Home theatre speakers

[BillyB]

http://www.vanns.com/shop/servlet/it...ures/539813201

Thanks for the link.Great price for a Velodyne subwoofer even if it is their entry level model.Vann's seems to be a very nice site.A lot of free shipping and no sales tax for me in NY.

[blackraven]

If you decide to go with the infinity's look at crutchfield, the have the 140's and 150's. Looks like they are out of the 160's so you might have to search for them as they are closing these models out for the new 142-162 models. Crutchfield has the infinity CS25 center channel on sale for $99 from $179 as well. Good luck!

[PeruvianSkies]

dmc-electronics is currently the ONLY authorized online retailer for PSB speakers. They also carry some of the older models and finishes for the PSB line. You may want to consult with them about their selection as they are quite knowledgable and quite helpful. Plus their prices are phenominal!

[pcstockton]

I recently purchased the Yamaha HTR-5940 and was extremely pleased with the sound quality, look, and features. The only spec it lacked was “Preamp-Out” for use with my Adcom (for 2 channel audio). Although the Yamaha HTR-5940 sounded and worked wonderfully, I wanted to use my Adcom Amp for music.

My search for a comparable receiver with “Preamp-Out” capability ended upon the discovery of the Pioneer VSX-816. The search resumed 5 minutes after listening to it. It simply sounded horrible. It was way too bright and lacked any kind of warm mid-range. Even on 2-Channel mode through the Pre-amp Out to my Adcom Amp (not using the Pioneer’s amps), it sounded decidedly “different” than the Yamaha HTR-5940 and in my opinion, much worse. I can only attribute this to the Pioneers preamp. Even with no source input and volume on mute, there was an audible hum/hiss coming from every speaker. The distortion/noise was even worse on the front channels despite their being connected to the Adcom as mentioned above.

I went back to Best Buy and returned the Pioneer. The only Yamaha they had in the sub-$500 range with Pre-Amp Outputs was the HTR-5960.

Upon getting the Yamaha HTR-5960 hooked up, and giving it a listen, the differences between the Yammy and Pioneer were immediately apparent. In fact there was no comparison between the two regardless of price difference. For those looking for a comparison between the Yamaha HTR-5940 and HTR-5960, they are virtually identical in terms of sound quality. The main differences would be 6.1 vs 7.1 and the Pre-Amp Outputs. The sound on either are very warm, with crisp highs, and tight bass. It sounded great whether on 2-channel music or Dolby Digital 5.1/PLII. There is no unacceptable noise coming from any speakers with the HTR-5960 and once again, it sounds great.

Up against the Pioneer VSX-816, there is no comparison in any way. Even with a price tag difference of $200, there is no comparison. As I have experienced, you cannot go wrong with any of the Yamahas. I have demo’ed two of the lower end Yammys with very positive results. I can only expect that it gets better as you spend more $$$s.

In conclusion, I must admit that I am an extremely discerning listener. I have exclusively used Adcom Preamps and Power Amps for 2-channel audio for the past ten years. Upon getting into Home Theater, I did not want to spend a ton of money to power the center and surround channels as I still use my Adcom for the fronts. Yamaha is the answer. Get the Yammy that fits your budget and you cannot go wrong.

[Tarheel_]

My search for a comparable receiver with “Preamp-Out” capability ended upon the discovery of the Pioneer VSX-816. The search resumed 5 minutes after listening to it. It simply sounded horrible. It was way too bright and lacked any kind of warm mid-range. Even on 2-Channel mode through the Pre-amp Out to my Adcom Amp (not using the Pioneer’s amps), it sounded decidedly “different” than the Yamaha HTR-5940 and in my opinion, much worse. I can only attribute this to the Pioneers preamp.

pcstockton, i totally agreee with your judgement. I just did a review of the VSX's bigger brother, the VSX1016, and as i understand it they use two separate amps. BUT, i heard the same thing on my Pioneer....totally bright and no warmth at all. With the help on this board i was able to 'disenage' the speaker EQ. This helped alot, but it still sounds bright and non-engaging. I cannot return it though (excessive return fee) so i'm probably going to sell it soon and take the loss.