Revamping my cinema setup, some advice?

[GSV]Lemming · 18 Dec 2020 at 23:57

It's been quite a few years since I setup movie system at home and it's time for a refresh.

I am replacing the TV for a larger 60" LG, and keeping my Monitor audio 5.1 speaker setup, I like them and the cables are embedded in the floor and walls.

Sources are my LG bd player and 4k fire tv box, I don't have an aerial so everything is streamed. I do run a plex server, but notice all films on the plex client on the fire tv play in stereo although Disney and amazon are fine.

I plan to get a nuc for plex playback in future, this will give me surround sound formats back again.

What I am unsure of is which av receiver to go for, to pair with my existing speakers. I am looking forward to hdmi cable management through the amp though.

Can I get some feedback on an amp choice, budget is around £500 max, I would prefer to pay around £400 though.

Thanks in advance.

[GSV]Lemming · 19 Dec 2020 at 17:43

I have a pioneer vsx1014 at the moment, it's old

MA silver rs6 fronts, silver rs1 rears, velodyne cht sub, and a piano black MA centre that I can't see the model of but it's below the silver level of the others.

[GSV]Lemming · 19 Dec 2020 at 17:48

I have read about the Sony but the reviews of the menu and difficulty having it do what you want have put me off a little.

I have started considering a denon avr x2700h which does blow my budget, but then again based on my current amp you can see I don't get around to upgrading a lot so what the hell, perhaps I am worth it.

[GSV]Lemming · 3 Jan 2021 at 09:16

Well, I hmmed and hahhed over Christmas and took the plunge regardless. My new Nuc arrived and has been painless to setup, plex runs like a dream.

I ended up with a Denon X2600h, a manufacturer refurb unit at a great price. The audio change is staggering, it was like getting my first surround system with everything coming back as 5.1, loving all my film experiences again.

Had some glitches, either my phono cable is faulty to sub, or my sub is faulty. I have a new cable coming today to test and then if the velodyne is faulty its off for repair.
Also, after being moved around my BD player has given up the ghost, all discs now fail to play. Ordered a new multi region replacement as I have so many usa discs from back in the day when they were cheaper and available earlier than UK versions. I can't really complain, a lot of this stuff is more than 15 years old, bound to fail eventually.

Also took the decision to add MA fx rear speakers via a heos wireless amp for a 7.1 setup, should arrive in the next week so even more toys.

Feel like a kid again, watched loads of movies the last few days just loving surround goodness, bass is terrific even without the sw too. Only thing left is to sort out the harmony remote, phone app is working fine, but remote not there yet.

I know the suggestion was to avoid the denon amp but I have to say I am pleased. It was easy to setup, cable management with all hdmi through the amp is a joy and sound quality is great to my ears. Video also appears so much better from all sources through the amp rather than direct to the TV, wondering if that's just rose tinted glasses effect though... I don't have much to compare with overall, just old and new, but I am loving the new setup so far. Using the heos app to run Internet radio through the amp while I cook in the kitchen has also been very enjoyable, I can feel the advances of 15 years plus of tech in the new setup.