Pleasing the wife

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Dear WHF,

My wife and I have just started a major extension to our home and we're both excited about the changes we'll be making. However, whilst I am particularly eager create a decent home cinema set-up, my wife (not unsurprisingly) doesn't share my enthusiasm. So much so, that I may have to make some compromises.

First problem. Speakers. She didn't like the look of any of the large speaker systems, or even the style speaker pakages from KEF and B&W. The discrete Q Acoustics QAV 5.1 speaker system seems a good compromise and the price is right. With its soundbar-type LCR arrangement, this will perhaps not provide a perfect 5.1 experience, but I'm confident that it will be a good step up from my Yamaha soundbar. We will be using the system mostly for TV and movies, but music is also important. Is this a good choice or are there better discrete alternatives in the same price range? I've looked at some in-wall and in-ceiling solutions but I'm concerned that they may not provide good enough surround sound, unless I spend a lot more money.

My second decision is which AV receiver to buy. I'm currently working in the Middle East and have not had a chance to run any auditions. There seem to be several contenders in my price bracket. Namely the Denon AVR-1910, the Sony STR-DA2400ES, or the older Yamaha DSP-AX863SE. They have all received excellent reviews, but I'm not sure which will be best suited to the QAV? Indeed, what are the really meaningful differences in performance and specification between them? I have a lot of Sony equipment, so will the Sony be the best bet? I do like the XMB interface.

My third conundrum is around operation. With all this new kit, I'm concerned my wife will be overwhelmed with remote controls and will mess up the settings trying to perform the simplest of functions and then throw the controls at me in frustration. I have decided to be proactive and search for a universal remote solution. As a gadget fan, I'm quite attracted to the Logitech Harmony 1100, but it's very dear. Especially as I will need to pay extra for the separate Logitech IR and bluetooth repeater units required to control the AV gear and PS3 which will be hiding in a dedicated storage unit. Is it really worth paying a premium for the 1100, versus the older 1000? Can you recommend some other options?

Any advice you can give is highly appreciated. And by the way, please keep the good work up on the magazine, it really is an enjoyable read.

Sorry for such a long letter, but I didn't have the time to write a short one.

Many thanks and best regards,

Daniel Rynehart
 

Nick_Shepherd

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Great thread title by the way!!

I got roud my oher half by getting all white speakers (nearly) and a white TV to match all the furniture. Cables will all go under carpet.
 
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Anonymous

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Nick_Shepherd:
Great thread title by the way!!

That's what I thought.... should get quite a few hits!
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Cofnchtr

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Hi,

Was going to recommend you post in 'Auntie Angelina's Problem Corner' but seeing it's a genuine hi-fi problem...

Can recommend the Harmony One. Always on offer somewhere - you just have to get lucky with the prices. Got mine for about £75. Logitech have just brought out a dongle which allows it's remotes to work with the PS3.

My OH was fair pleased with the B&W M1's in exchange for the B&W 601's we had.

The Yamaha amp is scarce (if it still exists in the shops). Newer versions are out but I'd await the next issue of the mag. Should be lots of award winners in there to assist in narrowing down your choices.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.
 

Frank Harvey

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I too have been duped by the title.......

Anyway, as Nick mentioned, white may be the way forward. Personally, and I've mentioned this before (and I'm going to mention it again to make sure people know where they heard it first!), I really do think white will be the colour for 2010. Mark my words! Monster! Monster!
 

Sorreltiger

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Has your other half actually heard what a good system will do? Although she might be put off initially by the idea of 'big boxes', if she really likes spending time watching movies, you might find that a stonking demo of (forgive the stereotype) 'Mama Mia' - or whatever tickles her fancy - will work wonders. Although I am often teased about my liking for 'gadgets', I reckon that now my wife is (on the quiet) just as enthusiastic as I am about our TV room set-up.

As I have pointed out on other threads, I consider that a Harmony One remote was probably my best buy of all, making the system a doddle to operate for everyone.
 
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Anonymous

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Thanks for the input so far. ÿFrankly the missus doesn't care so much about sound quality - its all about minimising the aesthetic impact. ÿSo I'd prefer as discrete a system as possible. ÿ

I will certainly look at the Harmony One. ÿDoes this definitely work with the Logitech RF repeater? ÿ

If anyone has experience with the QAV it would be great to hear from you. ÿAm looking forward to the Awards issue but if anyone has any of the amps I mentioned and can offer advice, it would be a great help.

ÿ

ÿ
 
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Anonymous

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Its quite funny as my wife is exactly the same, we've just finished our decorating and one og the problems i was faced with was that she didn't want black speakers on her magnolia coloured walls I've had to do sum research and plenty of testing and i there only seems two products for me which was either the bose jewel cube(white), or the mission m-cube(cream) both very discreeat, after couple of question on this site i was told not to touch the bose and stick with the mission so thats one problem sorted, next was the amp, i had three choices, the STR-DA2400E, Onkyo TX-sr 607 and the denon 1910. I choose the denon as its feautures were to my requirements and had very good reviews. So thats my story !

 

Clare Newsome

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Talking of Q Acoustics - these barnstormers are also available in a lovely gloss-white finish, complete with a neat wall-mounting solution. Not as big as they may seem, and fantastic performance for the money.

Smaller still is Monitor Audio's excellent Radius HD range - again, plenty of colour choices here, including white.

And finally, the B&W MT-1 satellites - and the sublime PV1 subwoofer - are also now available in white....
 
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Anonymous

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How do you convinvce the wife it's a good idea to spend more money on HI Fi ?

Wife: "Why do you need to buy CDP/Amp/Speakers/TV?"

Me: "To get better sound/vision qualiity"

Wife: "Aren't you happy with what you got already?"

Me: a)" Well yes...

Wife: a)"So why do tou need
 

D.J.KRIME

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Seeing as you are having building work done why not consider installing in wall speakers LIKE THESE completly discreate and there are even in ceiling ones for rear channels.

I am sure going this route will out proform any sound bar and keep the Wife happy as no wires or speakers cluttering up the room.
 
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Anonymous

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think about running cables under the floor while your building keeps things tidy whatever kit you use
 

Big Aura

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john jed:

How do you convinvce the wife it's a good idea to spend more money on HI Fi ?

Wife: "Why do you need to buy CDP/Amp/Speakers/TV?"

Me: "To get better sound/vision qualiity"

Wife: "Aren't you happy with what you got already?"

Me: a)" Well yes...

Wife: a)"So why do tou need

Rather than "well yes..." you should have said "No".

To the OP - on the many remotes, my missus was flummoxed but after a very short time, she was fully up to speed. Same went for when I replaced my entire system last year. She can now select DVD/TV/iPod and use the volume on the Amp remote, change stations on the Humax remote, and press play/stop/pause/skip/eject on the DVD remote. It's amazing! How she manages to do all that and have a complicated job is a real source of pride to me - who knew, even with their tiny brains (according to an expert in the field), they can manage to pass themselves off as almost as capable as men.
 
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Anonymous

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Rather than "well yes..." you should have said "No".

The reply from wife would be " Why did you buy it in the first place?

"And you will be saying you want to upgrade again in a few years time"

Can anyone advise a good answer to convince her indoors that an upgrade is necessary?
 

Big Aura

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"It was the best I could afford at the time, but now it's outdated and needs replacing".

Like how you don't wear that Coast dress you bought in 2005 anymore, and instead prefer the slinky number you bought in Harvy Nic's this summer (which you look great in, by the way).
 
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Anonymous

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I am 62 and seven eighths if that is a number , and my wife is just 61 We are completely different in what we like ,but get on very well together. Years ago we decided that it was much easier to not buy each other presents for either Xmas or birthdays as we would always be disappointed with what we got and my wife loves taking stuff back to the shop just to check she hasnt made a mistake in what she bought. We have seperate rooms for evenings ...usually ,unless we watch a movie together. She has a CRT tv which is ok and I have a 47inch Tv , Arcam AVR 600, Dali Ikon 5.1 and a recent OPPO BDP 83.

She never likes to be not busy( sorry about the double negative) and is good at multi skilling. She can watch Strictly Scum Dancing and Ex benefits claimers Factor ( maybe that should be edited for legal reasons?) at the same time whilst doing Sudoko or a crossword and talking to me (unless I can escape from the room)

She cant sit down and listen to music LOUD, there is always a question to be asked 30 seconds into a track.

However.... we have joint accounts and trust each other with money, we dont play the game " well you had a new amplifier so I will have to spend the same money on a pair of shoes etc" so all in all it is a compromise.

My argument to justify small car money spent on an amplifier etc is that I don't smoke, very rarely drink or go to the pub with me mates( dont actually have many....I prefer female company ) and don't womanise ( at least in practice...but maybe theoretically if you get my drift) and we save money on not having to go to a cinema ( 12 miles away) where I cant have a pee half way through a film like Lord of the Rings in case I miss owt and the centre channel isn't loud enough for me.

She sort of accepts that argument but but still comes up with the " why do you need to upgrade , you've already spend a fortune" question when I disappear for hours on the internet and come out saying I want to buy something.

My answer in the case of the Arcam 600 was that I was actually saving loads of money as it was for sale at £2750...ouch!...but was about to go up to £3500...ouch ouch!

She wasn't convinced but in the end said yes and when I got it set up and playing all my CDs again she was in her room next door and could hear it through the open door. She was reading, cuddling the dogs, doing a crossword and jigging about to the music and 30 seconds into a favourite track of hers she shouted through to turn it down a minute. I could only just hear her but complied and was dreading her words to come.

" I can hear why you have spent so much on the amplifier" she said; then went silent for a while and finally asked me to play the track again but louder. I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

She even watched a movie with me and screamed when a car came through a wall un- announced ..."Transporter 3"...result.

When I later approached her to buy a new CD/DVD/BLU RAY player...(yes the OPPO BDP 83)..she did say "why did I need another BLU RAY player as I had the PS3?" I cant remember exactly what I said but I am sure it was along the lines of " I dont need it , I WANT it". She wasn't too happy about the cost but again when I played a disc to her , an SACD, she had to admit that it sounded fantastic.

You may be wondering where all this is leading, but the answer to that is that it isn't leading anywhere. After my 62 and seven eighths years I still don't understand women and never will. She can cook, work a sewing machine, knit complicated pullovers, guess what I am about to say,understand what the dogs means by a bark and talk for hours about nothing on the phone. She still can't switch on my room let alone operate the remotes, but therein is the mystery that is the female of the species. Can't live with em and can't live wiithout em!
 

Xanderzdad

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Brilliant - I am 40 and hoping to slowly achieve your state of 'understanding'. You brought a real smile to my face. Not sure If I will let my wife read this or not though!!

BTW I too have my own room for TV & music - but guess who always turns up at about 9pm to watch 'decent' telly??
 

The_Lhc

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barrywi: I am 62 and seven eighths if that is a number , and my wife is just 61 We are completely different in what we like

I'm not surprised with such a yawning age gap like that, how on earth do you cope?
 
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Anonymous

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I have suggested my wife reads my post but she hasnt done yet!
 

idc

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Big Aura:......... How she manages to do all that and have a complicated job is a real source of pride to me - who knew, even with their tiny brains (according to an expert in the field), they can manage to pass themselves off as almost as capable as men.

Exellent point Big Aura and backed up by evidence as well, so there is now no disputing the matter.
 
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Anonymous

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Just tell her you're in the mood for upgrading and it's the home cinema equipment or her
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