Equipment Recommendations - The Home For New System and Upgrade Advice

How much power are you starting with? Like 100 watts to 130? Is that the question?

Remember that for the human ear to perceive something as twice as loud, it takes a factor of 10. 10 watts will sound twice as loud as 1. 100 watts will seem twice as loud as 10.

In most situations with speakers of average sensitivity, a 30 watt difference in power will be imperceptible. Even going from 30 to 60 watts. Most home listening is done at under a watt.
Yes essentially, I need to replace the AVR in my theatre room. It'll be running 7 channel Atmos plus a sub. 5.1.2 I think is the correct descriptors. I'm looking at 3 options, ones 80 watts @ 2 channels, ones 110 and the other 125. Current one is 105. 105 is just loud enough. I'm just not sure if the drop to 80 might be a bad idea. However the quality of the 80 watts amp is far above the current 105. So that could enter into it as well, as I know wattage isn't the be all and end all of volume...
 
Yes essentially, I need to replace the AVR in my theatre room. It'll be running 7 channel Atmos plus a sub. 5.1.2 I think is the correct descriptors. I'm looking at 3 options, ones 80 watts @ 2 channels, ones 110 and the other 125. Current one is 105. 105 is just loud enough. I'm just not sure if the drop to 80 might be a bad idea. However the quality of the 80 watts amp is far above the current 105. So that could enter into it as well, as I know wattage isn't the be all and end all of volume...
Gotta look at the specs.

Some will say something like “x watts @ 1 kHz one channel driven”. This is indicative of a crappy weak power supply.

Or you might see “x watts from 20Hz to 20kHz one channel driven. Better but still not good,

What you want is “x watts from 20Hz to 20 kHz All channels driven.

Why do you need to replace your AVR? Just want more power? If so, you could buy a multi channel power amp and use your AVR as a preamp/processor.
 
All this talk of a phono stage has me thinking I might want/need one. My current set up is a Fluance RT-85, Marantz PM6004 integrated amplifier, and some older Paradigm 9SE speakers that I bought new in like 2005. I'm currently using the phono stage in the Marantz - would an external phono stage make a big difference with my set up?

A couple of things: I live in a small apt with neighbors so I don't necessarily crank my music. Also, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to tinkering with things so I'd want something that's extremely easy to set up and use.

Thanks!
 
All this talk of a phono stage has me thinking I might want/need one. My current set up is a Fluance RT-85, Marantz PM6004 integrated amplifier, and some older Paradigm 9SE speakers that I bought new in like 2005. I'm currently using the phono stage in the Marantz - would an external phono stage make a big difference with my set up?

A couple of things: I live in a small apt with neighbors so I don't necessarily crank my music. Also, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to tinkering with things so I'd want something that's extremely easy to set up and use.

Thanks!

Yeah it totally would. I got my external phono when i was running a sony integrated that i got in 2004 and that’s at an equivalent level to your marantz. It made a hell of a dinference, more detail, bigger soundstage, i was shocked. This should also mean that it sounds better at all volumes, low and high. They arent complex units, you run a set of RCA cables from the turntable into the phono stage and a second set out of the phono stage into any input other than phono on the amp. You should probably check out the two darlington labs threads.
 
Gotta look at the specs.

Some will say something like “x watts @ 1 kHz one channel driven”. This is indicative of a crappy weak power supply.

Or you might see “x watts from 20Hz to 20kHz one channel driven. Better but still not good,

What you want is “x watts from 20Hz to 20 kHz All channels driven.

Why do you need to replace your AVR? Just want more power? If so, you could buy a multi channel power amp and use your AVR as a preamp/processor.
It's an old Denon, doesn't have 4k, doesn't have Atmos, also has some sort of crackling issue that's been there for years and wasn't repairable because they couldn't find the issue. It's powerful enough, but I need the 4k/Atmos in order to move my movie/video games down there permanently. And I don't have space for a rack or power amp situation unfortunately.

  • 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.02% THD with 2 channels driven
 
It's an old Denon, doesn't have 4k, doesn't have Atmos, also has some sort of crackling issue that's been there for years and wasn't repairable because they couldn't find the issue. It's powerful enough, but I need the 4k/Atmos in order to move my movie/video games down there permanently. And I don't have space for a rack or power amp situation unfortunately.

  • 110 watts per channel into 8 ohms (20-20,000 Hz) at 0.02% THD with 2 channels driven
The two channels driven is a deal killer for me.
 
That’s gonna be tough. And I don’t know AVRs like 2 channel. And I’m not pushing NAD because I haven’t looked at an AVR in years. But NAD does full disclosure, which I like.

2x 110 W or 9 x 85 watts 20-20k into 4 or 8 ohms.


Without full disclosure, you don’t know what you are buying.
 
That’s gonna be tough. And I don’t know AVRs like 2 channel. And I’m not pushing NAD because I haven’t looked at an AVR in years. But NAD does full disclosure, which I like.

2x 110 W or 9 x 85 watts 20-20k into 4 or 8 ohms.

Yeah I know, I'm not going like... full bonkers theatre. It's really just gimme 4k/8k and gimme volume. So it's limited in this price range for sure. Love NAD though.
 
Yeah I know, I'm not going like... full bonkers theatre. It's really just gimme 4k/8k and gimme volume. So it's limited in this price range for sure. Love NAD though.
Here’s the thing- if they only specify stereo 2 channel output, you don’t even know the output while in surround sound. But guarantee it’s less. How much less? No one knows.

Here’s one in your range:

 
Here’s the thing- if they only specify stereo 2 channel output, you don’t even know the output while in surround sound. But guarantee it’s less. How much less? No one knows.

Here’s one in your range:

Found it, the 80 is 60 Watts all channels, the 110 is 90 all channels.
 
I have always wanted to hear that Decware/Zu combo
I had been interested in Zus since Guttenberg wrote about them on cnet years ago. Then I became interested in tubes reading about them here, but quality tube gear appeared to be out of my price range. Then @wooha shared his Decware/Zu setup, and I realized that with some patience, a different kind of quality sound system was attainable for me. I'm glad I did it before Zu stopped making DWs and the inevitable Decware price increase like all gear in these times. And it sounds really good, with a deep, wide, fast and detailed soundstage, tight bass and beautiful mids.
 
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I had been interested in Zus since Guttenberg wrote about them in cnet years ago. Then I became interested in tubes reading about them here, but quality tube gear appeared to be out of my price range. Then @wooha shared his Decware/Zu setup, and I realized that with some patience, a different kind of quality sound system was attainable for me. I'm glad I did it before Zu stopped making DWs and the inevitable Decware price increase like all gear in these times. And it sounds really good, with a deep, wide, fast and detailed soundstage, tight bass and beautiful mids.

I think if I ever had the money, I’d be interested in Decware. My space isn’t the biggest so I don’t need a ton of wattage. The volume on my Sphinx never goes past 10 o’clock.
 
I know there is a tube thread, but how often do you tube owners replace tubes? What’s the typical cost? Seeing the price of tubes has me steering clear even with all the glowing reviews.
 
I had been interested in Zus since Guttenberg wrote about them on cnet years ago. Then I became interested in tubes reading about them here, but quality tube gear appeared to be out of my price range. Then @wooha shared his Decware/Zu setup, and I realized that with some patience, a different kind of quality sound system was attainable for me. I'm glad I did it before Zu stopped making DWs and the inevitable Decware price increase like all gear in these times. And it sounds really good, with a deep, wide, fast and detailed soundstage, tight bass and beautiful mids.
The design philosophies both companies employ is interesting to me. Tubes + efficient speakers has got to be such a different sound from what I'm used to. I'm a long way off from being able to test those waters, but one can dream...
 
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