|
I can attest to the UK speaker stuff. I love my Tannoys so much. Not too expensive at £270 but now that they have bedded in they sound great. My center is on order and im using my old Wharfdales as my surrounds. I'm temped to go the route of using two more centers as surrounds later on but that would be when I buy my own house and get fully wired up for 7.1. My local Richer sounds had the Whafdales mentioned above which are the same I have for £40 in store last week. Great little speakers for that price.
|
#
?
Sep 8, 2012 13:12
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 22, 2024 09:59 |
|
|
I just bought an Onkyo HT-S4505 5.1 system, and it's working like a dream even without calibrating it (which I'll do once everything's in it's final place). One question - I've currently set it up using audio return channel, and have my Xbox connected to my TV. Would it be better to pass the Xbox signal through the receiver? It worries me that this might introduce lag to any games I might play. As it is, the audio seems to be working fine, with the surround effect working nicely.
|
|
#
?
Sep 9, 2012 19:01
|
|
|
Otik posted:I just bought an Onkyo HT-S4505 5.1 system, and it's working like a dream even without calibrating it (which I'll do once everything's in it's final place). I think that the receiver should not normally introduce any lag, but I don't see any good way to find out other than to try it. You can probably expect that audio and picture will sync up with each other slightly better when they go the same route, rather than using the ARC.
|
|
#
?
Sep 10, 2012 10:14
|
|
|
I just purchased myself a HDTV, and am looking for a receiver that'll adequately do a couple of things. What i need so far: 2 HDMI (Apple TV, HTPC, with options to expand, that'd be nice) 2 component in 2 toslink in (a phono input would also be a nice plus, but i'm not averse to preamping that seperately) which I would be hooking up to a 3.1 system that I already have. The closest, least expensive option that I've seen suggested here in the thread is the Onkyo TX-NR414. However, I live in Canada, where it seems to only be sold for about 200% of the price of it in the US (489$ on amazon.ca) Does anyone have any ideas of what would be a little more affordable up here? Most of what I can find in brick-and-mortar stores all emphasize 31 HDMI ports/3D/DLNA/Pandora/whatever poo poo I'll never use and don't have the inputs to work with the devices I already have.
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2012 17:56
|
|
|
^^ Yeah, we get screwed in Canada for sure but I'm just going to buy my poo poo in the US and get it shipped to a drop for me on the border. If you're close enough, you might want to too^^ Well folks, my old system is starting to die and could use some advice. Firstly: I am not a super audiophile and I don't make LOUD. I just want it to be reliable. I only listen to stereo output, but could potentially go 5.1 in the future. I was very happy with the sound quality of my old setup. My last home audio setup is something I bought new in about 1995, survived 4 moves and has worked perfectly well.  Note the Satellite receiver is not hooked up (used mostly as a clock  ). The VCR is not hooked up either but I guess I could through the TV Coax/Ant.However; The CD player is dying and needs to be replaced. The new 60" LG plasma does not have RCA audio outputs (only digital) so it can't put TV audio through my old receiver. The way I used to have it hooked up for watching was PS3 HDMI-> TV -> RCA audio -> Receiver However, the new TV and PS3 only have digital out, so all viewing is relegated to the TV speakers. As mentioned, no hookup for the VCR unless I unplug the antenna (I just get TV OTA the odd time I watch live TV).. although I guess I could try putting the OTA antenna -> VCR -> TV if I wanted. I would LIKE to keep a CD player as I have a pretty big library of CDs and I have no real interest in ripping them. I like loading up the carousel and letting them go if I listed to them. So, here is what I'm thinking of doing but I am most certainly open to suggestions. From what I can tell, Sony is not rated high as a top tier brand, but they've given me many, many years of good service and have no reason not to use them unless they're now pieces of poo poo. Which maybe they are?  Sony CDP-CD500 5-disk player for @ $109 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NQU4YY/ref=ox_sc_act_title_3?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER Simple, looks very similar to my 20 year old player and has a USB input for playing off thumbrives... which I think it pretty cool although the PS3 is going to be superior for that I'm sure. Sony STR-DH720 receiver @ $240 http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004QOA92A/ref=ox_sc_act_title_2?ie=UTF8&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER I was leaning towards the 520 @ $210 http://www.amazon.com/Sony-STRDH520...words=str-dh520 but there is only a $30 difference. The 720 does have a few more features, such as graphical set up via the TV and a microphone in case I do ever want to set up the surround so I think that's not bad for $30. I'd maintain my old tape deck (yes, I know). The VCR can be plugged into the RCA video input into the receiver. I will maintain my old floor speakers. I figure I can always buy a 2.1 set if I want to try surround in the future. Money is not a huge deal, but I don't think for my needs/wants I shouldn't have to spend more than I already picked for above. Thoughts? Crazy?
|
|
#
?
Sep 12, 2012 20:26
|
|
|
Does anyone know if Sony or someone else makes a system like the HT-IS100 which has the receiver component built into the sub woofer? I don't have a huge amount of space for receiver in my media center, and this seems like a great solution to the problem. I need something that is 3d capable and supports at least 3 hdmi inputs.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 00:02
|
|
|
I've had pretty limited experience in buying speakers, and seeing as this is the last purchase I'll be making in my home entertainment set up, it's the one I have the least amount of wiggle room in getting it to fit my other crap. So far I've got a vizio HDTV, a PS3, and an MSI laptop. I originally always used the VGA plug in for my laptop to TV feed, and then plugged speakers into the laptop through the headphone jack. This laptop has an HDMI output and a bunch of other weird plug ins, so it's a little more complicated trying to get the best performance. I want to be able to switch from HDMI audio and video from the PS3 to the laptop, to cable TV HDMI without plugging or unplugging anything conveniently while keeping the feeds high quality as possible. The TV has: HDMI (with HDCP): 3 (1 side) Component: 1 Composite Video: 1 RF: 1 Computer Input (RGB): 1 SPDIF Digital Optical Output: 1 Stereo Audio Output: 1 USB: 1 (side) The laptop has: 1 x VGA 1 x HDMI 1 x eSATA/USB combo 1 x Mic-in, 1 x Line-in, 1 x Headphone Can I just plug the HDMI for the PS3 and the laptop straight into the TV, and then just have a stereo output to whatever stereo I buy, or should I have the HDMI plug into the stereo, or what? I'm thinking just some standard stereo would be OK to run everything, but I want it to work efficiently. Should only be used for TV, movies, and gaming. My high end is probably 500 all said and done, but I'm fine with just getting a 3.1 setup for now if you had any recommendations for a receiver. I'm in a an apartment, so I don't need anything crazy on bass, and I'm a little hard of hearing at higher frequencies anyways, so the treble needs to be really pronounced. I'd like to have some components transfer over to a newer set up as I move into a bigger place down the road. OP has me thinking moving the two fronts from a 3.1 to the back in a 5.1 later. Don't mind buying used so long as the deal is good. Volkerball fucked around with this message at 04:04 on Sep 13, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 03:51
|
|
|
weaaddar posted:Does anyone know if Sony or someone else makes a system like the HT-IS100 which has the receiver component built into the sub woofer? I don't have a huge amount of space for receiver in my media center, and this seems like a great solution to the problem. I need something that is 3d capable and supports at least 3 hdmi inputs. Wouldn't the cabling arrangement be awkward if you put the receiver in the subwoofer and thus outside the media center? Or do you propose to put the subwoofer/receiver into the media center? That would seem to give you even less room to spare, I would think.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 15:33
|
|
|
weaaddar posted:Does anyone know if Sony or someone else makes a system like the HT-IS100 which has the receiver component built into the sub woofer? I don't have a huge amount of space for receiver in my media center, and this seems like a great solution to the problem. I need something that is 3d capable and supports at least 3 hdmi inputs. Onkyo makes a 2.1 system like that but not surround.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 16:48
|
|
|
qirex posted:Onkyo makes a 2.1 system like that but not surround. The Onkyo HTX-22HDX can actually be upgraded to 5.1 with the SKS-22X speaker package.
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 17:01
|
|
|
Hippie Hedgehog posted:Wouldn't the cabling arrangement be awkward if you put the receiver in the subwoofer and thus outside the media center? Or do you propose to put the subwoofer/receiver into the media center? That would seem to give you even less room to spare, I would think. The HT-IS100 has all the cables and crap going into the bottom of the unit which I put behind my media center which is diagonally laying near a corner. (I have a stupid pipe not allowing me to really use the corner of the room). This is advantageous as both of my couches get a good angle on the TV. The center speaker has an IR receiver, and you realize pretty quick you don't really ever look at the screen. The only time it sucks is when you are doing the speaker calibration or setting up hdmi-cec which for whatever illogical reason is defaulted to off. I actually think its a really good piece of kit, especially because I got it for cheap and it does analog to digital conversion which I just am going to assume I can't get without spending over 500 bones. Does the onkyo system support 3d? And could I use standard speaker cables to it? If so I already have speakers...
|
|
#
?
Sep 13, 2012 21:34
|
|
|
I picked up a used sony 5.1 surround receiver for a very non tech savvy friend (STR K790). It's all set up and works perfectly, but after reading the manual I found out that it should have came with an auto calibration microphone. The manual says it's used to automatically adjust each speaker's volume for optimal performance. I was wondering if anyone here has heard of such a thing, and if so, is it worth bothering to find a replacement? Will any mic work? I have a few headset mics laying around. The mic jack on the receiver accepts a standard 3.5mm input as well.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 02:26
|
|
|
BANME.sh posted:I picked up a used sony 5.1 surround receiver for a very non tech savvy friend (STR K790). It's all set up and works perfectly, but after reading the manual I found out that it should have came with an auto calibration microphone. The manual says it's used to automatically adjust each speaker's volume for optimal performance. I was wondering if anyone here has heard of such a thing, and if so, is it worth bothering to find a replacement? Will any mic work? I have a few headset mics laying around. The mic jack on the receiver accepts a standard 3.5mm input as well. Another mic will almost certainly not work, since the software would be calibrated for a particular model of microphone, with a particular frequency response etc. Sony should have a replacement mic, but their spare parts never come cheap, in my experience. Call your nearest Sony service center and ask.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 08:57
|
|
|
slidebite posted:I would LIKE to keep a CD player as I have a pretty big library of CDs and I have no real interest in ripping them. I like loading up the carousel and letting them go if I listed to them. It's part of the ritual, isn't it? Loading the disc and waiting for the first tunes to flow out. Of course digital audio is so much more convenient, but it's one of those little things in life that gets lost when you make the leap. If you feel like modding audio equipment, Sony does these 200- and 300-disc changers. They have a flaw in their design though; they're too light. The vibration causes all sorts of problems with the unit, but if you mod it to be more rigid and heavier it solves almost all the troubles. Then again, with the trouble of setting one up you might just as well rip the discs. quote:From what I can tell, Sony is not rated high as a top tier brand, but they've given me many, many years of good service and have no reason not to use them unless they're now pieces of poo poo. Which maybe they are? At least their analog stuff was very reliable. Maybe it's anecdotal, but I don't remember ever hearing a bad word from old Sony receivers in regards to build quality. In comparison to those every A/V receiver is going to suck due to the pile of crap that is HDMI. That said, the unit is basic but has everything you'd expect. Graphic GUI, auto calibration, enough ports are the big ones. Rest is up to preferences. Do you want Internet radio, Zone 2/3, pre-outs or something else? If you're getting more speakers, get center channel speaker first. That's the one you'll get most mileage out of with movies. What speakers do you own, by the way?
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 15:10
|
|
|
Volkerball posted:Can I just plug the HDMI for the PS3 and the laptop straight into the TV, and then just have a stereo output to whatever stereo I buy, or should I have the HDMI plug into the stereo, or what? Get an A/V receiver and plug everything into that via HDMI. You could consider Klipsch or maybe Polk speakers if you want bright sound. Any horn-loaded speakers should do the trick, they are almost always very bright. I would suggest getting a 3.0 with floorstanding speakers and dropping the sub altogether. It's hard to get a decent sub into apartment without angering neighbors. Set of Polk Monitor 60s and CS1 comes in at $350 from Newegg, leaving you $150 for receiver and wires. If you live in US, accessories4less.com and monoprice.com should have those covered. I should probably add those links to OP, given how often I am repeating them.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 15:34
|
|
|
weaaddar posted:I actually think its a really good piece of kit, especially because I got it for cheap and it does analog to digital conversion which I just am going to assume I can't get without spending over 500 bones. That's actually not a hugely expensive feature to get. Depends a lot on what ports you need. I'm guessing component for Wii, and everything else is connected via HDMI? BANME.sh posted:I was wondering if anyone here has heard of such a thing, and if so, is it worth bothering to find a replacement? It saves time and is usually worth doing when you get the unit. You can only do it with the mic that comes with the unit, so you'd need to find one exactly like it for the auto calibration to work. If replacement is cheap get one, if it's expensive do it by hand.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 16:01
|
|
|
Hob_Gadling posted:It's part of the ritual, isn't it? Loading the disc and waiting for the first tunes to flow out. Of course digital audio is so much more convenient, but it's one of those little things in life that gets lost when you make the leap. To answer your question, they are Sony floor speakers. I just checked, Model SSC-721AV. Assembled in Canada (!!) Would also be circa 1994/95-ish.  I know Sony isn't exactly renowned for their speakers, but I really like the sound of them. Very airy but also some nice punch. I certainly don't listen to much very loud, but they can if you ask them too, even with my old mediocre amp. I forgot about those monster stack changers so thanks for reminding me. I think I'll probably just stick with the 5-pack. Assuming no real alarm bells by anyone here, I think I'm going to take the plunge and order those pieces I mentioned earlier. I'll keep in mind the center channel.
|
|
#
?
Sep 14, 2012 18:21
|
|
|
Hob_Gadling posted:Good for you! Did you listen to the stuff before buying it? I was able to check out the speakers before in a store and I couldn't really tell the difference between them and the other brands honestly. The only ones that stood out were the Bose because my father had a pair of 501's that sounded similar. I posted some pictures over on the "Post Your AV Setup" and I'll say they sound great. My setup is TV: Hannspree 42in. Receiver: Denon 1713 Center: Pioneer SP-C21 Fronts: Pioneer SP-FS51-LR Rears: Pioneer SP-BS21-LR Bluray: Vizo VBR 122, Game: PS2, N64 I had some coworkers over to drink some home brew and watch "Snow White and the Huntsmen," and they were all compliments. I do need to get a sub though so I'm going to keep my eyes out of Ebay for a Klipsch Sub 12. Also on the plans is to snag a cheap wall mount because if the people in the front sit up then they block any slouched person in the back's view. Thank you all for your help and I appreciate all of the great knowledge in this thread.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2012 07:21
|
|
|
I'm looking to mount a Millenia 20 on each side of my TV, seen below: Note: The light switch just controls power to outlets. I will remove and hard-wire to "on" if I go ahead with this plan. I'm sort of going for this look. But as you can see, my TV is on an angle, and must be that way due to the layout of my living room. As such, I would like a mount for my speakers that would allow for some swivel so that I can match the speaker orientation with the TV. Any suggestions? Based on my research so far, most mounts available are for bookshelf speakers. Not cool. edit: Also note: I will be putting the wires/cables through the wall in the future.
|
|
#
?
Sep 15, 2012 22:12
|
|
|
So, something like this? The keywords you're looking for are probably "soundbar swivel mount".
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2012 01:44
|
|
|
Since this is a music equipment thread and I'm not going to make a new thread for it, tune in for Maj Lind piano competition. Great way to spend an evening, listening to live piano music. The competition is for young gifted pianists. I've been following it for almost 15 years now, ever since my SO competed in it back in the day. It's also a great way to test out your new equipment, since you should be able to hear clearly enough the differences between the pianists. If you can't discern, if the play all sounds the same to you, you might want to check your stuff. Maybe your hearing. My favorite for today was Hyung-Mi Suh and for yesterday a toss-up between Johannes Piirto and Sergei Redkin. Each had their own strengths and weaknesses. You can check their recorded performances by clicking the names on the right side of the stream page.
|
|
#
?
Sep 16, 2012 02:14
|
|
|
slidebite posted:Sony STR-DH720 receiver @ $240 Just as I went to order these, Amazon jacked up the price $60.  Edit: All is not lost. Bestbuy had it on sale for $10 more, so not the end of the world. slidebite fucked around with this message at 20:40 on Sep 17, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 17, 2012 17:53
|
|
|
Thanks for the response, hob. Good point about the sub. 3.0 it is. I want to set this up as efficiently as possible, so the way I see it, I have two options. I can either try and snag a deal on a pair of quality floorstanding speakers and get a decent center and a cheap receiver, and then use those floorstanding as the front speakers for my eventual 5.1 set up. Or, I can buy something that will eventually be my rear speakers, and use them as my front speakers until I can splurge on a set of good floorstanding speakers to replace them with. So long as all my speakers from my 3.0 set up can move over to my 5.1. The question is are the floorstanding speakers in my budget now going to be the weak link in my 5.1 set up? I'm setting my limit at 200 bucks apiece, assuming I find a great value at that price. So if I buy something like a set of these... http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16882156011&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-_-pla-_-NA-_-NA#top ...Are they going to be a weak link in a 5.1, or are they OK? I've looked at some Polk monitors, and some Klipsch speakers as well. If I held off on buying floors for now, I could maybe drop 300 each in a few months. Worth the time to save up, or is there not going to be a dramatic loss in quality if I buy floors now?
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 02:53
|
|
|
Volkerball posted:...Are they going to be a weak link in a 5.1, or are they OK? You should really be telling me, not the other way around. They're OK in the sense that their build quality is good and the speaker itself gives the desired presentation nicely. It's the desired presentation part that you should hear with your own ears. I listened a bit to KEFs Q-series floorstanders a while back. The sound felt rather dark and typical to British speakers, nice and polite. You may have a hard time if you want to mix in some American speakers: those tend to be more "in your face" at times. Imagine the difference in sound between Anthrax and 70's Black Sabbath, and you're sorta there. If you're into that sort of smooth sound those KEFs will probably make you very happy indeed. You may want to hunt down a KEF iQ60 center speaker. TL;DR: KEFs are good speakers. If you're into British sound, they're a great choice.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 04:00
|
|
|
In general, I think Sony makes poo poo for home Audio; however, these particular speakers were given to me by a customer, and I have to say I absolutely love them. Running through a Phillips 1000 Watt Receiver / Blu Ray player I got as a floor model from the big blue box. Gaming and movies will never be the same....
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 09:03
|
|
|
Hi, I'm just doing research right now but I'm considering this setup. B&W CM8 floor standing speakers B&W ASW608 sub woofer Denon AVR 2313 receiver I'm trying to keep this as minimal as possible, and yes, style is also important. But I really don't know what the gently caress. The plan is that it is really really good at music but will probably see more use with blueray and PS3. Do I even need that sub woofer? Do these things even go together? Do people not use amplifiers any more? The receiver has built in Spotify and airplay which is brilliant but I have not been able to work out if I can even plug a turntable into it.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 13:08
|
|
|
Laser Cow posted:
That receiver is an amplifier, but with all the bells and whistles. If you were just going to listen to stereo music, I would have suggested a stereo amp, as that would have been better bang for the buck. As it is, I think the AVR-2313 will do wonderfully at playing music, too. It will make switching sources a little easier for you than a stereo amp would, since you can connect both video and audio though the receiver, so you don't have to fiddle with both the stereo and TV remotes when you go from watching TV to playing PS3. I like how it supposedly supports flac streaming over network or USB! You will have to attach your turntable via a pre-amp, though. Hardly any receivers these days have a phono input (due to the low demand, I suppose). (The Denon AVR-3313 has it, but that feature alone is not worth the markup.) I'm lazy so I bought the first preamp I could find, which was a NAD PP2. It's a little pricy but sounds great! Edit: I don't know about the speakers, all I know is B&W are a well-regarded brand. Possibly priced a little high, but they do look good! I'd be wary of anything with a "piano" finish though, you'll be constantly dusting them... Hippie Hedgehog fucked around with this message at 13:29 on Sep 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 13:21
|
|
|
Thanks for the info, think I'll go listen to them a bit. See how much I need the sub and listen to some other speakers in the same price range. Maybe listen to it with a centre speaker as well. How expensive do speaker cables actually have to be? [edit]Given the scenario (2,2.1 or 3.1) and usage I've described, what would the functional difference be between the Denon 2313 and the cheaper 2113. Since I was mostly interested in its networky magical powers anyway and the 2113 seems to retain that. What are it's limitations in comparison to the 2313? Laser Cow fucked around with this message at 15:09 on Sep 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 14:08
|
|
|
Laser Cow posted:Thanks for the info, think I'll go listen to them a bit. See how much I need the sub and listen to some other speakers in the same price range. Maybe listen to it with a centre speaker as well. A bunch of answers in no particular order: I don't think you need that sub with those speakers. Either go without one or get a sub that goes down to 20Hz. The set you have goes together (except the sub), but you have somewhat conflicting requirements. For music get a good stereo amp, for home theater an A/V receiver like you picked is fine. Incidentally, I'd go with Denon with those speakers. Maybe a model with pre outs in case you want more power later on. Denon feature comparison. Whathifi.com sums up the features that only 2313 has thusly: * 135W x 7ch (6 ohms) – fully discrete and symmetrical layouted power stages (as compared to 125W x 7ch) * Audyssey DSX * Audyssey Pro ready * 2 x HDMI outputs (simultaneously) * 7.2ch pre-outs * Enhanced multizone (2 zone) and RS-232 support * DSD over HDMI Cables can be cheap as long as they're intact and thick enough. Buy a bunch of banana plugs and make your own cables. Spending hundreds on cabling is just silly. Of course you should never underestimate psychoacoustics: if it sounds better in your head just because it's more expensive... While you're comparing stuff, see if you can listen to B&W 600 series. They're a bit cheaper and might work for you if you mostly watch movies and play games. Alternatively, if music is important spend a minute with B&W 805 bookshelfs. Those need a sub to go with 'em and are considerably more expensive but just so you know what money can buy. Hob_Gadling fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Sep 18, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 20:13
|
|
|
Okay, I think if I understand what you mean about the sub, the one I was looking at wouldn't do any good for those speakers? Regarding the feature list of the receiver (thanks for digging through that comparison for me), I had to look up pretty much all of that and it wasn't important. Except the pre-outs and the increased power but I don't know how important that actually is.
|
|
#
?
Sep 18, 2012 21:52
|
|
|
Hob_Gadling posted:So, something like this? The keywords you're looking for are probably "soundbar swivel mount". Awesome! Thank you. I am going to confirm the mount will work with the Millenia 20s, or shop around for a similar mount if not.
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2012 03:22
|
|
|
Laser Cow posted:Okay, I think if I understand what you mean about the sub, the one I was looking at wouldn't do any good for those speakers? Here are my feelings on the sub: A subwoofer should always have a more capable output than the main and center speakers, as the subwoofer is taxed much more than the rest of the system. Also, in home theatre situations, main and center channels are "supposed" to be able to reach 105db peak at reference volume, but the subwoofer is to reach 115db peak. At any given setting, the subwoofer needs to be able to play 10db louder than the other speakers. 10db isn't much to the ears, but the wattage and air displacement requirements to play 10db louder are many multiples. Those speakers are 3 5" cones, times two. A single 8" subwoofer will not keep up to them in any way that makes you grin or impresses your guests (which is 2/3 of the reason we build nice sound systems). The floorstanding speakers (kudos to b&w for their informative spec sheets) have a meaningful frequency extension down to about 50hz. Below that, the subwoofer needs to take over. The 608 goes down to about 32hz before dropping off. A good subwoofer does 3 things. It plays at loud volumes, it doesn't distort or sound muddy, and it plays low tones. 20hz seems to be a realistic goal for a good off the shelf subwoofer. A subwoofer like the 608 which only extends your range down another 18hz isn't going to wow you. I had trouble finding pricing, but it seems to cost between $300 used up to around $600 new. For that kind of pricing, you could go for a cheaper unit that moved much more air and digs deeper like this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Klipsch-Sub-12-Power-Subwoofer-/180965950550?pt=Speakers_Subwoofers&hash=item2a22694456 I had this sub in a medium sized room and worked really well for the price. A better sub with more output that is more accurate and extremely good in both theatre and music situations is the Rythmik FV12 http://www.rythmikaudio.com/FV12.html This is the best bang-for-the-buck subwoofer on the market right now (not including DIY subs), which, for the extra cost, is worth holding off and saving for.
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2012 04:01
|
|
|
Laser Cow posted:Regarding the feature list of the receiver (thanks for digging through that comparison for me), I had to look up pretty much all of that and it wasn't important. Except the pre-outs and the increased power but I don't know how important that actually is. How much power you need depends on two things: 1. How loud you want to play 2. How sensitive your speakers are. The CM8 are rated 88dB (per Watt @1m), which is not all that impressive but not terrible either. CM8 are 8 ohm speakers, and the power ratings @8 ohms for the 2113 and 2313 are 95 W and 105 W, respectively. That's not a huge difference, but if you're right on the verge of getting distorsion, of course it will be a world of difference. Maybe someone else could estimate how loudly 95 or 105 W would play those speakers, but I can't. I can only say that it will probably be enough to make most people cover their ears. Note that the power ratings are for only two channels playing, with 0.05% THD (which should be just about still listenable, I think). As for the pre-outs, I doubt you'll need/want to get separate power amplifiers in a living room environment. It would again depend on whether 105 W will play loud enough for your tastes or not.
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2012 12:23
|
|
|
Hi gentlegoons! I am in the process of buying my first stereo ever. Mostly because i am finally done refurbishing my first self owned apartment, and that i am an adult with desposable income. My cousin invented some new kind of speakers which apparently are very good, some years ago, (very good at vocal frequencies, bad at bass) and his business has finally started rolling, so i am getting a pair of these speakers for nearly free. My plan is to complete the stereo system with an amplifier/reciever (this is essentially the same thing right?) and a sub-woofer. I am not really looking for specific product recommendations, but id love some general tips on what kinda of features i should have on my gear. Budget wise i reckon around $1500 tops (for the sub and amp). The speakers are passive, from what i understand this essentially means that there will be less wires since the speakers gets electricity from the reciever, and not sockets in the wall? My cousin recommended me to get an active sub, which apparently mean that i can customize which frequencies the sub plays and which frequencies the spakers play? Why is active/passive when talking about speakers used to describe where they get their power from, but active/passive when talking about subwoofers used to describe that you can adjust which frequencies they play? I would like as few devices as possible, but as many options as possible (who wouldn't), are there any recievers with ipod docking and cd playing capabilities? Hob_Gadling posted:HDMI has one major downside and that is called HDCP or High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection. This copy protection essentially means that you have to build the system as the manufacturers have intended (source ->receiver->TV) or your system simply won't work as intended. As long as you connect everything through your receiver, you should be fine. Could you clarify this? I currently have my cable decoder connected to the TV with HDMI. Does the bolded part above mean that i need to connect the cable decoder to the reciever, which is then connected to the TV ? Id like to hear the TV channels from my stereo, but also be able to hear movies i play directly from the TV (with usb stick) on the stereo, is this possible?
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2012 12:32
|
|
|
Ineptitude posted:The speakers are passive, from what i understand this essentially means that there will be less wires since the speakers gets electricity from the reciever, and not sockets in the wall? quote:My cousin recommended me to get an active sub, which apparently mean that i can customize which frequencies the sub plays and which frequencies the spakers play? quote:Could you clarify this? I currently have my cable decoder connected to the TV with HDMI. Does the bolded part above mean that i need to connect the cable decoder to the reciever, which is then connected to the TV ? Id like to hear the TV channels from my stereo, but also be able to hear movies i play directly from the TV (with usb stick) on the stereo, is this possible?
|
|
#
?
Sep 19, 2012 18:45
|
|
|
Help! The new Denon 2113 receiver supports Airplay, but I absolutely can’t find a hint on whether it is Audio only or also Airplay Video. I’m currently using an old Apple TV with my Denon 2310 for Airplay photo/video stuff and want to upgrade to the newer Apple TV for 1080p support, but if the new 2113 comes with full 1080p Airplay support, I’ll just buy that. Laser Cow posted:Hi, I'm just doing research right now but I'm considering this setup. I have two CM9 front and two CM5s as rears with a Denon 2310 and I’m extremely, extremely happy with the setup. I bought them exactly two years ago and still smile every time I turn the volume up. Can’t say anything about the CM8s because they seem fairly new. If they perform anything like the CM9s, you should be fine without a subwoofer for starters. If you really crave more/deeper bass, you can always buy the sub later on. I skipped the sub because the two speakers deliver plenty of bass for my taste, and I like the uncluttered look of two speakers without a large sub standing around. Just be sure to listen to the speakers before to buy them. It’s really, really important. I was dead set on buying a pair of CM7s before I had the chance to listen to the whole B&W range live. If you have any questions about this particular setup, feel free to send me a PM. eames fucked around with this message at 20:51 on Sep 23, 2012 |
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2012 20:31
|
|
|
Just bought my first home theater setup: 2x Polk Audio - Triple 5-1/4" 2-Way Floor Speakers - $150 each in store... crazy deal. Sounded better than the similar Klipsch speakers to my ears. Normally are $300 each. 1x Polk Audio CS1 Series II Center Channel Speaker $79 on newegg 1x Polk Audio PSW Series PSW111 Black Compact powered subwoofer - $259 in store. I wanted a smaller sub and this was perfect. Now here's the one I'm most concerned about - the Pioneer - 400W 5.1-Ch. 3D Pass-Through A/V Home Theater Receiver. This has some really bad reviews, and is prone to dying. I'm likely going to return it without having set it up. I don't have Apple products, and don't care about Airplay. It seems like the more expensive receivers just have more and more features I don't care about. I care about audio quality, reliability and ability to expand to 5.1 which pretty much every receiver does. Also don't care about 3D, 4k audio, etc etc which is why I went with an intro receiver.
|
|
#
?
Sep 23, 2012 20:49
|
|
|
eames posted:Help! The new Denon 2113 receiver supports Airplay, but I absolutely can’t find a hint on whether it is Audio only or also Airplay Video. Timely. I'll keep the questions in here in case someone else can weigh in. I went and had a listen to the CM8s and CM9s in the store on Saturday. They were set up with an awesome NAD amp so I don't know how much that had to say (also my room is never going to be as good as their listening room). The CM9s without the sub were better than the CM8s with a sub so if it's anything it's going to be a pair of CM9s. I don't know audiophile speak but I thought the CM8s were great but then we switched to the CM9s and it was ridiculous. Also they will be in a fairly large room. The guy said straight up that the 2113 wouldn't drive the CM9s well at all, I mean he'd let me buy it but he would never recommend it. The 2313 might but he'd still recommend a separate amp. But of course he would, I'm going to organize a better demo with the 2313 before I decide. I think we were talking past each other a bit by that point and I was in a rush. On the plus side after coming home a bit uncertain about whether I could afford this if I want a dedicated amp as well as the receiver my wife offered to buy the amp for me. Best wife, but still not sure I need it though. The amp I'm considering is the NAD C375BEE with the phono module. Are there any products that will give the connectivity of the Denon 2113/2313 that I can just plug into an amp? Also holy poo poo the CM9s sound good. I mean seriously. gently caress me.
|
|
#
?
Sep 24, 2012 09:20
|
|
|
Laser Cow posted:The amp I'm considering is the NAD C375BEE with the phono module. Try and listen to the same speakers with different electronics. You'll better be able to judge the impact of changing the amps after you've tried a few different ones with same speakers. I think it's worthwhile to spend a few moments to match the amps with speakers so that the end result is pleasing. quote:Are there any products that will give the connectivity of the Denon 2113/2313 that I can just plug into an amp? Not in the sense you're meaning, no. You can get A/V separates which are typically of higher quality than combined units but of course the price rises accordingly. For price/performance stereo amps are the best.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2012 12:31
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 22, 2024 09:59 |
|
|
Ineptitude posted:I am not really looking for specific product recommendations, but id love some general tips on what kinda of features i should have on my gear. Budget wise i reckon around $1500 tops (for the sub and amp). What are you going to do with it? Listen to music, watch movies, something else? quote:Id like to hear the TV channels from my stereo, but also be able to hear movies i play directly from the TV (with usb stick) on the stereo, is this possible? Yes, via ARC (at least in theory) but with the budget you have I would seriously consider spending about $400 towards a HTPC. Mine has replaced practically everything else in the entertainment center. I still have a separate Blu-Ray player but it sees use maybe once or twice a year.
|
|
#
?
Sep 25, 2012 12:42
|
|