For your listening pleasure: The quick audio questions megathread!

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > For your listening pleasure: The quick audio questions megathread!

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Hippie Hedgehog: Feb 19, 2007; Ever cuddled a hedgehog?

Slow is Fast posted:

I scanned through the first few pages and didn't see a megathread to post in so here goes, sorry if I missed the appropriate thread.

There's this thread but it's not really a proper megathread.

Slow is Fast posted:

We've got a wii, HDMI cable box, old rear end dvd/cd player, 360, old xbmc xbox, and we hook laptops up occasionally.

Budget is 450ish. Anyone got any other suggestions or is the Onkyo the good buy.

Sounds like you need at least:

3x component + analog audio (Wii, Xbox, 360) (Assuming the 360 doesn't do HDMI)
1x HDMI (cable box)
1x VGA/DVI/HMDI/S-Video? (laptop) (Tell us what the laptop can output, please...)
1x whatever the DVD outputs, probably S-Video + RCA audio?

The Denons you mention and the Onkyo all have fine Audyssey processing which calculates speaker balance, timing, eq etc based on your room's acoustics.

However, none of them have 3 component inputs. The Denons have 1, the Onkyo has 2, the HK has 2. You may have to step up a price level to get that.
If your xbox does HDMI or DVI output, you may be fine with the HK or Onkyo since you'd only need 2 component inputs.

Either one will work your HDMI needs and all of them should accomodate at least one s-video source.

# ? Jul 30, 2010 14:39

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# ? Jun 8, 2024 19:28

Lt Moose: Aug 8, 2007; moose

Lt Moose fucked around with this message at 05:21 on Apr 4, 2016

# ? Aug 2, 2010 01:44

Lowness 72: Jul 19, 2006; BUTTS LOL; Jade Ear Joe

So I'm looking to get a decent pair of speakers. They would be used for a few things:

1. To augment the TV speakers. We have a Samsung LCD - great picture but usually the speakers leave something to be desired. I also have an XBOX 360 hooked up to the TV.

2. Hooking up to computer/iPod to play some tunes.

A buddy of mine had these as his desktop speakers for his laptop and they sounded amazing. Of course he had an equalizer/receiver set up with it - so I'm unsure if they would need extra power to be driven?
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000MUXJCO/ref=ord_cart_shr?ie=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Would they be any good for the TV? That would be the primary use.

Do you guys have any other recommendations?

Thanks

# ? Aug 2, 2010 03:13

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Lowness 72 posted:

A buddy of mine had these as his desktop speakers for his laptop and they sounded amazing. Of course he had an equalizer/receiver set up with it - so I'm unsure if they would need extra power to be driven?

Those are active speakers, they have inbuilt amp. You don't need an external receiver with them.

quote:

Would they be any good for the TV?

If you like their sound, sure. Their bass is limited but that's to be expected of small speakers.

There are always alternatives depending on your budget. For a little bit less you could try out the AV30s, for same amount the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, for a little more an external receiver and passive speakers. If you like the AV40s, go with them.

# ? Aug 2, 2010 11:30

Lowness 72: Jul 19, 2006; BUTTS LOL; Jade Ear Joe

Hob_Gadling posted:

Those are active speakers, they have inbuilt amp. You don't need an external receiver with them.

If you like their sound, sure. Their bass is limited but that's to be expected of small speakers.

There are always alternatives depending on your budget. For a little bit less you could try out the AV30s, for same amount the Klipsch ProMedia 2.1, for a little more an external receiver and passive speakers. If you like the AV40s, go with them.

I read last night that they are best when sitting super close to the speakers. I would probably be 6 to 10 feet from the speakers if used as TV speakers. Think that would be ok?

I'll check out the Klipsch as well. Thanks. Any other recommendations for that price range (~$150-$200)?

Also what's the difference between these and bookshelf speakers?

Lowness 72 fucked around with this message at 20:05 on Aug 2, 2010

# ? Aug 2, 2010 19:32

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Lowness 72 posted:

I read last night that they are best when sitting super close to the speakers. I would probably be 6 to 10 feet from the speakers if used as TV speakers. Think that would be ok?

Probably, depends on how loud you want them to be. Usually active speakers start to break up when you turn their volume up near max levels. These are rated RMS SPL: 101.5dB @ 1 meter (read: you should get, on average, 101 dB sound pressure at 1 meter when cranked to max). Since 90-95 dB causes hearing loss at prolonged exposure, you should be able to get a comfortable level of volume. As comparison, normal discussion at 1 meter is between 40-60 dB.

quote:

Any other recommendations for that price range (~$150-$200)?

Depending on your actual setup and future plans, you might find a soundbar suitable for your purposes. For example, this Sony soundbar allows you to attach your AV equipment via HDMI or RCA and has an optional port for iPod. Whether the convenience is worth the extra cost you'll have to judge for yourself.

quote:

Also what's the difference between these and bookshelf speakers?

"Bookshelf speaker" is a term to denote speaker size. The AV40s are bookshelf speakers. Compare to floorstanding and satellite speakers.

Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 20:45 on Aug 2, 2010

# ? Aug 2, 2010 20:42

Fuzzy Pipe Wrench: Nov 5, 2008; MAYBE DON'T STEAL BEER FROM GOONS?

CHEERS!
(FUCK YOU)

So I'm absolutely broke right now and my headset seems to be on its way out. The wire coming loose where it connects to the earmuff seems to be at fault causing the right earphone to not work and the microphone to just pick up buzzing. When I hold the wire in the right position it works just fine. Is there any kind of self-repair I can do on this thing to try and keep it going?

Here's the model I have if it helps any.
http://www.amazon.com/Digital-Stereo-Headset-VT501AA-ABA/dp/B003G1I4O4/ref=sr_1_32?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1280791239&sr=8-32

# ? Aug 3, 2010 00:23

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Electricians tape is the cheapest fix.

# ? Aug 3, 2010 01:06

Fuzzy Pipe Wrench: Nov 5, 2008; MAYBE DON'T STEAL BEER FROM GOONS?

CHEERS!
(FUCK YOU)

Any other ways that might work? After some experimentation I can't find any way to tape it into a position that it'll stay in and still work.

# ? Aug 3, 2010 01:27

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Can you solder? You could open up the headphones and reattach the loose wire.

# ? Aug 3, 2010 01:47

Fuzzy Pipe Wrench: Nov 5, 2008; MAYBE DON'T STEAL BEER FROM GOONS?

CHEERS!
(FUCK YOU)

Hob_Gadling posted:

Can you solder? You could open up the headphones and reattach the loose wire.

Its worth a shot because at this point the right earphone is randomly blasting really really loud static into my ear. This is turning into a fun adventure actually.

# ? Aug 3, 2010 01:57

Quizzlefish: Jan 26, 2005; Am I not merciful?

I have just bought a new tv with 3 HDMI inputs and I use my xbox 360 and HTPC (through HDMI) on it. The TV has an S/PDIF output.

I am currently in the market for some speakers and a receiver. Will I want to plug my xbox & PC into HDMI ports in the receiver, or just plug the S/PDIF into the reciever? In addition, I have quite a modestly sized apartment and am worried about annoying my neighbours. The living room is about 18' by 10'.

Is it worth buying a 5.1 system at all? If so what would be a sensible budget? I can go anywhere from �100 (approx $150) to �500 (approx $750). I use the tv as my main music listening device also via spotify. I am not really an audiophile but I would like a solid system that I can enjoy music and movies on. I appreciate that there might be some difficulty in making a reccomendation for budget, for which I apologise in advance.

Edit: paragraphs!

Quizzlefish fucked around with this message at 11:10 on Aug 4, 2010

# ? Aug 4, 2010 11:02

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Quizzlefish posted:

Will I want to plug my xbox & PC into HDMI ports in the receiver,

If you get a separate receiver, definitely this. That way you can listen to music from your PC without needing to turn the TV on.

quote:

Is it worth buying a 5.1 system at all?

Your call. Do you want 5.1 sounds? I like war movies: in stuff like Generation Kill and Saving Private Ryan they are nice when you can hear bullets zinging all around you. Then again, in old B&W movies you only get a stereo track making the 5.1 setup useless. For music anything above 2.1 is pointless and even then I prefer not to use the subwoofer.

quote:

If so what would be a sensible budget?

Depends on what you want.

You could get this Onkyo 5.1 home theater set for �339.90 from Amazon. It sounds nice as is, and you can upgrade speakers later on if you so decide: for example, Tannoy Mercury F4 Custom are a nice entry level pair of floorstanding speakers for music. This is what I would do (and actually have done, only with Denon receiver and OR speakers).

You could also look at a soundbar. They are harder to upgrade but more compact and tidy in a small space. I don't think they're generally worth the money but from a decorating point of view they're a lot less messy than separate speakers. Price is �200+

Then there are the "home theater in a box"-type of solutions. I don't feel they're really suitable for music, so if that's a priority you want to look somewhere else. They are cheap, easy to set up and contain everything you need for movies though. If you plan on upgrading later, this is definitely not the way to go: you are stuck with what you got. One example here. Price is �100+

And finally, you can go with a stereo system. For example, Renkforce amp with a pair of Tannoy F1 Custom speakers should sound pretty nice for a reasonable price. Price varies greatly depending on the speakers you get; the suggested system comes with a tag of �150. The linked amp is not suitable for home theater, so you might want to choose an Onkyo or Denon entry level model instead.

Regardless of what you decide, try to listen to different setups before buying. Also keep in mind that good speakers will sound good ten years from now but bad speakers will sound bad from day one.

Please note that I used Amazon simply for examples. If you have a local hifi shop, visit them and see what you can come up with.

# ? Aug 4, 2010 12:15

aricoarena: Aug 7, 2006; citizenh8 bought me this account because he is a total qt.

Is there any kind of analog audio splitter for HDMI cables? My (old JBL L36) speakers run off an old amp from the early 80's but I sill want to use them for sound during movies. I was going to get a PS3 but the only options seem to be running HDMI to the TV or using component cables and running the audio cable to the reciever. Any ideas?

EDIT: Someone on the PS3 forums says that you can slect HDMI video output and select the auido output seperatly. This is good news for me.

aricoarena fucked around with this message at 17:49 on Aug 4, 2010

# ? Aug 4, 2010 16:49

Amused Frog: Sep 8, 2006; Waah no fair my thread!

When running a 360 through a receiver into a TV do I need to be worried about the delay between the console outputting data and the TV displaying it increasing?

# ? Aug 4, 2010 17:21

eddiewalker: Apr 28, 2004; Arrrr ye landlubber

Amused Frog posted:

When running a 360 through a receiver into a TV do I need to be worried about the delay between the console outputting data and the TV displaying it increasing?

A decent receiver is designed to compensate for it's own processing.

# ? Aug 4, 2010 17:50

evilalien: Jul 29, 2005; Knowledge is born from Curiosity.

Amused Frog posted:

When running a 360 through a receiver into a TV do I need to be worried about the delay between the console outputting data and the TV displaying it increasing?

Not unless you have set the receiver to do upscaling. Setting it to passthrough should not delay the signal any more than if it weren't in the chain.

# ? Aug 4, 2010 17:58

qirex: Feb 15, 2001

aricoarena posted:

EDIT: Someone on the PS3 forums says that you can slect HDMI video output and select the auido output seperatly. This is good news for me.

Yeah, the audio output is assignable.

# ? Aug 4, 2010 21:20

aricoarena: Aug 7, 2006; citizenh8 bought me this account because he is a total qt.

qirex posted:

Yeah, the audio output is assignable.

Sweet, that solves my problems. Thanks!

# ? Aug 4, 2010 21:48

30 TO 50 FERAL HOG: Mar 2, 2005

After getting a new theater cabinet and getting everything installed, I've come to realize it gets really hot in there.

Anyone have any cooling suggestions?

This and this look okay, but I find it hard to justify spending almost an extra $50 just to have an automatic temperature shut off.

I could always buy some computer fans and hook something up, but I do prefer something to turn them off automatically as well as the nice looking mount that would blend in well with the cabinet.

# ? Aug 5, 2010 06:12

sellouts: Apr 23, 2003

I went and auditioned the Paradigm Reference Studio 20s and really enjoyed them.

Is there anything else I should consider in that price range or lower that I should listen to before pulling the trigger?

# ? Aug 6, 2010 23:22

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

What's the price you're paying for the Paradigm 20s?

# ? Aug 6, 2010 23:59

sellouts: Apr 23, 2003

1300 in store, a guy on audiogon has the V5s for 825+shipping. So within that range but not sure if I want to go for used speakers (no matter the guy's positive feedback rating)

# ? Aug 7, 2010 01:06

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

sellouts posted:

1300 in store, a guy on audiogon has the V5s for 825+shipping.

That's a tough one. The difference is not big between V5 and V6, but if you don't want to buy used then there are not many choices to recommend. Paradigm makes really nice speakers, that's for sure.

# ? Aug 7, 2010 01:31

Doc Spratley: Mar 4, 2007; Miskatonic U. Alumni

sellouts posted:

I went and auditioned the Paradigm Reference Studio 20s and really enjoyed them.

Is there anything else I should consider in that price range or lower that I should listen to before pulling the trigger?

Isn't v5 the current Studio line? I know the monitor line is at v6.

Did you get a chance to listen to the Paradigm SE1, and S1 at your local dealer?

some other popular monitors you may like;
PSB Imagine B, Harbeth P3ESR, NHT Classic 3, Energy RC-10, Ascend Sierra 1, Epos ELS8, Totem Rainmaker, B&W 685.

also some nice active monitors in that $ range such as Adam a5x/a7x, Focal CMS 50/65.

# ? Aug 7, 2010 21:24

Jadaris: May 9, 2003; I am Leto, Lion of Atreides

I've moved into a new apartment, and getting a new TV, and the built-in speakers just aren't gonna cut it for me. The room where the TV will be is about 14x14 feet or so. I'll be hooking up the cable box, a 360, and probably a PS3 soon.

My budget for speakers is about $300. I know almost nothing about home theater audio setups. The best I can seem to find with some quick searching is the Onkyo GT-S3300.

Is there anything cheaper, that doesn't sound like crap? Is this one going to sound like crap? Could I get a better price buying a receiver and speakers separately? Thanks for any help.

Jadaris fucked around with this message at 23:52 on Aug 7, 2010

# ? Aug 7, 2010 23:49

Hob_Gadling: Jul 6, 2007; by Jeffrey of YOSPOS; Grimey Drawer

Jadaris posted:

Is there anything cheaper, that doesn't sound like crap? Is this one going to sound like crap? Could I get a better price buying a receiver and speakers separately? Thanks for any help.

Yes, but not with as good connectivity. It's not going to sound like crap and since it's a "real" receiver upgrading speakers later on is easy. Most likely you only want to upgrade front left and right speakers for music and use the rest as is. You're not likely to get a better deal buying separately unless you bump into a fire sale or something.

# ? Aug 8, 2010 00:30

sellouts: Apr 23, 2003

Doc Spratley posted:

Isn't v5 the current Studio line? I know the monitor line is at v6.

Did you get a chance to listen to the Paradigm SE1, and S1 at your local dealer?

some other popular monitors you may like;
PSB Imagine B, Harbeth P3ESR, NHT Classic 3, Energy RC-10, Ascend Sierra 1, Epos ELS8, Totem Rainmaker, B&W 685.

also some nice active monitors in that $ range such as Adam a5x/a7x, Focal CMS 50/65.

Thanks Doc. I think the SE1 and S1s are out of my budget, unfortunately. I'm going to look around and see what I can find locally to listen to.

# ? Aug 8, 2010 01:25

Doc Spratley: Mar 4, 2007; Miskatonic U. Alumni

sellouts posted:

Thanks Doc. I think the SE1 and S1s are out of my budget, unfortunately. I'm going to look around and see what I can find locally to listen to.

The Se1 should be @ $600/pair, the S1 @ $1500/pair. The SE aims to fill in between the Monitor and Studio lines, borrowing the tweeter from the studios. The S1 is a metal cabinet and gets the Beryllium tweeter. Happy hunting!

# ? Aug 8, 2010 02:50

eddiewalker: Apr 28, 2004; Arrrr ye landlubber

What are the strips of metal holes in a 19" rack called, and where's the cheapest place to buy it by the foot?

I want to build a wooden roadcase for a few compressors.

# ? Aug 8, 2010 03:08

The Bunk: Sep 15, 2007; Oh, I just don't know
where to begin.; Fun Shoe

eddiewalker posted:

What are the strips of metal holes in a 19" rack called, and where's the cheapest place to buy it by the foot?

I want to build a wooden roadcase for a few compressors.

Don't know about where to buy, but google rack rails.

# ? Aug 8, 2010 03:22

eddiewalker: Apr 28, 2004; Arrrr ye landlubber

Narwhale posted:

Don't know about where to buy, but google rack rails.

It was on the tip of my tongue, thank you.

# ? Aug 8, 2010 03:25

stubblyhead: Sep 13, 2007; That is treason, Johnny!; Fun Shoe

A question about FLAC encoding; not sure if it should be asked here or in SH/SC. Anyway, I am trying to encode from WAV to a 16 bit FLAC, but it insists on using 24 bits. If I read the options correctly, using --bps=16 should do what I want, but it doesn't seem to be. Is there some other option I should be using to get a 16 bit FLAC?

e: n/m, I was able to do it via foobar. Cheers!

stubblyhead fucked around with this message at 04:24 on Aug 9, 2010

# ? Aug 9, 2010 00:10

the_reading_rainbow: Dec 20, 2009; Friends to know, and ways to grow, a Reading Rainbow.

I'm moving to a new apartment in the next few weeks and plan on investing a few bucks in to my home theater system. I currently have a 50" plasma I plan on buying a wall mount for, and some front/center polk audio speakers hooked up to my onkyo receiver. I've been considering acoustic treatments to enhance sound quality and found these guys for $130, what are your thoughts.

code:

# Studiofoam absorption tiles with unique wave design
# Ideal for studios, performance spaces, houses of worship, and other environments
# Tames room acoustics while maintaining attractive appearance
# 24 tiles provide effective treatment of an 8x10 wall

the_reading_rainbow fucked around with this message at 08:23 on Aug 9, 2010

# ? Aug 9, 2010 08:20

sellouts: Apr 23, 2003

Doc Spratley posted:

Isn't v5 the current Studio line? I know the monitor line is at v6.

Did you get a chance to listen to the Paradigm SE1, and S1 at your local dealer?

some other popular monitors you may like;
PSB Imagine B, Harbeth P3ESR, NHT Classic 3, Energy RC-10, Ascend Sierra 1, Epos ELS8, Totem Rainmaker, B&W 685.

also some nice active monitors in that $ range such as Adam a5x/a7x, Focal CMS 50/65.

Looks like I was outvoted and we ended up getting the Adam A7x's. I didn't get a chance to hear them but I've heard they're good and we got them at a good price. Now I have to find a preamp instead of a receiver but should be all good.

# ? Aug 10, 2010 17:35

DholmbladRU: May 4, 2006

I am unsure if this is the correct area. I am looking to purchase new speakers for my fraternities basement, in the past we have used PA style speakers which have ranged in cost from 300-800$. I am unsure of the models as I was not the one purchasing them. These speakers have all blown, I would assume PA speakers are not meant to have the high base that frat rap outputs. Can you all give me some direction into what type of speakers I should be looking at and what are some good online retailers to purchase them from.

# ? Aug 11, 2010 18:10

qirex: Feb 15, 2001

PA speakers are exactly what is needed for frat rap. Speakers usually blow because the amp can't keep up and starts clipping, get a better amp next time or get a PA subwoofer as well.

# ? Aug 11, 2010 19:47

DholmbladRU: May 4, 2006

qirex posted:

PA speakers are exactly what is needed for frat rap. Speakers usually blow because the amp can't keep up and starts clipping, get a better amp next time or get a PA subwoofer as well.

One of our previous set of speakers that blew were not being run by an amp. But instead had a TRS connector for input. I can see why this is probably a problem because nothing is being regulated. I do not know much about these types of systems, just trying to get an idea of what is needed.

DholmbladRU fucked around with this message at 20:28 on Aug 11, 2010

# ? Aug 11, 2010 20:26

eddiewalker: Apr 28, 2004; Arrrr ye landlubber

DholmbladRU posted:

One of our previous set of speakers that blew were not being run by an amp. But instead had a TRS connector for input. I can see why this is probably a problem because nothing is being regulated. I do not know much about these types of systems, just trying to get an idea of what is needed.

It had an amp inside That's why I'm sure it also had to be plugged into the wall. There's no issue of "regulation." You're just pushing the equipment past its limits somewhere in the signal chain. Save material deterioration, speakers don't generally just die without some abuse. If it sounds like poo poo, its bad for the speakers.

Powered speakers like the one you mentioned are probably still you're best idea. (Simpler setup, more efficient, speakers and amp designed for each other) You just need more powerful ones to safely reach the volumes you're obviously trying for.

eddiewalker fucked around with this message at 20:39 on Aug 11, 2010

# ? Aug 11, 2010 20:35

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# ? Jun 8, 2024 19:28

DholmbladRU: May 4, 2006

eddiewalker posted:

Powered speakers like the one you mentioned are probably still you're best idea. (Simpler setup, more efficient, speakers and amp designed for each other) You just need more powerful ones to safely reach the volumes you're obviously trying for.

Any advice on models with price range of $600.

# ? Aug 12, 2010 05:08

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Inspect Your Gadgets > For your listening pleasure: The quick audio questions megathread!

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