upgrade my system

[shotgun]

Time to upgrade my system any body have any thoughts on Definitive Technology - 3-Way Floor standing Speaker with Built-in Subwoofer.I have Yamaha speakers now and that is not a good thing. And how about a Yamaha - 500W 5.1-Ch. A/V Home Theater Receiver
.

[Mr Peabody]

The Def Tech's I've heard sounded pretty good for the money. Maybe not the best, but definitely there are worse. I'm not sure what to recommend if you want powered speakers. Martin Logan has a fully powered pair that I really like you can run off just a preamp, I believe those are around $3k though. In a regular passive speaker I like Paradigm. B&W seems to do pretty well with their budget line as well.

I'm not a fan of Yamaha. Some of their gear does offer a better than average midrange but the trade off is I've yet to hear anything Yamaha have bass detail. You may be able to punch the bass response up some with the power bass modules of the Def Tech though. However if the bass detail isn't there to begin with the speakers aren't going to be able to do miracles. In "mass merchant" brands my choice is Onkyo. From there probably Marantz or Denon. Keep in mind this is only my opinion, if you've heard the Yamaha and like the sound, then you should get it. Yamaha to my knowledge has always been reliable and usually a good value.

[JSE]

The Def Tech's I've heard sounded pretty good for the money. Maybe not the best, but definitely there are worse. I'm not sure what to recommend if you want powered speakers. Martin Logan has a fully powered pair that I really like you can run off just a preamp, I believe those are around $3k though. In a regular passive speaker I like Paradigm. B&W seems to do pretty well with their budget line as well.

I'm not a fan of Yamaha. Some of their gear does offer a better than average midrange but the trade off is I've yet to hear anything Yamaha have bass detail. You may be able to punch the bass response up some with the power bass modules of the Def Tech though. However if the bass detail isn't there to begin with the speakers aren't going to be able to do miracles. In "mass merchant" brands my choice is Onkyo. From there probably Marantz or Denon. Keep in mind this is only my opinion, if you've heard the Yamaha and like the sound, then you should get it. Yamaha to my knowledge has always been reliable and usually a good value.

I run a Yamaha RX-V1400 (about 4 years old?). My unit and just about every other Yamaha I have heard have a lot of bass detail. I actually find that's one of the complaints I hear most about Yamaha. A lot of people feel the bass is to detailed and not forceful enough. I will be the first to admit that Denon and Onkyo seem to produce a "heavier" bass but I would never say they have a more detailed bass output.

BTW, I have Boston Acoustic VR 965 mains w/ built in subs. Not the same speaker as the Def Techs but I can attest they do better with a bit a breathing room around them.

[L.J.]

This was one thing I noticed about the Onkyo 805 when I auditioned it. The bass was deep and full. I LOVED this for music, but didn't like it so much for HT. Yamaha and Denon were pretty close, but I felt the Yamaha was closer to what I was looking for and did a far better job with HT.

I'm still thinking that there was something wrong with that 2807 I auditioned. It was an open box so maybe it was dropped a couple of times. Just didn't do well with music.

[Mr Peabody]

Yamaha better for HT may have something to do with them having nice mids.

JSE, you and I must have a different idea of bass detail. I had a top of the line amplified processor from Yamaha, one of their nicer vintage integrated amps and a few other pieces, they have a bass response but it is more difficult to depict what instrument is making the bass sound and to follow a bass line on the Yamaha. Even a recent Yamaha disc changer displayed the same character. I heard a few HT receivers at a dealer here in town who carried Polk and MB Quart, same thing. It is a "house sound" Yamaha seems to feel works for them. The bass is there but it sounds meshed together in comparison to the likes of an Onkyo. I'm not talking at all about the perception of amount of bass but more what being able to pick out musical detail, what instrument, a clear note, depicting a kick drum from the bass guitar's note etc. On the other hand I'd prefer at least the Yamaha to something like Pioneer or JVC who has no balls at all.

I have seen some recent Yamaha literature that shows certain receivers (I forgot the model#'s) have discrete circuits and a few have been THX certified. It would be interesting to hear them to see if they differ from what I've heard in the past but some how I doubt they would abandon a sound they have stuck with for decades.

Now that my opinions are laid bare here, let me also say, that I have no problem with LJ, JSE, or anyone else who prefers Yamaha. By all means a person has to purchase what they themselves enjoy.

[Vardo]

I heard that Def Tech speakers are great for home theater, but not
so great for music. They're bipolar like my Mirage M5si's. I have
the Mirage speakers in a stereo listening area, and to my ears sound
great for music, and throw off a HUGE soundstage. Very happy
with them for stereo application.

Don't know much about the Def Tech but have heard the BP7006 with
the built in 8" sub over at Best Buy (Magnolia). They sounded very impressive in the home theater set up they had their. Def tech center,
and surrounds were used.

As for Yamaha receivers the later models have a sorf of laid back
smooth sound. In my second (smaller) home theater I had Axiom
speakers, with are detailed and bright (to bright for me). I went through
three receivers: Denon, Onkyo, and Yahama. The Yahama was the
smoothest sounding with the Axioms, with Onkyo not being far behind.
The Denon was just a very bad match. Denon makes great receivers
and I had hoped it would mate well with the Axiom's, and just did not cut
it with the Axiom's.....anyways, my .02 cents....vardo