Home Cinema Upgrade - Advice Required!

[admin_exported]

Evening Folks,

I'll apologise in advance, as there's a lot of questions in this post!

I currently have the Acoustic Energy Aego p5 (original one) which I use for movies and music. I've had this for years, buying it after seing it get the whathifi award at the time (2002 I think?)

It's served me really well, but I'm wondering if upgrading to todays equivalent would bring much if any improvements in the sound with both movies and music?

I've got a couple of setups in mind:

- boston acoustics soundware xs, sony 810/820 surround amp - approx £550 total

- B&W mt-25, pioneer vsx 920 surround amp - approx £1200 total

I've seen the pioneer amp for £350 which given it got 5* at £500 I'm guessing is great value.

So what are peoples thoughts on the two setups, and how much better they are than what I have already?

Also, I've currently got the sony bd360 bluray player. I'm considering the 570 as it has the wifi. Having been to visit relative in the USA recently and seen the great Netflix setup I think it's got to be the future over here too? Do Lovefilm have a similar thing over here?

Finally, given I use my iphone 4 as a source for my music for the system, do the surround amps I mention have decent DAC's or should I look at the new Arcam DAC?

My living room is approx 11ft x 19ft if that influences things at all?

Thanks in advance folks.....

 

[Anonymous]

The second system would sound much better than the first IMO, and as a possible option you could add in the yamaha 667 is about the same price.

However, as you have an iPhone, the 920 ( I used to have a 920) comes with a made for iphone lead that connections to the front USB, and sounds rather good with pioneers sound retriever mode, so that's probably the route I would advise, if you don't want to go the the expense of adding a iPod dock to the yamahe at about £50 extra overvthe 920.

The 920 also has an iPhone app that allows you to control in via Ethernet, which is quiet cool too.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks Mark.

Is the Yamaha you mention the one that also got 5* in the group test?

I take it both systems would be a decent step up over what I've got at the moment?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes that's the one, I think you can pick one up for around £329 now, discounted from it's original price when it was reviewed.

Either of this AVRs with the MT25 package would be a huge upgrade from your all in one system.

By the way the love film download service is not a touch on the US netflix service,, Sony have their own version, but it's expensive at the moment ( hopefully if nobody uses it, the prices may come down!).

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks again Mark.

I guess I'll save for the mt-25 (though I'd really like the mt-30!) and get it early in the new year. With a bit of luck either the yama or the pioneer will come down more in the new year too...

I was really impressed with the Netflix, the UK needs to catch up!

 

[audioaffair]

Of the options suggested, the Yamaha V667 is a winner considering Yamaha's recent price decrease - very little on the market that can come close to the sound and performance at this price. The other good option albeit a little more expensive is the 2010 award winning Onkyo SR608.

 

[Anonymous]

I don't know why but I just like the look of the Pioneer....

Thanks for the advice folks, and keep it coming!