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The Ever-Changing HT - Page 4

post #91 of 1722
10/24/09 at 5:11pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bamboo5354 View Post

Did you unlock the ISF patch?

Not yet. Need to save up about $600 to pay for that and the professional calibration.
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post #92 of 1722
10/29/09 at 9:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

Not yet. Need to save up about $600 to pay for that and the professional calibration.

Looking at your stuffs it's hard to imagine you need to "save up" for $600
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post #93 of 1722
10/29/09 at 11:28am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by bamboo5354 View Post

Looking at your stuffs it's hard to imagine you need to "save up" for $600

You'd think. But, the truth is, I've sacrificed many other things to pay for what you see. For instance, I drive a 1990 honda CRX, while my wife drives a 2008 BMW. I wish the rest of my lifestyle were up the level of my AV system.
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post #94 of 1722
10/29/09 at 6:48pm
Hello Hifi!

Long time, no post...from me!

I hope you and the family are well and preparing for the holidays!
The new Pioneer flat panel looks outstanding! Just as you described, it really integrates well with the WB's and the set up/room as a whole!

Has Classe introduced the HDMI modification/upgrade for the SP-800 yet?
I know with the Rotel RSP-1098, the S-Video inputs are sacrificed to make room for the HDMI inputs. And those are video-only capable.
Will the HDMI modification for the Classe be one of full functionality (audio and video) or will it be strictly for video pass-thru? I hope I articulated that inquiry correctly?

Regards.
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post #95 of 1722
11/2/09 at 8:57pm
damn hifi....that new Kuro looks spectacular in your setup. Your picture just shows how capable the PQ is for color pop and incredibly deep blacks
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post #96 of 1722
11/2/09 at 11:08pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ldgibson76 View Post

Hello Hifi!

Long time, no post...from me!

I hope you and the family are well and preparing for the holidays!
The new Pioneer flat panel looks outstanding! Just as you described, it really integrates well with the WB's and the set up/room as a whole!

Has Classe introduced the HDMI modification/upgrade for the SP-800 yet?
I know with the Rotel RSP-1098, the S-Video inputs are sacrificed to make room for the HDMI inputs. And those are video-only capable.
Will the HDMI modification for the Classe be one of full functionality (audio and video) or will it be strictly for video pass-thru? I hope I articulated that inquiry correctly?

Regards.

Hey LDG -

Good to hear from ya.

The Classe prepro has had HDMI audio and video capability from the get go, but they recently did a hardware upgrade for all owners to a dual DSP board that allows it to decode the new HD audio formats (Dolby TrueHD and DTS Master Audio). There are still a few bugs for Classe to work out, but no major issues.
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post #97 of 1722
11/2/09 at 11:10pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bigred7078 View Post

damn hifi....that new Kuro looks spectacular in your setup. Your picture just shows how capable the PQ is for color pop and incredibly deep blacks

Yeah, I'm very happy with the new look. The black level on the Kuro is just as advertised. Sometimes it's hard to tell if the damn thing is on.
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post #98 of 1722
11/3/09 at 1:32pm
Mmmm. Music for the Jilted Generation. Looks like you have all the main albums! Nice one brotha! I got to see them in Miami in March at the WMC (Ultra Music Festival) and they are crazy live. Crazy!

And your setup is really sweet. I love your cable management.
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post #99 of 1722
11/3/09 at 3:23pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by notChris View Post

Mmmm. Music for the Jilted Generation. Looks like you have all the main albums! Nice one brotha! I got to see them in Miami in March at the WMC (Ultra Music Festival) and they are crazy live. Crazy!

And your setup is really sweet. I love your cable management.



I never did get a chance to see Prodigy live in their prime, though the Chem Bros concert was certainly memorable. Crystal Method, not so much.

My cable management has since gone to sh*t. That was back when I could make many of my own cables to custom lengths, but now with fixed length HDMI, all sorts of specialized power cables, etc., it looks like any other geek's rat's nest. Oh well, I hardly ever look back their anyway.
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post #100 of 1722
11/3/09 at 11:44pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

Hello all -

I spent the last year searching for a set of speakers that I felt were a clear step-up from the Paradigm Signatures I used to own. .....






I've been reluctant to post here because I went through so many failed attempts at finding speakers that I could live with before the WB's, that I wasn't sure if these would stay. Prior to this, I'd be all full of speaker lust for my latest speaker acquisition, but then two months later there would be something that drove me up the wall with their sound. I'm happy to say that I've owned the WBs since November 2008, so it is safe to say that these are here to stay . . . for a while anyway.

I know it's kinda whack to quote yourself, but I just realized that this month represents the 1 year mark for me owning the same set of speakers. I'm sure there were some bets out there otherwise.
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post #101 of 1722
11/4/09 at 1:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

I know it's kinda whack to quote yourself, but I just realized that this month represents the 1 year mark for me owning the same set of speakers. I'm sure there were some bets out there otherwise.

I beat you this year on the speaker changing front! Congrats though, can't believe it has been that long already.
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post #102 of 1722
11/4/09 at 10:10am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vantagesc View Post

I beat you this year on the speaker changing front! Congrats though, can't believe it has been that long already.

So I know about the Ushers, the Monitor Audio Platinums, and the new Linkwitz Orions. Are there any others that I missed?

BTW - are the Orions finished yet?
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post #103 of 1722
11/4/09 at 10:15am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

So I know about the Ushers, the Monitor Audio Platinums, and the new Linkwitz Orions. Are there any others that I missed?

BTW - are the Orions finished yet?

Yep, those are it. Not much change, but just teasing you. I am waiting for the active crossover to arrive in the mail, and then it's time to fire them up...

I should have gotten a Kuro when it was still available.
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post #104 of 1722
11/4/09 at 10:37am
Thread Starter 
I can't wait to hear what you think of them. How much longer for the x-overs?
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post #105 of 1722
11/4/09 at 1:53pm
Maybe a week or two...they were supposed to ship last week.

Is that your autobiography below the center channel?
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post #106 of 1722
11/4/09 at 2:48pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by vantagesc View Post

Maybe a week or two...they were supposed to ship last week.

Is that your autobiography below the center channel?

I'm sure that if you are anything like me, the waiting is killing you.

You're the first to have noticed that book. Did a google search for my name a while back, and apparently I'm a world famous british photographer.

Seemed like a good conversation piece, if a bit narcissistic.

http://www.timwalkerphotography.com/
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post #107 of 1722
1/23/10 at 10:18pm
"Prior deciding to go with the Mac Mini music server, I had a reference Classe CD player. But after comparing Mac to the dedicated player for hours (a CD in the Classe and ALAC files of the same CD in the Mac), I felt that there was no clear improvement in the sound provided by the Classe player, so I ditched it. The Mac Mini has to be the best $800 I've spent. I probably listened to 10% of my CD collection when I had to load each one into a single disc player, now I can listen to all of it with just the touch of button. It's awesome!"


Three questions:
- Is the mac mini connected to the rest of the system using the headphone out?
- how do you control the music server: do you use the TV as a monitor?
- what are the two boxes left and right of the mac mini ?

Thanks.

D
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post #108 of 1722
1/24/10 at 1:05am
Excellent HT, hifisponge. I loved your different speaker evolutions. I do like the looks of the Dyns. Awesome job!
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post #109 of 1722
1/24/10 at 2:01am
Thread Starter 
Thanks Waboman -

That's quite a nice "little" system you have there too.

More fun to come!
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post #110 of 1722
1/26/10 at 1:31am
I am a beginner on this stuff..but i really love your set for some reason...definitely my favorite just by looking at ur set. Do you mind how much did u spend on this? approximately?
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post #111 of 1722
1/26/10 at 2:54am
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hypeber View Post

I am a beginner on this stuff..but i really love your set for some reason...definitely my favorite just by looking at ur set. Do you mind how much did u spend on this? approximately?

Thanks Hypeber. The look of the Wilson Benesch speakers is usually a love it / hate it reaction. If speakers were cars, the WBs would be an exotic sports car.

Speakers:
Discovery (front) - $11,450 / pair
Centre - $3,400
ARCs (surround) - $4,950 / pair
Wall mounts for ARCs - $1,500 / pair
JL F112 (sub) - $3,000

Front end:
Classe SSP-800 (processor) - $9,000
Classe CA-5100 (amp) - $5,500
Mac Mini (music server) - $700
Sony Bluray Player - $300
Pioneer Kuro TV - $6,000

Grand total: $45,800

I suppose this is as good a time as any to say that I'm selling off all of my high-end gear to go back to a more modest system. This isn't because I don't like what I have. It is honestly the best sounding system I've assembled. There are a number of factors, but one of the big ones is that I have so little time to listen these days, that it just doesn't make sense to have a high-end system any longer. Besides, I've come to realize that I'm just not the type of person to stick with the same thing for too long, and there is no way on my salary that I can keep climbing the high-end audio ladder.

Now when I say a modest system, I'm not going to move to a set of speakers that can be had from Best Buy, but my total budget is roughly 1/4 of what I have now. Which is still a good chunk of dough, and my friends will still think I'm crazy.
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post #112 of 1722
1/26/10 at 8:32am
Quote:
Originally Posted by CorboDuze View Post


Three questions:
- Is the mac mini connected to the rest of the system using the headphone out?
- how do you control the music server: do you use the TV as a monitor?
- what are the two boxes left and right of the mac mini ?

Thanks.

D

Usually you would connect a Mac Mini to your processor via SPDIF toslink / optical. Minis come with remotes.
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post #113 of 1722
1/26/10 at 8:50am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post


I suppose this is as good a time as any to say that I'm selling off all of my high-end gear to go back to a more modest system. This isn't because I don't like what I have. It is honestly the best sounding system I've assembled. There are a number of factors, but one of the big ones is that I have so little time to listen these days, that it just doesn't make sense to have a high-end system any longer. Besides, I've come to realize that I'm just not the type of person to stick with the same thing for too long, and there is no way on my salary that I can keep climbing the high-end audio ladder.

Now when I say a modest system, I'm not going to move to a set of speakers that can be had from Best Buy, but my total budget is roughly 1/4 of what I have now. Which is still a good chunk of dough, and my friends will still think I'm crazy.

whoa whoa whoa! hold on now. Your changing everything!? What are you considering now?
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post #114 of 1722
1/26/10 at 10:20am
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

Thanks Hypeber. The look of the Wilson Benesch speakers is usually a love it / hate it reaction. If speakers were cars, the WBs would be an exotic sports car.

Speakers:
Discovery (front) - $11,450 / pair
Centre - $3,400
ARCs (surround) - $4,950 / pair
Wall mounts for ARCs - $1,500 / pair
JL F112 (sub) - $3,000

Front end:
Classe SSP-800 (processor) - $9,000
Classe CA-5100 (amp) - $5,500
Mac Mini (music server) - $700
Sony Bluray Player - $300
Pioneer Kuro TV - $6,000

Grand total: $45,800

I suppose this is as good a time as any to say that I'm selling off all of my high-end gear to go back to a more modest system. This isn't because I don't like what I have. It is honestly the best sounding system I've assembled. There are a number of factors, but one of the big ones is that I have so little time to listen these days, that it just doesn't make sense to have a high-end system any longer. Besides, I've come to realize that I'm just not the type of person to stick with the same thing for too long, and there is no way on my salary that I can keep climbing the high-end audio ladder.

Now when I say a modest system, I'm not going to move to a set of speakers that can be had from Best Buy, but my total budget is roughly 1/4 of what I have now. Which is still a good chunk of dough, and my friends will still think I'm crazy.

WOW! Keep us posted as to what your replace this system with.
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post #115 of 1722
1/26/10 at 12:26pm
Thread Starter 
Hey guys -

Good to see you all here.

I will probably let some of you down with my choice to replace the Classe with something as pedestrian as a Denon AVR5308, but I think that it will suit my needs for mainly movie watching and the rare moments I actually get to listen to music. As for speakers, I'm still working up a list of candidates. Some on my current list are Focus Audio, Amphion, and Canton.

I'll keep you posted, but I can say this time around is not going to be as glitzty as my previous ventures.
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post #116 of 1722
1/26/10 at 12:47pm
Tim,

I am truly sorry to see such a great system dismantled... I do understand where you're coming from though...

You have put such care and effort into it, not to mention the cost. This is one of my favorite setups here.

Do you think you can sell some of that gear without taking a big hit?
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post #117 of 1722
1/26/10 at 1:06pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ddgtr View Post

Tim,

I am truly sorry to see such a great system dismantled... I do understand where you're coming from though...

You have put such care and effort into it, not to mention the cost. This is one of my favorite setups here.

Do you think you can sell some of that gear without taking a big hit?

It is somewhat sad to let all of this very special gear go, but it was as much about the experience as the final result. I was a man on a mission, bound and determined to put together something truly exceptional.

Now, I just need to see how close I can get with a more practical budget. Considing that I'm content with the sound that I get out of my game room system (MA Radius speakers and HK AVR), and I'm content with the sound quality of the $1,500 "premium" sound system in my car, I think I'll be alright with a system that "only" costs $10K.

At least the pics of the WB / Classe dream system will be forever immortalized in this thread. Well, at least until the sever crashes.

I'm putting this one in my personal history books for sure.
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post #118 of 1722
1/26/10 at 5:47pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

Hey guys -

Good to see you all here.

I will probably let some of you down with my choice to replace the Classe with something as pedestrian as a Denon AVR5308, but I think that it will suit my needs for mainly movie watching and the rare moments I actually get to listen to music. As for speakers, I'm still working up a list of candidates. Some on my current list are Focus Audio, Amphion, and Canton.

I'll keep you posted, but I can say this time around is not going to be as glitzty as my previous ventures.

Sorry, but this brought a slight chuckle out of me. I hope you don't mind.

Isn't it funny how so far removed we are from "normal" people? So much so that an avr costing several thousand dollars like the avr5308 is downsizing. The average person would have a heart attack over spending that much. I think my sister's first car cost less than the msrp of the 5308. Just putting it in perspective...lol.
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post #119 of 1722
1/26/10 at 5:52pm
Depending on the speakers you end up with, the 5308 could be serious overkill. Though admittedly, I wonder how much performance I'm leaving on the table using my 2808 as a processor for movies with my Orions.
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post #120 of 1722
1/26/10 at 6:04pm
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Quote:
Originally Posted by btf1980 View Post

Sorry, but this brought a slight chuckle out of me. I hope you don't mind.

Isn't it funny how so far removed we are from "normal" people? So much so that an avr costing several thousand dollars like the avr5308 is downsizing. The average person would have a heart attack over spending that much. I think my sister's first car cost less than the msrp of the 5308. Just putting it in perspective...lol.

I don't mind at all and you are completely right. I am nuts for thinking that going with a $5500 AVR is downsizing.

In my defense I did say this in an earlier post:
Quote:
Originally Posted by hifisponge View Post

Now when I say a modest system, I'm not going to move to a set of speakers that can be had from Best Buy, but my total budget is roughly 1/4 of what I have now. Which is still a good chunk of dough, and my friends will still think I'm crazy.

So at least I know I'm crazy.

Quote:
Originally Posted by vantagesc View Post

Depending on the speakers you end up with, the 5308 could be serious overkill. Though admittedly, I wonder how much performance I'm leaving on the table using my 2808 as a processor for movies with my Orions.

Well, I do tend to overestimate my needs , but there is some "better safe than sorry" factored in there.
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