[Landis]

Quote:

Originally Posted by iriverdude /img/forum/go_quote.gif Doubt that, if he's got a Samsung.

I'm curious as to why you dislike Samsungs so much!

 

[oqvist]

There is no reason why you shouldn´t watch movies with headphones. If you don´t want downsampling just listen in plain stereo then? There is no right or wrong here

For me it depends a lot on genre if I use my headphones or speakers. At first I thought I would just use my surround system all the time but I have found some movies is just not the same without the intimacy headphones give you. Not to mention the outside world it´s so much easier to shut it out with closed headphones

each have their pros and cons but if there is anything with a lot of classical music or dialogue I go for my headphones all the time. If there is some big action drama I go for speakers in general

 

[Sherwood]

Lebowski, it makes my heart skip a beat when someone says "$ not an issue". I have exactly what you need. You may decide, after the fact, that money IS an issue, but I'll give you the best here and let you decide if it's worth it.

First off, a TV is a terrible audio component. They're not built for it, so we need to get it out of the equation. The way to do that is with a pre/pro, or preamp processor. Here's the one you want, the Emotiva UMC-1.

The Emotiva takes in digital and analog signals, notably HDMI, and converts them into the kind of sound that amplifiers need to see. I can get technical here, but i don't need to. Suffice it to say, this box turns everything you have into everything you need, for well under $1000. That's a bargain. It helps improve your video too, which is even better.

Next, you need a headphone system to go with the Emotiva. There is one that stands head and shoulders above. The Smyth Research SVS system comes with a decent Stax amp and the excellent SR-202 headphones, and running that two-box system directly from the Emotiva should give you a better headphone experience for your uses than was possible 5 years ago, regardless of investment.

PS3/DVD/Cable box -> Emotiva -> SVS (and Television) -> Headphone amp -> Stax headphones

 

[iriverdude]

Quote:

If you don´t want downsampling just listen in plain stereo then?

Not many new films have a stereo soundtrack To listen to movies with no downmixing means sticking to movies from the 70's or earlier. So you're not listening to it as the director intended. Using things like Dolby headphone or other surround techniques is no different to applying "rock" DSP and reverb to CD's.

 

[spacemanspliff]

Good point. I think the Smyth might be a different animal though.

I am currently using some borrowed Darth Terminators w/ my receiver. Dolby DTS + Dolby Headphone 1 is ok but I still get better directional sound via pure stereo.

That is for games though. For movies I have no clue yet.

My opinion is for Stax and Smyth. I can't think of anything else which could provide a more realistic sounding presentation for games, movies and music in one group.

 

[haloxt]

I'd hesitate to recommend Ultrasones for general music to people who've never tried Ultrasones, but they are really nice for movies and games. But since you want high-end, I guess stax and smyth are a better bet, but I would ask around to see if the SVS realiser improves game sound quality. For gaming you might actually prefer the flawed but easy to understand directionality of some headphones to the virtual replication of a speaker system.

If cost is not an issue, I'd recommend getting at least some decently priced aftermarket power, digital, and interconnect cables like blue jeans cables (many people like this brand around here). Also consider a power conditioner designed specifically for audio and video equipment, I'm guessing one ~$250-500 is at the front door of the law of diminishing returns. Plug everything in your audio and video chain into it. Finally get an external dac and headphone amp, I'm guessing ~$500-1000 for each is enough to squeeze the most complex sound clips they put into video games.

 

[HeadphoneAddict]

I was amazed at the SVS Realizer at CanJam - that really is the best way to get optimal sound quality for movie watching, gaming with headphones.

 

[donunus]

a basic hd800 system with a decent amp like a sonnet will probably do

 

[Simple Echo]

I personally don't have much experience with high end audio, but there are plenty of arguments here that make a lot of sense. Especially the point about a TV being a terrible audio component. Hardware that was made with only sound in mind would probably make a far greater listening experience, like Sherwood already stated. Just like how speakers built into computer monitors are not great compared to actual desktop speakers, I imagine that television audio is not nearly as good as a dedicated sound system.

 

[iriverdude]

^ flat screen TV's have lousy sound quality, I wouldn't even bother with them. They're just about ok for watching the news. Sound quality on flat TV's is far worse than larger CRT TV's due to limited amount of space for drivers.

Something like these for front three

and these for sides & surrounds, $1500 each

Seven of these
Bryston Limited - Music For A Generation

Maybe a Pioneer LX-6090 for "just TV" then a 60" LCD/LED for gaming, then a 100" 6x chip digital DLP projector for movies? Lexicon MC-12HD EQ. Crestron remote control. Top that off with three SVS PB13 Ultras (stereo plus LFE sub)

Fit the room with top of the range lazy boys with integrated fridge & massager. Get sound engineer to apply sound treatements. ISF all screens. Request sound server and remote units.

Don't bother with 'phones for high end sound, they're really more of a secondary listening device if you have reasons why speakers aren't suitable (apartment or family)

 

[themidsizelebowski]

Thank you one and all for all of your help and advice!

Sherwood, you make a very compelling argument for the Emotiva/Smyth Research SVS System setup, and even though ~$4,000 is more than I had initially expected to spend, I'm willing to make the plunge. Here and in every other forum I've posted this thread (by the way, this forum was BY FAR the most helpful), multiple people have spoken up about Smyth SVS...so I'm almost sold.

However, rshuck and drubbing, I appreciate your warning that games and movies offer poor source audio that might squander such high-end equipment.

So, before I drop $4k, I'd really appreciate a little reassurance that this investment is worth it for my purposes...especially considering:

In about 40% of the movies/shows I watch, the audio source is stereo or mono (what can I say?--I like me some obscure and oldschool titles).
I would appreciate a good solid bass and crisp dialogue much more than realistic surround sound...basically, surround's not that important to me--sound quality is really all I care about.

 

[iriverdude]

So there IS a limit!

Quote:

I would appreciate a good solid bass and crisp dialogue much more than realistic surround sound

Who says you can't have both? My system dialogue is stunning and fantastic surround panning and movie experience. Although like you say if you watch movies from the 40's or 50's then perhaps just splash out on a stereo system.

 

[themidsizelebowski]

Haha, love the lazy boy home theater iriverdude. But very non-soundproof apartment + studious medschool girlfriend + baby in apartment below us + ridiculously demanding job which often requires nocturnal hours = many needs for silence. So headphones are the only way to go I'm afraid...unless you throw in a hot tub...and a chef...a sushi chef.

 

[boomana]

Quote:

Originally Posted by themidsizelebowski /img/forum/go_quote.gif Haha, love the lazy boy home theater iriverdude. But very non-soundproof apartment + studious medschool girlfriend + baby in apartment below us + ridiculously demanding job which often requires nocturnal hours = many needs for silence. So headphones are the only way to go I'm afraid...unless you throw in a hot tub...and a chef...a sushi chef.

The SVS System would be ideal in this setup. I was also extremely impressed by it's capabilities when I heard it. I believe there are threads both in this forum and in the members' lounge if you want to do a search.

 

[Sherwood]

Another nice thing about the SVS, Lebowski, is the fact that it has a really excellent pair of straight stereo headphones on the end of it. Should you be listening to a true stereo source, or stereo music, you're always free to disable processing and just listen to straight 2-channel, which is absolutely brilliant out of the Stax.

$4,000 is a significant outlay, without a doubt, but there is nothing comparable for less. The SVS is really revolutionary, and unfortunately $4k is the entrance point for a system like that.

If you're truly interested in knocking this thing out of the park on the first pitch, it's a worthy investment.

Also, I wouldn't be terribly worried about the sound quality of films and games not warranting a system like this. Sure, they're not as good as well-mastered stereo recordings, but that's not a reason to experience them in lower fidelity. If the thing holding back the overall quality level of your experience is the quality of the movie/game itself, you're doing pretty damn well.