amusingisthedawn

I don't really understand your message. If I want to listen to a cd and I want an optimal sound quality...I really don't think running a bd player through hdmi and a newer receiver will be the best solution. I suppose you are suggesting I would be better spending money on a new amp instead of an outboard dac ultimately though?

So...I would be better spending my money on an amp than an external DAC first? If I buy an amp, I will be using my bd player to listen to cd's since I will have sold my DCD3520 to offset the costs. In doing so, will the amp still make a difference more so than the outboard DAC?

I'll use my bluray player as a transport until I can afford a nice transport. Did using an external amp take away any hiss or noise you heard at really high volumes?

I am looking to eventually do both, but financially I want to make an almost even tradeoff. I'm going to put my DCD3520 up for sale, but I don't know what will be a better move. Do I buy an outboard DAC (been eyeing up a PS Audio D3), or do I buy a nice 2 channel amp? Price for both would be in the 500 dollar range. Which one would I listen to a cd with and go...ah yes, that was the better choice?

True. However, Hsu put the driver on top of the cylinder (very top heavy)...so haha I have no idea where that leaves us. I don't think it could hurt to use a subdude with it. I might even use something similar under the KLF's. Any recommendation on a product like that?

I don't know if I agree with you. Both styles really do the same thing, any difference would be pretty minor...at least with what I have noticed. Any low frequency will "fill", and they should be close as far as SPL goes, comparing apples to apples and not different companies. Haha, and I don't really see how that helps me decide if I should use the subdude. Are you saying the sub's filling doesn't hit the ground because it's so light and fluffy?

I just wonder if the theory still applies if the direction of the driver changes.

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SubDudeHD/ Would you use one of these on an HsuTN1220HO? I'm not sure if cylinder subs would fall into the catagory of needing something like this.

I got the PM, but you didn't try to convince me on why I should go with one or the other. ha

I decided I am going to put my modded Denon DCD3520 up for sale and look for an outboard DAC to use with my bd player (until I can afford a transport). Should I go with tubes? What brand DAC will give me quality at least as good as what my current denon DCD does for me now? I'm going the used route and would prefer to spend under $350, or if you have suggestions as to what kind of money to spend in and around that amount?

AWSOME!

I'm guessing you wouldn't use the first link as a transport with the dac in the second link?

I ended up putting 3 2'x4' 4" thick panels on either side of the listening position, and also a panel on either side of the television. The side panels have a wood back so they act more as diffusion, the 2 on the forward wall have open backs and act as bass traps. I just want to say that this is the single most noticeable upgrade I have made to my set-up. The bass is in your face, and hits your chest without any reverberation or boominess like it had before. The highs have become so tame, that I can turn it up much louder without ear fatigue. Even my girlfriend was impressed...movies and music are CRISP and CLEAN. I will eventually add 3 more panels hung from the ceiling a couple of feet before the listening position.

First off, there isn't a thing wrong with the player, and I actually love the sound...but my mere curiosity wants to explore other players and/or using a transport and an outboard DAC. I obviously can't do this without selling the denon to fund the experimentation. If I were to go the transport/dac route...what are my options when you take into consideration I am replacing an awsome player, but do not want to spend over 1000 dollars? Also, what are my options as far as newer players in the 1000 dollar range that would compare to my denon now? When I say newer...I mean up to 7-8 years old. I obviously can't afford an awsome player that compares the denon for a decent price that came out last year, or could I?

It's the 500watt amp...so 500-600 would be a good deal. It's in excellent condition, so that's a plus. The guy with the svs backed out...so this is my only option really, but I think that price is a good deal for a quality sub that is MILES ahead of my current sub.

I have a friend convicing me to spend 700 dollars on his HSU, and I also have a guy willing to sell me his PC13 Ultra for 1200. What is the better buy?

I'd have to disagree about the center channel...very strongly. The center is also only like 3 inches closer than the mains, so it isn't a very noticeable concern. A few things have changed. I put up a lot of acoustic treatments and the room sounds like a new room...SO much better. I took the coffee table out of there and the speakers right now are about 9.5' away from eachother and about 10 feet from the couch. I feel the sub blends better with music while inside the mains and I don't have the room to change it. I feel the wide soundstage was corrected with room treatments, I have to see once my friend comes back over. The more I listen, the spacing is perfect for HT, I really couldn't be happier with my 5.1 setup right now. Stereo listening sounds cool to me, and I did notice that with the treatments it changed the dynamics to the point where things such much more natural.

I could turn the ball valve off...but then it would be cold in there? Why the big fuss? It doesn't create nearly enough heat to to any damage...and the only thing it is close to is the speakers. It stops before the KLF on the right side. BTW, I made the purchase and ordered (4) 24x48 4" panels

It's a coffee table and the center channel is sitting higher than it. i would like to get rid of it and get a couple of ottomans to put my feet up on though

http://www.atsacoustics.com/item--ATS-Acoustic-Panel-24x48x4--1026.html I was going to put 4 of these on the side walls since they are totally bare. 2 on each side. I was going to get them with the wood back and not the open back so they would act more like diffusers. I really want to convince my girlfriend to let me carpet the whole room with a theater-esc carpet...but she isn't going for it hehe I have a feeling if I put these treatments on the side walls...it will be a great improvment from where I am now. Bass traps are a real eye-sore...so I don't think I could ever put them in there. These treatments I linked would be in black and look kinda cool on the side walls.

Ok. The room is 12'x15'. The speakers are along the 12' wall. I also have a massive shelving system behind the seating area which contains 400something cd's. Should I put absorbtion panels on the sides of the room first? Or should I put diffusion panels on the wall with the speakers/tv?

this is the room. Another reason they are placed so far apart is that my main goal is to have 2 SVS pc ultras to the insides of each KLF. I find that the sub is least noticeable in 2 channel music when it is in between the speakers, not corner loaded.

I had a friend over the other day listening to music and had mentioned the soundstage was so wide, he thought it was wierd. How far apart do most people place their speakers in their 2 channel set-ups? I suppose my original intention was to widen the soundstage for theater, but perhaps it hurt the sound for 2 channel? This room is 12' wide and 15' long, and the speakers are right at the corners. Maybe the soundstage IS too wide, even for HT? The only reason I'm thinking about that now is that you sit barely 10 feet from the speakers.

It's been calibrated. And for some reason, I don't remember it being like that always. Could this result from a bad cable? I wouldn't think so since blurays look so good

It also happens when a bluray disc is on the loading screen...it shows artifacts almost like a vague white snow in the backround, but once the bluray is finished loading, it's crystal clear...except if I'm watching a standard DVD, then the artifacts stay throughout the movie and it sucks.