Downgrading sound

darreny

darreny

darreny

Soldato
Joined
19 May 2004
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Has anyone gone from separates to a soundbar. I'm getting a bit fed up of the clutter so am currently considering maybe a yamaha ysp2700. Current system is a yamaha 1073 amp, monitor audio bx2 front and bxfx rears with a mission centre and rel strata sub.
Other things lying around I can use or sell are yamaha dsp-a1 amp, pair of mission 780se, logitech z680 full set, technics stereo amp from early 90s which I still love with the 780se.
I don't think I'd miss surround sound but would miss sound that didn't have some wallop so either soundbar and sub or sub/sat system in 2.1.
 
I downgraded from a pretty decent setup when I recently moved house.

Monitor Audio GS10s, and centre
KEF eggs for surround
BK Monolith sub

Tried a few soundbars (Samsung, Sonus, Bose), all sounded a bit lacking. In the end I stumbled on a Monitor Audio ASB-2. The thing is bloody huge for a sound bar, but it does mean it has a good solid weighty sound.

Its nothing compared to my old system, but the sound it produces is pretty impressive. It will tide me over until until I get my cinema room.

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You can also find good deals on Denon's stuff atm.

You definitely lose separation of sound - I've found the lack of lower mids quite annoying. I've got a Playbar + Sub, and though there's plenty of weight and depth, it lacks punch. And also versatility.

So yes, there is a definite tradeoff, but with the right equipment it's not as big as you might think.
 
Rather than spend your cash straight away, why don’t you try going over to a stereo system using your current kit? You could still use the sub too. Might be worth a try before shelling out on a sound bar. The 780se’s are quite compact iirc.
 
tom_nieto said:
Rather than spend your cash straight away, why don’t you try going over to a stereo system using your current kit? You could still use the sub too. Might be worth a try before shelling out on a sound bar. The 780se’s are quite compact iirc.
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I was going to try the logitech sats with the strata and amp this weekend. I have a projector too so the inputs and outputs come in handy on the yamaha
 
One thing I noticed on a friend's soundbar after he moved from separates is that a lot of films now sound quite muddled, particularly the vocals.

Speech just seems a bit lost in the mix compared to his old setup. Can't remember what it was but not a cheap setup.
 
MonkeyMan said:
One thing I noticed on a friend's soundbar after he moved from separates is that a lot of films now sound quite muddled, particularly the vocals.

Speech just seems a bit lost in the mix compared to his old setup. Can't remember what it was but not a cheap setup.
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This was the issue with the logitech, it lacked clarity
 
darreny said:
I was going to try the logitech sats with the strata and amp this weekend. I have a projector too so the inputs and outputs come in handy on the yamaha
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Triple check the impedance of the Logitech speakers before plugging them into the Yamaha amp. You might end up with a new setup sooner than planned if they're <4 ohm.

Are you trying to downsize or reduce the number of speakers or simplify or save cost? I don't really see the point in using the Logitech speakers in your setup unless size is the sole issue.
 
darreny said:
I was going to try the logitech sats with the strata and amp this weekend. I have a projector too so the inputs and outputs come in handy on the yamaha
Click to expand...

Interested to hear how you get on with that. I know the Logitech DD/DTS kits have received a lot of attention in the past for home cinema use, but I've always thought of the satellites as near-field monitors for desktop use rather than for precision imaging in a larger space.

If size is the issue with the MA speakers but clarity is an issue with the Logitechs then have you had a look at the Monitor Audio Radius One?

The Radius speaker range is small but very high quality. Conventionally it's a centre/front stereo/rear surrounds/sub sort of system, but a few years ago they saw the trend for sound bars and produced a centre and stereo pair all in one housing. That's how the Radius One was born. You'd drive it like a 3.1 system (with the REL sub).
 
The goal is to just have a clutter free easy to use system (for the wife) we have another little one due in July. The TV is in an alcove on the wall and I'm a joiner so there's no problem building any unit that speakers can be hidden in.
 
darreny said:
The goal is to just have a clutter free easy to use system (for the wife) we have another little one due in July. The TV is in an alcove on the wall and I'm a joiner so there's no problem building any unit that speakers can be hidden in.
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Have done exactly this but in stages went from marantz amp with bookshelf speakers and a sub to home cinema in a box sub and sat and now to a sound bar. It's not as good but it's decent enough and with two kids most of our tv watching seems to be CBeebies forvwhich it is overkill!
 
I went from a 5.1 setup of Q acoustics speakers with Denon amp to a Yamaha 2700 and tbh I think the 2700 sounds better. I’m still fascinated how it does surround that actually works.....

No regrets and far less clutter.
 
Richer sounds have given me a ysp 2700 to try for a week, unfortunately they didn't have the mic and I thought it might have been the same as the one on my 1073 but it's a smaller connection so not getting the surround effect but as a sound bar it sounds great
 
Dropped my Yamaha 7.1 setup last year for a £200 Samsung 2.1 Soundbar and have not regretted it for 1 second.
Less clutter, less hassle and if anything I actually spend more time actually concentrating on the film / music rather than constantly messing around with different settings trying to eek out a better sound as I just accept the soundbar's limitations.
 
Going to take the soundbar back. With not having the mic to set up I can't tell if it will fill the room with sound like my 5.1 does.
Does anyone have any opinions on some small discrete speakers so I can have 4 rears
 
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