[Gary Soper]

Hows it going guys, I'm new to the site but really feel like I can get a lot of useful information from all the members after spending a lot of time reading threads. I am a sophomore in college at the University of Illinois at Chicago and have had an obsession with home audio since a very young age. I put together what I feel is a very impressive home theater for my age and year in college consisting of a Kenwood VR-305 receiver, 2 theater research floor standing speakers, a bose center, new bose 301 rear speakers and a 150 built in amp Dayton audio subwoofer. My roommates and I frequently watch movies in 5.1 and are amazed at the surround effects coming from the receiver (dolby prologic) and also run what is now officially one of the best party houses on campus due to my audio equipment The theater researches were also modified with 1 inch silk dayton tweeters which have added great brightness to the already great sound and amplitude given by these infamously know "white van speakers." What I am trying learn now is what should be my next step, because home audio has now become an obsession of mine and I want to keep expanding. Thanks alot guys.

 

[lex_rx]

Can you say more power?

Looks like your AVR has pre-outs, go out and buy a five channel amp like this and some interconnects from mono price.

Once you got that up and running, some of your buddies may not want to leave your apartment anymore.

 

[eljay]

What I am trying learn now is what should be my next step ...

According to the owner's manual, your receiver does not have digital audio inputs, but it does have multi-channel analogue inputs for 5.1 audio. Assuming you're not already using them, I suggest hooking up to those inputs either a Blu-ray (BD) or a DVD player that has multi-channel analogue outputs.

With a BD player that can decode lossless audio (Dolby TrueHD or DTS-HD MA) - or a BD or DVD player that can decode lossy audio (DD5.1 / DTS 5.1) - and output it over multi-channel analogue outputs, I think you'll notice a significant improvement vs. your current ProLogic audio experience.

Looks like your AVR has pre-outs ...

Pg. 11 of the owner's manual states that the 305 has only a subwoofer output and not a full set of pre-outputs. If it had the full set, I'd +1 your recommendation for an Emo UPA-5.

 

[Gary Soper]

Thanks alot guys, My friend and I, who is also an amatuer audiophile as we like to consider our selves has a similar receiver to mine (powering 2 massive stereo speakers by Merantz from 1985... they kick ass ) planned on buying amps to get some cleaner power to the whole system but we encountered that dilemma. I think i know what your talking about with the multichannel anologue outputs, but am not all to familiar with how they work. Do you think you could send me a link to a blu ray that could plug into them? what about a playstation 3 because i was also interested in buying one.

 

[eljay]

Thanks alot guys, My friend and I, who is also an amatuer audiophile as we like to consider our selves has a similar receiver to mine (powering 2 massive stereo speakers by Merantz from 1985... they kick ass ) planned on buying amps to get some cleaner power to the whole system but we encountered that dilemma. I think i know what your talking about with the multichannel anologue outputs, but am not all to familiar with how they work. Do you think you could send me a link to a blu ray that could plug into them? what about a playstation 3 because i was also interested in buying one.

The Samsung BD-C6500 - currently on sale (until tonight) at Future Shop - has multi-channel analogue outputs. (Here's a review of that unit.)

Connection is straightforward (see also pg. 9 of the owner's manual): Take six RCA cables (with male connectors on both ends) and connect the outputs on the BD player to the corresponding inputs on the receiver:
- front left / right to front left / right;
- center to center;
- surround left / right to surround left / right; and
- subwoofer to subwoofer.

Then, go into the player's menu and set so that:
i) it decodes all audio internally; and
ii) it outputs the decoded audio over the multi-channel outputs instead of through its HDMI output.

Using your receiver's remote, select "DVD / 6ch" to select the multi-channel inputs as your audio source. (See pg. 20 of the owner's manual.)

 

[TECHNOKID]

The Samsung BD-C6500 - currently on sale (until tonight) at Future Shop - has multi-channel analogue outputs. (Here's a review of that unit.)

Eljay, I believe the OP is in Chicago, NO FS there, right?

 

[eljay]

Eljay, I believe the OP is in Chicago, NO FS there, right?

Ooops, I missed that! Well, given that he's in the states, odds are he can find the same player for a even better price at an American store or on-line retailer.

 

[Gary Soper]

thanks for the link, im sure i can find this at a best buy or frys around my area no problem. i was thinking next year of getting a new reciever with more watts per channel and maby prologic iix/z, do you think it is worth it or wait till college is over?

 

[eljay]

i was thinking next year of getting a new reciever ... do you think it is worth it or wait till college is over?

In my opinion, don't bother upgrading unless you feel that your set-up is missing something or that there's something it just can't deliver. For example, if adding a multi-channel BD player gives you that "next level" of audio, you may find that you're happy with what your receiver is doing...but a new subwoofer might be what you need. Or a better, matched set of front speakers.