5.1 Package Advice

[BIGPhil]

Hi,

I have posted this on other sites so apologies if I am repeating myself to the same audience.

I recently treated myself to a new Sony W905 television (after my previous TV died) and whilst the picture is great, I feel I am missing something in the sound department.

As a result, I have been looking at buying an AV receiver and some 5.1 surround speakers (which I would use primarily for movies but also for music). I live in a 2nd floor flat so the speakers cannot be too overpowering (or I will face the wrath of the gentleman living on the 1st floor) but I do want equipment that is capable and will last (for the not too distant future when I am potentially no longer living above someone else). This is my first foray into home cinema and audiophilia so I am a little unsure what I should be looking at. Having done a certain amount of research, I have been considering the following AV receivers:

Sony STR-DN1040

Denon AVRX2000

Initially I was looking at the Tannoy HTS101 speakers but having read various threads here and elsewhere I have increased my budget quite considerably to the following choices:

Q Acoustics 2000i 5.1 Pack

Dali Zensor 1 5.1

The Zensors are at the very limit of my budget and I am only considering them because of the reviews they have received and the fact that I have seen a number of bundle deals (speakers plus AV receiver) which are only just over the £1,000 mark.

However, when I popped into a relatively local Richer Sounds last week to attempt to arrange a demo of the above equipment, the deputy manager tried to steer me towards the Sony receiver but with some combination of CA MINX speakers (such as these). I believe that Richer Sounds is the sole distributor of CA in the UK so it may be that the profit margin on that particular manufacturer is much better but it seemed odd that he was trying to talk me out of spending money at his shop.

Please could you let me know if I am along the right lines in terms of AV receivers and speakers or whether there are other items I should be seriously considering (I imagine at some point someone might say "MA Vectors" and/or "Yamaha RXV675")? Additionally, please could you let me know whether the CA MINX speakers might be a worthwhile purchase (I always imagined that I would obtain a better sound from slightly larger speakers such as the Dalis)?

I would appreciate any advice you can give. Many thanks in advance.

 

[Leeps]

Ultimately it's your own ears and taste that will decide, but my own experience has taught me that (small) satellite / sub speakers (like the CA Minx) can be excellent with steering effects but less successful with movie soundtracks and stereo music in particular. I use my system primarily for music and really value the more hearty midrange that larger speakers can provide; it's especially noticeable with the human voice.

If it was my money I'd be looking at the Q Acoustics or Dali packages and concentrate on finding an AV receiver that compliments the speakers the best, again to your personal preference.

Just be a little careful to take a little time in any demo. What can sound impressive in a 5-minute demo can sound fatiguing after a feature film length listening session.

 

[ClassAct]

I would avoid pairing the Sony with the Zensor's or you may find it comes across as bright/clinical. I would also stick to a satellites package instead of bookshelf or floorstanders due to you living in an apartment.

I'm in a similar situation in my apartment myself. If you find a really great satellite package that you enjoy, you'll have the peace of mind that you can really crank them if you move to somewhere where neighbours are less of a problem. I guess it's all about finding the right balance between value, performance and versatility.

 

[BIGPhil]

Thank you for the advice. Presumably a Yamaha AV receiver such as the RXV675 or the Denon AVRX2000 mentioned in my original post would be a better idea then rather than the Sony if I were to go with the Zensor 1s?

I had looked at satellites originally but thought that bookshelf speakers would give me more options in the future and produce a better sound even though I am living in an apartment at the moment. Maybe I should rethink. To be honest, for someone who is new to this, there are a bewildering set of options and at the moment I am just trying to narrow down those options so that I have a shortlist of speakers and AV receivers to listen to in a shop.

 

[ClassAct]

You're welcome and you're quite right. The Denon and the Yamaha would make a much better choice of recover to match the Zensor 1s. If we was to look at just performance characteristics alone the Zensor's are a clear cut above the other packages you've mentioned. Also I would agree with you that bookshelf systems will give you more options long term too.

Are you in a position to audition a short list of your preferred speaker packages. You could then weigh up whether you prefer the Yamaha or Denon sound? I would also recommend Marantz receivers if there's any you like the look of in your budget range. (Same company as Denon but a different tonal signature), I would say they sound more warm and musical. I personally feel Denon have "dropped off" in recent years and aren't as good as they used to be. Having said that if I was to pick a Denon for the Zensor 1 package I would plump for the X4000 if you could stretch to it, for it's improved auto calibration software.

Hope I've been of help