So, what equipment are you using??

[eddiespaghetti]

First off, I apologize if I am posting in the wrong place and disrupting the really good music talk with an equipment question, but I figured who better to ask about playback units than the ones who have an appreciation for the music/sound

As I have been lurking in here for the past few days, taking notes, and listening to samples, I am wondering what equipment you are using for playback. I have a 20 year old JVC cd player, and an Xbox360 for dvds, and looking to replace the cd player with a universal disc unit, and leave the 360 for gaming. I am looking to stay below the $500 radar, and so far the best looking device I have found is a Denon 955 on clearance (about $300). The problem with the 955 is I can't find any reviews on it.

What other options do I have, or what equipment should I run away from?

Thanks in advance

[engr_dave]

Welcome Eddie.

For the theater system, I use the following:

Lexicon MC-12 preamp/processor
Sony 9000ES DVD/SACD
Bryston 4BST main amp
Sumo Andromeda rear amp
Sumo Andromeda side amp
Metron A4000 Center amp
Adcom 555 platform sub amp
Crown K2 front sub amp
Behringer DEQ2496 front sub EQ

My next upgrade will be to replace the Sony with a Lexicon RT20. The Sony has excellent audio and video, but it won't do mutichannel SACD and has a sluggish tray eject. It has been repaired once (under warranty) for inability to read SACD. I can't say I recommend it, even though a used one would probably be in your price range. Further down the road, I'll probably upgrade my main amp to a pair of Bryston 7BSST monoblocks.

Happy Upgrading!

[mrohde]

Welcome to the forums!

Pre/Pros: Krell HTS 7.1
Power AMP: Krell Showcase 7
TV, Samsung 50” DLP, max res. 1080i, HLN5065W, ver. 1, type BK50L2
DVD: Denon DVD-5910CI, w/ multi channel out
Power conditioning: Monster Power HTPS 7000
Cable box: Scientific Atlanta Explorer 8300HD with DVR
Cable service: Time Warner with HD options.
Remote: Marantz RC9500
IR Repeater: Single high output, Niles Audio IR flasher


Front: B&W Nautilus 803S’s
Center: B&W Nautilus HTM2
Rear: B&W 805S’s
Side surrounds: B&W, DS7’s,
Subwoofer: Sun Fire True Subwoofer Mk II
Speaker Cables: Front and Center: MIP Terminator 2 speaker hoses with CV couplings

Alpha certified HT room

My next upgrade will be to a DD-12 sub

[Foxman]

I have a very modest system compared to many online here.

I use:
Mitsubishi WS-48515 RPTV (Professionaly calibrated by Greg at LionAV including a Duvatine liner)

Denon 2900 DVD

Rotel RSP-1066 Pre/pro
" RMB 1075 5ch. Amp
" RMB 1060 2ch. Amp

Klipsch RF-7 front
" RC-7 Center
" RS-7 Surround
Boston Center surrounds (can't think of the model)

SVS 20-39PC+ Sub

Home Theater Master MX500 remote
Cat Cable's (at least in part)

[DSGCobra]

I'm down for listing HT equipment but again my system is very modest...


JVC 61" true 1080P LCoS projection
Anthem AVM50 a/v processor
Rotel 1095 amp
Toshiba HD-XA2 HD-DVD player
PS3 for Blu-ray
360 for gaming

Paradigm studio reference cc-690 v4 center
" 100's v4 fronts
" ADP something v4 surrounds
old Paradigm PW2200 sub. Looking to upgrade to a JL Audio Fathom f113.
Audio Quest everything for wires.

[Boone38]

My equipment behind the times compared to a few others. Regardless, here is my very modest system:

Pre/Pro Anthem AVM 30
Amp is Classe CAV 75
DVD is Denon 2930

Fronts are B & W 804S
Center is B & W HTM4
Rears are B & W DS6s3

Cables are all MIT

Next upgrade is the Amp to an Anthem MCA 50. Later the DVD player to ?

[eddiespaghetti]

Lotta nice stuff!

When I started the thread, though, I was looking for advice on a universal disc player - what people had, what they liked, and what to avoid. My setup:

Triangle Antal (mains)
Triangle Titus (surround)
Triangle Noxa Major (center)
Triangle Meteor 1.5 (sub)

Parasound Halo C2
Parasound Halo A52

JVC Z444 (20 yr old CD player)
XBOX 360 (gaming and DVD playback)

All cabling by Cobalt Cables

So, I need a bit of "oomph" for DVDs, CDs, and multi-channel music. Any suggestions?

[Glen B]

All very nice systems listed here, not so modest at all. Anthem, Classé, Halo, Paradigm Reference, B&Ws right, left and center -- you should all be proud of your setups. :T

[John Holmes]

eddiespaghetti,

I moved this thread to an area that may better answer your question.

[wkhanna]

When I started the thread, though, I was looking for advice on a universal disc player - what people had, what they liked, and what to avoid......
So, I need a bit of "oomph" for DVDs, CDs, and multi-channel music. Any suggestions?

When you say 'universal', the first that comes to mind for me it the adage "if it is says 'universal fit', that usually translates to 'fits none'."

I'm not trying to knock all universal players, I'm just saying that it has been my experience that when you ask a component to take on many dissimilar tasks, compromises must be made. dedicated components 'usually' produce higher level performance. As always, YMMV.

That said, I might recommend one of the Oppo units at a very reasonable cost of entry, (~$180 to $220 depending on model). After that, you might look at getting a higher quality CDp or DVDp, depending on your priority, to attain improved quality for the source format.

Just my $0.02 and all IMHO.

[eddiespaghetti]

Thanks for the move, John.

wkhanna - I totally agree that a universal player is going to be a compromise on all fronts. My LT plans are to upgrade the TV to HD, then upgrade the DVD portion to HD or BRD. Ideally, I would like to find something that handles that handles the audio portion well, and is OK on the video end (because it will be replaced). I keep hearing mixed reviews on the OPPOs - build quality and sound are the complaints I read most. My short list includes:

OPPO 970 HD
DENON 955
DENON 2910
Cambridge Audio DVD87 or 89

They all seem to meet my needs, but all have some drawback. If there are others I should throw into the mix, I am open to suggestion (and more reading).

Thanks.

[Jim Swantko]

Meridian 861 - Processor
Audio Research LS-26 - pre (for 2-channel)
Linn unidisk 1.1 - universal disk player.
Levinson 336 - 2-channel amp
EAD 8300 - multi-channel amp
Aerial 10T's - fronts
Aerial CC5 - center
Linn AV5140 - surrounds

[MiTT]

Newbie Here

Well, I'm new to this forum (although I do see a number of old friends from the Martin Logan Qwners Club). Here's what I'm using in my 2 Channel only setup...

Analog Front End - Grado Reference cartridge, VPI JMW 10.5 tonearm, VPI Aries turntable, Aesthetix Rhea phono stage, Living Voice Mystic Mat

Digital Front Ends - Esoteric DV-50S Universal Player, Anthem CD-1 (as a transport), Dodson Audio DA-217 MKII DAC; Apple 60G iPod

Pre-Amp - Balanced Audio Technology VK-31SE

Power Amp - Balanced Audio Technology VK-6200 running 4 channel vertically bi-amped

Speakers - Martin Logan ReQuests

Subwoffer - REL Stadium II

Cables - All Synergistic Research Designers Ref or Resolution Ref with several mini power couplers and Master Control Center

Power Filtering - PS Audio P600 & several 20 amp Ultimate Outlets

Accessories - Bright Star Audio Big Rock Aries base with 50 lbs. of sand, Bright Star Little Rock on top of DAC, Mixed sets of Black Diamond Racing cones and thick pucks under Phono Stage, SACD Player, CD Transport and Pre-Amp, custom stainless steel cones under DAC, Townshend Audio Seismic Sink under CD Transport, Salamander Racks, SolidSteel Amp Stand, Musical Fidelity X-Cans and X-PSU headphone amp, Sennheiser HD580 headphones, ceramic cable elevators, VPI 16.5 record cleaning machine.

[rickc]

I am thinking about buying a VPI TT. Probably the aries version. Let me know if you have time to discuss on the phone?

[btf1980]

Display
Pioneer Kuro 5010FD

Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins CM9 (Fronts)
Bowers & Wilkins CMC2 (Center)
Bowers & Wilkins CM1 (Rears)
JL Audio Fathom f112 (Subwoofer)

Power/Amplification
Marantz AV8003 Pre/Pro
Marantz MM8003 Amp
PS Audio GCPH (Phonostage)
PS Audio GCHA (Headphone Amp)

Sources
Pro-Ject RM 6.1 SB Turntable w/ Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III
Marantz SA-15 Reference SACD Player
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player (Doubles as Multi-channel SACD and DVD-A player)
60GB PS3
Halo 3 Ed. Xbox 360,
Tivo HD
Sonos

Power Conditioner
Richard Gray RGPC 400 Pro

Controller
Logitech Harmony 1100

Racks/Stands
BDI Deploy
Solid Tech Rack of Silence (Reference)
Custom Made Stand (For turntable isolation)

Cables
Assorted - Canare, Cardas, Audioquest, Kimber and Monoprice (HDMI only)

Pics - http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gal...&folderid=338#

[btf1980]

Dang - this is an old thread!

[rantzmar]

Display
Pioneer Kuro 5010FD

Speakers
Bowers & Wilkins CM9 (Fronts)
Bowers & Wilkins CMC2 (Center)
Bowers & Wilkins CM1 (Rears)
JL Audio Fathom f112 (Subwoofer)

Power/Amplification
Marantz AV8003 Pre/Pro
Marantz MM8003 Amp
PS Audio GCPH (Phonostage)
PS Audio GCHA (Headphone Amp)

Sources
Pro-Ject RM 6.1 SB Turntable w/ Sumiko Blue Point Special EVO III
Marantz SA-15 Reference SACD Player
Oppo BDP-83 Blu-ray Player (Doubles as Multi-channel SACD and DVD-A player)
60GB PS3
Halo 3 Ed. Xbox 360,
Tivo HD
Sonos

Power Conditioner
Richard Gray RGPC 400 Pro

Controller
Logitech Harmony 1100

Racks/Stands
BDI Deploy
Solid Tech Rack of Silence (Reference)
Custom Made Stand (For turntable isolation)

Cables
Assorted - Canare, Cardas, Audioquest, Kimber and Monoprice (HDMI only)

Pics - http://www.blu-ray.com/community/gal...&folderid=338#

So what do you think of the Marantz SA-15 Reference SACD Player? And how is the Oppo BDP-83 sacd play back compared to the SA-15?

[btf1980]

So what do you think of the Marantz SA-15 Reference SACD Player? And how is the Oppo BDP-83 sacd play back compared to the SA-15?

The Marantz has much more superior analog outputs. I use the oppo only when I occasionally listen to multichannel discs. I also prefer to use HDMI w/ the oppo since it does DSD direct and I let my prepro handle the rest.

[Danes-don't-lie]

Newbie posting in an old thread!

Joined to visit the good Guys in the Classe Forum as my pre/pro is the next upgrade and I am looking at advise and doing my initial research.

Dynaudio Confidence C2
Dynaudio Confidence Center
Dynaudio Confidence C1's (rears) :E
Dual REL Britannia B1s

Simaudio Titan multi-channel
NAD Masters M15
Rega Saturn CDP

Denon 3800 blu-ray
Sony 55 XBR8

Shunyata Research Hydra 6 with Python cable
Synergistic Research Tesla cables for all electronics
Nordost Blue Heaven Speaker Cables and ICs

Musical Fidelity X-CAN and Power Supply
Sennheiser HD650 Cans for late night listening.

Looking for a new pre/pro and perhaps look at my cabling and then I think I'm done... :rofl:

[SwiftFlic]

Well let this newbie add on to it!

Denon 2930Ci (just replaced my old dear Philips 963SA vM, which to my astonishment was a big improvement audio wise)
Marantz SR7300 receiver
Sony TA-N55ES power amplifier for stereo speakers

Speakers are 5x Mission 78 series, 782 front, 78C mid and 780's as rears. Can't help to be still in love with this set, however still wondering if a filter upgrade would make them even better. Why? Don't know... just a feeling. The 782's are bi-amped by the Sony 55, so plenty of power&control.

...but always looking for improvement of course.

[twitch54]

Well, joining my Martin Logan buddy...MiTT, here's my system, link below...

http://www.martinloganowners.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1338

yeah....this is an old thread !

[John Holmes]

twitch54,

You have a beautiful system!

[twitch54]

Thanks John, it is 'music to my ears' !

[David Meek]

And eyes, too. :T

[Chris D]

Very cool, Twitch. If I ever get up the funds and gumption to do so, my next (and last) speaker upgrade will be Martin Logan CLX's.

[twitch54]

my next (and last) speaker upgrade will be Martin Logan CLX's.

Great speaker Chris, so long as one has the room and amplification to do it right ! mate them with a pair of Descent i subs and there is very little if anything in their $$ range that compares.........my personal bias of course !