I am just curious as to what everyone has for an audio system in their house, weather for computer or music or movies.
My setup starts out with my computer using a USB Creative Soundblaster 5.1 24bit. From there i can go 6ch direct for games or coax/optical (i use both for movies) to my Harman Kardon AVR 220 45w x 2 stereo or 35w x 5 all RMS.
From there i have a Paradigm Monitor series center channel. Front speakers are a combination of 6 1/2" PSB Alpha bookshelfs with JL Audio XR series Aluminum Dome tweeters run by JL XR Series Crossover. Rears are Hitachi bookshelfs (nothing special), as they are for effects.
Now for the fun stuff, the subwoofer is a hybrid/Hack of Klipsch power supply from a pro media 5.1 series bash subwoofer that runs a JL audio E Series 1200 mono block class A/B amplifier. Power on the amp running at 12v is 120w @8 ohms or 200w @4 ohms. the amp runs the original dual 8" Klipsch subwoofers in original slot port box. you may be asking why i did such a wierd combo and the answer is that the original Klipsch amp fried but the power supply still worked, and puts out 11.5 volts, so for giggles i tried it, under severe loads the Bash voltage regulation of the PS keeps the volts at the no load voltage of 11.5 still, i was amazed and decided to use it full time. never has it ever shut down or gone into overload. im a big fan of JL audio for cars so i just had to use this amp i had kicking around.
Basically i use what i have kicking around or what i can get used or cheap, and amazingly it all works really well, very happy with the sound for each use. I find it fun to create and experiment with stuff like this.
Id like to hear all comments and what you people use for your own enjoyment!!
You've got all that stuff, and you don't know the word is "audiophile"?
Everything I've ever said about audio"files" is proven here.
It's not about sound quality, it's about bragging about your sound acquisitions.
The focus is obviously on appearance, not content.
Hey, hey, now, not everyone is a grammar freak. Just because someone can't spell audiophile, doesn't mean they don't know their stuff.
Smiththers, that sounds like a nice setup. My setup consists of an aging Sony apmlifier, with 2 cabs with 2 12" woofers, 6" mid, and 3" tweeters. I also have 2 bookshelf speakers, and a center speaker that has been made into a crappy sub. This is all controlled by my MacBook Pro via 1/8" output.
Not the best, I know, but it gets the job done nicely, and it was mostly free.
European Harmon Kardon Receiver w/ Built-in SRS and Equalizer. And 2 Infinity speakers. It's also got a Denon Record player that plays record very nicely and at a constant RPM. I have never heard music sound better than that...
Spelling changed in thread title.
I have good eers. I haven't found what I want, but my temp set up is fine... 1/8" connector from OEM board (sawtooth, 12"DVI or iPod) to middle-aged Bose Wave aux in. I did, however, custom fit some crappy speakers in the tail gate of my jeep. The idea is... make it fit... blow the speakers... replace with good speakers now that I know they'll fit. I've decided if I need a sub, it should fit in the cubby across from the spare... or I'll just get a tube and sort of squeeze it on top of the spare. OK, it looks good, but its crap, because there just isn't enough room for back pressure... but I just need it loud enough so that I can't hear the road, and when the tail gate is up, for the stereo field to sort of stay intact for nominal volumes. I just need some insulation and some custom rubber seals... bah, back pressure! I'm not trying to win contests.
feelin the love.....
I have always considered myself to be an audiophile. I also have champagne taste on a beer budget. Tha being said, here is my setup:
Pioneer stuff
Sony stuff
Misc stuff
My dream list (generalized for simplicity's sake)
Note that I *may* interface my Mac into the system like I am doing now with my 8500, but MP3s have their place and it is on my Newton or my wife's iPod, not my home theater.
I prefer FFRR discs which means I have to stick with Pioneer Elite CD players as they tend to have a better response range in their reproduction. Some of the higher end brands do just as well, but I cannot find the integration of multi-disc on them.
Given a choice in the matter, I would go for records over CD but that is only becuase the classics were mastered AAD, so I just keep it in the analog entirely. Since most contemporary stuff is done DDD, CD's make more sense there.
My 2 channel system
speakers - Paradigm Monitor 7 V.3
preamp/tuner - Adcom GTP 555 mk2 (looking to upgrade to an Anthem TLP-1 or a Parasound HALO P3)
power amp - Anthem PVA 2 @ 125per channel (would like to add one more to bi-amp my speakers)
cd player - Music Hall CD 25.2
dvd/sacd/dvd-audio - Pioneer dv535?
speaker wire - bi-wired with Audio Quest Type 4 on the bottom end, and CV-4 on the top end.
interconnects from preamp to sources - Audio Quest Jaguar to power amp, Audio Quest Diamondback to Pioneer, Audio Quest King Cobra to cd player and Audio Quest NRG 2 power cord to power amp.
Home Theater system
Harman/Kardon AVR 320
Polk Audio RM 6600 speaker kit
Velodyne CT-80 sub
As you can see, Im a bit more picky on my 2 channel system
With something that tight, silver is worth considering... comes down to how much wire... at some point its just too much money (I've friends who disagree).
Yea, Stereo! imho 2.0 > 4.1 v 5.1 v 6.1 v 7.1 v 13.1
But sometimes 2.1 is necessary to drown out, say, the other tailgaters. 2.4 is pretty amusing, can't drown that out, but a needlessly expensive (AND LIKELY PAINFUL/ANNOYING) absurdity.
Heh mines a logitech 5.1 digital system. 500ish watts rms. optical in from my G5. Not the best sound quality, but it matches the quality files and CD's I have well enough, also great video games and such. 96/24 and all dolby decoding. Pretty good for general use in my apartment, someday I'll have a real setup in a properly shaped room, but this is the fanciest I could consider in college.
Monster MKII 2600
Onkyo Amp
Integra Preamp
B front speakers
5 side rear and center integra
one onky sub, one denon sub
nakamichi processor
4 sony 400 disc dvd changers with hdmi output and mac g4 streaming though xbox 360 (soon to be appletv)
all cables are monster, either fiber optic, 1 inch cables with bananaclips or hdmi other than the 360 that uses component for video
if you want to add video also have an integra video upscaler and a 50 inch 1080p samsung dlp.
Sean
You generally want matched sets of speakers for surround sound, don't mix and match brands or models.
For movies having a good central channel is key anyway, along with a sub that doesn't distort.
so i had to put in some b speakers in the meantime, usually they are hooked up to my beocenter
I don't generally use my TV (only to play Wii), so I left it alone, complete with its awful speakers. My computer's audio goes out to a decent Teac amp hooked up to decent Teac speakers, but it's not too special. I have Etymotic ER-6 earphones for my iPod and if I want to hear something high-quality on my computer. I would eventually like to get a portable amp for my iPod (any suggestions?).
I'm not really into the whole audiophile game, but I do appreciate high sound quality.
I had a lovely system connected to my PS2 a few years ago. Logic 3, who no longer sells in the US, had a wonderful 300 watt subwoofer and sattelite speakers. the woofer blew after a few years, but the speakers are connected to my B&W. sound is horrid as they were powered by the woofer, but they are better than the built in one.
My parents have this really lovely setup. an old phonograph/8 track/cassette/AM and FM radio system, which also has an amp, connected to these big speakers. there is an old CD player (looks like a stand alone DVD player) connected to it, but sometimes I hook my iPod in it.
-digital