Introduction Thread [Archive] - Audio & Video Forums

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salad 419
12-15-2006, 12:41 AM
Hey guys. I've been lurking and reading TONS of posts over the past month. Great Site. I'm usually more of a reader/searcher than more of a poster but I'm in need of new equipment, so I'll be posting quite a bit. I'll also probably post a few "stoopid" questions that will spark debate so I'll get more ideas or opinions about concepts that will help me decide which components to purchase. More often than not, the answers I'm "looking for" will have nothing to do with the questions.

Background/Current: I've owned a few mid-fi/mass market type systems (at best) in the early/mid 90's.You know, top of the Best Buy Line. They mostly consisted of ~$550 JVC Recievers(RX-809 &815?) and the associated CD,VCR and cassette players. The Speakers were 15" Pioneer CS-G403 and some 10" Video Shielded Fishers that I can't remember the model # of right now. I actually wired up 2 sony 3 1/2" car speakers for the center channel back then which did the trick.

Currently, I'm using a "back up to the back up" reciever. It's a Reference 180R by Quadraflex. It's probably mid 80's and noisy as hell. The Speakers are Cerwin Vega E-710 and LW-12 Sub. I'm NOT a Cerwin Vega fan and these speakers don't do the trick for me, but they were the best sounding speakers in my price range locally when I bought them and I got to audition them A/B with everything with the Reciever I bought at that time JVC RX-8020VBK. They DO sound tons better than the older Vegas I was used to hearing. The Mids and Highs were less "muffled", but the highs seem real compressed and rolled off but still better than the older Vegas.

Anyway, I've recorded/mixed/produced quite a few bands with small home studio equipment so I may have some sort of an "ear" for some details, but I'm not claiming to be an audiophile, although I'd like to think I have a little better ear than the "mass market" consumer.

I'm planning on putting together a Home Theatre to keep the wife from complaining about the cash, but MY main priority is music so the system will be geared that way and the movie sound will follow.

Here we go. Watch out for Stoooopid Questions.

kexodusc
12-15-2006, 08:57 AM
Welcome to ar.com!

First thing you need to do is set a budget. Be realistic. You can extra $50 bucks yourself into bankruptcy with this stuff pretty quick, but sometimes spending too little will cost you more in the long run if you end up regretting a purchase. Budgets help us narrow down recommendations too.

Allocate no less than 50% to speakers. I'd argue higher, depending on your budget. Speakers will makea bigger difference to sound than the rest of the gear chain.
How many speakers? 5.1? 7.1? Your sub might be usuable. Start working on getting 5.1right before you add 6 and 7. Just makes it easier, and there's more value that way.

Try to demo stuff at least in the store before buying it.

You'll get more help here asking specific questions in the appropriate forums - speaker q's in the speaker forum, etc. Include your budget, tastes, preferences, etc.

Good luck.

GMichael
12-15-2006, 09:42 AM
Hey there, welcome to AR. I see you've met Kex. He knows plenty about this hobby and will take good care of you.
Some people have said that starting with 2 good speakers and then filling in the rest later will let you spend more on two quality fronts instead of spreading the cash around to 5 or 7 speakers at once. There are so many good ones out there that the only one who can really tell you what is best for you is you. You'll have to get out to a few stereo shops and listen to as many speakers as you can before making a choice. A little patients now will pay off for many years later. Bring a couple of your favorite CD's with you. This way you can compare what you're hearing a little better.
There are no stupid questions, only stupid answers. And I'm full of them.

basite
12-15-2006, 10:23 AM
welcome to AR, hope you find your answers here,
there are indeed, no 'stoopid questions'
and indeed, if you want to ask something about buying, then give a budget first, and ask questions, as much as you can, ask us, someone will answer them,

Greetings,
Basite.

Carl Reid
12-15-2006, 11:19 AM
Welcome to AR!! This is a great place to start a lifelong addiction to high-end audio and eventually bankruptcy.... :)

As the others have said.... Ask away and remember to set a budget....

I think someone mentioned finding your main speakers first and then finding additonal speakers to match them... I'm 100% in agreement with that... Find a pair of mains that you really love and then get the rest of the set.... I think one of the easiest ways to contract a bad case of Upgradeitis is to get a full set of speakers that don't really perform as well as you hoped they would....

So be patient, ask lots of questions, set a budget, listen to lots and lots and lots of speakers and equipment and you should be fine...

GMichael
12-15-2006, 11:42 AM
Selling My NADs :)
...

Getting married?

topspeed
12-15-2006, 11:54 AM
Getting married?
:lol: Nice! :lol:

Salad,

Welcome to AR!

Carl Reid
12-15-2006, 01:44 PM
Getting married?


:lol: :lol: :lol:

I was wondering if that one was too subtle, since no-one commented on it before...

lol

GMichael
12-15-2006, 02:04 PM
:lol: :lol: :lol:

I was wondering if that one was too subtle, since no-one commented on it before...

lol

I didn't notice it on the first few of your posts. But then it just jumped out at me.
Ouch.

bobsticks
12-15-2006, 02:52 PM
Welcome aboard...

salad 419
12-15-2006, 06:46 PM
Getting married?


Nice!!!!!!

My budget is almost ZERO for now, but I have an "upgrade sequence" which is wrong on all accounts, but I'm still going in that direction with suggestions. Since I can't just plunk down the cash on everything at once, I want the components to "mesh" with each stage of the upgrade, etc. This combined with the fact that I'll be moving from a small house with carpet to a large house with lots of glass and tile flooring, I'm sure I'll need different components to get the "sound" I want.

JoeE SP9
12-16-2006, 08:49 AM
Have you considered buying on the used market? You can get superior sound and save a bundle. www.audiogon.com (http://www.audiogon.com) is a good place. It's much better than epay.:ihih: