# Which new piece of equipment has exceeded your expectations?



## warpdrive

I couldn't get to sleep, so I was thinking about all the money I've spent on equipment over the last year and what I've gained in the process.

I was thinking that the one thing that I was most impressed with among all the stuff I bought was my iPod Touch. I take it everywhere and as a media device, I can watch movies while waiting for my car to be serviced, enjoy my tunes in high quality sound (high bitrate encoding, and top grade headphones), and as an information device at the local coffee shop or around the house. At work I use it to listen to music which really enhances my day. Not that I couldn't do any of this stuff before but now it's done with one slick device that I say "cool!" every time I pull it out.

As for my home equipment, I think the biggest impact was to go HDTV. It's a quantum leap over regular DVD resolution, and I still marvel at watching HD channels every day. By top quality standards, my XBR LCD definitely isn't cinema quality, but the picture and colors just pop out....and that is something I appreciate every day.

What piece of equipment did you buy that makes you go Wow?


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## Sonnie

Martin Logan Ascent i speakers with ML Motif center. Hands down the best purchase I've made ever... along with the most notable improvement in sound that I've not experienced this year, but in my lifetime of fiddlin' with HT.

I'd say it would be a toss up between HD-DVD and the Panny 1080p projector for the second best improvement.


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## atledreier

The SVS PB12 plus/2 was a revelation for me. Other than that I'm amazed every day what my system in total can really do. Especially the projector, considering the age and price (BenQ PE7700) that still make me chuckle and grin like an idiot. Or my audio system that keep me up at nights playing music. Or my Toshiba HD-E1 that blow my Denon DVD2910 away in every aspect. Or the BFD that will tame the beast that is SVS and make it shine. Or my wife that let me do this at all. I think maybe she's the best 'bang for the buck'... :neener:


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## mike c

my projector and screen. i have always had 40" LCD's and dreaming of the next big tv, before I decided to go to a 108" screen via Projector ... I don't even know why I've always wanted a big tv when you can get a humongous screen for a fraction of the cost of the tv.


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## Fincave

Amphion Argon 2's, speakers that I bought to replace my JBL xTi 80's. Listening to music is an absolute pleasure and I keep hearing little things on cds that just were not heard before, always brings a smile to my face. Second on the list would be the upgrade from a 28" tv to a Sanyo Z3 and 110" DIY screen.


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## Prof.

mike c said:


> my projector and screen. i have always had 40" LCD's and dreaming of the next big tv, before I decided to go to a 108" screen via Projector ... I don't even know why I've always wanted a big tv when you can get a humongous screen for a fraction of the cost of the tv.


I would have to say the same for me...
After years of watching movies on what I thought was a big TV screen...changing to a projection image on a 106" screen, totally elevated my enthusiasm for home theatre..
I didn't think it could get any better, until I changed to CIH Cinemascope projection and that now blows me away everytime I turn on the projector..


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## Big Worm

My Samsung 56" DLP I bought last year. That led to my 2nd, HD-DVD/Blu-Ray.


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## tonyvdb

I think for me its building our home theater. It has already proven to be a sound investment (no pun intended).
As far as a piece of equipment, its a tossup between my Mission 765 speakers and the Onkyo 805. The missions I bought new almost 16 years ago and still would never trade them in for anything. The Onkyo has just been a great transition and has improved the already great sound that I have.


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## MatrixDweller

I went from a Kenwood VR309 receiver to a used Denon 3805. With the same speakers it was like night and day. I upgraded my Cerwin Vega speakers shortly afterwards with some Klipsch speakers and had a similar "ear opening" experience. I new they would sound better than the Cerwin Vegas, but didn't expect them to sound so sweet.


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## OvalNut

Acoustic treatments. 

I did my whole room with GIK Acoustics Tri-Trap bass traps and wall mounted 242 and 244 acoustic panels. The difference was not at all subtle, truly remarkable. I won't go back to an untreated room again.

Tim
:drive:


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## jr1414

Definitely my Pb12 +/2. Brings everything on the audio side to a new level. I never knew what a difference truly low, accurate bass could make. I feel it makes my mains sound clearer, even without a change in crossover point, adds new punch to music passages, and changes the HT experience entirely. I no longer feel like I'm watching a movie, I now feel like I'm there!!!

If I didn't know any better I'd swear it slices, dices and bakes!!!


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## bmplockmonster

i just returnrd my polk lsi15's and center for klipsh rf-63.i havn't got the center or surrounds yet.
i cant believe how much happier i am.polks were good speakers but couldn't handle my outlaw 7500 amp.i was skeptical of klipsh but they sound great


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## mazersteven

I haven't purchased anything new in over a year. But I would have to say my SVS PB12-Plus/2 brought the largest "WOW" factor for me. :wow: :hsd: I went sub less for about a year before purchasing the subwoofer. What a difference in my system when I added the sub. My speakers seem to be different speakers. They just seem to sound different, detailed.


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## MrPorterhouse

I'd say my Sony Playstation 3 is the single most impressive item that has exceeded my expectations. I had high hopes to begin with for Blu-ray playback and it has surpassed anything I thought. What really impresses me is the capability to be a center piece of the entertainment setup. My family really enjoys the photo slide shows set to music stored on the harddrive. Its music playback is excellent and I even use it to surf the net on the big screen. Oh yeah, it also plays PS3 video games, too.


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## conchyjoe7

No question: My ultra cheapie ($98.87 at WalMart) Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD players. They (I bought 2) astounded me out of the box and continue to do so (with continuous firmware upgrades thanks to Toshiba) on both my living room 61" JVC and my 55" bedroom Sony displays, both of which are 1080p LCos sets. :T
Cheers and Happy New Year all,
Konky.


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## daniel

I'm not sure if it,s my Oracle Delphi turntable or my listening room. The listening room came with an extra, a house!


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## Funkmonkey

I gotta agree with you Warp, going to HDTV has been the most impressive jump for me. So along those lines, I have to say my Sony 46XBR4 HDTV. I have yet to get a blu-ray player (I am relatively certain that is the way I will go via PS3) but Hi-Def cable looks great, and SD DVD juiced up through my Oppo 981HD is amazing. 2008 is going to be all about building the audio to match the HQ video I now enjoy.


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## nova

Hands down,.... my Harmony remote. Finally a universal remote that would actually control all of my equipment. Plus (and the best part) it allowed my wife to be able to figure out the system,... no more calls at work "I can't get the DVD to work, the kids want to watch a movie. We can hear it but not see it" and many similar conversations. :bigsmile:


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## warpdrive

nova said:


> Hands down,.... my Harmony remote. Finally a universal remote that would actually control all of my equipment. Plus (and the best part) it allowed my wife to be able to figure out the system,... no more calls at work "I can't get the DVD to work, the kids want to watch a movie. We can hear it but not see it" and many similar conversations. :bigsmile:


You are right, but I bought mine so long ago that I almost take it for granted now. I had a whole bunch of $200-300 remotes (Pronto, Marantz RC2000, Home Theater Master), and they all failed to deliver on the ease of use/all in one promise.


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## daniel

When my remote dies, I will probably go with Harmony's remote. 
I've seen one "in action" and It can do things that mine can't.


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## MatrixDweller

nova said:


> no more calls at work "I can't get the DVD to work, the kids want to watch a movie. We can hear it but not see it" and many similar conversations. :bigsmile:


I've had a few of those calls. I still do if my wife lets my 2 year roam and explore all the buttons he so likes to push :explode:


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## hyghwayman

Replacing our 1991 JVC 26" analog TV w/ a 2006 27" JVC DTV was :jump:, crystal clear picture and 5.1 audio out to SS Receiver was and still is mind numbing:bigsmile:.

hyghwayman

P.S. Moving up to HDTV (Sony KD-34XBR970) wasn't as big of a change that from analog to DTV:rubeyes:, but 34"s of widescreen is very cool:T.


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## SteveB

Two things for me, Polk LSI 15 speakers and my new Emotiva LPA-1 amp. Got the speakers before the amp arrived and listened to them with the old HK receiver. When the amp got here and hooked it up the speakers really came alive.


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## maikeldepotter

warpdrive said:


> What piece of equipment did you buy that makes you go Wow?


My Panasonic PT-AE2000 projector with C4H.com tuning! 
Keeps getting WOW's after over 100 hour watching.

Maikel


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## Instal

I have two displays, a 37" LCD and a Z5 projector. I found that I often wanted to switch one of my many sources from one display to the other. After a fair amount of research I discovered the Impact Acoustics Matrix Switcher. It performs exactly the way I expected it to. I was concerned that it would add noise or imperfections to the picture but it works flawlessly. All other matrix switchers that I looked at were much more expensive which gave me concern that this unit may be of substandard quality. Such is not the case. 9 out of 10 from me.


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## Guest

I went from a rear projection tv to a 42" plasma and what a difference. I sold my old rear projection to a friend, and every time I go to his house it seems like I'm watching an old black and white tv.


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## superchad

My top pick is listed below but overall for allowing the entire education of this hobby how about a nod to the home computer and internet?.......where would we all be without sites like this, Audiogon, Ebay and the general ability to educate ourselves on most any topic thanks to Google and the like, but I digress.

Installing gear into and tuning a dedicted room is better than any single peice of gear IMO. While gear will come and go, get out-dated quickly or maybe you just get an itch to try something diiferent that is all hampered if you dont have a good accoustic dedicated space. We all have been thrilled with gear, some of us for years......I remember how much I loved my brand new state of the art Laser Disc player, then the game units got better and better next came DVD and you guys know the rest but mostly these are short lived thrills that just fade into your system in time....but the room thrills and enhances everything you place in it...things we have yet to discover!


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## maikeldepotter

mddbb said:


> I went from a rear projection tv to a 42" plasma and what a difference. I sold my old rear projection to a friend, and every time I go to his house it seems like I'm watching an old black and white tv.


Interestingly, I had a similar experience when seeing Panasonic's "largest in the world" plasma screen at a nearby shop. My front projection set up at home (panasonic pt-ae2000) produces an image of equal size but with unnoticable pixelation (even at short distances up to 1 meter), and no flickering with bright pictures.


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## BrianAbington

My Samsung TXT3093 30" slim fit tube television and Samsung DVD-1080P7 up convert DVD player that we recieved as a wedding present. I absolutly love the picture on this TV. HD over the air and DVDs are great.
I didn't want any of the plasmas or LCDs that were in my parents price range beacuse they have a smaller screen and in my opinion no were near as nice of a picture as this tv has.


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## Steve.

I would have to say the Channel Islands Audio VDA 2 DAC was way beyond my expectations. It's a great DAC and in my opinion was a much better decision than a new CD player because I run my DVD player and CD player through it. This DAC sounds incredible and the build quality is exceptional given it's modest $599 price. I liked it better than the Benchmark DAC 1 which I spent some time with on two separate occasions. The price to performance ratio is off the chart.

Equally as impressive but not quite as high on the bang for the buck scale is my new REL R-305 sub. I'm strictly two channel but play DVDs and cable through the system and this sub does not dissappoint. This sub sounds better than any 10" sub has a right to. It replaced a Velodyne HGS 10 which was no slouch. As good as the HGS was it did not have the pitch definition that the REL does. It sounds bigger and deeper than the HGS especially at lower volumes, and although it won't play as loud it's a good trade off in my room. 

Both great products and highly recommended, the CI DAC has a 30 day audition period and I would suggest trying the REL in home as it may not be for everyone.


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## MatrixDweller

SQCherokee said:


> My Samsung TXT3093 30" slim fit tube television and Samsung DVD-1080P7 up convert DVD player that we recieved as a wedding present. I absolutly love the picture on this TV. HD over the air and DVDs are great.
> I didn't want any of the plasmas or LCDs that were in my parents price range beacuse they have a smaller screen and in my opinion no were near as nice of a picture as this tv has.


I have a 30" Samsung SlimFit HDTV. Nothing beats a good ol CRT for contrast and brightness. The only drawback is that a mere 30" TV weighs 120lbs. I would imagine a 40" would weigh a good 200lbs.


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## tonyvdb

My new SVS PB13 Ultra! I cant believe the difference in how my entire system sounds with this sub.:yay:


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## BrianAbington

MatrixDweller said:


> I have a 30" Samsung SlimFit HDTV. Nothing beats a good ol CRT for contrast and brightness. The only drawback is that a mere 30" TV weighs 120lbs. I would imagine a 40" would weigh a good 200lbs.


sheesh...thats why it was so hard geting it up to our second floor apartment...by my self.


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## epereira

Two items:

Pioneer 5010FD Plasma TV (50")
Onkyo TX-SR875 

Bothe have stellar perfomance!


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## majesty

My TV. I own a Mits 46" 1080i rear-projection joint. I bought it as a floor model display back in mid-2002. Since then, I have moved a total of 3 times (not counting how many times it has changed locations within my house) and it is STILL KICKING!!! The thing looks just as good as the day I bought it. Not one service, not one gun replacement, not one scratch on the screen. 

The misses won't let me buy another TV (you know, one of those flat panel, 1080P, HDMI, 120hz refresh rate jobbies everyone else has) until this one dies.

Let's just say my success with my current TV has been bitter-sweet.


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## Brian Bennett

I purchased Emotiva separates (MMC-1 pre/pro and XPA-5 5 Ch Amp) to replace an Onkyo integrated system (not a shabby unit at all). The sound, flexibilty and product satisfaction have boosted my HT experience more than I could have anticipated from a direct replacement. I could have spent 4x's the amount and not done any better as far as utility and quality. Bee line straight home from work and get the music on every night.

B


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## Blaser

For me the subs and projector....so sweet!


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## Ayreonaut

1. PS3 - Some DVDs look HD, Blu-Ray looks and sounds awesome, and they keep on releasing software updates for it!
2. Sony KDS-50A3000 Rear Projection TV - $1399 should not look this good!
3. Denon AVR-888 - My system sounded good before. How can Audyssey MultEQ make it sound so much better?!


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## xcapri79

SteveB said:


> Two things for me, Polk LSI 15 speakers and my new Emotiva LPA-1 amp. Got the speakers before the amp arrived and listened to them with the old HK receiver. When the amp got here and hooked it up the speakers really came alive.


I'm expecting my LPA-1 on Monday and I can't wait to power up my LSi25, LSiC and LSiC15s with it.
The LSi's sound great with my Pioneer VSX-1014TX receiver, so I can't wait for them to come alive!


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## ACGREEN

My panasonic 1080p projector. It is a sweet piece of gear. I never imagined that projectors could have come as far as they have as fast as they have and at the price they are not at. If you are looking for a home theater projector, there is not a better projector for the money. IMO


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## CharlieU

Another vote for the Playstation 3. Blu-ray, DVD's, CD's, SACD's, streaming media, surfing the Net and watching Cranky Geeks on the big screen. I think I read somewhere that you can even play games on it.

Charlie


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## maikeldepotter

ACGREEN said:


> My panasonic 1080p projector. It is a sweet piece of gear. I never imagined that projectors could have come as far as they have as fast as they have and at the price they are not at. If you are looking for a home theater projector, there is not a better projector for the money. IMO


Could I invite you to this thread I started recently? http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/home-theater-projectors/11857-fan-noise-how-judge.html Although I share your enthousiasm with this projector, I am struggling with a fan noise issue that I would like to get your opinion on. Thanks.


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## beyond 1000

My Outlaw 7500 multichannel amplfier and my Panasonic G-series 50in Plasma (calibrated). Very happy of both.


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## CHASLS2

Added a Sunfire Signature true sub and Emotiva UPA2 amp to my system. Sure added kick.


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## Theresa

Once I replaced the cooling fan the EP4000 has exceeded my expectations. Never gets close to clipping and awesomely clean sub output.


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## tesseract

Theresa said:


> Once I replaced the cooling fan the EP4000 has exceeded my expectations. Never gets close to clipping and awesomely clean sub output.


Did it get close to clipping with the stock fan in place?


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## tesseract

CharlieU said:


> Another vote for the Playstation 3. Blu-ray, DVD's, CD's, SACD's, streaming media, surfing the Net and watching Cranky Geeks on the big screen. I think I read somewhere that you can even play games on it.
> 
> Charlie


I really need to get one of these.


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## Omega

For me it has to be Logitech Squeezebox Transporter. There is no other device like it. With iOS integration, an app infrastructure and plugin support there are no limits. I do room correction, and with IR blaster integration is really easy. You can integrate with RS-232, download an app for upcoming services and listen to pandora or any radio station in the world. It has a robust music collection management system. One of the best music eco-system devices out there...


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## sga2

My second PC12+ made by far the most difference of any other upgrade. Bass is so smooth and much more even now.

Regards,
sga2


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## DannyOP

SVS PB13 Ultra and SB13+ dual sub combined and placed diagonally opposite. The twin combination of mid and low bass changed my view on sealed and ported sub combination. It has the best of both worlds, movies can be felt rather than heard


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## grassy

My AVPA1HDA PRE/PRO is outstanding among my equipment as it has lived up to the money i have outlayed for it and not only that. I believe no matter what piece of av gear you own, if the after sales service is no good then the purpose of having it has somewhat been dafeated.So this brings me back to the manufacturer and all has been fullfilled in this department.Again a big thankyou to denons support team.I must say also the ps3 is a great all round piece and is one of the best av pieces around simply as it covers a huge area in this fine lifestyle that we are involved in. I have just purchased the velodyne DD15+ sub and am keeping an eye and ear out on this one. so far so good as the sound and build is stunning.:T


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## RTS100x5

2 actually

1. From a 10yr old SONY AVR to PIONEER SC35 - night and day on every level and then it calibrates the room.....

2. From 3yr old Proficient in walls too DIY project (5) speakers w DAYTON PT2-8 planar mid-highs and DAYTON 6.5 mid-bass w DAYTON Xover @ 3k. 

:bigsmile:


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## flyng_fool

My Danley DTS-10 subs surprises me on a daily basis. That thing digs incredibly deep, shakes the daylights out of my room and is extremely articulate. Since I don't have a dedicated HT my sheetrock is only a single layer of ½" it flexes a lot and therefore I am constantly repairing small cracks in the walls. Oh, and the wife hates it so it must be good!


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## chashint

Hummm...
I don't think I am overly hard to please, but my expectations are for the equipment to work the way it is supposed to work. If it does that then my expectations are met, if it doesn't, it goes back.

When we got the TV we went from a 20yr old 25" Trinitron to a 56" DLP. There was some real wow factor to that purchase.
Getting a big screen and hi-def all at once was a major step up.
But that TV cost a bunch of money so some major wow factor was expected.

Audio electronics is just something that is necessary, I expect it to work the way it is supposed to.
Not really any wow factor here, just a technology upgrade.

My speakers are great, I love them and listen every day... but they replaced a set of speakers that I have had since 1979 that had begun to fall apart. 
I was surprised that I had to spend as much money as I did to barely best those old speakers.
I would make the same selections again so there are no regrets, but there was not any wow factor here either.


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## fight4yu

Definitely my projector (LG 181) and the 115" screen. An upgrade from 55" plasma... Finally, it gives me a "home theater" feel. There is something with watch a movie on a "fabric" than "glass", I must say.. and of course the 115" calibrated image as well.


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## bambino

Well not new but my allmost 20 year old 10" Paradigm subwoofer still impresses me. As for new i'd have to go with my Emotiva XPA-1's.:T


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## TypeA

What speakers do they drive bam?


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## bambino

TypeA said:


> What speakers do they drive bam?


I've got 1 on each of my Paradigm Monitor 11's. I thought they sounded amazing just being driven off the Denon 3808 but once i hooked the XPA-1's up my ears couldn't believe the sound quality and openess that they are now delivering. Truely amazing what an out board amp can do.:T


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## GranteedEV

bambino said:


> I've got 1 on each of my Paradigm Monitor 11's. I thought they sounded amazing just being driven off the Denon 3808 but once i hooked the XPA-1's up my ears couldn't believe the sound quality and openess that they are now delivering. Truely amazing what an out board amp can do.:T


Here is some info on the impedance of the M11s

Like many 2.5 way speakers, it's definitely current hungry, and that extra current really delivers better lower midrange/upper bass linearity compared to the denon. Is that where you felt the biggest improvement was?


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## ILOVEMYHDTV

hi all. WOW; that a hard one.... ummmm. Well I think is the new EMOTIVA amp; XPA5. iT brought more life into my itty bitty MAN CAVE. I have a full 9.1 KLIPSCH system an that I was to power the front stage. An my ONKyo run the surrounds and rear surrounds.


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## RoadDawgWest

I use these practically everyday. I would have to say my Ultimate Ears UE-11. Very non fatiguing either listening to music, talk radio, MLB. I use them with success with my headphone amp or without directly from an iPod or a MacBook.


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## natescriven

I love my Ascend Sierra-1's! They make me want to listen to more music and watch less tv. That's a really good thing. Classical, progressive, alternative, jazz, and pop all sound good. Movies sound more realistic. Voices and explosions and breaking glass all sound very authentic. They look good too.


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## TVReplay

I would have to say my 110" DIY DW screen. For a total of $160 I didn't expect the results.


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## htaddikt

Picked up an Emotiva XPA-5 and am using it to amp my recently purchased Onkyo receiver (809). This did not seem like a very cost-effective move as my listening room is not very large, and the Onkyo does a reasonably good job.
All I can say is the improvement in dynamics, soundstage and clarity are not my imagination. Of course the source material has to be good to appreciate it, but even the broadcast of 'Sing Off' was more enjoyable. The sound overall is more 'effortless'.


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## mrspis

B&W 602s2


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## mojojojo

My Panasonic Vierra plasma. After a few weeks back and forth with my wife and I looking at various TV's, from LCD to plasma, we decided to go with the GT30 and have been very happy since. Colours and definition are great. So is the overall look of the tv and the way it fits in the living room.


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## JBrax

I would have to say upgrading to the Onkyo tx-nr809. I had a Yamaha before and the added power has really brought my Klipsch reference speakers to life.


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## swingin

The new Pioneer Elite with the 9 band EQ on each speaker. A tweakers delight. Id put my Vegas up against any speaker system for sound clarity and volume, after all, they are loud speakers and they sound fantastic!!


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## olddog

My Harmony One Remote. I has made my home peacefull. The Wife no longer complaining that she can't turn on the TV or listen to music!


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## JBrax

olddog said:


> My Harmony One Remote. I has made my home peacefull. The Wife no longer complaining that she can't turn on the TV or listen to music!


Which Harmony remote is held in the highest regard among the home theater crowd? I've got about 5 now and would like just one that can do everything glitch free.


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## JBrax

Not a single suggestion? ?


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## natescriven

I had the Harmony 550 for a while until it broke. Logitech gave me half off of any new remote so I chose the Harmony One. I really like it. The button layout is very logical and is easy to operate in the dark. All of the new ones are similar I think. You can't go wrong as long as it has the capacity to handle all of your equipment. But I definitely recommend the 'One'.


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## rab-byte

BrianAbington said:


> My Samsung TXT3093 30" slim fit tube television and Samsung DVD-1080P7 up convert DVD player that we recieved as a wedding present. I absolutly love the picture on this TV. HD over the air and DVDs are great.
> I didn't want any of the plasmas or LCDs that were in my parents price range beacuse they have a smaller screen and in my opinion no were near as nice of a picture as this tv has.


You're right about that the Samsung slim hd tubes were fantastic PQ. I remember when we got them in the store. We needed to move them away from the other HD displays because they put all the LCDs and most of the Plasmas and DLPs to shame.

As for the remote question...
I've had an 890 now I have a 1100. I've installed all of them and found 3 things to make all the difference. 
1) the 700 and the 'one' have the least lag
2) mapping your buttons to how you will use the system
3) settings delays and turning CEC off

If that fails then URC remotes are amazing if you program them well. 

As for my biggest most important component it would have to be my Martin Logan Vantages. Best speakers I could afford and I would have payed 3x as much willingly.


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## JBrax

natescriven said:


> I had the Harmony 550 for a while until it broke. Logitech gave me half off of any new remote so I chose the Harmony One. I really like it. The button layout is very logical and is easy to operate in the dark. All of the new ones are similar I think. You can't go wrong as long as it has the capacity to handle all of your equipment. But I definitely recommend the 'One'.


Ok, I'll check out the one. Thanks for the reply


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## Todd Anderson

This is easy for me: treating our home theater. It was a total do it yourself project from start to finish. I may have mis-stepped along the way and maybe all the treatments aren't perfectly placed, but the difference from start to finish is very noticeable. 

The coolest part is a diffuser/absorber that I made with some design help from a sound guy from serbia! It's behind the seating positions and it completely opened up my center channel. The cc used to be very narrow and nasally and the sound coming from it was very - very - directional. Really, it detracted from dialog because words, etc didn't have the illusion from common from within the movie. Enter the diffuser/absorber. It's 6 ft wide x 5ft tall. It is basically randomly placed 1/4" thick x 2 1/2 inch wide slates over top of oc703 (my seats are too close to the back wall for a traditional diffuser and I didnt want total absorption)... It's not as robust a a traditional diffuser, no doubt, but WOW... What a great impact it has. The depth and clarity of the center channel
Has opened up... And the sound now speaks across the screen.

It was a great journey, from throwing emails back and forth... To finding the supplies... To building it. Love it!


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## moparz10

The harmony 1000 has simplified our veiwing experience drastically.


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## olddog

As the Harmony one has done for my household. I can't but wonder though ??? Does Harmony have the whole market in the bag? Is there another company out there that is as good or better than Logitech?


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## rab-byte

olddog said:


> As the Harmony one has done for my household. I can't but wonder though ??? Does Harmony have the whole market in the bag? Is there another company out there that is as good or better than Logitech?


Philips pronto and AR both make/made harmony competitors. 

URC, Control4, Amex, Crestron
(In low to high order for cost of entry) are above Logitech for price and control.


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## Picture_Shooter

Subdude!


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## aLittletank

DIY F-20 subwoofer. Wow ! This one piece of equipment has changed the way I value and rate movies. The bass output is so unreal that i am always on the lookout for a good bass movie now


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## olddog

wede11 said:


> Taylormade R11 irons Technology
> 
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> 
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> Taylormade Burner 2.0 irons
> Mizuno MP-59 Irons
> Mizuno JPX 800 Driver



I think this poster got hit in the head somewhere around the 8th hole and forgot where he was?:neener::dumbcrazy::bigsmile:


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## jmschnur

Xt 32 .music is now the center of our evenings.


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## black_z

olddog said:


> I think this poster got hit in the head somewhere around the 8th hole and forgot where he was?:neener::dumbcrazy::bigsmile:



Hahahaha!!


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## vettett15

I picked up the Squeezebox Touch during christmas time. This thing is pretty sweet, the setup was easy and it picked up the music on my computer instantly. Pandora is nice to have and if you got a spotify account you can hook up to that too. The thing just works, which is nice sometimes as other electronic devices (especially wireless) usually dont.


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## xmaoo190

warpdrive said:


> What piece of equipment did you buy that makes you go Wow?


I'd have to say by far my Martin Logan Vantages. I had a friend hook them up to his home theater for 2 days to break them in while I was away. I couldn't believe the look on his face when he replaced his Paradigms and hooked my Vantages up. He heard things in movies and songs that he hadn't heard before. Made me appreciate my setup even more!


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## JBrax

Lawrence, KS is only an hour drive from my house I may just have to take a little trip. Martin Logan seems to be very popular amongst the members here. I'd like to hear them for myself.


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## rab-byte

JBrax said:


> Lawrence, KS is only an hour drive from my house I may just have to take a little trip. Martin Logan seems to be very popular amongst the members here. I'd like to hear them for myself.


That's my home town. And yes they are incredible speakers


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## jmschnur

rab-byte said:


> That's my home town. And yes they are incredible speakers


Is Martin Logan still in Kansas ?


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## rab-byte

jmschnur said:


> Is Martin Logan still in Kansas ?


Built in paradigm factory in Canada now. HQ still in Lawrence.


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## NegativeEntropy

Replying to the original poster's question/premise:
1) Sage TV. I have been using it off/on for about 7 years. I love streaming all media including DVR functionality, from a central server to a small extender box under each screen + having a picture slideshow as a "screen saver". Too bad it's essentially discontinued since google bought them.
2) Ascend Acoustics Sierra Tower speakers. I have not purchased a lot of speakers, so keep that in mind, but they have the clarity of presentation I was looking for; I'm impressed, especially for the price.


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## xmaoo190

rab-byte said:


> Built in paradigm factory in Canada now. HQ still in Lawrence.


True, operations are still in Kansas but skeleton crew, manufacturing is now in Canada.


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## Twin_Rotor

Sony SMP-N200 media streamer. For $80, can't beat it with a stick. I've only had it for a couple of days, but so far I love it. So glad I didn't buy a Roku for the same price.


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## FireFold

The Peerless HD Flow Wireless Multimedia Kit; it allows me to transfer HD signals without having to run so many cables.


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## Bucket

I have two:


This Christmas: a Squeezebox Touch - this got me back to listening to music regularly
Last Christmas: Anthem MRX 500 - this replaced a Denon 2807. The sound is so much better, in large part because ARC was able to make improvements on an acoustically poor room


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## Dekes1

WD TV Live! (media streamer)

This by far changed my whole home theater experience. It got me to build a home media server, got me to sign up with internet media services like Netflix and Pandora, and convinced me that ripping all my DVDs and Blurays to disk was worthwhile. That one little device has spawned numerous other upgrades and purchases.

There's obvioulsy other streamers like the Popcorn hour, Sony's, and things like the Roku or Boxee but I haven't found a codec the WDTV won't play!


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## christmclean

For less than 100 dollars the Roku XS has amazed me. It is so easy to stream netflix. I also have an HTPC that I use to stream netflix but the quality of both the picture and the sound is not has good as the Roku. The HTPC is a nice HP laptop but is about 3 years old. I stil have to look into Hulu plus but having Pandora is a nice feature also.


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## superedge88

Top three

Tuba ht subwoofer- made all the difference, no more messing around with subs that can't cut it in demanding reference level playback.

QSC KW-122 front stage- going with powerful professional powered monitors really has given headroom and detail new meaning.

Aura pro bass shakers- dollar for dollar the most impact any upgrade has made in my system. It's like going from standard definition to HD, simply a more intense and enveloping experience with them mounted in my couches.


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## yoda13

Not much by other ppl's standards but for the $$ not bad. I bought a couple of PA-120s and the amount of SPL they put out exceeded my expectations. It pressurizes my room very adequately and makes my couch shake just find...along with light fixtures, floor joist etc...


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## Rhonda

I know Im lame but my wallet is thin and the Sony HTCT150 is the best I can afford but its such a great step up from the flat screen TV speakers. I thought the dinky little system would be lacking but it surprised me.


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## Dwight Angus

This is a tough one. I would have to say my co located dual PB13 Ultras plus audyssey xt32 to tame them. Just great bass you can feel.


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## jerryrigg

this is low tech compared to everything i've seen while scanning this thread.. i have to admit i have a old cheapy surround sound that i purchased from walmart about 8 years ago or so. it's got everything in the sub aside to the speakers. it as not only served me well but for what it cost me i can't believe it. i used it to this day and it's working great. i know there are 100x better setups out there for this but it does "good enough" for my taste. then with that toshiba 50" rear projection and netflix on the wii. it's hard to beat if you don't mind a lower resolution. the most impressed i have been however is with the "htpc" i recently upgraded my tower from scratch and retired my older tower to use as a "htpc" via s-video, rca-3.5mm cable and a wireless mouse. granted it's yesterday's hardware but it plays flash great. i don't even have cable or dish because of it. i just hit up the free sites like hulu, xfinity, crackle and the stations that do offer shows on the web. you'd be surprised at what you can find if you look. i know i was. anyway it's a "mutt" with a pentium d 945 (dual core 3.4ghz 800mhz bus) 2gb of ddr400, and an ati 2600pro hd (256mb 8xagp). it's no powerhouse but it does great for the intended purpose. it even plays games! i was surprised to see it but skyrim ran on it with settings but it was actually smooth enough to play. anyway that peice of hardware i am thoroughly impressed with considering the hardware it's packing..


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## richmag

Anthem's ARC EQ. Transformed my listening room for both movies and music.


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## jackox

I was blown away by the Audyssey SEQ pro EQ.
Also the second update of the Integra Research RDC7 processor ...
I cannot make a decision on which amazed me more ...

Little things came along since, but those two bring me my best memories of HT fun.


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## auge.dog

It's low tech, but the new projection screen I built over the past year has thrilled me. I went from a DIY BOC screen to a white melamine board from Menards, that I painted. The only reason I built the new screen, was that the BOC screen I built was too big for the size of the projected image I was able to display based on my projector (Mitsubishi HC1500) and throw distance. Now, not only does the image fit perfectly, my wife and kids commented on the improvement in the image. They both commented the image looks more 3D. Sports also look awesome.


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## fitzwaddle

In terms of pure bang for the buck - I'd have to say the Lepai TA2020 T-amp I purchased several months ago. Picked it up when it was on sale for $20 at parts express. Obviously for $20, you don't really expect a lot, but it does exactly what I needed it to do, clean power, no frills (just volume, bass and treble controls). I got a kick out of the fact that the power adapter is a Vonage too. :clap: (surplus I suppose - if it works, and keeps the price down, fine by me)


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## hjones4841

I would have to say my Denon AVR-A100 (gussied up version of the 4311). It replaced an 8 year old Denon 5805 - no slouch in itself. In the upgrade I got the latest HD audio decoding, 1080P HDMI switching, Audyssey XT32 and a path to Audyssey Pro - which I purchased 5 months ago. It also added Audyssey DSX, so I added height and width speakers to my system. The result was a transformation in sound, when I only expected minor improvements. Well pleased.


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## kenbola

Such great responses! I would say adding a subwoofer to low-priced speakers makes an incredible difference in the sound. If you dont have a lot of cashish, add a subwoofer for under a $150 and you will be pretty amazed. Also, I agree the ipod touch is sweet for a hundred different reasons. And of course if you like music it's always nice to put on some Allman Brothers.


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## rab-byte

You are all feeding the upgrade fire that burns within!!!

Low cost I'm hoping to address some acoustic issues soon, but I'm married and in a one bedroom so WAF is a major issue (she wants hung artwork not treatments). 

As for equipment... Going tubes has always been a dream but budget is a huge hurdle to overcome. 

I think a cmoy DIY amp will be my next add on for the new grado 80i I just got (listening but not bothering the reading wife). Always wanted to get into DIY and this project has a low cost of entry.


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## tcarcio

I have owned alot of different audio equipment in my 55 years on the planet but I have to say that for the money the new CHT speakers I just purchased are really making a big impression on me. I don't think I can say they are the one best thing that I have ever owned but for the money they have definitley exceeded my expectations.:bigsmile:


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## ericzim

I really like my new DLNA enabled Blu-ray players both are relatively low end 2012 models with the Panasonic BD77 being the least fancy spec wise but very good at streaming video and the LG right in the middle of the pack and it shines streaming music in the cave.


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## bluemax_1

Been exposed to audio for decades from my Dad, who had some really good setups (that I can't even recall the components of, including a stereo setup that imaged so amazingly in 3D, with my eyes closed, I felt I could take a bag of golf balls and lobbing them one at a time, hit each band member square on the forehead).

The biggest WOW factor for me though, was adding the Seaton Submersive HP's to my setup. First time I'd ever heard single digit capable sound with prodigious output.

It was annoying having my previous subs clip on scenes like Tron:Legacy, WOTW and HTTYD, but now the alien tripod emerging scene from WOTW is one of my all time favorite demo scenes. Had some folks saying that they didn't feel that scene was that impressive, citing what they thought were better scenes, like the train crash from Super 8, that is, until they realized that their setups fell off a cliff below 20Hz, and were never capable of reproducing the ULF content in WOTW.

The first time they hear it in my HT, the reaction is usually along the lines of, "HOLY S##T!!! I never even knew THAT was there in the soundtrack! Always wondered why people rave about that scene... NOW I get it!"

There's something incredibly amusing about taking interactive theater to a whole new level. When the Kremlin explodes in MI:4 and the ground onscreen heaved up, the suspended flooring in my HT did so too, hard enough to knock stuff over!


Max


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