I'm turning 50 in June and my wife is letting me build a Home Theater set up. The electronics - Receiver - has to be capable of handling a variety of HDMI inputs and 1 or 2 HDMI outputs. HOWEVER, I do not want to run a 5.1 setup.

I would just prefer a pair of tower speakers that are not rear ported and have better than usual off-axis response so the rest of my family can enjoy the music/movies when we settle in for the night. Please help me - I never get chances like this - and my 50th Birthday is a big deal to me. Budget for towers is a measly $4K to $5K

Anybody have it/try it yet?

s.

I am installing new cable (14g) and speakers for my home audio system. Before I close things up, I want to add a phone jack for headphones back there, too. Is there a unit that has the connections and resistors that I can use to splice into the new cable runs and install female jacks to plug headphones into? I have installed volume controls for both sets of speakers after where the splices will be. One cable run is 24 ft and the other is 32 ft. My receiver is a Denon DRA 25 (30w x 2), so I also wonder if this is enough power (I can upgrade).

Have others noticed the current trend in classical ensemble recording is to capture a drier, more close-up sound?

We are hearing more resin, more pad sounds, more individual instruments, less overall blend, less sheen.

We are hearing much less of the hall acoustic as well.

Is this good? Bad? Merely different?

Theories as to why this is the case?

Are these changes in fashion occurring in other genres as well?

Should finally please everybody.

VS

EXTERMINATE!! EXTERMINATE!!

Hello,

I originally wanted to set up a 5.1 Home Theater but have become dissatisfied by all the custom install work involved for the rear surround speakers.

I own a 40" Sony LCD. Oppo 980H. HD DVR from cable company. Nintendo Wii. All of these are hooked up to the TV via HDMI.

I'd like to swap outt the Oppo 980H for the Oppo Blu Ray player.