I'm in the market for a new HT setup as I've just moved to Moscow, Russia. In the US, I had a setup of Energy Connoisseurs (2 big bookshelf speakers and a center channel in front and two small book shelves in the back) + a REL subwoofer driven by a NAD 753 receiver fed by NAD CD and DVD players. Also had a Loewe CRT TV.
I liked the mid-range power of the Energy speakers (had compared them to similarly priced PSB and NHT models) but was annoyed by the NAD hum.
What would you recommend for a similar level system these days? How does the Energy C-series compare to the old Connoisseurs. Are the RCs worth the extra jump up?
I'm thinking of just buying the flat panel TV, a receiver, and center, and L/R speakers to start and add rears and subwoofer (if needed) over time. For now, I'm going to be using a Sony PS3 for movies/games.
I was thinking of going for a basic Denon receiver (AVR 1908?) and spending a little extra on the speakers to go for the C-500s floorstanding speakers for L/R channels. Is this wise? At this price point, does it make sense to spend up for NAD?
Any other brands/models I should consider? Monitor Audio?
I'll be using the system for regular TV and movie watching, but want something that's especially good for music. My system is going to be in an open plan living room. The sitting/viewing area is not that large, but one side opens out onto an open plan kitchen... I'll also be moving apartments in Moscow every so often, so I want something that is versatile.
TV-wise, I'm thinking Panasonic or Pioneer Plasma or a Sharp or Toshiba LCD based on what I've read on the forum. Any input?
Look into an Onkyo T^X-SR705 for your receiver and if possible go listen to the different speakers available.
Regarding the TV Pioneer has the best screen but I am not sure you could differentiate it from a Panasonic unless you had an absolutely perfect viewing environment (which few have).
I can tell in Best Buy the difference between the Pioneer vs all others. As soon as they show a dark scene you can tell instantly. I would recommend the Pioneer vs anything else, it is the best by far.
Re: the audio end of things, would getting a Cambridge Audio receiver work well with Energy? Would it bring me a step up in sound from Denon when paired with Energy? I unfortunately won't have the chance to try the combos before I buy, as I'll get the receiver in the UK and the speakers in Moscow...
Also, I'm planning on using a PS3 as a source. The Cambridge Receivers seem to be able to take HDMI video only? If I'm using the HDMI for video from the PS3, will I be able to use a separate optical connection from PS3 to receiver, or does using the PS3 HDMI port automatically shut off the other audio outs on the PS3?
The Onkyo-TXSR705 A/V Receiver that Jim Bay suggested would accept audio from the PS3 via HDMI. This would actually be better than optical because with a firmware update to the PS3 you would get High Definition audio from the PS3 via HDMI which you would not be able to do via optical. I could not help but notice that you said nothing about his suggestion for an Onkyo TX-SR705 and I was a little confused by this because you apear to be looking for suggestions?
Thanks for the Onkyo suggestion, but its a bit out of my price range at close to 600 pounds in the UK vs. Cambridge Audio 640R or Denon 1908 for 400 pounds (i.e., 400USD diff in price)... Is the 30% increase in price worth it?
I was operating under the assumption that its best to spend more on the speakers before spending incrementally on electronics -- should the opposite be the case?
The only reason I mentioned CA is because I hear it often compared to NAD, whose sound I liked, but whose notorious hum I hated...
If I'm spending too little on electronics, another thing I was thinking of was getting an integrated amp and stereo speakers and slowly building up the system over time. Is there any way to get stereo sound from a PS3 with an integrated amp? Just use the audio part of the composite AV out with HDMI for the video?
Hey Guys, ended up getting a good deal on the Cambridge 540R and bought it along with a Sharp LCD. Now I need to decide on speakers.
Any experiences with the Energy RC-30? They are actually selling here cheaper than the C-500s that I was originally looking at. I've only see reviews of the RC-70s. Will the RC-30s sound better than the bookshelf equivalent? I can't hear them before buying, but at c. $600/pair, I think I'm getting a good deal..
You seem to know what you are doing considering you pretty much ignored the posts and did what you had in mind -so I say go with the those -Sounds like a winner!! Enjoy!!