2. home-theater
  3. 1364590916

Best way to improve my Theater with $1500.00

I just won an award from my work. They gave me $1500.00 worth of Amazon gift cards. I want to use it on my home theater, and was hoping to get a little advise.

Right now I am in a condo, so my HT is basic. In about 6 months I will buy a house and build a dedicated home theater. I usually buy used gear, to save a small fortune. I have not spent any money recently on anything new. I did try a Pioneer Elite Receiver with the digital amps and HDMI and all that. It didn't sound as good as my B&K gear at all so I returned it.

My theater consists of a b&k Ref 50s2. B&K AV-5000S2 amp. Sony BDP-s550 blue ray running LPCP analong out to the Ref 50. All monster m1000 series interconnects. I also have a PS3 and a Direct tv box. Right now I have a 60" Panasonic Plasma, A thiel Smart Sub, DCM TFV-6.0 as mains and CX-17 as center, plus rears. When I get the full theater going again I will use my DCM TFV -10.0's as mains (I have 2 pair) and maybe rears/ center. I will also want to go with a front projector for video. I listen to both music and movies, and would like to look into streaming lossless from my PC.

So, Knowing my plan, what gear should I buy?

1. I have been debating on upgrading to an all Thiel system. I can pick up used speakers on Audiogon, craigslist o ebay pretty cheap. I may invest the 1500 twards new ones though.

2. Oppo bdp-105 or the step down. I know they do lossless streaming and have good DAC's. However, will I see that much increase over the DAC in my B&k? (since I coudl keep it instead of getting a new processor)

3. Get a new processor. One of the newer Marantz/ onkyo ? emotiva/ outlaw. Would I need a new or better blue ray at this point? Or just use my PS3 or PS4 when it comes out. Will I notice better sound/ vid quality with lossless formats by ising an oppo over the ps3 with a newer processor? Should I get an AVR and use it as a Processor?

4. Wait and buy a projector? I would probably like this potion least. Just because I can probably grab a deal on craigslist on a used one very cheap. I am less concerned about video quality and don't want 3D. I want a good picture but my thing is mainly sound.

5. When I build my theater I will build it to my ideal. I have spent 16 years building houses, so the construction is not a problem.

So Any thoughts or ideas on how to spend my money??
dcmlover
dcmlover OP
18 posts
 
Ok,

So I bought an all BOSE system! Acoustimass 33 from the BOSE outlet store! It is gonna be so awesome!!
avgoround
287 posts
 
No, not what was intended. I was stating that, if he did need high end 2 channel music duties, and wanted to stay same speakers as HT speaker, "combo" system (I'm assuming his dedicated theater room was for "all out, dedicated theater"- could be wrong), then he'd likely have to pay-up!
Yes, you can get a darn good, high out-put, quality, effective, and yet budget type of home theater speaker system, which fills a large space with potent theater sound, yes! I am assuming that his love of DCM's, means he's into this stuff a bit. I also assumed he was doing double duty for music and movies with the same system.
Let me clarify a bit, you can get a very strong sounding theater presentation from some innexpensive Klipsch Horns in that eventual dedicated space, I'm certain! I would also suggest that you would get a stronger offering for HT duties from that same Klipsch system, then your DCM's! They look like music speakers to me.
Of course, if you stay separate music/movie systems, and you like female vocals, light chamber music, modest level rock/pop, jazz, blues, etc, then most any higher ambition audiophile offering can do pretty darn nice sounding music, from a speaker. I think many here know that.
Thiels, B&W's, higher Paradigms n NHT's, Snells, Dyn's, you name it! Much nice sounding music speakers in these, and similar line-ups. However, throw a full THX system effort into a "request", and now what does what? -and in a large room, no less?! It's all I'm saying...n to each his own.
The age old sying, "a good speaker is a good speaker", just doesn't equate ..that is unless you come to the realization that most commercial home audio speakers aren't adequate to do full justice to a lot of high demand source material out there, without coming apart at the seams, n flattening out when you put the gutts to em! ..and movie sountracks are murder on a lot of gear out there.
You have choices...chose wisely

If anyone here like's to embrace the Bose Cube for their HT needs. I say, "God Bless em!"
tcatman
57 posts
 

So I bought an all BOSE system! Acoustimass 33 from the BOSE outlet store! It is gonna be so awesome!!

Apparently... you are fully into he spirit of the day!

(I would have thought BOSE would have gone away 30 years ago! I of course failed to recognize the WAF)
dcmlover OP
18 posts
 
I think I am going to try to demo some speakers. I will look into some Martin Logan and B&W cause they are close to my house at best buy. I will see if I have an improvement over my DCM.
noble100's avatar
noble100
2,419 posts
 
Dcmlover,
Remember, "delayed gratification" is a concept embraced by sane, rational and successful humans. Meaning don't let your new found funds burn a hole in your pocket; read, listen to as many options as you can, be patient and make the right choices for your ears and wallet.

Just my 2 cents
Tim
More to discover