Considering Amp and/or Receiver+Amp

[dderidex]

As detailed in another thread, I'm fairly unhappy with the Klipsch Promedia 5.1 Ultras I'm currently using. Specifically, I think the LFE crossover that is built into them...well, sucks. I'd like to be able to control that myself - given that I'm considering an X-Fi or Audiotrak Prodigy (leaning towards X-Fi), I'd have that ability. Soo....basically, I don't want a speaker system that will override my decision.

Anyway, can't upgrade all at once - just not in the budget, but I figured I could start with a receiver (do I NEED a receiver? Wouldn't just a 5.1 amp do?), and new sub eventually - but keep using my existing sats for now.

The goal is pretty much just to get a replacement for the Klipsch setup, which, aside from this problem, I'm fairly happy with. So, no $2000+ receiver recommendations for example. Same (or slightly better) quality, but that has no built-in LFE crossover that cannot be adjusted.

What brands should I specifically be looking for? Specifically trying to avoid?

 

[Chastity]

5.1 amps work fine, especially if they have a decoder option for SPDIF inputs.

My Infinity 150s are on sale again for $100 / pr at Electronics Expo.

For a good budget sub, partsexpress.com for the Dayton 10" or 12". You could realistically go soup to nuts for about $650-700.

$200 for 4x Infinity 150 with shipping
$150 for Infinity C25 (or get a 5th 150)
$200 for a decent 5.1 receiver by Pioneer or Yamaha
$140 for Dayton 12" 150W sub

and you'd have a pretty kick-ass system!

 

[dderidex]

Well, yeah, but if I'm already dropping $200 on a soundcard, that's about....hmmmm....$890 more than my wife will let me spend.

RE: Amp w/ SPDIF decoder. I'm not feeling the point on that. The X-Fi (or whatever I use) will be primarily running on analog to the map - the only time the decoder would even be used is for movies, and why not the decoder built into the X-Fi, then?

My understanding - back from the Audigy 2 days, granted (but nothing seems to have changed in this area, at any rate) - was that you had to spend no small amount of change to get a standalone decoder + DAC that could substantially surpass the built-in decoder + DAC on the Audigy. And it'd be just another cable to run, so...what would *really* be the point?

(In any case, I'm not really finding any 5.1 amps any cheaper than the 5.1 receiver+amp components, so it's probably a moot point....I'm not saving anything by doing that.)

 

[Mister X]

$100 receiver----------> http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4027006

 

[Chastity]

RE: Amp w/ SPDIF decoder. I'm not feeling the point on that. The X-Fi (or whatever I use) will be primarily running on analog to the map - the only time the decoder would even be used is for movies, and why not the decoder built into the X-Fi, then?

My understanding - back from the Audigy 2 days, granted (but nothing seems to have changed in this area, at any rate) - was that you had to spend no small amount of change to get a standalone decoder + DAC that could substantially surpass the built-in decoder + DAC on the Audigy. And it'd be just another cable to run, so...what would *really* be the point?

(In any case, I'm not really finding any 5.1 amps any cheaper than the 5.1 receiver+amp components, so it's probably a moot point....I'm not saving anything by doing that.)

I was just thinking of future expandability and usefulness for the amp. The card is fine for doing DD/DTS decoding.

 

[dderidex]

$100 receiver----------> http://www.jr.com/JRProductPage.process?Product=4027006

oooooh...tasty.

Err...anything in...umm...black?

EDIT: Judging by the model number, I'd say this is the same thing, but in black. No?

 

[Mister X]

Yup, same thing.

 

[dderidex]

Hmmm...definitely considering this one. Had my eye on some Klipsch RSX sats for a while, though (eventually.....some day....), but those are 75W sats. So...at 65W/channel, this might not be the best bet.

(Course, it's fine for now, naturally, so...maybe....)