I want a home cinema system that plays great hi fi music too

[admin_exported]

I've been to my local independent dealer & I'm thinking about building the following system; Marantz cd3000; Sony bdp s370; Yamaha rxv 567; Monitor Audio rx1 (front); Monitor Audio RX centre/ or radius 250hd; Monitor Audio Radius 180 (rear); Monitor Audio Radius 370 hd. A media centre pc with freeview & freesat tuners.

My choices are based on the compromises of the shape of the room & where I can place the front speakers as the alternative would be at the side of whichever tv I get (last thing on list) on the chimney breast (radius 225). I am all cabled up & the pasterer is coming today.

Am I missing anything or mismatching? Have I got the reciever right & can it drive the speakers? Which centre? Most important, will it be musical enough? Any help or advice will be greatly appreciated. I don't mention budget as I'm skint through recent home improvements & will bild this system gradually.

(the room is a funny shape 4.5 metres long 3.5 metres wide, with a bay window. Front Speakers will be on 2 inch thick shelves at the side of the chimney breast, centre speaker & kit in the old fireplace, rear speakers on rear wall just above the listener pointing down, Sub at the back wall.)

 

[Zarn_Smith]

Actually this is a topic that very much interests me. Although I am happy with my home cinema set-up (i.e. it sounds great when playing movies), I can't say that it sounds good playing music...

Is there an affordable set-up that can do both?

 

[Anonymous]

Very difficult without compromising one or the other. My system was originally based around Cyrus AVMaster 8.0 which is really good for stereo but it only does Dolby Digital or DTS not the HD formats and it is hardly budget.

My brother has a Denon surround amp but it is only ok for stereo. Problem is you can always buy much better stereo for the same amount of money.

If you go for full range speakers rather than satellites, you will get a better sound for music. I would also recommend a dedicated CD player and a dedicated Blu-ray player unless you get a good stereo DAC and use blu-ray as a transport.

The amp is the real problem - I listened to an ARCAM receiver that according to this magazine was good for music and a cheaper Cyrus integrated wiped the floor with it!

 

[Sorreltiger]

You may well find (as I did) that you have to add a stereo amp for music listening. This is connected via the pre-outs from the receiver and drives the front pair of speakers, even when watching TV and movies. The CD player and stereo amp work on their own for music. Unfortunately, the Yamaha receiver you've chosen doesn't have pre-outs and you'd need to go for the next model up (or an alternative). I had hoped to manage with my AV amp, but wasn't really satisfied. I have found that my music reproduction has improved hugely with this new arrangement.

 

[DrizztDan]

i am also interested in this topic, as i am looking to upgrade my system with the full AE Neo 3 range and a decent AV receiver.

could you recommend any Sorreltiger?

 

[RCduck7]

I will suport that to, add a stereo amp and cd player or dac to an av amp that has pre outs for the front speakers. Or even better, if you have 2 seperate rooms, one for music and one for movies if you have the luxury. Not just any room though, acoustics and placement of speakerd play a role as always.

 

[smuggs]

i think that if you have a mini system or an old hifi and dont go and listen to hifi setups of value you would be chuffed to bits with a good cdplayer through an av amp say £500 worth with rx1's on the end. If you start looking for more then you really need a hifi setup and a home cinema set up. You start messing with pre-outs and will give the whole family nightmares they will start messing with volume knobs and all sorts. just imo

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your comment, you seem to understand my predicament, I do think I'm on the right lines I just don't want to make an idiotic error or miss the opportunity of getting the right product.

Cheers!

 

[Anonymous]

Angelface59 - I see where you're coming from, but appreciate, I aren't the audiophile that you are & I know what I'm trying to achieve means compromising. I know if I buy what I've proposed it will sound great to me but can those components be bettered & is there anything else that could improve the system without getting too technical. I used to have Mission 702e floorstanders; denon pma250; marantz cd53se; plus minidisc, tuner & tape deck. Is your answer different when put in this context.

I really appreciate the feedback regardless of how many miles it is above my head! Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

I would agree with Sorreltiger if you can stretch to an AV amp with pre-outs you will be really ensuring that if in the future you want to try going that little bit further to get great stereo sound you don't have to buy a new AV amp as well as a stereo one.

But whatever you go for enjoy!

 

[Sorreltiger]

Yes - that's what I meant, ash. Buying an AV amp with pre-outs just gives you more flexibility. It could be that the SQ is good enough - if so, great!

If the possibility of 3D isn't important, you could still get the Yamaha RX-V765 (with pre-outs) for a similar price (about £350) from Peter Tyson.