chun howe

given the chance to start from scratch.

what's to most important component for movie and music that has the highest impact on quality? in other words which one will make a difference?

commonly people will start buying
1. TV
2. DVD
3. RECEIVER + Main
4. Sub
5. Center
6. Rear/Surr.
7. SACD
8. bigger amps
9. so on and so forth.

i read alot of folks say speaker is what needs emphassis on the most. true?
what about receiver? and audio/video source? cables and interconnects?
without further confuse anyone; my question is out of speakers, receiver/amp, audio/video source, cables/interconnects which has the most impact on performance/quality when change/upgrade. i'll leave money out of the equation for now.

RayJK

For HT it is most definitely screen size. A front projector with an average sound system will be a better experience then a 36" screen with a high-end system. For me it would be TV, Speakers, prepro, amp, and sources. For a music system it is the speakers then preamp/sources then amp. IMHO

chun howe

RayJK: thanks for the input
why is preamp/sources more important than amp? mind if you share some thoughts in here?


once again thanks

RayJK

In my opinion most amps of a given quality are pretty much the same. A Krell will be close to a Pass, an Adcom to a Parasound and a B&K to Rotel etc etc. Now will a Rotel sound the same as a Levinson...up to you and your ears. The pre/pro does so many things to the signal be it an analog input or digital input that it can have a greater effect on the output. This will be true no matter what amp you use. Get what you hear (speakers) as good as you can and then start with the smaller improvements (pre/pro-sources) and smaller (amps). This is especially true in HT where the audio is more processed then in Stereo.

Lew Crippen

I agree with Ray, but I’d put picture quality in front of screen size. In order:

1. TV—if I were starting over and had a dedicated room for HT, I’d go with a front projector. Get an HD TV with a screen size proportionate to your viewing area and preferences. Try to get a display that really resolves 1080 lines.
2. ISF calibration. This will make a big difference.
3. Speakers—starting over, opt for a matched set from the same manufacturer and the same model lines, subwoofer excepted. This is important for timbre matching. Spend a lot of time doing research. For some of the online speaker distribution companies (such as SVS or AV123) try to arrange for a demo from someone who already owns that line. Listen a lot. Decide what you like even in terms of the surround effect. For example some like dipoles for their surround speakers. Others don’t.
4. DVD—watch and pick one that you like.
5. Receiver (or amp/prepro). I agree with Ray that most good solid state amps (or receivers) are pretty much the same.
6. SPL meter and Avia (or other) calibration disk, especially if you did not opt for an ISF calibration.
7. CD
8. Turntable (I have an extensive LP collection
9. DVHS
Cables, etc.

¡Time is not my master!

chun howe

very well tought lew, thanks
btw which part of dallas are you in?
i am from richardson.
where do you buy your HT stuff?

Lew Crippen

I live in University Park, fairly close to SMU. And welcome to the forum. Always glad to have another member from Dallas.

Where I buy depends on what I’m buying. For most, non-specialized equipment (lower end and middle-of-the-road) I go to the big volume stores, such as Circuit City, Best Buy, Ultimate Electronics. I often go to Ed Kellum appliance (on Cole, just south of Knox) as it’s only a mile from my home, they are a local store not a chain and provide very good service. It is often possible to do a deal with them.

For moderately expensive and top end stuff there are several good places, but I really like Hillcrest Hi Fi. They have been in business for a long time (long before HT) and are quite helpful.

¡Time is not my master!