rainbow Effect bothers you or not. If it doesn't you're golden: there are thousands (seeming) of single chip DLP projectors out there at all sorts of price-points. If it does bother you, well, then you're much more limited in what you can use... mostly (at the affordable pricepoint,) LCD projectors.

I did just see a Panny AE900 on New Year's Eve - looked pretty nice in a home.

But yes, speakers first.

I'd recommend to get your five voice-matched speakers up and running before you worry about a sub. Then the sub, then the additional 2 if you're doing 7.1.

Leo

 

[Citizen87645]

Faster DLP color wheels and the number of segments will help reduce rainbow, as it did with InFocus's Screenplay 4805.

 

[JohanD]

I have an infocus 4805.. have had it for about a week. After about 10 hours of watching on it I have yet to see any rainbows.

 

[Citizen87645]

I had the benefit of being able to compare a 4800 to the 4805. The reduction in RBE was significant. I see rainbows with the 4805 but it's rare - so rare that when it happens I have to remind myself what it is .

 

[Andrew Pratt]

Sony's DE line of receivers isn't that highly regarded unfortunatly as there are often better buys for the dollar. That said it will work perfectly fine for now so upgrade the speakers first then worry about a newer reciever.

 

[LanceJ]

Tony: definitely replace that Bose center channel ASAP. That is the only Bose speaker I think sounds truly awful.

Actually, I really would advise running your system without it by setting your receiver to "center-no" (that signal will then be rerouted to the front mains) because the VCS-10's flaky/tinny sound is most probably interfering with the very good stuff emanating from the B&Ws.

 

[SethH]

Like others have said, replace the center channel as your first order of business. If you want to stick with B&W, I would recommend the LCR600 over the LCR60. It's more expensive, but most believe it is worth the extra cost for the difference in quality.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I agree completely with Lance -- that Bose center channel is the worst center speaker I've ever heard. I bought one to attempt to match some old Bose tower speakers bought in the '80's. It sounded like a burlap bag was covering the speaker. I ended up selling the entire Bose setup to a co-worker for a song, and he even noticed a big improvement in center channel performance when he replaced the Bose with a low-cost AR 5.1 speaker system a year later. He sold the Bose on ebay for more than he paid me.

The B&W's make fine home theater speakers. I own the 604 S2's as mains and have matched them with an LCR S2 center channel. I tried the smaller B&W CCR S2 center speaker first, but thought it was lacking compared with my mains. I think the current center model most closely matching it is the LCR600, which Seth recommended above. The LCR60 is probably the replacement for the CCR S2 that I did not care for.

 

[tonyGar]

Wow thanks for the feedback.

LCR600 It is then! 3 last questions:


1. What about Sorround sound speakers to match? What do you all recommend?

2. If I go 7.1 does that just mean 4 sorround sound speakers instead of 2? Or is there special speakers for 7.1? (I am thinking of getting a Denon 4806 to replace the Sony).

3. Any place you recommend on getting deals on B&W or is my best chance either EBAY or paying up at a boutique store?

Thanks!! You guys have been really helpful!!

Tony

 

[Scott Merryfield]

The B&W 602 make excellent surround speakers. If you are looking to save a little money, the 601's are another option.

 

[tonyGar]

BW 602s? It seems to me that the DS6s look like sorround sound speakers...there website isnt exactly clear.....

Also where do you go for the best deals on BWs?

 

[Citizen87645]

Unless you're a believer in bipole/dipoles, any speaker can be used as a surround speaker. Dolby in fact recommends the use of identical speakers in the entire arrangement, so that means the center channel too. Size and shape of speakers designated as centers and surrounds are mostly for placement and installation convenience since most people can't have or don't want speakers the size of their fronts in all positions.

 

[SethH]

The DS6 is wall mountable and can be used a dipole or monopole (it has a switch on it to choose). If you're going to use it as monopole and wall-mountable is not an issue, then the 602 is probably a better speaker. If you're doing 7.1 you could get 4 DS6's, 4 602's, or 2 of each depending on your setup needs.

You can check audiogon and ebay for used deals (I think there are some 602's on audiogon right now actually). Other than that you'll want to find a dealer in your area (a boutique as you said). These places are usually willing to haggle and you can probably get 10% off if you're buying 3 or 4 speakers -- maybe a little more or you might be able to get them to throw in some stands if you decide on the 602's.

 

[Scott Merryfield]

I was not terribly impressed with the B&W DS6 dipole speakers when I auditioned my B&W's several years ago. I preferred the conventional 602's.