[sac1973]

i thought i was doing great by going from a kenwood to onkyo system but after reading all of the posts i kinda feel like my system ain't crap   anyway the onkyo system was all my budget and the "boss" would allow.  my dilemna is i want to get my system to sound as best as i possibly can and i get the feeling i need to start with the cables.  i don't know what info you guys need to be able to help me so ask and i will tell.  if you guys have an idea other than the cables then let me know   thanks.

[Marbles]

What is the rest of your system like?

While it all makes a difference, some make more differences than others.

Also you need to match your components for your liking.  

Generally speakers will make the most difference.

Speaker cable and IC upgrades are usually best left until the electronics and speakers are set.

[sac1973]

i don't know if this is what you are looking for but here is the specs for my system:
 
Product Specs Specification
 Onkyo Dolby® Digital/DTS® Home Theater System
Front Power  200 Watts
Center Power  100 Watts
Surround Power  200 Watts
Subwoofer Power  150 Watts
Bandwidth @ Rated Power  65Hz - 20kHz
THD @ Rated Power  Unavailable
Dolby® Pro Logic  YES
Dolby® Pro Logic II  YES
DTS  YES
Dolby® Digital  YES
# Digital Inputs  3
# S-Video Inputs  4
# Component Video Inputs  Unavailable
Disc Player Formats  N/A
Disc Capacity  N/A
Front Speaker Type  Dual 5 1/4'' Woofer, 1'' Tweeter
Center Speaker Type  Dual 4'' Woofers, 1'' Tweeter
Rear Speaker Type  4'' Woofer, 1'' Tweeter
Subwoofer Type  Rigid, Low-Mass 8'' Long-Throw Woofer
Remote Type  Preprogrammed
Front Speaker Dimensions (H x W x D, Inches)  8.4 x 6.5 x 8.4
Center Speaker Dimensions (H x W x D, Inches)  6.0 x 15.25 x 8.6
Rear Speaker Dimensions (H x W x D, Inches)  8.4 x 6.5 x 8.4
Subwoofer Dimensions (H x W x D, Inches)  20.3 x 9.25 x 16.2
Electronics Dimensions (H x W x D, Inches)  Unavailable
Other Features  5.1 Multi-Channel input; Color-coded speaker terminals; 30 FM/AM presets; Universal Black Oak finish


you also said that the electronics and speakers needed to be set before moving on..what do you mean by that?

[Marbles]

OK, you have an HT in a box.

Many buy their Receiver, then get speakers (or vice versa), then get a DVD player.  While they are getting these items they often use cheap (and sometimes supplied) speaker cable and IC's.

Often after starting buying these items they realize that maybe they should have bought a better component.

After a person decides that he is happy with all the things he bought and is looking for improvement, then the IC's and speaker cable is the next thing to upgrade.

[sac1973]

ok so i have ht in a box.  until about a wk ago i didn't think that was so bad.  after seeing the specs how does the system look?  also can you answer my last question:
     

you also said that the electronics and speakers needed to be set before moving on..what do you mean by that?

  thanks for your help so far

[Marbles]

By "set" I meant that you are going to keep what you have for a long time.


The question is not how it looks to me, but how it sounds to you.

If you think it sounds good, then that's all that should matter.  Everything else is just relative.  So if you like it, then don't sweat what others have.

Audio sites and audio rags are a real slippery slope of wanting what others have and view as the best.

The problem is all people have different rooms, different taste in how they want their system to sound etc..


If someone says that Krell amps are the best, and another says the B&W speakers are the best, you might conclude that together it would sound "the best", but to me that combination is one of the worst I've heard.  With other equipment either might be part of a system I would really enjoy though.

Your equipment was all designed to work with the other components it is mated with, to form an HT system to match a certain pricepoint.  I suspect that they did a very good job of this.

[ZooDog]

sac - have you been to any specialty audio shops to check stuff out?  Doing so might help you decide whether you really want to upgrade or if you are satisfied with what you have.  Remember, any way you slice it, this is an expensive hobby.  Even the "budget" gear that is recommended on these boards is considered expensive by "normal" people e.g. your wife.

[Tyson]

HTiB's are much better now than they used to be in the past.  For most people they are all that is needed/wanted.  Don't feel bad about the HTiB, as it is FAR better than listening to the TV speakers.

If I were looking to upgrade, it would probably be speakers first, something that is an easy load and fairly efficient, so the receiver isn't too taxed with trying to drive them.  Marbles is right that speakers make the largest contribution to the sound of the system.  Especially the front 3 speakers, followed by the sub, and the rear speakers last.

My advice is to keep what you have for a while, get some use and enjoyment out of it, hang around some of the internet HT and audio sites, visit some local high end audio stores, and only buy something as an upgrade AFTER you find something that you like much better.

[bubba966]

Tyson is correct in saying that if you're going to upgrade components, the speakers would make the most difference at the moment.

But if you're not going to upgrade the components for a bit & want to work on getting the most out of your setup I'd reccomend a couple of things.

First, if you're able to, I'd highly advise you change out the AC outlet that your gear is plugged into. A 20A Hospital Grade outlet makes a tremendous improvement in both audio & video quality of your setup. And an IG8300 outlet from Eagle/Cooper/Hubbell should cost about $10. Loewe's carries the Eagle IG8300RN outlet for just under $10 and I've had very good results with it in various setups.

Second, if this is a HT setup, get a pinpoint light source (or laser of some sort) and align your speakers properly. DD & DTS tracks usually sound best when the tweeter of your speakers is aimed at ear level of your listening position.

Lastly, go to Radioshack & pick up an analog SPL meter ($30) & dB match the output of your speakers so they're all equal in output. This helps with sound pans from speaker to speaker.

These three things will help quite a bit to get omre out of your current setup without spending much $. My experience has shown that the AC outlet change makes the most difference, as it affects everything plugged into it. Next biggest help is properly dB matching the speakers. And while it helps to laser align your speakers, it doesn't make quite as much of a difference as the other two tweaks.

[sac1973]

thanks guys.  ya'll have made my day.