Where do I go next?

[tsmooth]

I started about a month ago setting up the best listening/HT room that I could on what I could afford. Here is what I have:

CD/DVD player - Denon 1910 / Toshiba HD A3
Receiver - Denon 2807
Amplifier - Rotel RB-1080
Speakers - ML Source / ML Motif / Monitor Audio BRFX surrounds
Subwoofer - ML Dynamo
Monster 2600 powercenter
Monster THX 1000 for the all the connections and Nordost Blue Heaven for the front speakers.

What would be your next move? This room is 50% music and the rest is split between movies and gaming (using all 5 channels). Starting medical school in August, so it will probably be moving to 90% 2 channel listing, hence the question. Anybody's insight on getting the most out of my 2.1 setup would be great.

 

[twich54]

Welcome "Mr Smooth" ! you have the beginnings of a very nice sysytem for sure.

Based on what you've given us so far I would first take a 'look/listen' to your room and make the appropriate acoustical upgrades where needed. Probably at this point your best "bang for the buck"

 

[tsmooth]

Thanks for the quick response

My first impressions are great. It is a small appartment room that is 11 x 14 (hense the source). The sources and dynamo only have about 40 hours on them, and the blue heavens only about 3 hours so far. The amplifier was a few years old when purchased, but seems well broken in. Only comments so far are:

1. High frequencies in movies seem a bit shrill during movies (music is great).
2. The mid bass seems to be a bit off.

I have the fronts set to large and the crossover at 40 hz. Those are really my only take aways right now, but I am loving what I am hearing.

 

[edwinr]

You have a well balanced system. Upgrade options you could consider in the future would be a better dedicated CD player. You don't have to spend lots of money to reap benefits.

If you want to go more into 2 channel sound later, you could consider a main speaker upgrade - consolidate your HT into a better 2 channel setup. I would keep the Rotel, and maybe insert a reasonable quality tube preamp into the equation. This combination running a good used pair of say... Aeon i's would serve you well while you're studying. Pure 2 channel is nice and simple to execute and is easy to maintain. You could still watch movies and play games too.

At the moment though, don't fiddle with what you've got.

P.S. Lots of movies are a little excessive in the top end. You should be able to tame that with your Denon's setup options.

 

[tsmooth]

Well, I worked for a dealer during college in Milwaukee so he still gives me new stuff at cost (ML, Denon, Monitor Audio, etc). I was thinking the CD player would be the next move as well. Thanks for the quick feeback guys and I will fidle around with the receiver tonight.