Is it worth upgrading at the moment

[True Blue]

See my kit list. If I get the promotion at work am thinking of upgrading my Denon 1909 to a Denon 2310 or Yamaha RXV3900, or possibly upgrading the Panny BD35 (not sure what to)

Any comments as to whether it will be worthwhile doing at the moment with new 2010 kit being released and also the upcoming 3d surge.

 

[Sliced Bread]

Just my personal opinion. I'm not buying any more Home Cinema equipment until this 3D buzz settles down. Weird really as I'm not in the least bit interested in 3D, however with HDMI 1.4 on its way I wouldn't touch another bluray / receiver / TV for a while. Also it is possible that 3D may work out in the long run (although I really really doubt it). I would hate to have spent a small fortune on equipment that is out of date just months after I bought it.

I was about to buy an infocus projector and x-screen about a week or so before HDMI 1.4 was announced. But I think I'll wait now.

In fact the high pace of technology change has actually put me off AV equipment and increased my interest of more traditional stereo systems.

I wonder how many other people are feeling the same way?

 

[Andrew Everard]

It's the $64K question, and many must be thinking the same way.

Really depends how interested you think you will be in 3D...

 

[Sliced Bread]

Yes true. The thing is I'm really not interested in 3D at all. But with such a strong industry push towards 3D, I'm a little worried that some films / games in the future will be shot with 3D in mind and 2D as a mere afterthought. I hope this isn't the case though, but until I know one way or the other my wallet is going to be put to one side.

I wonder if 3D will actually prove to be destructive to AV companies?

 

[Anonymous]

John, Yes I think you may be right, certainly in the short term, I personally have just changed my TV, AMP & Speakers, and was about to buy a new decent blu ray player.

However I have decided to hold off until I see what the reviews and pricing is on the new Panasonic BDT300 is, so I can take advantage of it's twin HDMIs, although like you I really have no interest in 3D at home.

Don't get me wrong, I thought Christmas Carol and Avatar looked excellent in the cinema, but when at home I like to potter around whilst a movie is on, specially with 2 youngs kids, who always need something doing/fetching 2-3 times through a film.

Also as you say, if you see a film originally shot for 3D, like Monster Vs Aliens or Fly to the moon( What a load of rubbish), you can see the scenes that where meant to be 3D, pretty annoying really.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew Everard:

It's the $64K question, and many must be thinking the same way.

Really depends how interested you think you will be in 3D...

Don,t think i would look any more different in 3D

 

[Andrew Everard]

Now you see that would have worked had I said 'how interesting you will be', not 'how interested you will be'...

 

[Sliced Bread]

markjaspi:However I have decided to hold off until I see what the reviews and pricing is on the new Panasonic BDT300 is, so I can take advantage of it's twin HDMIs, although like you I really have no interest in 3D at home.
Hopefully more players will have this feature. It seems to be the only sensible answer at the moment.

 

[Tonya]

I don't understand the general concensus that the very latest (or soon to be released) kit will sound or look so much better than the current generation.
Some almost ancient valve amplifier designs are still superior in musical warmth and quality compared to some of the latest kit, some of the finest sounding loudspeakers available today are considered practically ancient on the hifi timeline.

I think it's only worth upgrading equipment today if it genuinely offers a leap in quality or performance.
You'll have to look far and wide to experience a more open and satisfying sound of a well recorded tape played back on a Revox 77 series reel to reel.
The most popular studio microphone today hasn't really changed it's design since I started in the business during The Dark Ages.

I think I'm right in stating that the de-facto plasma reference is still the Kuro, a design that dates back several years.
Personally, I have yet to see a current LCD outperform my Sony 52W4500, I took a good look at the later Sony series and wasn't that impressed.

I'm sure that it will be surpassed (hopefully with a good 3D set) but until that day arrives then I'm happy with what I've got.

Of course the danger of the whole "upgrading" route is that if you suddenly get a component that is much better than the one it replaces, it tends to show the weaknesses of the other components in the chain

 

[carter]

i woudnt worry to much about 3d i may dip into it with that new £2000, 50 inch panasonic but i will only use it with my ps3 and sky hd.i wont buy any dedicated bluray players for a while.but getting the new panasonic all depends on its reviews on 2d and the price of its 2d model.

if the 2d model is more than £500 less than the 3d one but offers the same 2d performance i will probably go 2d.i dont mind spending a bit to future proof but at the speed prices drop in three years time 3d will ever be cheaper or none existant

 

[Sliced Bread]

Tonya:I don't understand the general concensus that the very latest (or soon to be released) kit will sound or look so much better than the current generation
I certainly see your point and with stereo hifi, and, in that context I completely agree with you. My fathers 20 year old Arcam HiFi sounded brilliant until the day it died.

However the 3D issue is slightly different. Due to HDMI 1.4, if you buy a bluray player / TV / Receiver now and decide to go 3D next year, you will need to replace that component again in order to do so. The receiver can be avoided by (as the OP said) using a bluray player with two HDMI outputs (although how many players will have this facility and for how long players with that facility stick around is another matter).

It is more a question of compatibility, as opposed to one of quality.

 

[Tonya]

There are already "1 in 2 out" HDMI splitters available at around £30 so I'm sure it won't be too long before a version that will work with the new HDMI 1.4 standard comes out.
Then it will not be required to change out your current HD receiver if you happen to buy a 3D BD player that has only a single HDMI output, as by using a splitter one feed will be used for the HD audio to the receiver while the other feed will supply the 3D signal directly to the 3D monitor.

But technically, HDMI 1.3 can deliver a 3D signal @ 1080p although not at sixty frames per second but at thirty maximum..
Considering most of us use the default setting of 24 fps, there may be a chance that your current BD player will be capable of playing 3D discs anyway, according to a recent Sony press release.

So at least today's HD receivers and maybe even BD players are somewhat futureproof I guess . . . .

 

[Sliced Bread]

Tonya:But technically, HDMI 1.3 can deliver a 3D signal @ 1080p although not at sixty frames per second but at thirty maximum..
Considering most of us use the default setting of 24 fps, there may be a chance that your current BD player will be capable of playing 3D discs anyway, according to a recent Sony press release.

So at least today's HD receivers and maybe even BD players are somewhat futureproof I guess . . . .

Do you have the reference / link for this? I've not heard this before so I'm interested in what it has to say.

 

[Tonya]

I could put the link up but it would surely contravene house rules and the last thing I want on a Monday is the ever vigilant Mr.E pouncing on me like a panther.

I could state the obvious and ask you to Google it with a phrase like "sonys-blu-ray-players-do-3d-in-1080p-even-with-hdmi-1-3"

 

[True Blue]

Thanks for all the replies, got a lot to think about. Will keep an eye out for a bargain once the new ranges are released and they need to shift "old" stock.