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May change my living room rig & need advice

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Hey all.
My wife & I live in a smallish house & space is pretty tight One reason space is tight is... me. My audio hobby has resulted in more stuff than we have room for, so we're trying to figure out a way to downsize. In the living room I have a total of 8 speakers. (Four for the TV rig, two for the stereo and two for the computer rig) I'd like to consolidate everything down to two small bookshelf speakers and a good sub. (I'm working on buying a Dayton Titanic powered sub)
But I only want to do this if it won't be a sonic downgrade. Here's what I currently have:
Phase Linear 2000 MkII preamp
Marantz 510R power amp
Polk Monitor 10 speakers.
I really like how smooth and uncolored the Polk Monitor 10s sound. I have a pair of Polk Monitor 4s that I'd thought of using as satellite speakers with a sub. Would there be a much better option?
Also, I'd need a really good remote controllable preamp with lots of inputs. Any recommendations?
Cheers & thanks for the help,
Bobbo :-)

Follow Ups:

Don't compromise.... - dadbar 16:41:49 03/12/07 (1)
Your wife needs to take up a similar hobby with huge space-robbing objects, too. That way you can keep your beloved gear. This may even work to your advantage.
My wife can't part with National Geographics and statues (she is an artist) so I let her populate our house with all kinds of garbage (so long as it deadens the room). You would be amazed at how well clutter can absorb spurious reflections. Every now and then I find a spare piece of pizza under a stack of Art magazines. It saves me the round trip to the kitchen.
Indulger her and let her buy that big ugly sofa she always wanted. Less floor space to clean.
MAK
- Ha! Good one. - soundnut 17:44:19 03/12/07 (0)
  Actually, my wife is fabulous. She gives me no grief whatsoever over my hobby. It's just that we have so much stuff, the house looks cluttered & it's hard to manage. 10 lbs of stuff in a 5 lb. sack, so to speak. It's a mutual decision. Like I said, I'm not giving up sonic quality, just physical space.
  Cheers,
  Bobbo :-)
My uncle has Polk 10's in his country house - docw 10:48:20 03/12/07 (1)
and always asks me if there is any better, mated there with a Kenwood KR 7600 receiver 2 ch. He says, "boy, are they sweet!!!" His preference is smooth and sweet esp with classical music (mainly Mozart Piano concertos and other symphonic music).
He has a Carver The Receiver with similar traits. His main home system sounds like it's blanketed to me with that receiver, driving Celestion SL6 (mk 1). I don't like it, but he does and loves the FM on that unit. He's really disappointed with his new Yamaha HTR 58xx series receiver, which I rather like for the price anyway.
I haven't heard his Polks in a long time. But I share these observations to help you re the speakers. Run the TV sound through the main system and leave the computer to minimalist unless you must use that for music/games. I would remove the computer from the room to give you space to really enjoy the system.
Aren't you the inmate with cassette decks in a studio?
- Hey Doc. - soundnut 15:57:10 03/12/07 (0)
  Yup, I have a couple of Tascam 122s in my studio just for dubbing & stuff. For multitrack recording I use a Fostex D-160 digital 16 track & BiAmp board & a computer DAW with an Event Echo card & Studiomaster console. I master the mixdowns to CD.
  Actually, I have a computer in my living room that's nothing but an audio component. I use it for CD burning & ripping tapes & vinyl to digital.
  The other computer that's in the living room is the family computer & it has nowhere else to go, so it's gonna have to stay. On that one, I'll just stick a cheap pair of computer speakers on it. Not that picky about the audio on the main family computer.
  I'm gonna buy the sub & try it with the small Polk 4s & if I don't like it, sell the sub & keep the Polk 10s.
  Cheers & thanks for the info!
  Bobbo :-)
Re: May change my living room rig & need advice - Bold Eagle 06:54:11 03/12/07 (3)
From your second post it sounds like you have the speakers settled.
The preamp you want may take some looking. What you have to watch for is sound quality. Some of the remote controlled preamps use silicon switches for input selection and it messes up the sound. Look for one with relay switching.
One possibility is an NAD. Adcom also makes the type of pre you're looking for, but it was a GFA-450 tuner-preamp that sounded really bad compared to my non-remote GFA-350. If you go with an Adcom, be sure you get it on approval with return priveledges.
Carver may also have made what yoo need.
Jerry
- Yeah, I was eyeballing a Carver. - soundnut 07:44:12 03/12/07 (2)
  Mainly 'cuz I have a Phase Linear, and really like it a lot. I figured since the same guy is responsible for the Carver gear, maybe they sound similar?
  I'm currently eyeballing a Yamaha CX-830. Tons of inputs, & remote-able. It looks like the thing I need. Whaddya think?
  Cheers,
  Bobbo :-)
  - Re: Yeah, I was eyeballing a Carver. - Bold Eagle 15:48:24 03/12/07 (1)
    Don't know much about the Yamaha. It's all about matching, so it's really a trial and error process. If you like the features, give it a shot, but be sure you have return priveleges in case it doesn't match the sound you want.
    Also, give it some time. There's a "halo" effect where any decent new item sounds better. But after a while that wears off and then you hear what's really there. Earcatching sells, but it doesn't wear well.
    Jerry
    - Yep. I bought the Yamaha - soundnut 16:01:20 03/12/07 (0)
      I had a Yamaha integrated once upon a time that sounded pretty good, so I'm hopeful. This preamp has a ton of inputs & I need 'em! The Yamaha preamp's in the link below.
      Cheers,
      Bobbo :-)
      The Yamaha preamp I bought (Open in New Window)
Re: May change my living room rig & need advice - veloceleste 04:58:17 03/12/07 (1)
I think the Monitor 4's and the sub will work nicely. I've done that in the past. The 4's are a great speaker and you should be able to integrate them with the sub. I think you will be pleased with that combination.
Also, do you run a home theater rig? You could use the 10's as main fronts, the 4's for surrounds, and find another 4 for center channel duty. The sub is there for theater bass if you need or want it if you feel the 10's don't do theater bass justice. Although not considered vintage, find a nice HT reciever which now all have a ton of inputs and use that. Listen to music in stereo mode.
- Good to know about the Polk 4s - soundnut 06:19:01 03/12/07 (0)
  I know I always liked them hooked up to my amp I use for video. I tried them yesterday in place of the Polk 10s and the mids and highs sounded surprisingly similar, so I figured they might be a good choice.
  I do enjoy good sound with video, but I'm just a 2 channel kinda guy. Music's the main thing & I'd hate to give up my Marantz amp & Phase Linear pre for a HT receiver. The kind of preamp I was thinking of was along the lines of a Denon, Nakamichi, Onkyo Integra, or something like that.
  Any recommendations for a really good stereo preamp with MM phono inputs and remote?
  Cheers & thanks!
  Bobbo :-)

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