Sfstereo: Thanks for the clarification on pricing. While i was not sure how much all of that gear cost, i was thinking that it was well beyond the price that Charles "guesstimated". With an investment like that, they should at least throw in a popcorn popper : )
Charles: I have seen some phenomenally poor performing systems that were phenomenally expensive. Most of the problems relate to poor selection of speakers or improper placement of the speakers.
As a perfect example, MTM arrays can work wonderfully for HT use due to their very "pronounced" midrange and spoken word clarity. However, one can not wall mount this type of design with the tweeter centered so that their line of fire is 3' over the heads of the viewers. I have seen this done more than a few times and by several different dealers / installers. Same goes for cramming woofers ( not set up correctly to be called "SUBwoofers" ) into a corner. This completely negates the possibility for proper pitch of the low frequencies.
Since most people are not well versed in audio / HT systems and the selection / installation of such components, they have to rely on local dealers. As such, combining the un-initiated consumer and a greedy dealer typically results in a system that is quite impressive in stature but a big underachiever in terms of dollars spent vs actual performance. Most HT consumers are more worried about cosmetics and brand names than they are about actual performance. Sean
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Charles: I have seen some phenomenally poor performing systems that were phenomenally expensive. Most of the problems relate to poor selection of speakers or improper placement of the speakers.
As a perfect example, MTM arrays can work wonderfully for HT use due to their very "pronounced" midrange and spoken word clarity. However, one can not wall mount this type of design with the tweeter centered so that their line of fire is 3' over the heads of the viewers. I have seen this done more than a few times and by several different dealers / installers. Same goes for cramming woofers ( not set up correctly to be called "SUBwoofers" ) into a corner. This completely negates the possibility for proper pitch of the low frequencies.
Since most people are not well versed in audio / HT systems and the selection / installation of such components, they have to rely on local dealers. As such, combining the un-initiated consumer and a greedy dealer typically results in a system that is quite impressive in stature but a big underachiever in terms of dollars spent vs actual performance. Most HT consumers are more worried about cosmetics and brand names than they are about actual performance. Sean
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