Home Cinema - Confused!!!

[sted]

Another +1 for Richer Sounds, got it all from there in 2001.

 

ditto bought all sorts from them over the years and never had any issues. Bought a sony pvr from them and it was utter pap (it couldnt reliably record) took it back got a refund and got what i should of got in the 1st place but i was hoping being sony it would use the same remote as the tv but it was just something badged as a sony. Even just go in to one and ask the people there know what they are on about (unlike say pc world) and give them a budget and some requirements they will try and come up with something in that price bracket if they can

[Disaster]

I think that you may need a bit more in terms of your budget as i found i used to have a 5:1 surround sound Sony HT setup and thought it was the dogs until i discovered doing it properly. I have the Sony STRDH520 Black | AV Receiver | Richer Sounds Av reciever and spent another £100 on an active sub and WOW! what a difference that made!

I'm now able to rattle the whole house when Batman is on rather than a few glasses in the same room.

I'm still using the poor old tall boys for the surrounds, but they do the job until i can afford better ones.

 

Looks like I'm off to richer sounds with credit card, sweet! I've already checked that Sony number out, might be my way to go.

[chazzy2501]

Purley on a specs review the Pioneer VSX527 looks pretty good. Built in Air Play with 6 HDMI, 1 USB, internet radio, DLNA and dolby IIx.

 

I have dolby II and it offers amazing surround sound from stereo sources. Any dolby digital 5.1 source can be downsampled to stereo.. using an analog matrix to keep the surround (for broadcast channels usually) but dolby II can bring most of the surround information back quite remarkably.

 

My old Buffy / Angel VHSs sound great!

Edited December 12, 2012 by chazzy2501

[pcstru]

I've got floor-standing front and bookshelf rear speakers. There's a huge difference if I switch the sub off, although I never noticed the lack of a sub until I got one, if you know what I mean.

 

They should be subtle yet, as Ironman exits the cave or the depth charges drop in U571, you should know...

 

I'd plug BK electronics active subs. I have a Monolith reigned in with an antimode processor. Not suitable for this budget but anyone looking for an active sub should give their subs serious consideration.

[mavhc]

I bought my brother's old amp, 3 optical inputs, 1 coax digital, use harmony 600 remote off ebay to switch between hifi, pc, bluray, or tv. hdmi into tv, digital audio out from pc, bluray, tv, hifi.

 

HDMI will do multi channel uncompressed audio, digital optical/coax will only do multi channel compressed, so hdmi into tv and then optical out from tv won't work, and the tv won't recompress the audio.

 

Will an hdmi switching amp cope with hdmi n+1?

[w-clarke101]

Go for the sony one for now start off small and save up for a better kit in a year or 2. I started off with an all in one and was a sony DVD one some years ago (8years or so ago) about 4 year ago I spent 2.5K+ on all new kit!!! And I'm still going wow every time I buy a new film, You just can't beet rumble of a 300W active sub... Looking for a new TV next year and maybe a new AV amp. You'll need some stands of your not put them on the wall?

 

Amazon.co.uk: speaker stands

 

You'll love the sony all in one as it's a good starter setup.

[Earthling]

ditto bought all sorts from them over the years and never had any issues. Bought a sony pvr from them and it was utter pap (it couldnt reliably record) took it back got a refund and got what i should of got in the 1st place but i was hoping being sony it would use the same remote as the tv but it was just something badged as a sony. Even just go in to one and ask the people there know what they are on about (unlike say pc world) and give them a budget and some requirements they will try and come up with something in that price bracket if they can

 

Absolutely, can't recommend them highly enough. Used both the Watford and Milton Keynes branches and the same excellent service in both.

 

Funny.......I have a Sony sub (the model escapes me) and it's plenty good enough for the living-room in my one-bed flat.

 

I had it cranked up while the flat downstairs was empty, but when the new tenants moved in, they mentioned that it was a bit loud, so being the Considerate Neighbour that I am, I turned it down.

 

A little bit. Don't want to be too considerate.

[chazzy2501]

if you purchase Bi-Pole or Di-Pole Speakers (for better surround) they wall mount so you don't need stands / shelves. A good stand costs too much anyway. The Wharfdale Diamond 10.DFS comes recommended but I've not heard them myself. These Bi-Pole speakers need to be mounted at 90 Degrees to the screen. You can in the future buy a second pair for the 7.1 (Rear side and Rear back) later.

 

Remember that surround speakers should be no higher than 1 meter above listening level.

[w-clarke101]

if you purchase Bi-Pole or Di-Pole Speakers (for better surround) they wall mount so you don't need stands / shelves. A good stand costs too much anyway. The Wharfdale Diamond 10.DFS comes recommended but I've not heard them myself. These Bi-Pole speakers need to be mounted at 90 Degrees to the screen. You can in the future buy a second pair for the 7.1 (Rear side and Rear back) later.

 

Remember that surround speakers should be no higher than 1 meter above listening level.

 

I was't talking about if he get the sony all in one he'll need stands if he was not going to put on wall.

[Disaster]

I'm after floor speakers all round so I can hide the wires, any downside to this?

[crc-ict]

I have one of these:

 

Sony STRDH520 Black | AV Receiver | Richer Sounds

 

Very nice, and will do just what you want. Highly recommended.

 

I also managed to pick up an excellent condition active subwoofer to go with this on eBay locally for £22 and it rocks!

[edutech4schools]

I have always got Onkyo systems in the reviews they normally get 8 to 10 out of 10.

[w-clarke101]

I'm after floor speakers all round so I can hide the wires, any downside to this?

 

No downside. but how much you wanting to spend at the end of the day?

[NikChillin]

I'm after floor speakers all round so I can hide the wires, any downside to this?

This is my problem, anyone recommend wireless surround sound system? Room is about 20 foot by 12 foot.

[Disaster]

No downside. but how much you wanting to spend at the end of the day?

 

No set budget really. I've just bought my first house so anything I buy will be lasting and decent quality so don't mind splashing a bit of cash here there.

In fact, measured the space where I'd like the front speakers to go and 6-7inch wide speakers would be perfect, if I can get quality speakers that narrow...?

[w-clarke101]

This is my problem, anyone recommend wireless surround sound system? Room is about 20 foot by 12 foot.

 

you'll still going to a cable to power them!

[NikChillin]

you'll still going to a cable to power them!

Batteries maybe?

[w-clarke101]

This is my problem, anyone recommend wireless surround sound system? Room is about 20 foot by 12 foot.

 

Is there carpet's in the room where the system is going? If so can always hide most of the wires under carpet.

[NikChillin]

Is there carpet's in the room where the system is going? If so can always hide most of the wires under carpet.

 

No, that's why I prefer wireless.

[sted]

Is there carpet's in the room where the system is going? If so can always hide most of the wires under carpet.

 

i just stuck small trunking above the skirting board (same colour etc so it just looks like tall skirting board) and shoved the av/network cables in those

[pcstru]

I'm after floor speakers all round so I can hide the wires, any downside to this?

 

How do floor standers help with hiding wires?

 

In my last place I hid wires behind skirting or under the edge of the floor. If you have a laminate type floor there will be a gap at the edge hidden by beading or the skirting. If you have carpet, just lift the edge (a bit at a time so you don't have to re-stretch the whole carpet). You can also get flat cable which is quite easy to hide even if it's essentially in full view.

 

I'm currently just finishing my "man cave" and have been lucky that I've been able to build all the cabling into the fabric of the building. But even that will leave cables visible between wall plates and speakers/sub. I think you just have to accept some cables.

[w-clarke101]

Batteries maybe?

 

[sted]

How do floor standers help with hiding wires?

 

 

speaker stands that have "holes" in for cables to be routed up to back of speaker

[w-clarke101]

i just stuck small trunking above the skirting board (same colour etc so it just looks like tall skirting board) and shoved the av/network cables in those

 

I think I've seen trunking that look like skirting board some where!

[sted]

I think I've seen trunking that look like skirting board some where!

 

you can get it but that would of meant taking of the skirting board and i just cba whereas a few bits of sticky trunking and a few rawlplugs/screws was quick and easy