callas01 Home Theatre

[callas01]

I wanted to redo my Intro post so that anyone that is reading this thread for the first time can see where I have started and where I am at now. I have learned a lot from bd.com and all over the internet and thru magazines and dealers and friends. I have not been affraid to go and listen to anything, I like to know what it all sounds like. And below is my setups I have had over the years and why/how I have evolved. I am more of an audio guy then a video guy, but HT and Music split about equally.

I have owned many items. I have had 2 TV in my livingroom, a 42" Vizio, and now my current 40" Samsung. I have had 2 Panasonic BDPs, my first one in 2007, and now I have had my Sony BDP for the past 2 yrs. I have also had 2 Sony receivers. The one I have now is beastly, but I will be switching it out in the near future possibly for an Integra receiver. I have Pro-ject Debut III TT and I use it almost daily. I have a growing collection of Blu-rays, Vinyl records and CDs.

I started at BD.com with Sony SS-F5000 fronts speakers, CN-5000 center and B1000 surrounds paired with a Sony SW-3000 sub. This system allowed me to first start enjoying HT, but I quickly found that it wasn't very good, and it lacked in a lot of areas. I was wanting more. For $300 speakers, it was hard to argue buying them, but they were just that, $300 speakers. What could I really ask from them?

I changed the Sonys early in 2008 to Energy C-300s, C-C100 center and C-100 & C-50 bookshelfs paired with an Acoustic Audio HD-Sub10. This system was nice. A real step up in performance, and I will always have a spot for Energy speakers. They are a very good brand that offers a lot of performance to the Entry Level Mid-Fi HT enthusiast. They were great with music and HT alike. While I had these I added an elemental Designs A2-300 subwoofer and a Pro-ject Debut III TT. These were great additions and only improved what the Energys were able to provide. Which was good mid-range, smooth highs that didn't fatigue your ears and decent bass. However these speakers meant a lot to me in my development of what I liked soundwise.

I have been able to learn a lot about audio and how it works, what sounds good, and most Importantly what I like my system to sound like.

Now I have recently upgraded my system again. This time it will be here for a while. I have bought Dynaudio Excite X16s to anchor my front soundstage, I will be adding an X22 Center Channel shortly. I will be working the wife for a set of X12 surrounds for some time in the future also, but that may be a ways away. I have since added an Integra DTR-40.2 receiver as well. I have added a Naim Nait 5i Integrated Amp, it plays all my music and acts as a power amp when watching movie with its HTBP. Im also getting an external DAC in the rDAC from Arcam that will be for processing all my CDs audio thru the Sonys optical output to the Nait 5i. This helps to greatly improve the musical aspect of my setup.

In terms of audio speakers that I have owned, this is about as good as it gets for someone like me. I love my audio/video system, and I think that many people can learn from me what can be done on budgets, and over time. There will still be minor tweaks to the system here and there, and a few major ones also. I hope you enjoy reading my thread and feel free to ask me anything.

Thanks

[brett_day]

looking forward to seeing your new gear buddy! Can't wait to see the pics!

[callas01]

Thanks Brett, I tried to put up links I think they are working now. Those are the speakers that I cannot live without.

The 3 speakers are gonna cost a whopping $372. Is that not a steal or what?

[brett_day]

holy cow! that's an amazing deal! the links are working and they look great! how did you get such an awesome deal? I'm excited for ya

[JasonR]

Congrats! I think you will really enjoy those speakers! Keeping the surrounds and sub for now?

[callas01]

The C-300s were on sales at www.wwstereo.com for $125 each, no tax or shipping. The C-C100 was on sale at www.buy.com for $114 plus tax.

There was a deal on www.wwstereo.com for the same towers and the smaller center and some bookshelves that was $399 for the package, I almost went there, but I wanted the bigger center channel. I can live with the Sony B1000s for a while.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by JasonR

Congrats! I think you will really enjoy those speakers! Keeping the surrounds and sub for now?

Thanks Jason, Yeah, for now I am keeping the surrounds and Sub. Next upgrade will be the Sub, I think unless I find the surrounds at a killer deal like I did on these ones. I may spring for the surrounds, C100s, so far I can find them for $120 a pair, hoping they go down just a little, OR that the California State Tax refunds get mailed out... Stupid GOVENATOR!

[JasonR]

I would save for the sub, you will get the most return on your investment with it. Looks like it will be pretty sweet!!

[callas01]

Yep that is my thinking too. The fronts stage is the most important (including the Sub) and then the rears. We'll see though, If I can pop off the surrounds with my next check or state refund, I may just do it.... It all depends on the WAF right!

[callas01]

Well, I found someone to purchase my soon to be old Sony's and the wife is giving me the go ahead to get a new sub. It appears that the wifes visual preference is towards this Acoustic Audio HD-SUB10 and it has enough power to keep me happy, plus it matches every things else. The price is just right too, $158.

[callas01]

So the first of my speakers are here. Wow these look nice, I had them shipped to my office so I could look at them and make sure someone was there to sign for them and not left on my door step. Only bad thing was the tabs that connect the grill is molded onto the speaker and they are hard plastic, well they are all broken, so I called the www.wwstereo.com and they are shipping a new one tomorrow and said to play with the one I have until the new one comes and then send it back. So they have been good about it...

I cannot wait to hear them... but they look beautiful. Center should be here tomorrow and the sub about the end of the week.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by callas01

So the first of my speakers are here. Wow these look nice, I had them shipped to my office so I could look at them and make sure someone was there to sign for them and not left on my door step. Only bad thing was the tabs that connect the grill is molded onto the speaker and they are hard plastic, well they are all broken, so I called the www.wwstereo.com and they are shipping a new one tomorrow and said to play with the one I have until the new one comes and then send it back. So they have been good about it...

I cannot wait to hear them... but they look beautiful. Center should be here tomorrow and the sub about the end of the week.

That's great customer service!! Gotta love when they take responsibility. It's awesome getting new speakers and listening to them for the first time by the way. I just got my entire set-up of Polks today and I am officially an idiot for not investing more into my audio before today! You are really gonna love your set-up, those are real nice...with an even better deal.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by forsberg21

That's great customer service!! Gotta love when they take responsibility. It's awesome getting new speakers and listening to them for the first time by the way. I just got my entire set-up of Polks today and I am officially an idiot for not investing more into my audio before today! You are really gonna love your set-up, those are real nice...with an even better deal.

Yeah, they have taken great care of me. I would recommend them. And the speakers.

[callas01]

I listened to these today just in 2 channel audio, I was playing my blu-ray of Incubis: Alive at Red Rocks in LPCM 2.0, man I was hearing things the Sony speakers just could reproduce. I got highs and mids that were had so much clarity and depth, it felt like the speakers were not adding or taking anything away from the audio, just as pristine as the track was laid down. My sonys were so heavy sounding from the 8" woofer I could tell how much I was missing. Speaking of bass the bass that came through was felt perfectly, powerfull with out being overwhelming. It really came together, the Sony 920 reciever and these speakers are a perfect match. Also these speakers are heavy, one prolly weighs close to what both the Sonys weighed. WOW I am in love with some speakers.

My wife came in today from the store after I had set up the speakers, and I was doing the girls' baths and she was like, oh that is so awesome, I thought it was because of the fact I was doing their baths, but she was all, oh no, thanks though, I was refering to the way the music sounds.

Can't wait because tomorrow the center channel comes and I can go back and start rewatching some movies. It was funny, the wife was like so when are you getting the new sub? and Are you replacing the surrounds too, cause I really like the way these new speakers sound, I am all for getting rid of the Sonys. <<< Is that not the coolest thing you could hear from your wifes mouth.... (get that mind out of the gutter). I think by something she said that she wants me to replace the 6th speaker too.... IDK, we'll see.

[Hammie]

Congrats! Can't wait to see the updated pics.

[callas01]

I have one updated pic in my gallery at the momment. waiting for the rest of the items to redo the gallery.

its the first pic...http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gal...ember=callas01

Sorry, I don't know how to load picks into the message board.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by callas01

I have one updated pic in my gallery at the momment. waiting for the rest of the items to redo the gallery.

its the first pic...http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gal...ember=callas01

Sorry, I don't know how to load picks into the message board.

This one looks very nice of what I can see.... Look forward to seeing pics of all your speakers....

[callas01]

Alright, well I have the updated pics of the new speakers in my gallery. Please feel free to look and let me know what you all think.

I am really happy with these. I added the center channel today and it took about and hour to warm up and then it fit just perfectly with the towers. I couldn't tell were the sound was coming from, everything was uniform and accurate sounding. I haven't really opened them up yet, I figured in a week or two I will really push them and see how things are, but I have had it up as loud as -17dB's and they get loud even at that level. I'll prolly watch Nick and Norahs Playlist tomorrow to get the musical part happening, they are such musical speakers, and then really give them a test with Band of Brothers or The Incredible Hulk after I have broke in the Sub next week. Sub is due here in a day or two.

[Fors*]

Originally Posted by callas01

Alright, well I have the updated pics of the new speakers in my gallery. Please feel free to look and let me know what you all think.

I am really happy with these. I added the center channel today and it took about and hour to warm up and then it fit just perfectly with the towers. I couldn't tell were the sound was coming from, everything was uniform and accurate sounding. I haven't really opened them up yet, I figured in a week or two I will really push them and see how things are, but I have had it up as loud as -17dB's and they get loud even at that level. I'll prolly watch Nick and Norahs Playlist tomorrow to get the musical part happening, they are such musical speakers, and then really give them a test with Band of Brothers or The Incredible Hulk after I have broke in the Sub next week. Sub is due here in a day or two.

Very nice, indeed! Those are beautiful speakers. I assume you must have known that your center was going to be a near perfect fit before you ordered it, right? Because the TV stand looks like it was built for it (or vice versa?) Like the A/V rack too.

[callas01]

well went home for lunch to check to see if UPS delivered my Sub and sure enough, there it was waiting out in the open, had a chance to do a quick plug in and listen to it, sounds good. Put in Incubis blu-ray and OMG, I had toturn the volume down below half-way it was coming out sooo loud. I will post pics and give a review of it once I have a chance, but, Yeah, it is almost all complete.