Experts Speak

[motiram]

Denon/Mirage OMNITHEATERII Surround Sound System

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http://www.tweeter.com/product/inde...rentPage=family


1. AVR2803 digital receiver from Denon
2. Mirage LF100 subwoofer
3. OMNITHEATERII system OSMPB x 5

Any comments on this sytem. Specially I am spectical about mirage speakers? They look like Bose, but I dont know how they sound. Denon receiver must be good I guess.
Its sold in tweeter for 1500$.

Please comment, Mr.experts

-Ram

[N. Abstentia]

Well, what other systems have you compared it to? How did you like the sound of this system compared to the others?

[Mash]

Are you willing to spend YOUR money based on the opinions of strangers who will not have to "live" with the consequences of your selections if your choices should ultimately disappoint you?

If you do not religeously attend live recitals, you will never develop the "ear" that will allow you to select a realistic-sounding system, and this will make your quest to find an accurate sound system completely moot because, day in and day out, you will compare your sound system to the live sounds you hear everyday. This is reality.

[RGA]

Firstly you don't need to be an audiophile to be able to pick out a good system or the most accurate system. The most accurate system will be able to discern the most diferrences from disc to disc without adding nasties to the recordings. You do not generally want a system that makes a recording sound like it was done at Carnegie hall - or GM Place or you're local theater or music department if it was not recorded in that venue. You don't want a system that pushes voices to the center on ALL your pop albums when in fact the singer is center left or right center or far back or closed miced - many set-ups make it sound the same. You want a speaker that makes instruments sound like real instruments and it should work in any room good bad or horrible - obviously a good room helps muchly.

Omnidirectional muti way speakers CAN sound good in the right circumstances - most people don't have the right circumstances and they can sound far far worse than most everything else. Not a big fan of Mirage - but then I'm not a huge fan of most speakers primarily built for home theater. Mirage is a concept company with a great concept - but IMO they don't work as something other than being a novel approach. Here is a philisophical approach to finding a speaker or componant that might work (while written by a company - it has nothing to do with products but an approach you can use when shopping for equipment from ANYONE including those $200.00 Ghetto Blasters and requires no training. Golden Ears dislike it because it shatters ego's but it works. http://www.audionote.co.uk/anp1.htm

[markw]

...I DO like my Denon 2803, that unit's grandfather from two years ago, and would expect the 2805 to be at least as satisfying.

Dunno about the speakers, though. Mirage's parent company, API, makes several other brands of very nice speakers (Energy and Athena) and they are all quite well received, but since everyone's tastes are different, there is no magic bullet that will satisfy everyone. If not, why would API need to market three distinct brands of speakers?

Before going any further, stop reading about speakers on the internet. More importantly, don't try to measure a speakers potential by taking a poll of strangers. Go listen to some in the stores.

But, be aware that if it's their styling that pushes your buttons, you will limit yourself severely. Decide what you want before embarkong on this journey. Sound or style, and take it from there..

[nusiclover]

i have heard the omnistats at the good guys/ i really disliked them. i kept wanting to be impressed, but the more i tried to like them, the more i didn't. That said, the salesperson at Good GUys felt that the mirage system was the best sub/sat system hed heard (i trust his opinion beucase i know him). But we differed much in agreement, then again, nothing that GG carries is my cup of tea. For $1500, i really think you could do alot better. it is my opinion that you should consider other systems before making a final decision. Have you been to a local audiophile store? have you heard B&W, Paradigm and the countless others that can be attained with $1500? if you are set on going with a sub/sat system then stick around, i'm sure you will get other recommendations. I liked M&K or even Definitive Tech combos more than Mirage. KEF and Mission also make good sub/sats. But this is strictly for HT. I would definitely look at larger speakers if your main interest was in music. Take B&W for example. I think they make excellent HT products. They are easy enough to find no matter where you live. Have you heard them? Try to find a dealer that carries them and audition the 600 series. Or, if you want to save some money and have smaller speakers you could look into the 300 series. I really think they will sound much better to you than the mirage's. Whatever you do, you owe it to yourself to audition many options before dropping $1500 on a system.
Also, Denon make good receivers, but I'd also consider similarly priced Yamaha's as their sound is sometimes more robust than Denon. They also drive a multiple of configurations very well. But dont skimp on the receiver, expect to pay about $400. That leaves you with over a grand for 5 speakers. Im sure you will find something that moves you.

Cheers.

[motiram]

Friendz, everytime I get ur answers, I think I know what to buy. But frankly I dont. I want small speakers with good sorround sound. Please dont tell me, these trade-off each other. Any ideas?
I was tired looking for different speakers. None of the stores have the systems for display, and all systems sound same for me in the stores. So I was asking for expert opinion, to judge myself. Thanks for any answers

[This Guy]

If they all sound the same to you why are you spending this much? I mean if you're gonna be just as happy with a $500 system, why waste your money?