i need help finding good speaker system...

[Kryz11]

hey everyone. about half a year ago i got a nice full HDTV (1080p) i hooked up my PS3 with the HDMI cable to play games and blu ray movies in full 1080p support. everything is great except the sound. so i need your help on finding a good home theater system. i never had one before, so how to install one as well.. my maximum price range is 500 bucks, and i can go lil bit over that. so im really new to HD stuff so all i knew that 1080p is best so far in tvs and that i needed HDMI cables to connect with ps3 lol. i have no clue on what to buy. going to best buy or anyother electronics store will end up with a guy telling me to buy a 700 dollar systems.. so no thanks.

so what speaker system should i get? and can someone tell me if there are any 3 system speakers that work just like a 5.1?

i live in the US by the way.

thanks

 

[AOS-]

you'll probably have to spend more than that for a decent Stero Reciever.. that has HDMI.. and that's just the reciever itself..

just remember, heavy-weight but tower thin speakers are really good.

that's what my dad keeps saying, takes little floor space and heavier means good quality.

dont forget the subwoofer.. you cant have a 5.1 under 500$ unless you want cheap speakers

 

[Kryz11]

you'll probably have to spend more than that for a decent Stero Reciever.. that has HDMI.. and that's just the reciever itself..

just remember, heavy-weight but tower thin speakers are really good.

that's what my dad keeps saying, takes little floor space and heavier means good quality.

dont forget the subwoofer.. you cant have a 5.1 under 500$ unless you want cheap speakers

ahh man..

my father is never happy if i get something cool ..


so i guess ill have to wait a bit longer till prices drop.. 7.1 is coming into play, so i guess sometimes the good 5.1 theater systems will drop in prices.. well thanks for the info

 

[Casio]

I think it's also worth noting. Good 2.1 is better than bad 5.1.

 

[Flerbizky]

I think it's also worth noting. Good 2.1 is better than bad 5.1.

Yep !...

 

[Scaff]

In my own personal opinion (and I am a self confessed Home Cinema nut) stick with 5.1. For $500 (£250) you will be able to pick up a reasonable starter 5.1 all in one system. Simply do your home work and have a look around, in the UK at this kind of price point you could look at these two.

Pioneer DCS-370
Onkyo DR-815

or if you could stretch to it, the Sony DAV-IS10, which I believe can be picked up in the US for around $600 and it a fantastic system for the money (its picked up a few awards here in the UK).

Going for a 2.1 system, no matter how good, gives you almost no scope to build on it at all, however starting with a 5.1 you could then upgrade individual parts as and when you budget allowed (which is exactly what I have done over the years - with my current set-up looking like this and this.



Regards

Scaff

 

[the Interceptor]

or if you could stretch to it, the Sony DAV-IS10, which I believe can be picked up in the US for around $600 and it a fantastic system for the money (its picked up a few awards here in the UK).

I really wouldn't recommend this Sony system. The Satellites are so small that they emit close to no energy below 600 Hz, which is unacceptable. The subwoofer tries to compensate by playing up to 300 Hz and above, which renders the whole sub+sat-idea useless. The result is a totally hollow sound with a gigantic hole in the midrange. Please stay away from this system, I'd rather recommend that Pioneer (or pretty much anything else).

 

[Scaff]

I really wouldn't recommend this Sony system. The Satellites are so small that they emit close to no energy below 600 Hz, which is unacceptable. The subwoofer tries to compensate by playing up to 300 Hz and above, which renders the whole sub+sat-idea useless. The result is a totally hollow sound with a gigantic hole in the midrange. Please stay away from this system, I'd rather recommend that Pioneer (or pretty much anything else).

Have you heard one running (as I had my doubts when I first read about it)?

A friend of mine runs a Hi-Fi/Home Cinema store and I had a listen to one of these when it was set-up in the demo room (the smallest of the demo rooms I admit) and for the size and price of the set-up it was quite reasonable.

However the Interceptor does raise a very good point, if you can try and demo any system before you buy it, and if you can't demo it make sure you cab return it. What one person likes, another will not and a system that suits one room will sound horrible in another.

It may also be worth looking at end of line and discontinued separates, as these can often allow you to spec up a reasonable system for a small budget, just keep in mind that you will need to spend on cables and leads if you go down this route.

Regards

Scaff

 

[the Interceptor]

Have you heard one running?

Yup.

A friend of mine runs a Hi-Fi/Home Cinema store and I had a listen to one of these when it was set-up in the demo room (the smallest of the demo rooms I admit) and for the size and price of the set-up it was quite reasonable.

Home cinema demonstrations are very forgiving when it comes to speaker setups with weaknesses in the midrange, simply because home cinema is based on sound effects, which privilege systems emphazising bass and treble (equivalent to a missing midrange).

These systems sound spectacular for a few minutes, but then they start to lose impact and to annoy you. Unfortunately, a movie usually lasts for 90 and more minutes. On that basis, I'd recomment a speaker setup (may be 2.1 or even a standard stereo setup of high quality) that is more versatile. In direct comparison it may not sound as spectacular as the Sony, but you'll be grateful when you've listened to it over a period of time.

However the Interceptor does raise a very good point, if you can try and demo any system before you buy it, and if you can't demo it make sure you cab return it. What one person likes, another will not and a system that suits one room will sound horrible in another.

I do agree to this though and can only recommend to take the chance to try a system at home if you get it.

 

[Scaff]

Having a lot of experience of both Hi-Fi and Home Cinema I would personally say they are two totally different things.

Yes spending the same money on a two channel system will give you a better sonic quality for your spend, but you totally miss out on the main point of Home Cinema, which is the discreet channels.

My advice to the OP would still remain that if the system is to be used primarily for games and films then 5.1 is the only way to go, as no matter how good a 2 channel system is its will not give you the separation required for games and particularly film. The lack of a dedicated centre speaker for a start leaves you with the problem of either having the speakers set well apart for a good sound stage or having them close to the TV to ensure the dialogue is centrally located. You also run the risk of 'losing' dialogue in the sound mix without a dedicated centre channel. The lack of rear speakers also robs you of a massive amount of the immersion that makes Home Cinema what it is.

Its the reason why over the years I have built two completely seperate systems, on for music and the other for games and movies.

In regard to the Sony, it wasn't a few minutes with it, but a good hour and a range of discs, one of the problems of having a friend run the place is that you can never just spend a few minutes in the place. Don't get me wrong the Sony is far from the last word in Home Cinema (my own system walks all over it - as it should given the price difference). However for the money the Sony is a fine starting system; that said if it was my money and I was looking to build a Home Cinema set-up at the kind of budget I would be looking at end of line and second hand kit and put together a 5.1 system as I still believe that 2 channel systems are far more suited to music. I have run two channel TV systems, back before the days of 5.1 and Home Cinema, when I got my first stereo VHS player the first thing I did was take advantage of that with my HI-FI of the day. Yes it was a massive improvement over the TV speakers (just about anything is), but I would still take 5.1 over two channel for films any day of the week. I just see they as different tools for different jobs.




Regards

Scaff

 

[the Interceptor]

Having a lot of experience of both Hi-Fi and Home Cinema I would personally say they are two totally different things.

Yes spending the same money on a two channel system will give you a better sonic quality for your spend, but you totally miss out on the main point of Home Cinema, which is the discreet channels.

agreed! 👍

My advice to the OP would still remain that if the system is to be used primarily for games and films then 5.1 is the only way to go, as no matter how good a 2 channel system is its will not give you the separation required for games and particularly film.

Well, the question is: does it really require that separation? Sure, a surround system will involve you more, but spend the same money on a pair of decent speakers, set them up properly, and you'll get better sound (in terms of sound quality). That's kind of down to personal taste though...

The lack of a dedicated centre speaker for a start leaves you with the problem of either having the speakers set well apart for a good sound stage or having them close to the TV to ensure the dialogue is centrally located. You also run the risk of 'losing' dialogue in the sound mix without a dedicated centre channel. The lack of rear speakers also robs you of a massive amount of the immersion that makes Home Cinema what it is.

Home Cinema surely is more forgiving when it comes to arranging the speakers in the room. As only very few people actually have the opportunity to make proper stereo setups, so a 5.1 system will produce better surround sound than a stereo system will produce stereo sound in most cases.

Its the reason why over the years I have built two completely seperate systems, on for music and the other for games and movies.

According to my experiences, I totally agree with this as well. 👍

In regard to the Sony, it wasn't a few minutes with it, but a good hour and a range of discs, one of the problems of having a friend run the place is that you can never just spend a few minutes in the place. Don't get me wrong the Sony is far from the last word in Home Cinema (my own system walks all over it - as it should given the price difference). However for the money the Sony is a fine starting system

I took another look at the measurements of the Sony system. What I can live with are the statements that it will generate an impressive sound in regards to its size. Still, I'd actually rate that Pioneer system higher in terms of sound quality.

Alternative, something I'd recommend is to manually arrange a system of a subwoofer, some satellites and a receiver. Take this one I gathered on eBay for example (all new items with warranty):

6 x JBL Control 1X as satellites - $195 (only 5 needed, but you can only buy pairs)
1 x JBL Venue 10" as subwoofer - $160
1 x Yamaha HTR-5930 as a receiver - $130

The sound of this system will be far superior to all of the above systems. Given that you can live with the non-conform and not very pretty looks (of the speakers at least), this will make a very decent home cinema setup.

 

[Flerbizky]

6 x JBL Control 1X as satellites - $195 (only 5 needed, but you can only buy pairs)
1 x JBL Venue 10" as subwoofer - $160
1 x Yamaha HTR-5930 as a receiver - $130

For US$ 500 - That should make a kick ass system - And the most important thing, everything is upgradeable - one thing "Surround Sets" seldom are. Meaning that to compensate for driver sizes (or lack thereof), there's usually a good amount of equalization done, meaning that when you try to connect a different set of, say, front speakers, their sound will be way off (utter crap more or less).

So - A big 👍 to that system - Nicely done Interceptor !...

 

[Scaff]

Alternative, something I'd recommend is to manually arrange a system of a subwoofer, some satellites and a receiver. Take this one I gathered on eBay for example (all new items with warranty):

6 x JBL Control 1X as satellites - $195 (only 5 needed, but you can only buy pairs)
1 x JBL Venue 10" as subwoofer - $160
1 x Yamaha HTR-5930 as a receiver - $130

The sound of this system will be far superior to all of the above systems. Given that you can live with the non-conform and not very pretty looks (of the speakers at least), this will make a very decent home cinema setup.

Quite agree with that, and an excellent example of what can be put together within the budget in question, it certainly will sound better that any one-box system.

Run the PS3 to the TV via HDMI and to the Yamaha via Optical and it will do justice to both the sound and picture on games and Blu-ray. A warning to Jaguar C-Type however, go for something like this and it could well start a long term obsession for you, I've been building my Home Cinema set-up for over a decade now and its still a work in progress (gets better each year however).

👍

Scaff

 

[TB]

I think this can be summed up quite simply. Just about any sound system will sound better than the TV's speakers. I've posted this on GTP before - TV's are for pretty pictures, not sound. That said, Jaguar C-Type will probably be very happy with whatever he ends up with. Personally, I'm a huge fan of separate components, not all-in-one boxes. I have a STR-DE895 mated with SS-AV33, SS-CN550H, SS-SR15, SS-CN15 and YST-SW105 speakers. Most of the speakers are more than 10 years old, but for my purposes (which as of late has been watching The Incredibles non-stop) it suits me just fine. It's a significant acoustic improvement over my TV alone.

 

[icelt]

Swans Speaker is supposed to have very impressive sound and build quality for the price.

Swans Speaker Products

Unfortunately I have no idea about the typ asking prices and it looks like it would take some research to find out.

Here's the frappr site to fine owners should it be useful:
http://www.frappr.com/swanowners/

 

[Flerbizky]

Swans Speaker is supposed to have very impressive sound and build quality for the price.

Swans Speaker Products

Unfortunately I have no idea about the typ asking prices and it looks like it would take some research to find out.

Here's the frappr site to fine owners should it be useful:
http://www.frappr.com/swanowners/

You did notice the US$ 500 budget limit right ?... Some of Hi-Vis drivers cost that much...

[Edit:] YAY.. Found some prices - In Norway, their cheapest center blows the budget x 2....

 

[icelt]

You did notice the US$ 500 budget limit right ?... Some of Hi-Vis drivers cost that much...

[Edit:] YAY.. Found some prices - In Norway, their cheapest center blows the budget x 2....

Whoops, no I missed that requirement. Sorry about that Jag, please ignore the Swans then they will definitely bust your budget.

 

[Flerbizky]

Whoops, no I missed that requirement. Sorry about that Jag, please ignore the Swans then they will definitely bust your budget.

Bet they sound nice though ;-)

 

[Kryz11]

HEY everyone THANKS A LOT for lots of info.... my brother told me he is going to help me (well we live in same house so he is willing to pay up too lol) out as well but we ganna start around middle of spring well i really cant wait, but by that time ill get some more money and start building one

so to set it up..Run the PS3 to the TV via HDMI and to the "box" via Optical... hmm sounds easy enough lol

and what is a difference between wireless and cabled speakers?

So i was looking over best buy website.. and i found this
well im not saying i will buy this particular system, but is it all in one? like i dont need to buy anything extra ( except a cable or 2) to hook it up to my TV & PS3 and ill be able to run it and hear the 5.1?

 

[TB]

Wireless speakers need a receptacle close by for power (thus making them not wireless = lame (either that or they require a steady supply of batteries)) but the audio signal itself is broadcast to the speaker without wires. After a bit of searching, it does indeed need to be plugged in. Also in BestBuy's usual style, their specs are wrong. This Pani does not have 2 HDMI inputs. It has an out, but no in.

Now with all of that out of the way, if you are ok with your rear surrounds needing to be plugged in and not having HDMI inputs on your receiver, this doesn't look like a bad unit for your first foray into the world of surround sound.

You know what? Screw all of the above. I'll leave it there as I went through the trouble of typing it up and the information is still applicable for any future units you look at. Why the sudden change of heart? This - with this unit you will not be able to connect your TV's coax out to the receiver as it has no coax input. Correction. It has no video inputs period. Only an analog audio in.

In short, do not but this, or any other unit like it, if it doesn't have a decent assortment of inputs. You will think that you'll never use them, but trust me - you will. No one ever thought that they'd need more than a 20 meg hard drive, either.

 

[the Interceptor]

well im not saying i will buy this particular system, but is it all in one? like i dont need to buy anything extra ( except a cable or 2) to hook it up to my TV & PS3 and ill be able to run it and hear the 5.1?

Just a little hint from me. I know you want to go the easy way - anybody would - cause this is a complex subject. And I know that buying seperate speakers and an amp is more difficult than these all-in-one solutions. However, don't forget that for the same money, you will get much more capable and versatile components if you buy what I posted (or similar). It will take half day to be set-up instead of an hour. But remember that you'll have to live with these things for a few years. Taking that into context, isn't it worth sacrificing a few hours of your life and do that little bit more work when you can get much much better things for the same money?

 

[TB]

Agreed. My wife's ex-roommate had me come over to hook up a hew surround system about 6 years ago. It was a typical Sony all-in-the-box unit. Everything was color coded so it was impossible to mess up. But the sound out of that thing was atrocious. All of the speakers (L,C,R,SL & SR) were all the same size and were completely too small for putting out a decent sound. The sub was oversized to try to compensate, but that just meant that it was sitting in the corner buzzing to beat hell because it didn't have a seperate volume and cutoff control. Short story long, do a bit of research and buy separate pieces. If nothing else, the input/output options are worth the slight increase in cost. Case in point -

The Pani units rear end:

My receivers:

 

[Kryz11]

well guys i know what you are all saying, that with more time i could get a better deal. but i still live with my father, i just turned 21, and im half way through college. i am thinking of moving out in few more years. so i think the all in one solution would be the best since i am going to leve the sound system here with my father lol ( he has no clue on even how to turn a dvd, but thats allright since we were born poor farmers back in W. Europe haha) all i need is just something decent and i dont need anything THAT loud for now since i still live with my folks . i guess when i move out in those few years then ill have custom stuff in my place (keeps fingers crossed) but just like someone pointed.. with any system i go it would make a HUGE difference


oh yeh, so i hear you can have your PS3 run with HDMI and optical for sound... what is that all about? (like i said im new to this, its easier for me to grow potatoes and raise pigs haha) so what is the differance between HDMI and optical? and how to set up the system? just keep my PS3 plugged in through HDMI? and tv to the box through optical or HDMI? and from TV out to system box in? or is it the other way.. i bet u all will come to me as i get the system and do it myself, im just wondering.
and can the TV sound and the 5.1 system be on at the same time?
and what is this video all about?

 

[Scaff]

HDMI is capable of transmitting both video and sound, on the sound side of things it differs from optical in that it can carry a greater bandwidth and allows you to work with uncompressed audio.

To take advantage of it you need an amp that is capable of handling HDMI audio and video, you feed the HDMI from the PS3 to the amp, which uses the sound signal and passes the video to the TV.

To be honest you would blow most of your budget on the amp alone if you went down this route.

The video you posted I believe (I only had a very quick look) is about a firmware glitch that allowed both Optical and HDMI audio to be output at the same time (the PS3 should only allow one at any given time).

Regards

Scaff

BTW - go separates, much better than a single box system

 

[TB]

To be honest you would blow most of your budget on the amp alone if you went down this route.

Oh, but what a nice ride it is, Scaff!

 

[Scaff]

Oh, but what a nice ride it is, Scaff!

Oh don't I know it, I have a Sony STR-DG 710 myself, which handles HDMI audio and video, but the 605 is pencilled in as its replacement (after a few other bits and pieces around my speaker set-up are finished). Of course if I can swing it I will go for the Onkyo TX-SR875, now that's a seriously nice piece of kit.

👍

Scaff

 

[TB]

Naturally you'd go with the 875, but at £999, it's a bit out of the price range.

The sad thing about the 605 is that it clocks in at around $450-500USD and when I bought my STR-DE895 a few years ago, it was $400 and it is light years behind the curve now.

Stupid technology.

Edit: without looking through the specs, have you looked at the 805? It looks like, at a very quick glance anyway, to be similar to the 875, but at about half the price.

 

[Kryz11]

i allready saved up 200 bucks.. and i know you people are trying to give me best advice to go with custom made setup.. but thats is going to my place in few years.. as for now im going over to circuit city or bestbuy and get a basic setup

 

[TB]

Since it doesn't look like we're going to be able to talk you into seperate components (and given your situation I don't blame you), give this one from Best Buy a look (here are the specs from Sony).

Highlights: 3 HDMI in, 1 HDMI out, 1 Coax and 2 Optical audio inputs, CNET average user rating of 85% and it rings up at $419.99 + tax.

It looks like it should fit the bill quite nicely.

 

[Kryz11]

hey man thanks a lot. great find, looks pretty sweet. and its good since its sony since its going to match my Sony TV and sony playstation 3 haha
im thinking of buying it by end of fabuary since classes start on monday n i need money for books.
haha at least its good that i saved up.. now i can pay for my books
and as usual school first before the pleasure... ( i wish it was the other way around)