Movies vs. Music...What is your system built around?

**GregBe** · **08-11-09, 02:03 PM**

Over the years, I have always built my systems around music. I would demo at high end shops with music. I would imagine listening to music critically at home, just like I did when I auditioned the speakers. Now, the reality of the situation, is at home, I watch about 90% movies on my system, with the remaining 10% mostly high quality concert blu-rays, and rarely ever sit down and listen to music. It pains me to even type that

. Don't get me wrong. Building my system around music, has definitely translated into a much better movie experience.

I was just curious how much critical music listening you guys actually do.

**tonyvdb** · **08-11-09, 02:10 PM**

Good question, for me its mostly movies for my theater room and although I listen to music most of the time its upstairs in our living room on a different system. Music defiantly sounds better on the theater system as I did spend allot more on equipment than my two channel system. Now a days movies (BluRay) sound so much better with the uncompressed audio and this makes the need for quality allot higher. The sad loss is that allot of people now listen to mp3's that have been compressed so badly that a quality system is not noticed by them.

**tcarcio** · **08-11-09, 03:37 PM**

Tough to pick just one. I tried to incorporate both into my setup but if I had to choose one I guess it would be movies. But it does a bang up job for music too.....

**GregBe** · **08-11-09, 04:09 PM**

Some of the best advice I got many years back, was to pick your speakers based on music, even if you are 100% home theater. The things you like or dislike about a speaker for music, will only be compounded for movies. For example, I like a warmer speaker for music, with a rich midrange and I can't stand bright highs. This is much easier to figure out when listening to music, and I found it made my movie watching much more enjoyable.

**Sonnie** · **08-11-09, 05:35 PM**

Mostly movies here, although I do enjoy the few video concerts on disc that we have. The room and system were definitely tailored for movies.

I think most people who are music oriented will only have a two channel system... or their investment will be primarily in the two channel part of the system.

**eugovector** · **08-12-09, 09:07 AM**

I still listen to more music than I watch movies, but I listen to music in the car, around the house, at work (when I was working), but rarely do I sit down in a dedicated room to listen. Movies/TV, on the other hand, I don't like to watch on the road. I really miss the full experience.

**GregBe** · **08-12-09, 09:55 AM**

Quote:

eugovector wrote:

I still listen to more music than I watch movies, but I listen to music in the car, around the house, at work (when I was working), but rarely do I sit down in a dedicated room to listen. Movies/TV, on the other hand, I don't like to watch on the road. I really miss the full experience.

I echo that statement.

**ironglen** · **08-12-09, 10:39 AM**

I'm building two systems for this reason. My HT needs surround and I desired it to go low, so I supplied it with an LLT. I hardly listen to music in the living room, so I'm planning to build add a powerful sub for a 2.1 system for the garage, where I can get away with cranking my RnR up

I love listening to music because I can perform other things while enjoying it, vs movie watching where I'm at the mercy (oh relaxing is tough

) of the screen.

**Ricci** · **08-12-09, 12:08 PM**

Both. I have some systems that are 2 channel only and 2 that are 5.1. I listen to a lot of music so I'd say that the mix is probably 50/50 or maybe even 60/40 for music, but the catch is that like Eugovector wrote most of the time I am not sitting there in one sweet spot concentrating on listening to the music. I'm always busy up and around doing things. The majority of the time that I do spend sitting there in one spot critically listening is when I'm recording and mixing stuff at my project studio/rehearsal space

and that's not quite the same as purely listening for enjoyment...

**HionHiFi** · **08-15-09, 01:29 PM**

Great question. I have only 1 system. It is a swiss army knife of systems. It is only a 2.0 system, which is just a 21st Century way of saying it is a 2 channel (stereo) system.

I certainly listen to music alot more than I watch movies or television for that matter.

I think the difference is in how I listen to music. This is due to the fact that I work from home alot more than I used to. Like others who've posted above, I tend to listen to music everywhere. I know this goes against one of Jim Smith's (GBS) tenants, but I love music for a myriad of reasons, one being for the love of music, another being the memories the music gives me. Remembering all the good (& bad) times I've had, music was the soundtrack playing in the background.

In my home, my 2.0 system is the only system besides the laptop computer speakers. My place is very small. My system consists of DVD Player, HTPC, Integrated Amp, Plasma, DAC, and Speakers.

**flamingeye** · **08-16-09, 03:50 PM**

hello I thought I`d give my .02 worth ,I built mine manly for multichannel music -90% music 10% movies 0% 2 channel , I know a lot of purists would call me crazy , but I never listen to 2 channel anymore , all my 2 channel music that I have I listen to in pro IIx or 7 channel stereo ,2 channel sounds to deflated -less 3D to me now, I much prefer sacd 5.1/6.1 or dvd-a 5.1 and hopefully someday BR-A 7.1 (blu-ray-audio only) , my blu-ray concert disc`s are growing steadily

**nova** · **08-16-09, 07:13 PM**

Yes, interesting question. My system is definitely built around home theater but my left/right mains are most certainly awesome two channel speakers. Unfortunately I don't really have time for critical listening or even movies these days. Pretty much just music in the background while doing other things. Hopefully that will change in the near future.

**sparky77** · **08-18-09, 11:48 AM**

I diy'd my main speakers to be oldschool style 3-ways with 10 inch woofers to be able to play music without the need for a sub, but they sure do sound even better with it running. I play to diy a center channel with the same mid and tweeter to provide a more seemless sound for movies, so I guess I could say its built for 50/50.

**jliedeka** · **08-18-09, 06:58 PM**

I use my system for music, movies and video games. The percentages tend to shift around but I have been choosing my gear with music in mind first. Movie sound tracks have a lot of music in them. My system is definitely a compromise. I'll probably never have the ultimate resolving system for music but what I have does a respectable job and I'm in the process of upgrading.

I think for a dual use system, a decent sub is a must. Most music is pretty satisfying using my small towers without the sub but some music has a lot of sustained bass energy that really needs it. The sub is also important for HT. I'm getting more music that is mixed in surround on DVD-A and SACD so music remains a priority.

Jim

**Rancho5** · **08-21-09, 12:49 AM**

Both. Concert DVD's are what I mainly watch/listen to. The is nothing like coming home after a long day and getting "Comfortably Numb" with either Roger Waters or David Gilmour.

Now if I can just the dedicated HT finished the rest of the family wouldn't get so angry everytime I did. Omce it is finished though I plan on listening to a lot of CD's in there. Lights off, nothing but the glow of the equipment, maybe some "Days of Future Passed" and then falling asleep.

**patchesj** · **08-21-09, 08:30 AM**

Hmm. Well, I think that a well designed room (isolated and with proper absorption/reflection) should be good for both HT and Music. Speakers with low distortion, high power handling, and flat phase/amplitude response should be good for both as well. I think the largest "bottleneck" preventing a combined GREAT HT and music system is the pre/pro. Fortunately many of the mid-high end ones allow for a "direct" 2 channel mode, or have 5.1 pre-amp inputs to allow direct connection to a high end Blueray, SACD or HD-DVD player. I've not yet heard a "DSP" or multi-channel "effect" surround setting that I can stand listening to. I'm probably about a 50/50 split, but I'm 100% critical of good sound all the time...

**Endesereth** · **09-17-09, 08:11 PM**

I mostly build mine around music, even though we have net flicks I'd rather listen to some music!

**Jon Liu** · **09-18-09, 02:14 AM**

Mine currently is 50/50 music to movies. Eventually I will separate the two and have a dedicated two-channel room and a dedicated home theater. That is later down the line, though.

**hemster** · **09-19-09, 02:13 PM**

I have a dedicated home theater room which does double-duty as a 2-ch music room too. These days though I mostly find myself listening to background music just ambling around the house. Very rarely I would site down for a critical listening session in the theater. I do use any surround modes for that.. just plain old 2-channel stereo.

**soundoff** · **09-21-09, 02:46 PM**

built for double duty, dvd Movies & Directv

**Andysu** · **09-22-09, 01:16 PM**

I’d prefer to not mention percentages more rather I play music/movies at my discretion. One moment I might have thing for listening to CD/stereo Madonna the next Jean Michael Jarre then maybe Alien original first edition/DVD six-track Dolby stereo the best sounding version over the second edition with its overlaying sounds on the centre channel making some sounds impossible to hear!

I don’t get the high shrillness as I used to with my Control 5 array LCR/left-extra/right-extra. The dynamic EQ on the Behringer DCX2496 takes care of over bright highs while keeping the softer level of highs loud and clear.

So I have to get the sound system to cater for music/film/DVD/laserdisc as humanly possible.

**thirsty ear** · **09-23-09, 04:03 AM**

I built my system with movies as the main focus, while still making sure my mains would be great 2-channel performers. I critically listen to my system when watching movies. However, streakily on the numbers, I spend more time listening to music.
I live in a 16x20 cabin with a loft, so the kitchen and movie room are one in the same. The two passions in my life, that I do the most of are cooking and watching movies. When I am cooking I listen to music and when I clean up I listen also. In addition I do my homework on the couch in front of my system. So I spend a lot of time listening to music.

I am also into high end headphones, in fact I am using some right now, and I use them when I really want to critically listen to music. I just sit back, close my eyes and soak it in.

**davidburn** · **09-23-09, 06:20 AM**

My system is 50/50. My Reciever was built for both 5.1 and 2.1. In stereo mode it uses all available power into 2 channels and then when in 5.1 divides the power evenly. It wasn't until I upgraded my front speakers that I realized how good it could be to listen to music. My system was always good with movies but was always lacking a little with music at high SPL's until the upgrade. I still believe that a good subwoofer is a must for good quality sound.

**seed7** · **09-25-09, 02:34 AM**

Currently only a stereo set here in a dedicated audio room that also doubles as our library. I realy sit down in the sweetspot to listen music, not a big fan of musical wallpaper.

The HT set to be build, will be in a small room with an open connection to the living area, again, not a big fan of audiovisual wallpaper.

Watching a movie / TV, listening to music, reading a book are distinct choises for me, things I like to do with full attention.

**recruit** · **09-25-09, 03:59 PM**

my current system was built mainly for movies in mind but I am starting to listen to a lot more music as of late, it plays both well...

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