Please advise (so far you guys are right on!) (1 Viewer)

[Michael Botvinick]

Thank You for all the email suggestions for my Kenwood/Definitive Technology problems. MY AMP NO LOPNGER ShUTS ITSELF OFF!!!.
With your suggestions, I went to Home Depot and bought 12 gauge wire and went to Radio Shack and bought the Banana plugs you guys suggeted. I bi-wired the 2002 Def Techs (For Mid and Highs) and ran RCA cables for the low/sub. It sounds so much better and cost me under $50. I like that. When playing Toy Story two and above -42db or higher on the Kenwood it would shut itself off. No More.
Now I have abut $800 bucks to spend to upgrade my system. My kenwood is the KRV-8070 which is one of the most powerful receivers Kenwood made but it is only Pro-Logic. (If anyone wants it I will give it to them cheap or trade for something)
I think I should upgrade the AMP/Reciever. Also my rear channels and center channels are not so good (Polk Audios). I think I should buy the Def Tech center to match the sounds but what would you guys suggest?
Should I go with the Outlaw 1050?? I can get any Pioneer product at cost. So I could get a Pioneer Elite amp instead?
What rear channels speakers do you guys like. And if I get a 7 channel amp then don't I need a rear center channel to?
Please aadvise,
Thanks,
Michael
[email protected]
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[Bob McElfresh]

Well you pegged it. You have 2 sore-spots in your system:
- No Dolby Digital
- No matching center speaker
This is just an opinion, but your first choice should be to buy the matching CLR2002 speaker. You will get the most increase in pleasure with this upgrade.
(In case you have not heard, I purchased my DefTech speakers based on how good the 2002 center speaker was. My criteria was: "Find the best-sounding center speaker, then buy the system to match".)
You can leave the Polk Audio speakers for the rear. They are just not as critical and it's not as important that they match the fronts.
Now for Dolby Digital...
The Outlaw unit has a good reputation. But if you can get Pioneer at cost, go for it.
I'm not up on Pioneer model numbers, but several of the Elite units have a good following. Try and find one with DTS and DolbyEX decoding.
If you get DolbyEX, you can take that old Center and move it to become the new rear-center speaker. With 3 DefTechs across the front and 3 Polks along the back...well you should have a nice system.
The only problem is the cost. The DefTech 2002 center sells for about $500. Can you get a nice pioneer elite for the remaining $300?