[DR]

Hey everyone,

I am finished with the project.

The perfect condo system is in place and fully tested. More details and pictures will follow but just to set the stage, remember this started out with the purchase of a pair of Emeralds XL's. Then came the Force XL. Then the Sapphire XL's. Then an Emerald center speaker, BluRay, Samsung TV, Onkyo 7.1 Receiver all the while maintaining a separate 2 channel system.

It is all very doable without disturbing the neighbors. This ACI based system is killer. On analogue, CD, DVD the whole works.

Please stay tuned.

[DR]

There are a few  pictures in the Gallery.

[DR]

So tonight I watched and listened to David Gilmour, Live at the Royal Albert Hall. For those unfamiliar with this DVD, Gilmour showcases his and Pink Floyd music in an acoustic like environment.  The power is still there and the musicians are recorded in the near field.

I should first tell the story of setting up the Onkyo SR606. It comes with software and a microphone which is supposed to set the system up for you – right. It was fun. It measured the number of speakers I have (Sapphire mains, Emerald Center and Rears and Force Sub.) and measured some of the room peculiarities quite nicely. However, it measured the Sapphire XL’s and basically would not send anything to the Force. That should say something.
 
So, I set it up myself. All fronts are set at 80hz crossover (rather than 65hz for my 2 channel). I defeated the stupid HT double bass feature. This is a default setting that takes the bass in all three front channels – doubles it - and sends it to the Sub.  There must be a whole bunch of people that want nothing more than a loud explosion. Not me. I wanted to be immersed in this DVD and hear the fingers on the strings that this concert allows.
 
Well it was all there, with the Emerald Center voicing perfectly with the Sapphire Mains. The 5.1 mix was quite nice on the Emerald Rears but here is something. I can almost get the same space, center and far left and right imaging with the Sapphires / Force alone on the 2 track version of the soundtrack.

That is why will never give up my dedicated 2 channel. Especially now that it is ACI powered.

[Mike Dzurko]

So tonight I watched and listened to David Gilmour, Live at the Royal Albert Hall. For those unfamiliar with this DVD, Gilmour showcases his and Pink Floyd music in an acoustic like environment.  The power is still there and the musicians are recorded in the near field.

I should first tell the story of setting up the Onkyo SR606. It comes with software and a microphone which is supposed to set the system up for you – right. It was fun. It measured the number of speakers I have (Sapphire mains, Emerald Center and Rears and Force Sub.) and measured some of the room peculiarities quite nicely. However, it measured the Sapphire XL’s and basically would not send anything to the Force. That should say something.
 
So, I set it up myself. All fronts are set at 80hz crossover (rather than 65hz for my 2 channel). I defeated the stupid HT double bass feature. This is a default setting that takes the bass in all three front channels – doubles it - and sends it to the Sub.  There must be a whole bunch of people that want nothing more than a loud explosion. Not me. I wanted to be immersed in this DVD and hear the fingers on the strings that this concert allows.
 
Well it was all there, with the Emerald Center voicing perfectly with the Sapphire Mains. The 5.1 mix was quite nice on the Emerald Rears but here is something. I can almost get the same space, center and far left and right imaging with the Sapphires / Force alone on the 2 track version of the soundtrack.

That is why will never give up my dedicated 2 channel. Especially now that it is ACI powered.

Dave:

Thanks much Dave, and I agree 110% . . .  much as I enjoy 5.1 and 7.1, I will always enjoy my two-channel rig the most. When I really want to hear music, that is where I sit.