Heading back to 2 channel... for now

[LuisV]

When I originally compared the Denafrips Ares II against the Bifrost 2, I felt both DACs had their strengths and weaknesses... in the end both left me wanting more, so both were sold.  It's a little over a year later and the Pontus II has had nothing but excellent reviews... sold a bunch of stuff on eBay throughout the last year, so the funds are available... I placed the DAC in my cart on Friday, but have not made the purchase yet... decisions... decisions... 

[LuisV]

Although tempted, I'm still debating on the Pontus DAC... very tempted, but it can wait a bit as with everything in life, things change... the desk is staying in the room for the foreseeable future.   

That being said, I've decided to focus on completing the room treatments.  After a quick chat with GiK, the 2 x 4 panels already on the rear wall will stay and the rest will be added; just like the existing panels, these will be their 244 panels with scatter plate:

5x - 20 x 30 
1x - 24 x 24

[LuisV]

Been bitten by the bug... going to start integrating home theater into the room, so the Marantz Cinema 50 has been pre-ordered.   It directly supports Tidal, Amazon Music and Roon.  Has the ability to store multiple room correction settings, so I'll be able to compare differences between Audyssey MultEQ and Dirac.  Dirac should be available in the March 2023 timeframe via software upgrade and purchase of a license.  Looking forward to the new journey...

www.marantz.com/en-us/product/av-receivers/cinema50
www.dirac.com/marantz/

Additional details of the new Cinema Series:
 
www.audioholics.com/av-receiver-reviews/marantz-cinema-series

[brutiarti]

Oct 24, 2022 7:24:51 GMT -5 LuisV said:

Been bitten by the bug... going to start integrating home theater into the room, so the Marantz Cinema 50 has been pre-ordered.   It directly supports Tidal, Amazon Music and Roon.  Has the ability to store multiple room correction settings, so I'll be able to compare differences between Audyssey MultEQ and Dirac.  Dirac should be available in the March 2023 timeframe via software upgrade and purchase of a license.  Looking forward to the new journey...

www.marantz.com/en-us/product/av-receivers/cinema50
www.dirac.com/marantz/

Additional details of the new Cinema Series:
 
www.audioholics.com/av-receiver-reviews/marantz-cinema-series

The Cinema50 shows in stock at Best Buy. I thought that they are only taking pre orders?

[LuisV]

Oct 24, 2022 12:30:14 GMT -5 brutiarti said:

Oct 24, 2022 7:24:51 GMT -5 LuisV said:

The Cinema50 shows in stock at Best Buy. I thought that they are only taking pre orders?

Very interesting... I thought the same, only pre-orders.  I had some Crutchfield points that I used, so I don't have an issue "waiting".  

[LuisV]

Now that I'm heading back down the HT path, I've been researching speaker options and all paths lead me back to the experience I had with the Arendal towers.... effortless dynamics, deep, yet not bloated bass, with a pretty wide and deep soundstage.   Yes they were a little bright within a "pure" 2 channel setup; however, now that I can leverage Audyssey or DIRAC via the Cinema 50, I'm pretty sure that I can tame the edginess with minor tweaks within the room correction software.  That being said, based on the size of my room, I'm thinking the 1723s line is a little overkill for surround and height duty, so I reached out to Arendal for some recommendations.  After a few emails, here's what we're thinking:

• 1961 1v Sub (possibly 2 of these)
• 1961 Surround Speakers (2 pairs - sides and rear)
• 1961 Height Speakers (1 pair mounted on the ceiling)

Currently deciding between these options for LCR:

• 1961 Monitor and 1961 Center
• 1961 Towers and 1961 Center
• 1961 Towers and 1723s Center
• 1723s Monitors and 1723s Center

Decisions... decisions...

[LuisV]

Sold a few things over the weekend, so I picked up an Arendal 1961 1v sub.  It has a 12.2" driver, 550w RMS amp, and vented enclosure.  Plan is to see how this bad boy pressurizes the room and if needed, I'll purchase a second one.  Decision was between this sub and either an SVS PB2000 or PB3000.  

[LCSeminole]

Oct 30, 2022 18:02:56 GMT -5 LuisV said:

Now that I'm heading back down the HT path, I've been researching speaker options and all paths lead me back to the experience I had with the Arendal towers.... effortless dynamics, deep, yet not bloated bass, with a pretty wide and deep soundstage.   Yes they were a little bright within a "pure" 2 channel setup; however, now that I can leverage Audyssey or DIRAC via the Cinema 50, I'm pretty sure that I can tame the edginess with minor tweaks within the room correction software.  That being said, based on the size of my room, I'm thinking the 1723s line is a little overkill for surround and height duty, so I reached out to Arendal for some recommendations.  After a few emails, here's what we're thinking:

• 1961 1v Sub (possibly 2 of these)
• 1961 Surround Speakers (2 pairs - sides and rear)
• 1961 Height Speakers (1 pair mounted on the ceiling)

Currently deciding between these options for LCR:

• 1961 Monitor and 1961 Center
• 1961 Towers and 1961 Center
• 1961 Towers and 1723s Center
• 1723s Monitors and 1723s Center

Decisions... decisions...

Don’t know what your room size/dimensions are, but my one bit of advice would be to go with the better center channel. Since Arendal Sound states that all of their speakers are voiced the same through all three speaker lines to compliment each other, so you should get timbre matching and seamless sound no matter how you may mix and match speakers. My 1723/1723 S mixing is as seamless of an environment as I’ve heard in my living room. I have a hunch the 1961 height speakers would have more than satisfied me, but I wanted the similar look of the 1723 heights with the rest of my speakers and I just didn’t want to be questioning myself later so that’s why I made the decisions I did on my setup.

[LuisV]

Agreed... I'm leaning more towards one of these options as I've read in other forums that the 1961 center, although very good, isn't as capable dynamics wise as their bigger brothers:

• 1961 Towers and 1723s Center
• 1723s Monitors and 1723s Center
  

My room is 15'7" x 10'11" with 10' ceilings.  Since it's on the smaller side, Arendal's recommendation was to start with a single 1961 1v instead of one of their 1723 subs.   SVS recommended one of their PB2000 subs; so both initial recommendations were in-line with each other.   We'll see how it goes once the 1v arrives.  

[LCSeminole]

Oct 30, 2022 19:50:54 GMT -5 LuisV said:

Agreed... I'm leaning more towards one of these options as I've read in other forums that the 1961 center, although very good, it's as capable dynamics wise as their bigger brothers:

• 1961 Towers and 1723s Center
• 1723s Monitors and 1723s Center
  

If you go with the monitors, have you given any thoughts to speaker stands?….or maybe you already have some? If you’re good with a table saw, stands would be very doable to make with HDF.

[LuisV]

I don't have any stands at the moment, but for sure, I'll probably build something and fill them with sand.

[LCSeminole]

I’m pretty sure Andrew Robinson has a review coming out soon on the Arendal 1961 towers as he’s been hounded by his YouTube followers to get these, and he’s hinted a few times it’s in the works, not to mention I’ve seen them in the background on one of his latest reviews. Also Erin’s Audio Corner did a YouTube review on these as well.

[LuisV]

Looking forward to Andrew's review of the 1961 towers and center as he praised the 1961 bookshelves; this combo is visible in his Cinema 50 review and he said the 50 drove them without breaking a sweat.      Erin's is what made me think twice between the 1961 towers and 1723s Monitors for L&R... decisions... decisions