paulr

Hi,
I have a Denon 5.1 amp and the speakers to match. A centre, four satellites and a sub. This is great for movies, but i can't make my mind up about music. I've tried it in stereo mode, ie a 2.1 but it just isn't right. I've also tried replacing the small fronts left and rights with two full size speakers and changing the settings on the amp for them to large. (When set on small the low frequencies go to the sub, when on large they go to the two fronts.) This gives a "truer" stereo sound.

Any thoughts, how does everyone else deal with mixing music and films.

scoobysteve1983

ive got a yamaha amp with airplay powering 5 cambridge audio minx speakers and a sub, movies or music, the sound is superb (i would go so far as to say better than a bose system) and very adjustable due to the amp.

Ant

Check your crossover settings

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

It's no surprise that little speakers plus a sub doesn't sound that great, because the sub isn't working as a subwoofer at all, it's having to reproduce a much wider frequency range because the main stereo pair can't. You're bound to lose the stereo image because an important part of the audio range is only being reproduced in mono.

I use a pair of full size, floor standing front speakers plus a separate sub, with the sub's upper cut-off frequency set to about 45 Hz. That's low enough that directionality isn't an issue - the wavelength is very long, so the ear can't perceive the phase difference between left and right.

paulr

So the sub only produces the very low frequencies. For music, do you still have the sub operating. Secondly, if you full size floorstanders, could there be an argument for not having a sub?

kbsub

I use two full size floor standers and never use the sub for music , I have preset memories on the Yamaha Receiver for whatever Im doing i.e. watching movies or listening to music , The Yamaha can be set up for presence speakers as well , So for music I use the two main speakers plus the 2 little presence speakers which are higher and wider than the mains . Sounds immense

For live stuff i.e. concerts I bring the two rear speakers into play , All this can be done with a press of a button on the Yamaha remote , Im sure the Denon will have something similar

But most will tell you for true stereo reproduction just use the two mains . But they will need to be pretty decent to get away without using the sub

corradoboy

The only time I was happy with both AV movie and stereo music audio quality was when I ran an amp switcher, meaning I could use my excellent old Cyrus II/PSX for music, and then I had a Yamaha DSPA2070 receiver for movie duties all connected to the same front L&R speakers. I did run the front L&R from the Yammy line out to the Cyrus for a while too which was OK, but I've never owned an AV amp that gets anywhere near audiophile music quality.

IWatkins

Indeed. For stereo, go 2.0 for full range fronts. Take the sub out of it.

Works for me.

AndyC_772

iTrader: (2)

Yes, and no. I might turn the sub down by a few dB compared to how I set it for action movies, but I wouldn't turn it off.

A correctly set up sub isn't thumping out overwhelming, thudding bass, it just fills in the frequencies that the main speakers aren't able to reproduce. I can't think of any benefit to switching it off for music.

If you feel your system sounds better without it for music, it might be worth revisiting how it's set up before switching it off entirely - but it's your ears, your music and your choice. There's no 'right' or 'wrong'.

yellowvanman

My system is a few years old now, and evolved so that it does both very well.

Started with a Denon AV receiver and a Kef Egg + sub speaker set up. Good for films, not so good for Music.

First replaced the fronts, with some Kef shelf mounts Q1's, then updated those to Q7's, wall mounted the Q1's as the rears, and changed the centre to a Q9.
Then changed the sub to a REL Q400.
Still very good for film, but not 100% for music.
Finally changed the AV receiver for a more powerful Pioneer, with a 7.1 stereo output. (Q7's are now biwired and biamped.), along with a better spec DVD/bluray player, that was reviewed as good musically.

I now have a system that can be easily switched vie the AV rcvr for film to music, and is very good at both. I don't need to make any adjustments to the sub, as said before it just fills in where the other speaks can't.

urban

iTrader: (1)

I have a Denon 1910 with QAcoustic 5.1 speaker kit.
I play music streamed via a PS3 and it sounds OK to me.