Novice system - Your advice please!

[admin_exported]

Finally! - Dont you love it when you've reached that financial equilibrium in your life where you can totally justify having a kick ass system. Well im there folks but to be honest my knowledge is from my point adequate but probably only pretty much skims the surface, only thing i know is Im addicted to films and the cinematic experience a big system can bring is just around the corner! As soon as i get back from Iraq!!

Ok the system so far, please feel free to comment on any aspect of this system all views will be respected and ingested, also see my questions at the end:

Pioneer 507 XD Plasma Display

Pioneer DV 989 DVD Player (waiting for the Blu-ray/HDD argument to settle!)

Sky HD

Bowers & Wilkins MT-30 Sattelite speakers in 5.1 Configuration

Bowers & Wilkins PV1 Subwoofer

QED Silver Anniversary XT cabling throughout

QED HDMI SR interconnects

Van Den Hul Optocoupler 2 optical cables

Surround Receiver/Amplifier: Yamaha RX V2700 or Arcam AVR 350?

QUESTIONS:

1. Have still not decided on an amp/receiver, thinking around the grand region, i know the Arcam is meant to be more specific with music and have been advised that the yamaha would suit movies and my system better - which is true? If there are any other amps that would fill the gap please advise.

2.I am aware that i would be able to input both audio and video into my chosen reciever/amp via HDMI cables but am i better splitting both at source, using the VDH optical cables for sound alone. My inputs are from DVD player and Sky HD. Have i done right going for optical as oppose to digital coax in this application?

3.Have a strange feeling that the B&W satellite speakers may not have a big enough sound for the rest of the system, would i be wise throwing some floorstanders at the front of the room aswell, say Monitor Audio gold series or B&W XT's?

Cheers for listening anyway, as i said any help received would be a blessing!!

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="gavmee"]
1. Have still not decided on an amp/receiver, thinking around the grand region, i know the Arcam is meant to be more specific with music and have been advised that the yamaha would suit movies and my system better - which is true? If there are any other amps that would fill the gap please advise.

[/quote]

Basically that set-up looks fine to us, and while both of those amps are still very good, we'd also suggest you take a listen to the Onkyo TX-SR875 and Sony STR-DA5200ES.

[quote user="gavmee"]

2.I am aware that i would be able to input both audio and video into
my chosen reciever/amp via HDMI cables but am i better splitting both
at source, using the VDH optical cables for sound alone. My inputs are
from DVD player and Sky HD. Have i done right going for optical as
oppose to digital coax in this application?

[/quote]

You'll need optical digital at the moment to get surround sound out of the Sjy HD box, as there's no surround on the HDMI link there yet. With the DVD player it's entirely up to you - there's no advantage either way.

[quote user="gavmee"]

3.Have a strange feeling that the B&W satellite speakers may not
have a big enough sound for the rest of the system, would i be wise
throwing some floorstanders at the front of the room aswell, say
Monitor Audio gold series or B&W XT's?

[/quote]

Could well be worthwhile. For the best matching I'd go for the XTs, and redeploy the MT30 speakers to complete a 7.1 channel system.

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew

Good advice, the ONKYO looks a cracking machine, cant wait to hear one in action, thanks for taking the time to respond to my dilemma.

Finally just one more question.

I received the QED Silver Anniversary XT cables terminated at either end for ease of use, stupid of me to think ahead i know but.........however the B&W sattelite speakers require hard wiring in through internal connections. i am completely happy in doing this however given the XT's airloc/airtube technolgy will i be completely defeating the object by stripping and clamping one end of the cable down in a normal wiring connection.

Best regards and once again can i commend you on an excellent service

Gavin Mee

 

[Andrew Everard]

[quote user="gavmee"]

I received the QED Silver Anniversary XT cables terminated at either end for ease of use, stupid of me to think ahead i know but.........however the B&W sattelite speakers require hard wiring in through internal connections. i am completely happy in doing this however given the XT's airloc/airtube technolgy will i be completely defeating the object by stripping and clamping one end of the cable down in a normal wiring connection.

[/quote]

In a word, no.