How to improve 2-channel performance in HT rig?

Pat - nice system, and I'm not surprised that you find yourself liking it for music instead of just HT. I, at one point, had the DC-1 and NHT speakers (the 2.9's), using a Sony DVD player as a transport into the DC-1, driven by a 5-channel Krell. I was probably at a similar place to where you're at now - really fantastic on HT, enjoyable but not perfect on music.

I have since upgraded basically everything and, not surprisingly, like the performance on music much better. I have the MC-12 now, which has 2-channel analog pass-thru. I like where I currently am, but IF I was to do it over, starting back with the DC-1, I'd probably go a different route.

If you like the basic sound of your speakers, then make sure they're driven fully. My guess is that the Rotel is very adequate for the NHT's. The NHT's are very accurate sounding, but I wouldn't describe them as rich or liquid. Ultimately, to get those characteristics, you might have to change to a different brand of speaker. I would warn that the NHTs are right at the top of my list for somebody really wanting great HT (something I love, to be sure), so proceed with caution. Anyway, the word of warning is that if you do change your speakers at some point, take into account that your amplification quite likely will have to be upgraded as well. I now use Dynaudio's and I have upgraded amplification for them twice with very significant improvements both times.

Upgrading the pre/pro, which I did twice as well, stopping at the MC-1 for a couple years in between, brought about nice changes for the better as well, still driving them from the Sony DVD player as a transport. I did try a KRC-3 as a 2-channel preamp, and a separate DAC. There wasn't anywhere near enough improvement, IMO, to warrant all the extra confusion of cabling and boxes, etc. So I dismantled all of that.

What did bring a really nice upgrade to music was ultimately getting a very nice CD player, in my case the Muse Model 9 Signature DVD player. Using that with it's analog outs through an analog preamp was a significantly nicer sound, and brought some of that richness and body. I wouldn't want to have to put words to the changes, but playing the same saxaphone piece through the MC-12 with a transport, vs. through the MC-12 as an analog preamp, there was no question the Muse sounded much better.

So, if I was in your exact situation, I'd buy a Krell KRC-3 used (for around $1200). Then, depending on how good your current CD player is with it's analog outs (I'm not familiar with the model at all), I'd either use it as a full-blown CD player, or I'd look for a used Muse Model 9 DVD player (signature is better, but not req'd). The Muse gear doesn't hold it's value at all, for some reason, so you can get them cheap used. If you search for reviews, though, you'll see that they all rave about this machine. I certainly have found it to be a wonderful player. It also does a good job with DVD playback.

That's $2500, so it's not cheap, and maybe has to be done in a couple steps, but with that setup you'd be set for a long-time for both music and HT playback. You could concentrate in the future on speakers / amplification if the urge ever strikes.

BTW - I found the upgrade from the DC-1 to the MC-1 to be significant for music, though many claim otherwise. YMMV, but I thought it was worth it. I'd probably still go the route I described above, and I don't know that I'd spend the money to upgrade just for the better HT performance.

Kirk

Kirk --

Thanks for the suggestions! I've decided to start out by trying to see just how good my DVP9000ES is in terms of Redbook CD playback, so I just ordered a Channel Islands passive preamp -- it's supposed to be EXTREMELY transparent, so it should let me hear everything that's going on with the Rotel and the Sony. And, at $220 new, if it doesn't turn out the way I'd like, it's not a major loss.

I did swap amps, though -- I discovered through a quick test that the Rotel 985MkII sounds MUCH better on 2-channel playback than the RB981 does, even the the 981 is rated at 20 wpc more power. As it turns out, the 985 uses power sharing between its five (100 wpc each) channels, so with only two channels driving it's putting something over 150 wpc into each, with lots of headroom for transients (since the transformer can produce up to 500 wpc). Better soundstage, better bass . . .. heck, better everything.

So we'll see how the gear sounds once I get the Lexicon out of the signal path, and then go from there.

Thanks again for the input!

Pat

Pat have you tried using any temporary acoustic absorbers over your RPTV? That big reflective surface only a foot behind the plane of your mains has a rather major effect. You might do a simple experiment of covering with thick layers of blankets. Not perfect, but I bet you'll notice an immediate difference. If that helps, you could always make or buy something that could be put in place when doing stereo.

No, I haven't tried anything like that. Seems like a good idea, though . . . . I ahould cover all the surfaces of the TV, right?

If it works, I'd imagine that a simple four-walled frame could be put together pretty easily, even using something like eggcrate foam, and that could be folded flat when not in use and and then erected around the TV for serious 2-channel listening . . . .

Thanks for the tip! I'll give it a try and report back.

Pat

My situation is similar. I am using the NHT VT 2.4 with Rotel RMB-1095 and a Sony DVD player/CD recorder/player for a source, all through a Marantz receiver as the Pre-pro. Home Theater sounds awsome, 2 channel sounds bright most of the time. I think from the sound of the suggestions I am going to try a new CD player.