As for the CD thing. Not only is a quality demonstration tool, but it allows you to have a constant in your comparisons. You’ll start noticing details in some systems that you don’t in others. Then you’ll start looking for them as you get closer to a decision.

As for the CD thing. Not only is a quality demonstration tool, but it allows you to have a constant in your comparisons. You’ll start noticing details in some systems that you don’t in others. Then you’ll start looking for them as you get closer to a decision.

My system is probably about 70/30 A/V.

My system is probably about 70/30 A/V.

Speaker prices can range even wider, so making a recommendation is very difficult based on ratios.

I tend to recommend people spend more of their budget on speakers. I do so because good speakers can last a very long time, much like quality furniture. The same can not be said for video. With advances in technology and the steady drop in prices, video seems to last around 5 years before it starts getting long in the tooth.

Using CD’s is a good recommendation and with such advanced surround processing, one can listen to music from CD’s in Pro Logic II music. With 5 or more speakers, it is easy for even a moderately prices speaker system to provide a very convincing sound stage.

Speaker prices can range even wider, so making a recommendation is very difficult based on ratios.

I tend to recommend people spend more of their budget on speakers. I do so because good speakers can last a very long time, much like quality furniture. The same can not be said for video. With advances in technology and the steady drop in prices, video seems to last around 5 years before it starts getting long in the tooth.

Using CD’s is a good recommendation and with such advanced surround processing, one can listen to music from CD’s in Pro Logic II music. With 5 or more speakers, it is easy for even a moderately prices speaker system to provide a very convincing sound stage.

And, while I think trying to watch a movie without sound might be a little much, a test I often provide for skeptics (those that see my home theater and say “you spent way too much money on speaker”) is to watch part of a movie using the built-in tv speakers, and then compare that with a full blown audio set up. Even cheapy HTIB sets are a vast improvement from most of the speakers manufacturers are choosing to integrate into tvs these days.

And, while I think trying to watch a movie without sound might be a little much, a test I often provide for skeptics (those that see my home theater and say “you spent way too much money on speaker”) is to watch part of a movie using the built-in tv speakers, and then compare that with a full blown audio set up. Even cheapy HTIB sets are a vast improvement from most of the speakers manufacturers are choosing to integrate into tvs these days.