larrybooher
Auditioning
- Joined
- Aug 13, 2014
- Messages
- 1
- Real Name
- Larry Booher
I am retired and studying to be a musician/composer (what I wish I could have done 45 years ago, but there was NO $ in music back then).
My current home theater is a 3-year old 70" 240HZ 3D Sharp Aquos - it was the best large screen I found after about a month of auditions (I would have gotten the 80" model, but there were long waiting lists in Southern California at the time (just before the 2012 Olympics) - and I checked around a lot!). I will likely upgrade to a 4k system when there is a good amount of over-the-air and DVD content for that format, and the prices have come down on 80"sets.
I have had a lot of receivers over the years - currently I use a several year old Marantz driving a very old Infinity surround system with each speaker having the same tweeter with the result that I have an overall seamless sound. Speech has a very high resolution on my system, the surround adds a lot to well-recorded movies, and the system produces NO fatigue from long listening. I am particularly pleased with the Marantz receiver. The Marantz replaced a very highly rated (at the time of purchase) Denon and immediately produced a more pleasant, defined, and relaxing sound.
The system includes a very old self-amplified bass speaker that I have to turn way down or it rattles the house (dust actually falls from the rafters!!!!)!
I have used a number of DVD players. Most, including highly rated models, had problems - particularly annoying were VERY slow start-up and interruptions in playback. I recently changed to a modestly priced Samsung that my son has been using, and I am very happy with it. The picture is better and the start-up speed and reliability are much better than its expensive, high-rated predecessors.
We watch a lot of movies on the system, but very little 3D as there is not much produced in that format at a reasonable price. (I hate to pay $35-45 for a movie we will just watch once!)
For TV we use DISH plus an over-the-air antenna that my local TV guy recommended and installed. The antenna has half a dozen bow-ties in front of a flat reflector and delivers an excellent picture from the transmitters on Mt. Wilson about 60 miles away. I recently switched to the Hopper DISH receivers and like the upgrade. The Hopper is easy to use and stores about a zillion movies.
For classical and jazz listening, I use a studio monitor system set up in another room with my keyboard, etc.
I am pretty satisfied with my current systems. I keep reading about and auditioning new products - but nothing I audition seems to offer a significant improvement in either the theater set-up or the music listening setup (except 4K - see note above). We'll see what I find here -
My current home theater is a 3-year old 70" 240HZ 3D Sharp Aquos - it was the best large screen I found after about a month of auditions (I would have gotten the 80" model, but there were long waiting lists in Southern California at the time (just before the 2012 Olympics) - and I checked around a lot!). I will likely upgrade to a 4k system when there is a good amount of over-the-air and DVD content for that format, and the prices have come down on 80"sets.
I have had a lot of receivers over the years - currently I use a several year old Marantz driving a very old Infinity surround system with each speaker having the same tweeter with the result that I have an overall seamless sound. Speech has a very high resolution on my system, the surround adds a lot to well-recorded movies, and the system produces NO fatigue from long listening. I am particularly pleased with the Marantz receiver. The Marantz replaced a very highly rated (at the time of purchase) Denon and immediately produced a more pleasant, defined, and relaxing sound.
The system includes a very old self-amplified bass speaker that I have to turn way down or it rattles the house (dust actually falls from the rafters!!!!)!
I have used a number of DVD players. Most, including highly rated models, had problems - particularly annoying were VERY slow start-up and interruptions in playback. I recently changed to a modestly priced Samsung that my son has been using, and I am very happy with it. The picture is better and the start-up speed and reliability are much better than its expensive, high-rated predecessors.
We watch a lot of movies on the system, but very little 3D as there is not much produced in that format at a reasonable price. (I hate to pay $35-45 for a movie we will just watch once!)
For TV we use DISH plus an over-the-air antenna that my local TV guy recommended and installed. The antenna has half a dozen bow-ties in front of a flat reflector and delivers an excellent picture from the transmitters on Mt. Wilson about 60 miles away. I recently switched to the Hopper DISH receivers and like the upgrade. The Hopper is easy to use and stores about a zillion movies.
For classical and jazz listening, I use a studio monitor system set up in another room with my keyboard, etc.
I am pretty satisfied with my current systems. I keep reading about and auditioning new products - but nothing I audition seems to offer a significant improvement in either the theater set-up or the music listening setup (except 4K - see note above). We'll see what I find here -
