Whats Your Audio / Home Cinema Setup?

[icelt]

Very nicely done Scaff. You can easily tell alot of thought and effort went into the equipment selection and installation. Good job 👍

Same to Unomoto, night and day the improvement to the basement.

 

[Scaff]

Thanks for the feedback icelt, you are right that its taken quite a bit of planning and work to get it to this stage, but its been more than worth it.

Regards

Scaff

 

[kikie]

I haven't read the entire thread and I search but nothing. Maybe this has already been answered. It's is stupid to make a new thread if there's already one about audio and home cinema setups.

I have a question about StudioPhile AV40. These are desktopspeakers. Has anyone heard of these speakers and if so how are they?

I'm going to use them in combination with a tv. These have to be very good concerning sound ==> film, doc., speech etc...

I want desktopspeakers 2.0 sytem. I bought a creative 2.1 system (I-trigue 3330) and they suck . I have an amplifier, B&W speakers but I can't use these.

 

[TB]

kikie - Look over the reviews at amazon. They seem to be pretty good.

 

[Touring Mars]

Sony Bravia KDL-40W2000 (40” 1080p)

I just got that exact telly on Monday!! It's a beaut 👍 I even got a phone call from Visa's fraud detection team this morning to check that it was legit!

I hope to post some pictures up of my new set-up later too. Sadly, of all the things to go missing in my move, I seem to have lost my copy of Prologue (amazingly!)... I have no idea how, and it seems to be the only single thing that I can't find. So I will have to wait until some time next week until I can enjoy the full benefits of GT5 in 1080p!

 

[TB]

It sounds like you need to hunt down the people that helped you move and give them the old TM smack down.

 

[Touring Mars]

Well, I think there are a number of possibilities, and the most likely is that somehow my copy of Prologue got mixed up in pile of stuff I chucked out. I did notice that one of my boxes that I sent up (via ParcelForce) had been taped up as if it had been ripped, but I didn't think anything was missing from the box. Annoyingly, I chucked the empty box away before I realised that I couldn't find Prologue... even more annoyingly, my stuff was insured, but it would look too dodgy to claim for a brand new computer game... "Oh, and my imported Dualshock3 controllers have gone missing too..."

It doesn't matter too much anyway, since it served it's purpose - to let me play Prologue until it came out in the UK.

Incidentally, my hi-fi set up is nothing like Scaff's, but it does have the distinct bonus of being entirely free - ironically, I inherited my entire sound system (hi-fi with four speakers) from the same friend who gave me that copy of Prologue! (Cheers, Tim!)

 

[Scaff]

I just got that exact telly on Monday!! It's a beaut 👍 I even got a phone call from Visa's fraud detection team this morning to check that it was legit!

I hope to post some pictures up of my new set-up later too. Sadly, of all the things to go missing in my move, I seem to have lost my copy of Prologue (amazingly!)... I have no idea how, and it seems to be the only single thing that I can't find. So I will have to wait until some time next week until I can enjoy the full benefits of GT5 in 1080p!

It is a great TV, but watch out for the default settings from the shop, as they are rarely the best (sharpness and backlight are always set way to high), I will check what I am using later on and post them up for you if you are interested. I've found mine give a less harsh picture with much truer colours.

Not good news about you copy of GT5, but given the cash you have just coughed up for the TV, £20 for a new copy is a must.

May I ask is this your first HD-TV and have you yet watched anything on Blu-ray on it? I can also make some suggestions regarding films that will look excellent on it.


Oh and pictures as soon as possible.


Scaff

 

[Touring Mars]

It is a great TV, but watch out for the default settings from the shop, as they are rarely the best (sharpness and backlight are always set way to high), I will check what I am using later on and post them up for you if you are interested. I've found mine give a less harsh picture with much truer colours.

Not good news about you copy of GT5, but given the cash you have just coughed up for the TV, £20 for a new copy is a must.

May I ask is this your first HD-TV and have you yet watched anything on Blu-ray on it? I can also make some suggestions regarding films that will look excellent on it.


Oh and pictures as soon as possible.


Scaff

It is my first HD-TV, and probably my last for a very long time I'd be delighted if you posted some of your set-ups too. I have already farted around with it a bit, but I'm mighty impressed with how the PS3 looks. I haven't watched anything on Blu-ray yet, but might stick in Casino Royale later just to have a gander! Again, I'd appreciate any recommendations!! 👍 As for the pics, I'll try to upload some later!

 

[TB]

As for the pics, I'll try to upload some later!

 

[Scaff]

It is my first HD-TV, and probably my last for a very long time I'd be delighted if you posted some of your set-ups too. I have already farted around with it a bit, but I'm mighty impressed with how the PS3 looks. I haven't watched anything on Blu-ray yet, but might stick in Casino Royale later just to have a gander! Again, I'd appreciate any recommendations!! 👍 As for the pics, I'll try to upload some later!

Once I can get to the TV past the kids I will check the settings and post them up. As for film recommendations, well Casino Royale is a good start, particularly the 'free-running' chase and the scenes in the Casino itself. I would also recommend (with picture quality as a major factor here)..

Blade Runner - The Final Cut (simply stunning work on the transfer here - go for the imported 5 disc set)

Ratatouille - Pixar genius, funny and standout picture quality

Spiderman Trilogy - particularly the third one, that has a few moments that made my jaw hit the floor - still my main demo disc for both picture and audio quality.

Apocolypto - Not everybody's idea of a great film (I however enjoyed it a lot) colour range and image quality stunning.

Shoot Em Up - No-brainer of a film that is actually a great film, and it looks amazing as well.

The above should (I hope) be a good cross section of genres to get you started, I would also say do not buy your films on the high street. I oder most of mine through

http://www.movietyme.com/catalog/

...who supply region free US films to the UK. Also try Amazon.com and .co.uk, both of whom are cheap for most films. Importing region free BR films is great at the moment as the dollar is so weak and if the price stays under £18 you don't pay import tax.

I got this...

..on BR imported for £38.


Regards

Scaff

 

[matski]

Okay, I stumbled over this thread after following the link in Scaff's sig.. I'm not prepped so I haven't got pics yet.

TV: 52" Sony LCD RPTV -- 52" inches of standard definition gloriousness that isnt bright enough unless it's dark outside!
Amp: Yamaha RXV-100D
Front Main: Celestion A2's
Centre: Celestion Centre2
Rears: Kef Q55's
Sub: Yamaha YST-SW180
Cables: Suitable mid-quality non branded stuff, except a QED 'squart' lead from my sky box.
DVD Player: Pioneer DV565A
Musical Source: 250GB Dell laptop permantly installed on my AV which acts as a Juke box of uncompressed CD audio, about 182hrs so far, but I got loads of stuff to rip
60GB PAL Playstation 3
160GB Sky+ Box

I also run an old Yammy DSP-A592 from the pre-outs on the RXV to act as a second zone for my computer in the other room, so I can get decent music throughout my flat.

future upgrades: >42" 1080p display (really cant afford though), NAD C272 power-amp to drive the A2's for better musical performance. I wanna get a Celestion A4c from eBay and shift the Centre2 to the rear centre postion. My sub's nothing special but I live on the 3rd floor so I got neighbours to consider!

I have actually worked in a Hifi shop for 14 years (not one of them nasty chain ones either!). So over time Ive built up a pretty good idea of what I like and where I think it's worth spending money, not that I've really spent that much in truth, the amount I've shelled out for the kit I've got now is probably only £2000 (including a PS3 bought on launch day for £450!!!!!SCAMMERS!!!!!!) I tend to buy ex-demo or second hand, saves about 60% all told.

Anyway, I might post some pics if I can be arsed to tidy my flat up!

Oh yeah I just remembered, one of my favourites: Headphones: Sennheiser HD-580 Precision's... £200 worth of headpone for blasting GT5 into my head when I don't want to wake anyone else up!

 

[Scaff]

@matski - good to see you found this thread, please do post some pictures up when you can 👍.

@TM - Here you go, settings for a Sony Bravia KDL-40W2000

Mode - Custom
Backlight - 2
Contrast - 90
Brightness - 43
Colour - 50
Colour Temp - Neutral
Sharpness - 2
Noise Reduction - Low

Advanced Settings
Black Correction - off
Adv Contrast - off
Gamma - Med
Clear white - Low
Live Colour - High
Colour Space - Wide
MPEG Noise Reduction - Low


Give these a go, they are tweaked for the PS3/Blu-ray/HD-DVD, but I use a very similar set for Sky.


Regards

Scaff

 

[Touring Mars]

A couple of quick shots of the new telly and it's environs...

​

Will wire up my broadband tonight, and get the Prologue show on the road!

 

[TB]

Nice place, TM! Nice TV, too! I love the flooring, but it looks like the walls could use some color.

*writes a sticky note to add TM to his PS3 friends list*

 

[Scaff]

Good to see you've got it all set-up TM.

Did you give the settings a go?

Scaff

 

[Pako]

Nice TV TM, but how about a better picture of that rug?

 

[Touring Mars]

Only pic on this computer that shows a bit more of the rug...



All the furniture is brand new and came with the flat, including a leather sofa and two seats (one pictured there)... If the flat decor was left up to me, it wouldn't be quite so nice. But it's also a very utilitarian set-up that should serve me well... black leather sofa, red rug, wooden floor - perfect for those occassional wine spillages

@ Scaff - I haven't tried them out yet, since I was so lazy, I didn't write them down! I have no printer yet (at work) and no web at home yet, until tonight that is! But I'll give it all a proper set-up tonight 👍

The TV looks amazing already, even with my amateur approach to Tuning, although some of my DVD's are pretty dodgy (but that has little to do with the TV!)... I think I have the backlight up a bit high though. I don't have Sky either, but I do have freeview and I've been pretty impressed with it so far.

 

[Pako]

Very nice rug! The free furniture is an added bonus. 👍



I've been thinking about retiring my 60" Sony LCD 1080i. It has served it's purpose quite well and is still a great TV for HD programming, but the appeal of 1080P is becoming more and more aggressive as I see the options out there now and at the price point they are at. If I go that route, an added expense becomes a new receiver that can upscale other signals to HDMI which imposes some additional expense, hence the delay in upgrading the TV.

Maybe I should wait until the TV "brakes", forcing me into a buying position.

Such big life decisions.

 

[TB]

If I go that route, an added expense becomes a new receiver that can upscale other signals to HDMI which imposes some additional expense, hence the delay in upgrading the TV.

Onkyo to the rescue! For $390 USD (including shipping), it's an outstanding deal.

 

[matski]

Okay, I stumbled over this thread after following the link in Scaff's sig.. I'm not prepped so I haven't got pics yet.

TV: 52" Sony LCD RPTV -- 52" inches of standard definition gloriousness that isnt bright enough unless it's dark outside!
Amp: Yamaha RXV-100D
Front Main: Celestion A2's
Centre: Celestion Centre2
Rears: Kef Q55's
Sub: Yamaha YST-SW180
Cables: Suitable mid-quality non branded stuff, except a QED 'squart' lead from my sky box.
DVD Player: Pioneer DV565A
Musical Source: 250GB Dell laptop permantly installed on my AV which acts as a Juke box of uncompressed CD audio, about 182hrs so far, but I got loads of stuff to rip
60GB PAL Playstation 3
160GB Sky+ Box

I also run an old Yammy DSP-A592 from the pre-outs on the RXV to act as a second zone for my computer in the other room, so I can get decent music throughout my flat.

future upgrades: >42" 1080p display (really cant afford though), NAD C272 power-amp to drive the A2's for better musical performance. I wanna get a Celestion A4c from eBay and shift the Centre2 to the rear centre postion. My sub's nothing special but I live on the 3rd floor so I got neighbours to consider!

I have actually worked in a Hifi shop for 14 years (not one of them nasty chain ones either!). So over time Ive built up a pretty good idea of what I like and where I think it's worth spending money, not that I've really spent that much in truth, the amount I've shelled out for the kit I've got now is probably only £2000 (including a PS3 bought on launch day for £450!!!!!SCAMMERS!!!!!!) I tend to buy ex-demo or second hand, saves about 60% all told.

Anyway, I might post some pics if I can be arsed to tidy my flat up!

Oh yeah I just remembered, one of my favourites: Headphones: Sennheiser HD-580 Precision's... £200 worth of headpone for blasting GT5 into my head when I don't want to wake anyone else up!

Okay so I got round to taking some pics, and yes I was enjoying a cool can of Carlsberg Export whilst watching AIRWOLF on DMAX...

Like I said before, there's still stuff I want to do, new TV tops of the list...

the models to the right are also here https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showpost.php?p=2978633&postcount=4548

 

[TB]

Looks good, matski. Love the AIRWOLF! I haven't watched String and Dom since the show originally aired.

I'll have to get pics of my goods after I clean up as well. Probably this weekend.

 

[Scaff]

Nice looking set-up matski...

👍

.. I bet it sounds good too.


Scaff

 

[matski]

It sounds pretty good

Like I said earlier, I've worked in a Hifi shop for 14 years, I reckon that the A2's are probably all-round the best speaker I've heard. The Meridian DSP 5500's are probably the best but they are thousands... the A2's were about £1300 new. The only thing that has really come close are the B & W 603 S3's, which were a bargain at £600, although not as smooth or as deep. The A2's really need something better than the Yammy amp to get the best out of them, hence the NAD C272 poweramp on my wishlist. I 100% recommend yamaha for their processing and usability, but for a 'musical' sound stay away from the Japanese brands (IMO).

For me, control and depth at volume is important, although some sub-sat packages are good, floor-standers all round is the way to go for depth, scale, and effect.

 

[hornet_burnout]

In front, below the BenQ PB6100 Video projector's image, left to right:

Left Fr Speaker: Mission M73i
Receiver: Denon AVR1804
Sony PS3 + Center Speaker MISSION M3C1
Living Room PC:
__Silverstone LC10M case (iMon remote and VFD)
__EVGA NFORCE 630i board (VGA, DVI, HDMI and SPfid optical out)
__Intel CORE 2 DUO E8200 2.66GHZ FSB1333 6MB CACHE + 2GB DDR2
__Tv and Satellite tuner cards
__500Gb Storage
Right Fr Speaker: Mission M73i

And on the right, next to the aquarium, a 19' TFT Acer back-up monitor and wireless keyboard with integrated mouse.

In the middle of the room a reclinable 3 seat leather sofa + a 2 seat on the right, with the Monitor Audio ASW-100 Sub behind it.

Rear (not visible here) speakers Mission 771 on the back wall, on each side of a tall book shelf, and above it is the ceiling mounted video projector.

Hope you get a notion. In order to get a clear shot of the video projector image, the TFT is exploded and everything else is darker. Thats the best I could do.

(if there is any problem with viewing the image let me know and I'll upload it to image shack)

 

[matski]

Looks pretty sweet there Hornet, are you planning on getting a proper screen for the projector? A motorised one would look pretty good there, and would really improve the quality (contrast/definition) of the picture I think.

 

[hornet_burnout]

Looks pretty sweet there Hornet, are you planning on getting a proper screen for the projector? A motorised one would look pretty good there, and would really improve the quality (contrast/definition) of the picture I think.

Thanks.

Nope. Hate those hanging things, so I had the wall painted "special". The sanding, the paint grain and color, all carefully done to give the best result possible.

But the projector will be replaced eventually when I move to my "new" place. Maybe a big Full HD plasma, since Full HD projectors are and will be for some time way too expensive...

This one (projector) will be used only for GT5, together with a seat and a G25, on another room (home-office/play room).

 

[bjmels]

Hi to you all fellow audiophiles!

Ok here goes, a couple pictures of my setup.
Brief equipment description:

Usher front speakers, Klipsch center and surrounds.
Adcom and Usher amplifiers. AudioPro Subwoofers.
Kimber,Supra and TaraLabs cables. Usher Surround Processor.
Parasound pre-amp. Epson projector and Adeo 96 " screen.
Marantz cd and dvd-player.And last but not the least Sony PS3.

 

[TB]

Nice setup, bjmels!

Thanks for making mine look like 🤬

 

[bjmels]

Nice setup, bjmels!

Thanks for making mine look like 🤬

Thank you.

You're welcome.