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Phone posted:I'm moving in a few weeks, and while I probably won't buy anything until closer to August, still would like to get a shopping cart in order. Update, and need some input. So far I have this in a wishlist: Denon AVR-X1200W (link) Pioneer SP-C22 Center (link) Pioneer SP-FS52 Floors L/R (link) I asked about a setup a few years ago, and someone recommended a non Pioneer sub, so I'm just looking for a sanity check plus a subwoofer recommendation. Thanks!
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Jul 9, 2016 21:49
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Keep in mind that Andrew Jones moved to Elac after doing the Pioneer speakers, and people are generally recommending the Elacs now. For subwoofers, the general recommendation in this thread for people in the US are the Polk PSW10 or PSW505 if you want/need a bigger sub.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:00
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I'd go for a SVS sub, they're pretty insane. Somewhat more spendy, but IMO worth it.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:06
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Oh yeah, if you want a real powerhouse go with SVS or Velodyne or a similar Big rear end Sub For Big rear end Bass, but they're pretty costly. And personally, I would rather have two medium subs than one huge sub, for better acoustics.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:14
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Klungar posted:I used to have a very nice 7.1 floorstand speaker system in my old apartment, but since then I've moved into a house with a living room setup that isn't particularly suited for floorstands, and had a kid who would love to have new wires to pull on and things to tip over. My wife bought me a new receiver for Father's Day to support the 4K TV we got for Christmas, and this receiver supports Bluetooth. Wireless speakers would be ideal from a positioning and lack-of-wires standpoint, but it seems like all the Bluetooth speaker sets I've been able to find cap at at 3.1. Is this a limitation of the driving power of Bluetooth? Am I able to buy a bunch of individual speakers and cobble myself together a 7.1 system? Should I just get one of this speaker bars to rest on my entertainment center and forego the whole issue? The room I'm trying to put the speakers in doesn't have attic access from above or basement access from below, so running speaker wire really isn't an option without tearing stuff up. Bluetooth isn't for getting sound to your speakers. It's for connecting phones and stuff to your receiver. If you don't have pre-outs on your receiver, you're SOL for not running wires.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:21
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KozmoNaut posted:Keep in mind that Andrew Jones moved to Elac after doing the Pioneer speakers, and people are generally recommending the Elacs now. I'm going from 10W built-in TV speakers, so the prospect of dropping over a grand just on speakers is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. If there's nothing terrible about the Pioneers, I'm going to still lean towards those. I think the PSW505 was the missing piece of the puzzle. Thanks~
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Jul 9, 2016 22:31
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There's absolutely nothing wrong with the Pioneers, the Elacs are just better and also higher-priced in accordance.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:34
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Yeah, Pioneers + Polk + that overkill Denon is ~$939. Keeping the same Denon and Polk and switching over to F5s and a C5 is ~$1328. It's a bit less than I thought if they are a significant step up. For reference, I use Sennheiser HD280s at work and if I want to use headphones at home I do have a pair of 598s that can be used. Nonzero chance of someone plugging those into the receiver when I'm on my PC in the back of the room. It's also probably going to be set up in a bedroom (think 10'x11'), so I'm not sure if that changes the equation at all. Phone fucked around with this message at 22:44 on Jul 9, 2016 |
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Jul 9, 2016 22:42
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Phone posted:I'm going from 10W built-in TV speakers, so the prospect of dropping over a grand just on speakers is a bit of a bitter pill to swallow. If there's nothing terrible about the Pioneers, I'm going to still lean towards those. I have this same setup and it's totally worth it.
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Jul 9, 2016 22:56
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FYI all, the oft-recommended Polk PSW505 Subwoofer is at $188 today on Amazon, which is basically the lowest I've ever seen it, usually its in the 240-300 range https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000092TT0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
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Jul 10, 2016 02:01
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intheflesh posted:FYI all, the oft-recommended Polk PSW505 Subwoofer is at $188 today on Amazon, which is basically the lowest I've ever seen it, usually its in the 240-300 range That's a solid price. The best I've ever seen was a net cost of 149 around Black Friday a few years ago.
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Jul 10, 2016 04:06
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Something I've just noticed. My current receiver uses regular speaker wire to connect the sub, but all the more modern receivers I've seen use RCA for the subwoofer. Is this going to be a problem when I replace it?
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Jul 10, 2016 04:24
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intheflesh posted:FYI all, the oft-recommended Polk PSW505 Subwoofer is at $188 today on Amazon, which is basically the lowest I've ever seen it, usually its in the 240-300 range Confirmed this on camelcamelcamel and pulled the trigger at 3am this morning.  I think I am going to go with the Elacs for the TV. I might try to pick up those Pioneers for downstairs, but I might just pick up some second hand bookshelf speakers for when we're hosting people and want some ambient noise going.
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Jul 10, 2016 20:03
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Instant Sunrise posted:Something I've just noticed. My current receiver uses regular speaker wire to connect the sub, but all the more modern receivers I've seen use RCA for the subwoofer. Is this going to be a problem when I replace it? Are you replacing the receiver or the sub?
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Jul 10, 2016 20:34
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KillHour posted:Are you replacing the receiver or the sub? Receiver. My current one is a Pioneer SX-316 that's pretty outdated, lacking HDMI ports of any kind. I want to replace it with something more modern that has HDMI, and more importantly, reports as supporting 5.1 audio over HDMI EDID to my Wii U and HTPC. (Edit: I'm worried, probably unreasonably, that a receiver with HDMI passthrough will use the TV's EDID when connecting to a PC. And since the TV only does stereo, my PC would think my sound system is Stereo Only.) Instant Sunrise fucked around with this message at 23:47 on Jul 10, 2016 |
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Jul 10, 2016 23:44
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You need a new sub.
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Jul 11, 2016 10:47
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Assuming your sub has speaker out connections, you can continue to use it. But I can't make any promises about sound quality
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Jul 11, 2016 14:41
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Anyone have some suggestions for some nice, sturdy cat-resistant (note I didn't say -proof, I'm not a complete naïf) speaker stands? The speakers in question are a pair of Definitive Technology StudioMonitor 350s which are not enormous but are definitely big enough to fall hard if they get knocked into (11"H x 7"W x10"D, ~10lbs apiece). Currently they are hanging on my wall by their little keyhole brackets and I'd really like to get them into the room a little.
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Jul 12, 2016 22:20
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Posted this in the audio quick questions thread, but this is probably a better spot. I pulled the trigger on a Vizio S5451 during the prime day lightning deal for $200. I'm mixed on if I should cancel or not. I planned to build a system for my living room with separate components, but this price was so low compared to the $500 I would expect for a decent setup. Still, I have a 65" TV that I sit 11 feet from and worry that this 54" bar is just too small. For $200 and actual rear speakers though , it seems like it could work at least for now. Thoughts?
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Jul 13, 2016 14:20
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Jewce posted:Thoughts? I think you just bought a sound bar, Jewce.
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Jul 13, 2016 14:39
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It looks like you can get about the same amount you paid selling it on ebay if you end up hating it.
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Jul 13, 2016 16:58
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I have started to plan out a budget sound system for either 2-channel or 2.1 and have found myself in over my head a bit. I would like to start with a nice old receiver (for some bookshelf speakers), and two in my area are these: https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5680902404.html https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5677261754.html The second has a tuner problem but I wouldn't be using it for FM anyway. $150 is my limit for a receiver and I don't need to buy impulsively. The real issue is that I'm completely lost on D/A conversion. The options I see are: - a discrete D/A converter; these look pretty drat expensive and might be more specialized than I need; - a bargain home-theater receiver that could convert signals and then output to the nicer reciever; this would be inelegant in the extreme and I want something simple and relatively inobtrusive - a consumer all-in-one converter with bluetooth and an iPhone dock; as far as I can tell there are cheap ones that aren't good and good ones that are expensive I'm not sure if I'm missing some obvious choice. My audio source would be either my pc or an old iPad I have laying about, I don't need a million inputs just something that can convert 1 or 2 digital sources easily that won't cripple a nice old receiver and some decent speakers. Any advice would be appreciated.
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Jul 13, 2016 20:07
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Since you're not going to be using the tuner part, why not look at amplifiers as well as receivers? As for the D/A conversion, odds are that the onboard sound in your PC is perfectly fine, so you can just stick a 3,5mm minijack to RCA cable on there, and voilà! Same with the iPad, the audio hardware in Apple products is generally quite good. You don't need an external DAC to get sound from a PC, there is already one on the analog output  You could also just get an older home theater receiver and use that as a stereo amplifier. You would get some digital inputs and whatnot, maybe some better EQ options as well.
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Jul 13, 2016 20:14
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Alternative option. Get one with SPDIF or TOSLINK input if you're really married to the idea of an external DAC. Most motherboards have a TOSLINK output option or a SPDIF header that just needs an output bracket.
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Jul 13, 2016 20:22
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Jewce posted:Thoughts? How big a deal is the form factor for you? I started this thread back in the day because people kept buying disposable speakers every two years instead of looking up something they liked. A nice pair of speakers is essentially timeless. I'm running a pair I got almost 20 years ago in my home theater. They were a little more expensive when I got them than I would have liked, but I figured out I wouldn't need to change them as long as I liked them. For €300 I've gotten two decades worth of good audio. If you like it, go for it. Otherwise consider visiting a hi-fi shop near you and listening to some stuff. Might be the start of a beautiful friendship. Filthy Hans posted:Any advice would be appreciated. Both of those receivers are nice starting points. Any idea about speakers yet? 3,5mm to RCA from PC sound card or phone headphone port to receiver is the simplest solution. https://www.amazon.com/RiteAV-Feet-3-5mm-Stereo-Cable/dp/B000V0G2C4
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Jul 13, 2016 20:26
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Glad I asked you guys, the 3.5 mm jack is the perfect solution for me and I entirely forgot about it. I'm not quite sure what to look for in amps as opposed to receivers, do I just look at the same manufacturers and similar output specs? I really am a neophyte at this. As for speakers, I'm just going to start with some modest bookshelfs, just browsing Craigslist i see some JBLs, Polks, Pioneers, Koss', and even some old Marantzs for less than $100 for a pair, so I don't think I'll go beyond that price point. Thanks so far, duders.
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Jul 13, 2016 20:36
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A receiver is really just an amp with some extra bits. In the case of stereo receivers, that's the radio tuner. In home theater receivers, it's the whole video processing bit. For instance, the NAD 7140 receiver you linked is equivalent to the NAD 3140 amplifier and whichever tuner they made at the same time, built into one case. If you don't need the tuner, either will suit your needs exactly the same, but sometimes the amplifier will have an extra available input compared to the receiver, because it isn't taken up by the tuner. For NAD products, all amplifiers suitable for your needs start with a '3' in the model number. But don't feel like you should stick to one brand, there are plenty of quality gear from Yamaha, Sony, Marantz, Pioneer, Akai, Kenwood and a bunch of others out there, tons of brands you've probably never heard of, but who made/make great gear. Hell even the likes of Mitsubishi and Toshiba got in on the hifi craze in the 70s and 80s 
KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 20:56 on Jul 13, 2016 |
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Jul 13, 2016 20:48
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KozmoNaut posted:A receiver is really just an amp with some extra bits. In the case of stereo receivers, that's the radio tuner. In home theater receivers, it's the whole video processing bit. OK, that clears that up. I think I'll go with the NAD 705 because I can get a $5 learning remote to control it and the tuner issue might be fixable - this project is for basic DIY experience almost as much as for sound, so I may try cleaning up the potentiometers and maybe replacing the capacitors down the line, but if it all works great I won't mess with it.
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Jul 13, 2016 20:54
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It never hurts to give the potentiometers a shot of deoxit, for sure. And the tuner issue sounds like maybe there's a loose connection between the antenna and the tuner, or maybe the guy who's selling it just isn't using a good enough antenna, who knows. Buying defective (or sold as defective, at least) gear and fixing it up can be a really fun hobby
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Jul 13, 2016 21:01
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KozmoNaut posted:It never hurts to give the potentiometers a shot of deoxit, for sure. And the tuner issue sounds like maybe there's a loose connection between the antenna and the tuner, or maybe the guy who's selling it just isn't using a good enough antenna, who knows. Yep, the journey = the destination or some such. Now I just need some speakers to go with it, but I'll start with some modestly priced ones. There are some $25 Polks for sale nearby, most of the better deals seem to be on bigger form factors though, like these: JBL floor standers $100 https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5678739162.html Pioneer floor speakers $40 https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5676669856.html Marantz floor speakers $40 https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5660436482.html sounds awfully cheap for the manufacturer Also found a couple bookshelf units that look nicer than the Polks but I'm not sure if they're worth the price increase: Koss $90 https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5670384110.html Bose $120 https://sarasota.craigslist.org/ele/5680188870.html I know Bose is considered overrated but I dunno about their old stuff Many thanks if you bother to read through these
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Jul 13, 2016 21:17
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The Bose 301s really aren't too horrible if they're in good condition, but the drivers tend to rot on them. I mean, they're not awesome or anything, but they're OK. The Marantz speakers are probably cheap because Marantz isn't really a "speaker brand", as in they're known for their electronics, not their speakers. But a lot of electronics manufacturers made great speakers back in the day, like Pioneer, Sony and Technics. So they may actually be quite good. Personally, I would gravitate more towards the JBLs, though. But as with all speakers, listen before you buy, if at all possible.
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Jul 13, 2016 21:31
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KozmoNaut posted:The Bose 301s really aren't too horrible if they're in good condition, but the drivers tend to rot on them. I mean, they're not awesome or anything, but they're OK. Thanks for the input, I'll start with the $25 Polks until I have everything else set up perfectly and then worry about better sounding speakers after that. Pulling the trigger on the $50 NAD tonight. edit (update): I went to the seller's house and tested out the $50 NAD, he hooked up a couple of $1200 speakers and the receiver drove them really hard, way more than I expected. I was happy to shell out the $50. For $20 more he sold me a pair of lower-end DCM speakers that sounded decent and some heavy-gauge wires too. I'm ordering from Monoprice a 3.5-RCA cable for my source and a short RCA-RCA cable to replace the notoriously lovely NAD preamp jumpers (it may be superfluous but for $2 it'll be my first foray into the murky world of audiophile improvements). I'm also getting the cheapest multimeter and FM antenna from Amazon to see if I can diagnose the tuner issue. Overall I'm pretty psyched, and thanks for the guidance. Filthy Hans fucked around with this message at 01:53 on Jul 14, 2016 |
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Jul 13, 2016 21:40
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~ 5th million dumb question time ~ The room I want to set up the TV + speakers in is sharing double duty with my semi-large desk (L shaped; 65.5" x 59"), so my effective play area is about 117" x 136". With a 55" set, I think I'm in the sweet spot no matter how I set up things distance wise with about a 7 foot viewing distance. I'm looking at just going with the Elac F5 + the Polk PSW505. I take it that I shouldn't just put the sub in the corner and then put an F5 in front of it? How much space should I leave between the F5 and the wall? Would 10" x 10" work for the speaker closest to the wall if I line up stuff on the 117" long side? Or should I opt for setting things up on the 136" long wall if possible? Thanks for answering all of my dumb questions. 
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Jul 14, 2016 05:34
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Filthy Hans posted:a short RCA-RCA cable to replace the notoriously lovely NAD preamp jumpers (it may be superfluous but for $2 it'll be my first foray into the murky world of audiophile improvements). How are the preamp jumpers "notoriously lovely"?
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Jul 14, 2016 07:10
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Phone posted:~ 5th million dumb question time ~ Not so close that you make the bass all boomy. Experiment ☺
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Jul 14, 2016 15:31
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Aren't preamp jumpers literally just a bent piece of steel? Maybe with some plastic or rubber around it?
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Jul 14, 2016 15:56
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Exactly, a bent piece of metal, maybe 3-4cm long. The resistance, inductance and capacitance are so low that you can barely measure them, even with good-quality lab equipment. It has absolutely no negative impact on the sound.
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Jul 14, 2016 15:58
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Good to know I can sell it on eBay for around what I'm paying so thanks to whoever for pointing that out. Hob_Gadling posted:How big a deal is the form factor for you? It's not really about form factor as much as about ease. I've got a better system downstairs where I'm using a cambridge soundworks 5.1 setup I got 15 years ago with an onkyo receiver that is somewhat decent. I definitely never thought I would get a soundbar. I was sold by the wireless sub though and really I'm about to have a baby and didn't feel like doing the research into speakers and receiver and poo poo. Oh well, it gets here today so hopefully it will be good enough to keep.
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Jul 14, 2016 16:30
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KozmoNaut posted:How are the preamp jumpers "notoriously lovely"? I read it on a few forums, basically the gist was the jumpers NAD used were low-quality steel and their competitors used something closer to a really short RCA cable connection (i.e. insulated and with fancy connectors) and swapping the cheap ones out on an NAD is a quick fix. I have no idea if it's true and I'm spending $2 to find out. The real snake-oil salesmen are hawking $80 jumpers, there may be even more expensive ones. I will report back on the efficacy of my $2 experiment.
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Jul 15, 2016 01:42
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It's very odd to me that preamp jumpers don't need a ground path. I guess since they have the same chassis ground....?
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Jul 15, 2016 01:48
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