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Ideas to improve my system

In short, I’m looking for ideas to improve to my system.


What do I want out of a system?

I would like to have a system that sounds great during both 2ch music and movies (think criterion not marvel).

I live in NYC and my living room does double duty as a listening area + home theatre. I am unlikely to be able to have a separate listening and watching space anytime soon. I primarily listen to music from records, Apple Music and Spotify and watch movies from an Apple TV 4K.


What do I currently use?

A bit of a hodgepodge/mess bought over the past 10+ years

Rega Planar 1 with Ortofon Blue (and a few other minor upgrades)

Musical Fidelity phono pre-amp

Sony DN1080 Receiver

B&W HTM6 S2 Center channel

Klipsch Hersey IV

4 Mirage Omnisat v2 speakers

The system also has a dedicated line

At my desk

Sony IER-M9 powered by a RME ADI-2 DAC with corrections from AutoEQ (I love this setup)


What do I not want?

I tried height speakers and they didn’t give me much.


What do I like?

I want my living room sound to feel exciting, visceral and something special. My desk setup is pretty perfect for me reference wise but I want the living room to be a bit different. I like the Hersey much more than expected and I want to generally build a cohesive system around them. They perform great in my apartment for music. For movies, they are actually great left/right speakers! They make string or brass soundtracks come alive. The B&W center channel isolates dialog pretty well and transitions between the Heresy and B&W rarely bother me or other listeners I’ve had in the space.


What isn’t going to fly

  • Going 2 channel. My girlfriend objects and likes the surround speakers (as do I).
  • Wall treatments. Not a lot I can do here unfortunately - I have thick rugs and a fair amount of furniture + books on walls.

Options considered

  • Add a sub like KEF KC62 (I can’t do 2 tho)
  • Match the center channel to the Hersey’s via Klipsch center
  • Upgrade the receiver (thinking something like the NAD t 778 or upcoming Yamaha RX-A6A)
  • Switch to separates (I’m very fond of the Anthem’s room correction but would need the AVM70 + a 5 channel amp)

Are there other things folks would recommend? If you had 3-5k to spend, where would you put it?


zamiang
knotscott
936 posts
 
A powered sub would be a nice addition, especially for HT. Even a fairly modest sub can work well. Most have a high pass filter to relieve your main speakers from deep bass duties, which many claim will clean up the sound of mains.

Then I’d look to upgrade your main amp/preamp.  Further down the road after an amp, I'd consider a cartridge upgrade...especially if the new amp has an improved phono stage.  
elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
I think your Klipsch and B&W center probably sound good together,

 however,

the sensitivity mismatch probably needs a somewhat large adjustment in the AVR.

for that reason, I would start by changing to a Klipsch Center with matching sensitivity, Klipsch can advise you, there seems to be a sale going on. 

I suggest this one, it's ports face forward

https://www.klipsch.com/products/r-34c-center-speaker





elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
Do you NEED more Bass? 

WANTING more bass seems obvious to all, but you know what you are getting now.

When you consider new AVR and New Integrated 'Front Music System', consider if 'more bass' will be for

AVR use only, i.e. single Sub adding Dinosaur Stomps,

OR,

Extended Front Stereo Bass (two front facing subs, near the mains, always on. 
elliottbnewcombjr
5,486 posts
 
TT/Phono/Cartridge. Last! Next Year!
zamiang OP
3 posts
 
Thanks elliottbnewcombjr2! Yea the AVR sets the non-Hersey speakers +6db. It definitely weird to have that much of a difference, but I’m a little unclear on exactly what issues that causes tho from an audio quality perspective. For correcting the sensitivity mismatch, could I get around that problem somewhat by having a separate power amp for the Hersey? Even if I replaced the center, my surrounds would still have the same problem. Right now they are a slightly bigger of a mismatch at 6.5db

Bass wise, things seem fine? I’d would love to try out a sub in the system and really experience the difference tho. It is likely that to knotscott’s point, it may just make the rest of the speakers sound a bit better.


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