What's my weakest link? What's the cheapest way to get >90% 'of the way there'?

[watchnerd]

I have been looking around this site for random artist / album / song suggestions but have not found any truly extensive lists. Do you have any suggestions (on this site or elsewhere)?
I know for dynamic range there is:
http://dr.loudness-war.info/
https://dynamicrangeday.co.uk/award/

I'm sorry, I don't understand your question, at least not as it relates to ASR.

I put Content at the top of the list as a reference to recording quality, overall.

 

[JeffS7444]

Interested in anyone's thoughts / suggestions.

I have a boring suggestion that you probably won't like: Buy nothing, just run Audessey room correction. While it's true that recent Marantz AVRs don't have the best measured performance, subjectively they are alright. My only real gripe with mine is that relay-switched headphone jack is intermittent.

If you need a longer HDMI connection, you can get a fiber optic cable from Monoprice.

For 2-channel music listening, consider upgrading L and R speakers, possibly surrounds as well if you like simulated surround audio via Dolby Digital. < works great for earlier Beatles recordings.

 

[Chrispy]

I have a boring suggestion that you probably won't like: Buy nothing, just run Audessey room correction. While it's true that recent Marantz AVRs don't have the best measured performance, subjectively they are alright. My only real gripe with mine is that relay-switched headphone jack is intermittent.

If you need a longer HDMI connection, you can get a fiber optic cable from Monoprice.

For 2-channel music listening, consider upgrading L and R speakers, possibly surrounds as well if you like simulated surround audio via Dolby Digital. < works great for earlier Beatles recordings.

With that version of Audyssey he's got (MultEQ)....maybe, he's probably done better already with his other dsp.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

I would learn how to use REW and a Umik, and do a MMM plot of the in room FR. Then I'd put it on this thread and see if someone with real expertise (and there are plenty of guys here) could help you get a good eq correction so as to improve your listening window.

If you wanted a better DAC, hard to see how you could do any better than the subject of Amir's first You Tube review.

 

[Chrispy]

I would learn how to use REW and a Umik, and do a MMM plot of the in room FR. Then I'd put it on this thread and see if someone with real expertise (and there are plenty of guys here) could help you get a good eq correction so as to improve your listening window.

If you wanted a better DAC, hard to see how you could do any better than the subject of Amir's first You Tube review.

He's already using REW in setup (post 7 I think). Whether he's applying eq that way, not sure....

 

[johnp98]

He's already using REW in setup (post 7 I think). Whether he's applying eq that way, not sure....

Yeah I am using REW and the MMM mostly for the subs.
I cross over from the subs to the mains following the Geddes approach with different crossovers for each sub and their location and I have a Behringer NX6000 for the sub DSP side of things. Audyssey on my receiver seems pretty old school and my speakers measure well enough that I don't want to add it into the mix.

 

[preload]

Thats more like the order to have a functional setup rather than order of importance

Actually they're in order of the degree of frequency response variation.

 

[preload]

I have a boring suggestion that you probably won't like: Buy nothing, just run Audessey room correction.

+1 and that would be my strong recommendation as well. Even better if you have the ability to edit your Audessey target curve. This will have a greater impact than any other upgrade other than perhaps new speakers, moving your speakers to a better position, or heavy (emphasis on heavy) room treatment.

 

[boselover61]

Actually they're in order of the degree of frequency response variation.

... How does loudspeaker cables factor in frequency response variation.

 

[preload]

... How does loudspeaker cables factor in frequency response variation.

DCR + inductance create an impedance divider circuit resulting in frequency dependent attenuation that varies as a function of the loudspeaker's own impedance curve. The deviations can be anywhere from 0.1-0.3db to >1dB depending on the LCR properties of the cable and the speaker impedance curve. Is it audible? Maybe. But the magnitude of deviation is far far greater than that for sota amps and dacs.

There are a couple of JAES papers on this too. It isn't a secret.

 

[Steve Dallas]

Yeah I am using REW and the MMM mostly for the subs.
I cross over from the subs to the mains following the Geddes approach with different crossovers for each sub and their location and I have a Behringer NX6000 for the sub DSP side of things. Audyssey on my receiver seems pretty old school and my speakers measure well enough that I don't want to add it into the mix.

I agree that experimenting with Audyssey up to 2 to 3x the Schroeder frequency can't hurt. I use it (XT32) to great satisfaction in one of my systems.

Having said that, you seem like the perfect candidate for a miniDSP SHD Power or miniDSP SHD + Hypex or Purifi system. The SHD has Dirac Live built in, and its DSP should be able to replace the Behringer. Assuming your speakers are as good as you say, that would be a system difficult to beat without spending a LOT of coin.