Malcolm's System

[m10]

Hi Andrew

Thanks for the suggestion -- I have experimented a bit in the past with throws and the like and can find little difference to be honest, probably because the mains are about 6-8 inches forward of the screen. The TV was actually one of the biggest sound quality improvements to the system, as the old Sony Trinitron really was just a great hulking lump of audio disturbance, looking back.

[m10]

I have some updates to my system, so I thought I’d dig up this old thread rather than starting anew. It turns out a lot has happened since I was last here...

Roughly in order...

The plasma TV was replaced by a Panasonic projector (wonderful) and 100” pull down screen (supposedly a stop-gap measure - works well but I’d like something better).

The TEchnics was upgraded with Timestep PSU, Denon DL-304 and then and SME309 (significant lift here, although the cart was the biggest improvement - all sorts of air, space and refinement that was missing from the 2M Blue, relatively speaking - the 309 gave it all a firm foundation that kind of completed the picture).

The venerable CdM9NT and CDM CNT centre were replaced with 804s and the HTM4s centre. (The CDM SNT surrounds remain). This was a big shift - despite the outward similarities in terms of brand, size and driver layout. Big Bowers fan here and still in love with the 804s - even if the Cheviots and Ardens are trying to seduce me.

The 894s were then bi-amped with four channels of the Yamaha 1067. This added an additional sense of ease and authority - I think the 804s are a difficult/reactive load and respond well to more/bigger/less stressed amplification, despite highish sensitivity and 8 ohm quoted impedance.

Digital playback is now with Roon serving a Raspberry Pi and Meridian Explorer 2 DAC.

Which brings us to where I am now and yesterday’s changes. I have a lot of respect and admiration for my Yamaha 1067 - and I don’t necessarily buy the idea that AV gear is no good for music. But this hobby being what it is we get the urge to move on and upgrade. The idea was to almost return to how I started in AV - adding surround to an audiophile/stereo stereo system.

I did this back in the day by adding a Yamaha DSP-E492 to my old Meridian 551 integrated and B&W P4 speakers. Now I guess I’m doing this in reverse with the Yamaha now acting as processor and amp to the centre and rear channels - with the front left and right diverted through a “stereo” system.

Yesterday I added a Meridian 502 ”Analogue controller” as the new heart of my “stereo” system - with a borrowed Rotel RP-850 Power amp to get me listening. And it sounds very nice indeed - I just have to work out how it all fits in my equipment rack.