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1st Post Intro & Ramblings

Hi all, I have been a member for about 10 years and never posted anything although I do read a lot. Figured at some point I would, 10+ years later......

 Profession, Audio Visual Tech 22 years. I mostly work in house corporate, conventions and trade shows. Spent some time building clubs, worked a few concerts and home audio has been more of a hobby for a very long time and I have designed and built a few very high end setups years ago. I always hated working professionally on home audio, the customers and sales people are either to cheap or knee deep in marketing and cannot take advice from professionals. My experience has led me to be more aware of the budget, a vast majority cannot spend $10-20k on a stereo and yet some of us spend that on a just 1 component. 
I think that will suffice as an introduction, next I will post some of what I have learned along the way. Keep in mind, most of my recommendations come with a budget mindset instead of $$$ all out performance $$$.
kreapin
kreapin OP
42 posts
 
Please understand that I am not going on about my extensive knowledge, super powers or my sneakers are better. I started this thread hoping to touch on some basics to help the blue collar guy who cannot afford to have a pro come help them setup as well as make better system purchases. For people like us, spending $5k plus on a theater pre-amp that will be obsolete in a few years does not work. We work hard and have responsibilities (and wives) that come before all this. All that I recommend is tailored with this in mind and trying to keep to the basics. 
audio2design
1,351 posts
 
Sorry kreapin Millercarbon appears to have an exclusive on "going on about his extensive 'knowledge'".


You did lose me when you questioned full surround for home theater. Two stereo speakers will never provide the rock solid placement of vocals to the center of the screen. Two speakers tricks the brain using incomplete information to form the center image. An actual center channel provides the accurate timing information to both ears for accurate center placement.


Also critical to placement is your listening position out of dominant bass nodes which I don't think you addressed. That sets a reference for the speakers which must point behind the head not at it and if you don't have acoustic controls or bass arrays, adjusting the speakers for more consistent bass and moving away from an equalateral can often give a more consistently good setup.




kreapin OP
42 posts
 
I have read thru some of your posts and I have come to the conclusion that you have not heard a properly tuned stereo. My present stereo is nothing fancy and the center image is rock solid. The reason I say stereo would sound better for film is because of how objects move through space across your front stage. But that concept would be lost if you have never experienced it on a properly tuned stereo
audio2design
1,351 posts
 
That's okay I have come to the conclusion you don't know how we locate sounds. Stereo speakers will never replace a center channel no matter how perfect. For one, it is only perfect for a very narrow spot. For two even turning your head moves the image. A center channel is immune to these real world issues.  A home theater guy should know this.  He should also know the importance of listener and speaker position for bass nodes and how to quickly made a good first pass and the balancing act with perfect imaging, creating ambience, etc.
kreapin OP
42 posts
 
Like I stated in an earlier post, you have offered up nothing to help anyone that just so happens upon this thread, you try really hard to sound smart but have provided no substance. Anyone sitting at home with a decent receiver and decent speakers can take what I have posted and see positive results. You??????

The issue with theater sound is the mono channels. That rock solid center you speak of is a mono channel. We have 2 ears and we hear in stereo ;-)

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