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Thread: Best upgrade path?

  1. #1
    Join Date
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    Question Best upgrade path?

    I currently have Def Tech BP6B speakers with a Denon DRA-395 stereo receiver and a Paradigm PDR10 subwoofer. What do you guys think the best upgrade path would be. I can't afford to upgrade the whole setup at one time so I have come up with two possible upgrade paths that eventually lead to the same setup but have very different intermediate results.

    Option 1:
    340's for left right and center in front, move BP6B's to the back for surrounds, get surround receiver. Keep same sub (not much output in my room) and get a better one in a year or two.

    My analysis: In this scenario I upgrade to surround sound from stereo but my sub still is poor for my room.

    Option 2: Stay in stereo. Get 340's for left and right front. Get HSU VTF3-II sub. Put BP6B in attic until upgrade to surround later. Sell Paradigm sub to someone with a smaller room. In a year or two get the 340 center channel and a surround receiver.

    My ananlysis: In this scenario I get much better stereo sound (from what you guys tell me,) I get a real subwoofer , but I don't get surround and I put $600 worth of speakers in storage. (that's kind of painful for me)

    I use the system for both music and movies. I know I am asking for opinions but please let me know what you think.

  2. #2
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    I would go with Option 1. You can live with the subwoofer.

  3. #3
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    I think you have two good options. I had a similar situation and I went with the 340M's and bought a BFD to help my Dayton (the inexpensive one) sub smooth out it's response. I've been very happy with the results. So I voted for option one. It's a tough call. I went back and forth for some time.

    David

  4. #4
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    Ohio
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    Sell the Def Techs, Denon, and PDR that should add $6-700 to your budget. Then pick up this used Hsu VTF-2 http://cls.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/cls....ubw&1113494635 or if this is music first HT second set-up. It would be difficult to beat this deal http://www.av123.com/products_produc...k&product=69.1 . Then grab a digital Panny receiver, or see what kind package deal Ascend can give you on a HK, and watch for some used 170s to come up for the surrounds. Used Paradigms go for stupid money.
    Last edited by Quinn; 02-16-2005 at 08:16 AM.

  5. #5
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    Quinn,

    We'll have to call that super secret Option # 3.

    Actually, I am trying to talk myself into Option #1 except that every time I almost convince myself, I start thinking about the cool low bass scenes I have been missing in movies. Believe it or not I also do have some Organ music in my CD collection. Also, the idea of being able to knock a picture off the wall with my sub (when my wife isn't home) appeals to the manly he-man "more power" strain in me.

    Still, I am leaning towards #1 right now. That will probably change within the next five minutes though.

    Any other opinions out there?

  6. #6
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    Madera,CA,USA
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    You'll have to use option 1 if you want to hear the real kick in the movies, even with your current sub, since you currently do not have an LFE signal being fed to your current unit. Where do you have the sub placed at in the room?

  7. #7
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    I have the sub in the front corner next to the right speaker. I have moved the sub around alot and this has proved to be the best spot.

    So if I am listening to movies in stereo I am totally missing the low frequencies on the DVD? I thought that since there is no bass management on the receiver it would just send out full range to everything.

  8. #8
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    I really depends on the DVD and how the DVD player is hooked up to the receiver.

    The .1 channel or LFE channel on Dolby Digital and DTS encoded discs is dedicated. If you are just listening in stereo, this channel may or may not have been mixed into the stereo channels.

    Now if you are hooked up to your receiver via a digital connection, and allowing the receiver to decode the Dolby Digital or DTS stream, you have the receiver setup to no sub, then most AV receivers will route the LFE information to the mains. But since you are using a stereo receiver, I doubt this is the case.

    Quote Originally Posted by dae3dae3
    I have the sub in the front corner next to the right speaker. I have moved the sub around alot and this has proved to be the best spot.

    So if I am listening to movies in stereo I am totally missing the low frequencies on the DVD? I thought that since there is no bass management on the receiver it would just send out full range to everything.
    -curtis

  9. #9
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    With that information in mind I am leaning even more heavily toward option #1. I didn't realize that LFE was a discrete channel. With that in mind, even if I got a better sub I still would not hear the full advantage of it unless I had a surround receiver.

    If you just heard a large clunking sound, that was a few pieces of the puzzle falling into place for me.

  10. #10
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    Oh yeah...in 5.1....every channel is discrete and mixed that way.
    -curtis

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