Why spend big bucks for HT? (1 Viewer)

I have read several threads on someone wanting suggestions on upgrading from one amp to a more expensive amp to power his speakers although the two amps had similar power. Then the person posting the thread says that he will use the amp for 90-95% HT. Other than features, why bother if he isn't going to use it for music where you might could really tell the difference? For that matter, why even use separates at all for HT? For HT is 150-200 WPC going to be that much different than 120 WPC? Why care about "warm" sound for HT? I just don't get it.

Can't speak for anyone else, but my response to that is...

"why not?"

It really is like a drug.

For HT it really doesnt matter, IMHO. The soundtracks are not that well recorded and plus you really cant tell one amp from another (barring headroom, available power at clipping etc) in purely multichannel HT. Issues of soundstaging, imaging, resolution etc are not that relavant in HT anyways IMO although warmth and brightness does matter in HT. Just go listen to an Onkyo and HK at CC and you'll be able to tell the difference. Atleast I prefer the sound of HK over Onk so I think warmth and brightness are absolutely valid comparisons in HT too, but the difference between two similarly sounding amps is negligible in HT like I wouldn't fret about a Parasound or a Rotel amp in purely HT comparison.

This hobby can be more like a disease.

-rob

Why spend big bucks on a car? Good food? A bigger house? This is a need vs. want thing. Does anyone really need a $80K car? A $10K pair speakers?

Each person has a tolerance level, and expectation. One person may be perfectly happy with an HTiB, while I would not be.

The difference is in the details. While I would not argue that the difference between a Rotel and Parasound for HT may not be a big difference, the difference between a low end Sony to a Rotel of the same power rating will give you a SIGNIFICANT difference, guaranteed.

My sentiments exactly. If I had the money, I'd get the best I could possibly get, not just because I could, but depending on the system, it's good to know that what you are watching or listening to is on reference type system. Just me.

I don't have expensive seperates but when I did buy my
Reciever it was well over a grand so it wasn't exactly
"cheap". At that time Onk wasn't a best buy slut either
like it is today..

I could have bought a HTiB or a lower priced setup but I
had expectations that had to be met for features and build
quality and nothing shy of a grand met my needs at that
time. And like others have said, hell why not..

I have had that Reciever now for almost 2 years and it's
been a pleasure. The Onk is certainly geared for movies as
the proccesing is first rate and the sound quality is nothing
short of fantastic.

In fact I have Never been anything other than 100%
satisfied with the way movies sound (never had any complaints
from outsiders either) but music has always been less than
what I expected. Music has always been "very good" from the
Onk but never "great" I always wanted for something more..
So then I began the journey back into strict 2 channel. Now
I can say my Music system is nearing semi completion and it's
never sounded better.

Do we need all of this junk? Lets face it.. It's all nothing
more than "Needful Things". We don't really need it when we
can go to the cinema right? I don't need two Corvette's
when a Cavalier has an engine and goes forwards and back.
I don't need a $500.00 watch on my wrist when a timex does
the same thing for $20.00.

It's all a matter of what you want and if you can comfortably
afford it. Sure I'd love to run out and spend $100,000.00
tomorrow on audio equipment just to say I did it.. But that
is not happening any time soon. So I will live within my
means and upgrade slowly and research throughly and shop
carefuly!

When I went from a $300 Sony receiver to a $1000 Denon 3300 receiver back in 1999 I could immediately tell a diferrence. The Sony was 100x5 and the Denon was 105x5, and with the Denon the amount of detail was very noticable for HT. Right away I was hearing sounds that I knew were there, but now they were more pronounced.

In 2000 I added a Rotel 1095(200x5) amp and used the Denon as a pre amp only. Once again the detail was increased. Even my wife who always says "yeah that's great" said movies sounded better. Then in 2002 I added a Rotel 1066 pre amp to replace the Denon. Adding the 1066 didn't seem to make all that much of an improvement to movies, but for music it did improve the sound.

To me it seems like to amps in the Denon and The Rotel 1095 made the most improvements. Of course the Rotel amp added 100 extra watts per channel so that probably made the difference, but with the Denon it was only 5 extra watts per channel.

To me HT does have a warm or bright sound and the level of detail also comes through with different gear.

I think we shouldnt say that a receiver is bright or warm, but I do believe that every reciever sounds different. And it is the outcome of the tecnology that every manufacturer gives to their products.

But I also can say that even in movies I can tell the difference, not as big as on music, but I still think I have my own preferences.

You also have to remember that the outcome of your setup will not only depend on the receiver but also in the speakers, so fiting a budget to your likings is a matter of testing and auditioning, finding the best receiver that matches your speakers is fun.

But this is only my opinion.

sink it into speakers.

Yes, spend wisely at all price points and it gets better. There's much to be said for getting the genuinely "best" stuff on the market. But you can also purchase unwisely while spending a lot of money and not have a system that's as good as one assembled for much less.

Legairre,

How have you been. Long time no see. How is the family, new house, and especially the Rotel separates and speakers.

My home theatre is also my music system. That said. I'm happy with my receivers sound.

George,
It has been a long time. Everyone and everything is just great(thanks for asking). One of these days I'll have to update my site with pics of the theater we built in the basement of the new house. I seem to spend all my time either listen to music, watching movies or working on the theater. Ok, OK I admit it. I spend time with the family too.

The seperates are really great. I just picked up a Rotel RB1050(70x2) to power my center back speakers. EX/ES movies really sound great(love the pod race scene in Star Wars).

How have you been?

Sorry for the off topic guys:b

Legairre,

sounds like a nice system it is nice having a house. Especially when you can make a HT room to enjoy and even beter when you can use dual rears and run a 7.1 system. hehe, me too

Craig

Legairre,

Things have been ok, work has been a pain, but the family is good. Not much change to the HT, except that I replaced the Kefs with some GR Research speakers that I built from a kit (they sound great).

Update your site, it would be nice to see how everything turned out.

George

go out and listen for yourself...

Why do some care what others do with their money?

I just don't get it.

Can't help ya here.


Peace Out~

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Warm and bright is only subjective terminology. sounding 'different' is a more diplomatic way of saying the same thing.