Have we hit the limit of what our HT's can do? (1 Viewer)

[Keir H]

Have we reached that limit of the manufactures can bring to us for our home theaters. Since sound quality has alot to do with our rooms & buying todays highest end gear (Meridian, Lexicon, Wilson, Revel, Velodyne, SVS ect..) that can't possibly get much better, we should finally be rid of the upgrade bug once and for all right? Is anyone out there satisfied totally? But honestly, it's true there are alot of systems out there that rival some of the best theaters "pound for pound" but I have yet to hear that last little bit of fidelity that I get at the (better) theaters. Is that due to the space or equiptment used I wonder. WHat do you guys think??

 

[Holadem]

I don't think any HT will ever come close to recreating what a large room sounds like. Our HT might be clearer, more accutate, have more bass etc... but unless some technological breakthrough comes along, they won't sound like theaters (HUGE wall of sound).

[EDITED] to say that my HT experience is limited to my 12x15 room. Perhaps someone with a larger room might feel different.

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Holadem

 

[Bob_A]

I think the spaciousness at the Theater is something which really cannot be duplicated at home. Also, they are using (presumably) many more speakers than we use at home. Maybe someday we will have software which takes advantage of speakers placed front, rear, sides, and even top! Imagine how that would be...if it starts raining in the movie, it sounds like it is raining above you and all around you! I also feel that having near full range speakers for the front and rear can really add a lot to the experience at home, and of course the ultimate would be to have identical near full range speakers for the front and rear.

 

[Martice]

Four schools of thought:

1) You're only as good as the latest feature.

2) You're only as good as the source material in your player.

3) You're only as good as your room

4) You're only as good as you're weakest link.

Let's face it. With all these aspects of audio and HT there will always be something that presses us to upgrade and pursue that never never land known as Nirvana.

The only long time fixture I'm sure about in my system is my amplification. My speakers have never known distortion on any audible level. My room gives out before my system distorts.

 

[Paul Hillenbrand]

Have we reached that limit of the manufactures can bring to us for our home theaters.

IMO, no. Some things I think there's a chance of waiting for:

High Definition hardware & software.

SDDS for home use.

Proprietary 7 channel ProLogic II.

2 height channels added to Lexicon's Logic7

DVD-Audio &/or SACD as additional sound choices for video media.

On & On.....

 

[Neil Joseph]

I would like to see smart receivers and speakers that communicate with each other much like a computer does with one of its devices. That way, the receiver would know where in the room the speakers are (does not matter how many you have) and the receiver would then send the corresponding signal to that speaker. So if you then move a speaker a few feet, it would receiver a slightly different signal.

 

[Ron-P]

Have we hit the limit of what our HT's can do?

On a personal level, yes, I am just about there.
I do not see much more in the way of upgrades for my rig. I've got the dedicated room, the seating, the 16:9, the progressive player, the speakers I wanted and of course a wife that tolerates it all
The last upgrade on my list are some seperate amps and then I am the point where the dollar vr. quality of the upgrade is not really worth it.
But, on a mass market consumer level, I really don't see a limit anytime soon, I think we are still in the early stages of HT and for the manufactures to stay in business, they always have to put out something bigger and better than the previous.
Guess it all comes down to your budget and contentment with that.
Peace Out~