hOME cINEMA

missile

Hi,

I have a Panasonic TV and DVD recorder and sky box in quite a large room.

I would like to add a quality sound system, but not sure what to get. I have been searching internet for advice, but ..... Any suggestions on what to get or where to look?

richyrichuk

missile wrote: »

Hi,

I have a Panasonic TV and DVD recorder and sky box in quite a large room.

I would like to add a quality sound system, but not sure what to get. I have been searching internet for advice, but ..... Any suggestions on what to get or where to look?

how much u wanna spend. because i've just bought a samsung HT 800w for £250 with an amazing DVD multimedia player!!!!

Little_John

How much do you want to spend?
You could go for an in the box system where you get a set of speakers and the amp/receiver for about £200 - £300 even less.

Or you could go down the lines of spending more and buying a surround sound amp/receiver then buying a set of speakers where you can customise the system to give you the sound you want by buying the amp from 1 company the speakers from another and a sub from another.

With the separate amp and speakers you get a better system, the amp/receiver will have bucket loads of inputs to connect your DVD and sky box to with coaxial or optical digital connections and the analogue connections. it will allow you to connect what you want to it, the in a box option tend to have limited connectivity options I have a creative 5.1 system in the bedroom for gaming and it has a single optical connection and a single coax and a single analogue where as my separate system has 8 or 9 selector switches 4 or 5 of them have both coax and optical inputs and outputs and analogue and the others have analogue I can connect loads of stuff to it.

Go to some hifi shops and see what they have set up, the difference will blow you away, the all in one box systems use tiny speakers Which are OK in small rooms but you cant really crank them up to annoy the neighbours as the sound starts to fall apart and they sound hollow larger speakers hold it together as long as you don't go to the extreme and blow things up with them. I have had people over the street complaining

no1simmo

If anyone has any reccomendations, know of any killer deals or essential discount codes for buying a home cinema system they would be much appriciated!

Im looking for a good quality all in system possibly 2:1 as I dont want wires all round my lounge. and would like the best possible picture for HD ready 37" Toshiba.

£300 max i think would strech if reccomended to

Conor_3

Try Richer Sounds. DO NOT dismiss their second hand stuff as they check it and give the same warranty as a new one.

As LittleJohn said, better to go with a seperate amp with optical inputs.

jackieb

We've just bought this one. It's a 1000w and has the four long speakers. http://www.panasonic.co.uk/home-cinema-systems/sc-pt850eb-k/index.htm

There's a microphone you can plug into the machine. Take the microphone to where you're going to sit and it'll automatically set up the best sound for where you're at. It is pretty good.

You can get similar systems from Panasonic but they don't have the microphone set-up and they either have 2 large and 2 small speakers, or just the 4 small speakers. They're quite a bit cheaper but they have the same 1000w.

Little_John

no1simmo wrote: »

If anyone has any reccomendations, know of any killer deals or essential discount codes for buying a home cinema system they would be much appriciated!

Im looking for a good quality all in system possibly 2:1 as I dont want wires all round my lounge. and would like the best possible picture for HD ready 37" Toshiba.

£300 max i think would strech if reccomended to

Another point of buying proper speakers and an amp is that you buy speaker cable and it has no restrictions (within reason) on the length, if you need to you can run them where you want to to keep them out of sight. the less expensive systems tend to use spring clips and bell wire or fitted cables which are very restricting when it comes to speaker positioning.

The only cable you see in my set up is about 30cm from the ceiling to the 2 rear speakers, it is also coloured similar to the decore so you need to look for it to see it. It did involve lifting the carpet up stairs and some floorboards but the cable is there to stay and its a proper job. the cable goes in trunking up the side of the window frame and is hidden by the curtains. If it wasnt for the huge floor standing speakers and the sub you wouldnt know it was there

For a decent setup read what hifi "the bible"

missile

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I have trawled around five HiFi shops. Only one was any good. They all start off with what is your budget and while obviously that is a major factor, but what I am looking for is value for quality. Three seemed to know only what was printed on the label and the fourth seemed to think I would be impressed that he had recenty designed a bespoke £30,000 system.

I have wooden floors awires will be a problem. I have been told, wireliess speakers are not really very good
I quite like the 2:1 and Denon S101 seemed to be best value for quality. I have looked at several all in a box 5:1 and Sony HTSF-1100 seemed to be best value for quality.

I have looked and listened to so many that I have become confused. I guess I have decided that I want the sound quality from seperate amp/ speaker set-up, but not convinced 7:1 is necessary. I was quite impressed with the sound from Panasonic SA-XR700 and SB-TP1000 but at £1600 it is a tad expensive. What Hi-Fi gave Q Acoutic 1010 5:1 best speaker package under £750, but not at all sure how to choose an amplifier to team it with?

poe.tuesday

if you want to access the programmes on sky that have 5.1 then you need to have either a sky+ or HD box

personally, if you want to have a home cinema experience then you really should go for a 5.1 set up.

Tyler_Du

poe.tuesday wrote: »

personally, if you want to have a home cinema experience then you really should go for a 5.1 set up.

Agreed, a quality sound system is not 2.1, go for at least 5.1 or more, especially if you've got a HD TV and might get a HD DVD or Blu Ray player at some point

Little_John

!!!!!! does a HD TV have to do with it? its all about the audio that your interested in.

OK tips for auditioning a system.
Use the same DVD for each one and use the same part of the DVD rather than allowing the store to play the disk they use to demo it allows you to get a good idea and a fair test for each system if you go to multiple shops. chapter 29 from the matrix is a good one the lobby battle. bullets flying everywhere just brilliant and really shows the difference between a 5.1 and 2.1 or virtual surround.
Take a music cd, somthing that you like you may be able to hear differences between the different systems musically.

Don't think you need to buy your system all in one go, I got my DVD player £500, amp £550 and 5 speakers at first £800 and was blown away and neighbours moaned that stuff was moveing on the mantle peice next door . As I bought large floor standers I could get away without a sub. about 6 months later when I saved up I bought a sub another £800. It completly change the experiance the floor standers kicked a decent bass out but the sub is unreal nothing too bag as the room isnt hugh but 200W is ample for the sub anone and WOW it is awesome.

I have been to other friends who have been showing off with their systems and the only system that impresed me was one who spent £2500 on a BOSE lifestyle tiny cube thing, it was very good and gave a decent sound from what appeard to be these 2 or 3 inch cubes. Even the creative system I have isn't brilliant but I got it for about £50 when it should have been £235 If I had paid the full price it would have gone back, Im constantly changeing connections as there are just not enough.

So missile where abouts are you? really in Spain? I know a gadget enjoying person who lives in Spain I will ask him I am sure he has a decent system what shops are available over there.