Vladi

bump ...

Avman, Thanks for your hints... you were right, I switched to using digital coax for my CD player, and no hiss at all, even at max volume it is complete silence. I also put all other inputs to optical where possible. Another question: digital coax or optical is better? Sony manual recommends coax, sales reps recommend optical. ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You've got mail! ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Doug, I know, that kinda sucks, they should take better care of their website!!! But Sony is famous for "once it is out of production, it is not on their website. Price: The day before it was $1199, and it went on liquidation sale for $899! I already looked at 3802 - I like the Sony better because (of course this is only my opinion): 1) It seemed easier to operate to me 2) Sounds warmer and more appealing with my speakers 3) Learning Remote with much better design and feel, and it has an additional remote for the second room. 4) Has 2-nd room speaker connections, and a pre-amp for 3-rd room. I will be placing speakers in my bathroom 5) Has gold plated connectors (hmm, not a big plus but...) Anyway, I like the Sony better, but I am only saying it is better for me, and only in my opinion ... and I have been known to have different opinions and like what others don't ... he he he. Vladi ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am not sure if there is a separate forum for selling stuff, I wasn't able to find it. I am looking for 1 black Quintet speaker for my rear center surround. Anyone out there with an extra one? Vladi ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I have seen both, like more black hawk dawn, one hell of a sound, and it won the Oscar for that! ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well, as I was returning the Denon 2802, the salerep told me they had the Sony STR-DA5ES on sale for $899. I ended up buying it, spending $400 over my original budget, but hope is a long lasting investment. I was surprised that it had two remmotes, one of which has an LCD and flip-up cover, under which are more buttons for setup. I am not experiencing the hiss nor the sub "pop" anymore! Vladi ------------------ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Front: SB-2 Center: SC-1 Surround: 2 Quintets (looking for one more) Subwoofer: KSW-12 Receiver: Sony STR-DA5ES Lots of CDs and DVDs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Reporting back: I have read lots of reviews online and on this board. I went to Good Guys and got two open box receivers, both at the same price of $599. The contenders are: 1) Sony STR-DA3ES 2) Denon AVR-2802 Test for music - Pink Floyd - The Wall. It has very diverse dynamics and I think was good test. Test for movie - my daughter's favorite - Tarzan. I used external EQ to make sure I am inputing the same signal for music, while receivers' EQ was off. DVD was digital in. Here are my findings: * Hissing - both receivers not present or very minimal at max volume (source is on pause.) * Subwoofer popping - both receivers not present (so it was the previous receiver STR-DE975.) As far as "sound" comparison, here are my personal thoughts: Sony STR-DA3ES: * Music: powerful (100W), deep bass, clean warm mids, clean crisp trebs. Really "opens" my speaker setup. * Movies: My daughter and I watched her favorite movie today - Tarzan. She has seen it before on my previous cheap PC Altec Lansing setup with Dolby Digital 4.1 . When we saw it today, I said WOW, and she said: "Daddy, what happened? The movie is very big..." She is only 2 1/2 old ... Denon AVR-2802 * Music: not so powerful (80W), a little bit shallow bass, clean mids but a bit harsh/metallic, clean crisp trebs. My speaker setup sounded better with sony. * Movies: Tarzan was good, but Sony was better. So, I will keep the Sony. Denon 2802 does not satisfy my preferences, a bit harsh and metallic for me. And I cannot afford $999 to try the 3802. Thank you all who replied and gave me advise. So far didn't have time to setup inputs to reduce hissing, but with the present receiver it is minimal anyway. Finally, my HT is: Sony STR-DA3ES SB-2 SC-1 KSW-12 Quintets for the LS and RS Well, it is no RF series, but it is a start and I am satisfied. Vladi

1) Whenever I turn on the receiver, the KSW-12 subwoofer "pops" very loudly. Is this normal? If not is the subwoofer at fault, or the receiver? 2) My receiver is Sony DE975, kinda cheapo but powerful. I hear "hisssssss" from the main SB-2 speakers when volume is turned up and nothing is playing (or less dynamic moment of a song). Is this the "sony hiss"? Is this "normal" noise for this price level of receivers? And last, what do you guys recommend for receiver in the $500 range. Thanks in advance, Vladi

Thanks to Doug and LDC for the excellent advise. I was kinda leading myself towards the same decision as Doug. I will return the Quintet, get the SC1 and whenever I have the money get some speakers for the bedroom. I just came back from my local Good Guys and they had an open box SC1 for $178. I also listened to the setup without a center chanel, I found the setting on my receiver. It sounded much better than with the Quintet center. However, it was awkward in a way that diaologue was sounding surround like, and wasn't bound to the screen. I am all excited about my new HT! Vladi

I have also heard that it is possible to route the center to the front left and right. How is this done, is it thru wiring, or is it a feature in the receiver (I am still learning my new receiver functions). Also, is it a good idea to route the center to the L&R?

Hi, My first post here! I bought a new system, that I also want to use for music. It consists of (only the audio equipment): Quintets - 4 satellite and 1 center $374 KSW-12 - $449 Sony STR-DE975 - $337 It is very good for movies, but I was so disappointed for music, that I immediately went back and bought 2 front SB-2 speakers. So now I have: SB-2 - front speakers Quntet center Quintet rear surround My dillema is: 1) Keep the Quintets, and use the 2 additional in the other room. 2) Return the Quintets. Get SC.5 for center $170, and get 2 quintets online for about $90. This way I save about $110, but have no speakers for the other room . Please advise me on: - How much better sounds SC.5 compared to the quintet center? So far i have noticed that the Quintet center is a bit weak on the lower-mids and the sound is a bit metallic/boxy (as was the case with the satelites when I used them for fronts) I definitely don't want to go with SS.5, compared to the quintets they are bulky and I have no place for them. The quintets will do just fine for the rear surrounds. I am renting, so in-wall is not an option. Thanks in advance, Vladi