Hi Brian,
Wow. Lots of changes are certainly happening or possibly happening in your house! Can I offer two initial thoughts:
1) Each custom installer or dealer sells particular brands. If one dealer openly bashes another dealer or product be careful. In high end audio and video there are lots of great products. There are differences but they are nuanced and often personal preference. Make sure that when it is your system, it is YOUR preference. Listen to advice but you should make the final decision.
2) VIDEO PRODUCTS: TV sets depreciate at an astonishing rate. I personally recommend that you look at hometheater.com for good reviews on TV sets and technologies. In fact, drop the editor Scott Wilkinson an email with your video questions. The top TV brands for plasma tend to be Panasonic and Samsung. They are both excellent. LG is fine too. Generally you don't need the top model but can get away with the second or third in line saving you thousands. A 55" at a 4k price point is too much $$. You can get. 65" of comparable quality from Panasonic or Samsung at that price. Unless it is the Sharp Elite, it isn't worth it in my opinion.
3) AUDIO: audio is a totally different beast. Speaker tech doesn't change as radically as TVs so out your $$in the best speakers you can. Do not. I repeat, do not buy speakers blindly! Visit and listen to the models. There are differences and you may like one over another. Paradigm is a great brand; however there are other great speakers out there too.
4) Bluray: Oppo Digital is hands down the best player out there and it's $499 with a new model coming. Oppo is the standard that all other Bluray players are measured against. Stick with Oppo. NAD is a GREAT brand but I feel very strongly about the Oppo and the new model has 4k up scaling and that helps future proof things a bit. Most dealers cannot carry Oppo units so they are not an option for them to sell.
5) HDMI Don't pay $100 for an HDMI cable. Monoprice redmere cables are fantastic as are Bluejeanscable cables or Tributaries. A dealer has 50%-$100% markup on those accessories. I have all three of those brand cables myself in a very high end system. Don't be fooled there. Read blue jeans cable web site for great info.
'm confused about the processor. Is he giving you an NAD demo or something else???? NAD makes great products. I've owned NAD myself and been very happy. Also all demo units should be sold at $50% off list at that price point.
FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, what is it that you don't like about your current setup? If you can't identify that, then you won't necessarily be solving your problem and simply buying upgrades and spending $$ all the time. I've been an audio and video guy for years and years and I've meticulously built a system that I have fallen in love with. It's not about the equipment but the music and the movies--the experience. So just be careful and listen and try before you buy and shop around at other audio stores in your area. YOU are the client and you shouldn't feel pressured. If you do that's a warning sign.
Wow. Lots of changes are certainly happening or possibly happening in your house! Can I offer two initial thoughts:
1) Each custom installer or dealer sells particular brands. If one dealer openly bashes another dealer or product be careful. In high end audio and video there are lots of great products. There are differences but they are nuanced and often personal preference. Make sure that when it is your system, it is YOUR preference. Listen to advice but you should make the final decision.
2) VIDEO PRODUCTS: TV sets depreciate at an astonishing rate. I personally recommend that you look at hometheater.com for good reviews on TV sets and technologies. In fact, drop the editor Scott Wilkinson an email with your video questions. The top TV brands for plasma tend to be Panasonic and Samsung. They are both excellent. LG is fine too. Generally you don't need the top model but can get away with the second or third in line saving you thousands. A 55" at a 4k price point is too much $$. You can get. 65" of comparable quality from Panasonic or Samsung at that price. Unless it is the Sharp Elite, it isn't worth it in my opinion.
3) AUDIO: audio is a totally different beast. Speaker tech doesn't change as radically as TVs so out your $$in the best speakers you can. Do not. I repeat, do not buy speakers blindly! Visit and listen to the models. There are differences and you may like one over another. Paradigm is a great brand; however there are other great speakers out there too.
4) Bluray: Oppo Digital is hands down the best player out there and it's $499 with a new model coming. Oppo is the standard that all other Bluray players are measured against. Stick with Oppo. NAD is a GREAT brand but I feel very strongly about the Oppo and the new model has 4k up scaling and that helps future proof things a bit. Most dealers cannot carry Oppo units so they are not an option for them to sell.
5) HDMI Don't pay $100 for an HDMI cable. Monoprice redmere cables are fantastic as are Bluejeanscable cables or Tributaries. A dealer has 50%-$100% markup on those accessories. I have all three of those brand cables myself in a very high end system. Don't be fooled there. Read blue jeans cable web site for great info.
'm confused about the processor. Is he giving you an NAD demo or something else???? NAD makes great products. I've owned NAD myself and been very happy. Also all demo units should be sold at $50% off list at that price point.
FINALLY AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, what is it that you don't like about your current setup? If you can't identify that, then you won't necessarily be solving your problem and simply buying upgrades and spending $$ all the time. I've been an audio and video guy for years and years and I've meticulously built a system that I have fallen in love with. It's not about the equipment but the music and the movies--the experience. So just be careful and listen and try before you buy and shop around at other audio stores in your area. YOU are the client and you shouldn't feel pressured. If you do that's a warning sign.