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I started buying my current setup about 8 years ago and I’m thinking it might be time for an update. I’m pretty happy with the sound, but it’s not amazing, so I’m curious to try something new and see what it can do.

Current Setup

• Cambridge Audio Azur 540D DVD Player
• Sky HD
• Marantz AV Amp SR4200
• AppleTV
• Mission M73 Cinema (M73 floormount fronts, M7C1 centre, and M7DS bipolar rears
• REL Quake Sub
• QED HDMI-P video cable x2
• Profigold Component cable (for DVD player)
• QED Silver Anniversary XT speaker cables

Here’s what I’m thinking of replacing them with

• B&W685 Front Speakers (£379)
• Atacama Nexus 6 Stands (£70)
• B&W HTM62 Centre (£249)
• B&W ASW608 Sub (£299)
• Monitor Audio BRFX Rears (£199)
• Denon AVR-2308/2808 Amplifier (RRP £599/£899 - is available for £399/£599)
• Panasonic DMP-BD30 BluRay Player (£349)

Here’s my thinking - I have read several reviews of the 685’s and really admire the brand, and think these speakers just look fantastic. So they were going to form the basis for the setup… the centre and sub are both the smaller options from the 600 range as my living room isn’t huge. I need to have flat rear speakers as they sit above my sofa and B&W either have normal bookshelf speakers which are too proud or satellites which seem a little too small (I haven’t properly auditioned them but will do for comparison). Sevenoaks suggested the Monitor Audio’s and they sounded terrific. And whatever tonal balance is, didn’t seem to present an issue.

I have auditioned all the speakers with the Denon 2308 which sounded absolutely fantastic - I mean, really mind-blowingly good. The bombing scene from Pearl Harbour was astonishing. And listening to a couple of my favourite CD’s revealed enormous levels of detail and an incredibly well integrated sound - hard to describe but it was very pleasing which I guess is what you’re ultimately looking for.

But it’s not as simple as that… the Denon doesn’t support the new uncompressed HD Audio formats (Dolby True-HD and DTS-HD) - and I’m pretty sure I want these. I will listen to both next week and see whether it’s worth £200 for this. If it is then I simply go up a notch on the Denon range to the 2808 which is pretty much identical but with the HD Audio support.

I have also listened to the Onkyo TXSR605 which has won many awards - but it was disappointing - movies sounded fine, but nowhere near as involving or exciting as the Denon, and 2-channel music was quite frankly dull - I wouldn’t say it was any better than my current setup - so that’s ruled out.

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