Anthem and Sunfire
May 28, 2003
Wes,
I'm hearing a lot about both the Anthem AVM 20 v2.0 and the
Sunfire Cinema Grand III processors. What's your recommendation, especially considering
that my main listening is either CD stereo mode or DVD movies in 5.1 and DTS? Thanks.
Anthony
I haven't heard the Sunfire, but my review of the Anthem
AVM 20 v2.0 will be posted on here on June 1. The Sunfire has been well reviewed and is
rumored to be very easy to set up, so it sounds as though both products are worth
auditioning. As to which one will meet your needs best, that will probably depend less on
overall excellence -- where the two seem closely matched -- than on which offers the
greatest number of features you find attractive. And that's a decision only you can
make....Wes Phillips
OMNISATs
May 26, 2003
Wes,
I am attracted to the modern and unobtrusive look of the
Mirage OMNISATs, and in the demo room I like the sound they produce.
However, my application is quite different than the demo
room in that it is a big (great room) with 20' ceilings, which adjoins other rooms such as
the kitchen and dining room. Most of the floors are hard other than a puddle of carpet in
the main living area.
Since these speakers are omnidirectional, will they tend to
exaggerate the echo effect that I already have? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? I do
like to hear the voices in a movie clearly so I can easily understand the words. Maybe
this echo would distort the words. I also like to hear the crispness of the guitar strings
in good classics. I would say that 90% of my use will be low-level music. Do I need a
small directional speaker instead of the OMNISATs, or will the OMNISATs do the job? Thanks
again.
Jerry
They'll do the job -- assuming you do your part in setting
them up. The trick is listening carefully and placing the front three channels in
nearfield listening positions flanking (and in front of, in the center-channel's case) the
TV set, focused on your typical listening position. The surrounds should offer
non-specific, diffuse sound, and that's where all your real estate (and those high
ceilings!) can be your best friend.
Speaking of best friends, this would be a good chance
for your audio dealer to show his expertise in helping you set the system up so you can
get the most out of it. Anybody who carries OMNISATs probably has a lot of setup
experience that you can take advantage of. Have fun -- that is what it's all about, after
all....Wes Phillips
Subwoofer upgrade
May 21, 2003
Hi Wes,
Before I start, let me just say that I have Bose cubes for
my satellites (Acoustimass 6, passive subwoofer). While I do realize that there are better
options out there, I am stuck with these for now. I have noticed that your site has tons
of useful information and recommendations, but not much for those on a tight budget. That
said, I am looking for powered subwoofer for under $300 that would best complement my
current system. I am looking for something that would work equally well for movies and
music, not necessarily great for music, but not so great for movies, and vice-versa -- a
balanced setup. Two that I am considering are the JBL PB10 and the Cambridge SoundWorks
Basscube 10S. Any thoughts on either, or any other recommendations in this price range?
Ken
First off, don't be so negative about your Bose system. If
you don't like the sound you're getting, feel free to upgrade (or complain or whatever),
but you don't indicate that you are unhappy other than your desire for more bass punch.
Don't let other folks' opinions of your speakers make you uncomfortable -- change only if
you are convinced that you can really benefit.
That said, I'm sure that a well-built active subwoofer can
give you a lot more impact -- and that might be all you need to feel better about your
system's performance. I'd recommend you check out Axiom's EP175 or Hsu's VTF-2 -- both of
which are more than $300, but not a lot more. If you've got to hold firm at the $300
threshold, check out Polk's remarkable little PSW250, which is really nifty (and not at
all boomy, for all its punchiness)....Wes Phillips
More Bryston?
May 18, 2003
Hi Wes,
I like your reviews and approach. You're not pretentious or
condescending like some writers in other audio rags.
Why is there a paucity of reviews for the Bryston
processor? It is a fabulous unit, but all one can seem to find is B&K, Krell (which
few of us can afford), Anthem, and others. Now these are all worthy products, but a lot of
us believe the SP1 and SP1.7 are something special. Do the reviewers dislike Canadians?
Bryston? Would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks in advance.
RR
I don't know why Bryston doesn't have a higher profile, but
part of it probably has a lot to do with the fact that the company doesn't seem to feel
the need to chat-up reviewers all the time (or offer us review samples, for that matter).
The products are well built, well thought out, and reliable
as all get-out (with a 20-year warranty, they better be). Now that you bring it up,
however, I'll see what I can do to check out an SP1.7 in the upcoming months....Wes
Phillips
Receiver advice
May 12, 2003
Dear Wes,
I am on the low side of the high end. I have NHT 2.5i
towers, NAD 218 THX power amp, NHT SA-2 subwoofer with power amp, NHT center speaker, and
several NHT bookshelf speakers. I also have a Pioneer DVD and Rotel CD, Nakamichi
cassette, et cetera. I have an old NAD stereo receiver, and I am long overdue to
step up to a 5.1 or 7.1 amp to complement what I have. (I can't even use my center-channel
speaker yet.) I have been contemplating the Onkyo Integra DTR 9.1. Am I on the right
track? Or is there a cheaper option that will do the job? Also, is the Gateway plasma TV a
good product?
Thanks for your response. I don't want to have to sell it
all and start over.
Sammy
The Integra is an awfully good receiver and you'll
certainly be able to use your center-channel speaker (and four surrounds to boot) if you
go that route. As to whether there's something cheaper that'll "do the job,"
that all depends on the job you want it to do.
You don't say whether ES or EX are essential, or if 5.1 is
sufficient. You also don't give me any indication about the size of your room or the
volume at which you listen or whether you need multiroom capabilities -- all of which are
important clues as to how you'll use the system. If 5.1 is all you want and you don't need
a lot of power or multizone functions, then yes, there probably are cheaper options. If
you do want all those features, however, and you need a hefty jolt of power, then no, you
probably can't do a lot better than the Integra....Wes Phillips
Polk speakers
May 8, 2003
Hi Wes,
I have a Denon AVR-3803 receiver, a 12" Infinity 500W
sub, Polk CS30 center, RC85i Polk surrounds, and big-ass Infinity SM152 fronts. I
am looking to replace the SM152 with either Polk LSi15 or Polk RTi150. What
do you think?
John
Both Polks are good, well-engineered loudspeakers that I
like a lot. I guess it all comes down to your budget, since either would make for a great
HT system. Of course, the LSi15s will give you a whole lot more bottom end, which is
always handy for those action movies....Wes Phillips
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