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Stepping up to the next level ? HT and Music

A little about the system.
I have a Onkyo 5509 Pre pro , 2 Emotiva Xpr 2 amps bi amped powering Tyler Acoustics D1x speakers . 1 Tyler center channel speaker and 4 tower speakers for surrounds and back powered by a Rotel 5 channel amp . 2 Chase 18.2 subs powered by a Suntron M 600 amp. the room is 17 x17 and I can seal it off with a door .

No problems with the system for movies and no glaring problems for music . I would just like it to sound more musical but still run my subs at the same time .

I know music lovers say no to subs but I really like the layer they add to music . So what are my options ?
1. Add a pre amp for music ? But what about the subs ?
2. Better Pre pro like a Classe ssp 800 but loose room correction .

I have had a tube amp in the mix and really liked it . The sound wrapped around my speakers but was not loud enough when I wanted to turn it up . Also cant justify running tubes always when watching movies and tv and the associated heat that comes from them .

Im looking for suggestions that I may have overlooked or advice from those who have had similar problems .
Like I said , it sounds good but would like to take it to the next level musically . I mainly listen to cd,s but am looking at a music server and or computer audio . No vinyl at this time but may add at some time later .

Thanks , Lambeau
lambeau
kr4's avatar
kr4
3,424 posts
 
The biggest contributors to the sound are the speakers (I
am unfamiliar with yours) and the room and you should
examine those items first. What is lacking now?

As for a better prepro, note that the SP800 and the newer
Sigma-SSP do have room correction but just not automatic
room correction.

As for adding a preamp, look at the Parasound P7 and P5
which play nicely with mch systems.
rlwainwright
1,901 posts
 
You already have very nice speakers and amps. Why not consider getting the Emotiva XMC-1 preprocessor/preamp? This will give you a *very* nice surround sound setup and will also gove you the benefit of Dirac Room Correction - among the best in the world.

The XMC-1 is considered one of the better multichannel pramps and from what I'm reading it is also a *very* good 2-channel preamp. Emotiva will give you 30 days in-home trial (and a 5 year warranty should you keep it), why not give it a go and see what you think???

-RW-
lambeau OP
26 posts
 
Kr4 ,Does the sound improvement using a pre pro such as the Classe ssp 800 over ride the improvement using audyssey in the 5509 . Im quite pleased with the movie experience, I just don't get the goose bump feeling listening to music .
I like the added layer to music using my subs but do not listen to multi channel music . I don't know if I can incorporate my subs with the Parasound Pre's that you mentioned .Maybe with a good enough pre I wont miss the subs . My Speakers play down to 22 hrz but playing stereo with subs and switching back to direct with no subs I always prefer stereo with subs .
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