2. home-theater
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High End HT

I saw another threat that got me thinking about this.

My whole HT setup, is under 10k, TV and that includes everything. There are some upgrades i want to do, mainly go with an amp/pre-amp setup and kick the ol reciever out the window.

Suppose you had this system....

Sunfire Grand Cinema, Used, 1200
Sunfire 200Wpc 5ch AMP used, 1200
Deftech BP3000TL FL/FR used 3000
Deftech BP2006TL SL/SR Used 600
Deftech Center, CLR ? used 500?
Projector or 61in HDTV used 2000
Good solid DVD player, about 1000
Cableing. Lets go cheap, 500

This system could be bought for 10,000

This is actually better than what im currently running, and what i have sounds incredible. It shakes my whole house, it gets incredibly loud, and just blows my mind. The system above would probably sound even better than what i have.

NOW THE QUESTION IS,
what exactly would you get for 40,000 or 60,000 that you dont with the system listed above? The system above is better than what i own, and what i own sounds far better than any theater in denver i have been to.

I really dont believe you need to spend much to get an incredible HT. I can understand blowing 60,000 for a 2 channel setup, but thats a completly different game.

Im not bashing people who do spend alot of cash on a HT, what you do with your money is your concern, what im wondering is how the heck do you keep upgrading your HT? i can understand branching off to a 7.1 setup, but thats about it.

Im just curious how you can watch Star Wars Attack of the Clones, or Ghost and the Darkness, and say "this sounds like crap!"

Do alot of people who have 60,000 HT setups buy it all at once? Or do they go with cheapo and slowly upgrade?
slappy
goinbroke
105 posts
 
Slappy, I'm with you on this one, but think about this...I'll bet that many of the components in truly high end HT setups got their starts as components in high end 2 channel setups. By that, I'm talking about the trickle-down effect where, as the 2-channel rig is upgraded, the "old" components migrate to the HT setup. By that reasoning, if you had a $100K system, then a $40K HT setup would make perfect sense. I guess I just can't imagine anyone with that much interest in HT who didn't have even more interest in music. Are there any of those mythical people out there who live, eat, sleep and breathe HT but don't care how their music sounds? Oh wait...they are on a different message board....
bruceomega
118 posts
 
Another aspect to consider is listening in other than standard 5.1/2.0 formats for 5.1/2.0 sources. Doing this well, with the operative word being well, could entail a larger investment everthing else being equal.

When I went from a 5.1 to a 7.1 system, I found a remarkable improvement in envelopment in my listening room, so much so that I would never go back to 5.1.

Based on personal experience, I recommend listening to a properly set up 7.1 system using Lexicon's Logic 7.

Based on what I have read in forums, I would also recommend listening to a Meridian PrePro system.

Bruce
mrpoindexter
63 posts
 
Well, what more would you get? I have a home theater that qualifies as high-end, while my best friend has a more real-world system.

My best friend has the Def Tech BP3000TL, the CLR3000 and I don't recall his surrounds. No sub in his system, but no sub in mine, either. He uses a Denon AVR-5800. Mine is better sounding, that is for certain.

For video, I am so far ahead of what he has that it isn't even remotely close. Using a high quality HTPC for a scaler, I get DVD video that is far superior to anything from a standard DVD player - even the DCDi progressive scan units.

Add to that, I have an Odyssee motion simulator. There is no "cheap version" of an Odyssee. Check it out here:
http://www.d-box.com/html_en.html
I don't watch movies over at his place, but when I am there and things are playing, I just don't get immersed in it like I do at home. It isn't even close to the same.

While I didn't buy everything all at once, most of this equipment was purchased over the last 18 months.

I also installed a theater for about $14K at my friend's aunt's house. While her system is quite impressive to people who come over and have never really seen a well done home theater, it pales in comparison to what I have at home.
scottht
398 posts
 
Al I am going to say is many people sure have different ideas as to what hi-end means. I feel that the system described is mid level. Certainly nooo where near hi-end. Thats it.
tsmack
35 posts
 
Home Theater when done properly will exceed the cost of a 2 channel setup easily. Just think 7.1 has 5 additional speakers plus a sub or 2 and all of the cabling that goes into it. A lot of the same benefits that are acheived with upgrades in 2 channel are seen in HT as well when you upgrade speakers, cabling and equipment. Lower noise level taking you deeper into the sound track, explosive transients going from dead silence to "Holy S@#t" peaks. Movies become more intense and more interesting to watch. Detail is ever so evident. Lets not forget however that many people integrate HT with 2 channel and multichannel music, especially with DVDA and SACD becoming more common. In this situation the components of the HT setup have to be top notch for a critical listener and the money goes out the window for the best one can afford. A few words of caution to those who do not want to spend too much, do not go to listen to a friends much more expensive setup because you will sit at home trying to figure out what you can sell or how you can get the money to have what he has or even better it.
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