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qirex posted:They have refurbs of a lot of those Yamaha stereo amps and receivers on accessories4less.com yeah but you can’t buy those with Best Buy gift cards
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May 4, 2022 18:02
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Ok Comboomer posted:yeah but you can’t buy those with Best Buy gift cards True but more people than that poster may be interested
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May 4, 2022 18:32
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Ok Comboomer posted:if you really want 2.0/2.1 stereo, this is the best that Best Buy will do for you: So it turns out this doesn't have a phono input. I have to either return this and get something different or get a turn table with a preamp or get a phono preamp. Oops.
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May 6, 2022 00:51
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I know this is a stupid question, but does anyone have any recommendations for good budget speakers for a 3.1 setup? I am getting this TV and I've already got a refurbished Denon AVR-S650H AV Receiver (because I'm an idiot and bought the wrong one). It's going to be installed in an open kitchen/dining room/living room space in my apartment, and it's going to be mainly used for streaming/UHDs with occasional gaming. Greekonomics fucked around with this message at 07:31 on May 6, 2022 |
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May 6, 2022 06:47
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cosmicjim posted:So it turns out this doesn't have a phono input. I have to either return this and get something different or get a turn table with a preamp or get a phono preamp. I don't think anything has a phono input these days. Well, unless you hop on up to top-of-the-line units, which will cost you probably ... ten times as much as getting a phono preamp.
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May 6, 2022 07:33
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Hippie Hedgehog posted:I don't think anything has a phono input these days. nah, most stereo receivers and amps should still have them. TBH I’m surprised that particular Yamaha doesn’t have one, but I guess all the other 2 channel receivers in the line and all of their integrated amps do. Denon and a few other brands make affordable surround receivers with phono pres. OP, if you must get your amp/receiver from Best Buy then you have two (three?) choices: you can either find a surround receiver in your budget that has a built in phono pre or you can keep the receiver you just bought + purchase an inexpensive phono pre (or replace your turntable with one that has a preamp, which is not what I would do)
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May 6, 2022 07:49
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Greekonomics posted:I know this is a stupid question, but does anyone have any recommendations for good budget speakers for a 3.1 setup? Jamo speaker deals on Adorama via Slickdeals are a good entry level choice, but knowing more about your budget would help. https://slickdeals.net/newsearch.php?q=jamo&searcharea=deals&searchin=first
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May 6, 2022 10:26
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Anyone have preamp recommendations? Will I regret getting the cheapest thing I can find?
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May 6, 2022 14:42
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cosmicjim posted:Anyone have preamp recommendations? Will I regret getting the cheapest thing I can find? I have this one: https://pro-jectusa.com/product/phono-box-mm/ It's small and easy to hide behind an amp and it does exactly what it needs to do, without any exotic audiophile stuff.
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May 6, 2022 14:56
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Greekonomics posted:I know this is a stupid question, but does anyone have any recommendations for good budget speakers for a 3.1 setup?
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May 6, 2022 15:18
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qirex posted:What is your budget? If it's really low you might want to go 2.1 so you can get better main speakers. aparmenideanmonad posted:Jamo speaker deals on Adorama via Slickdeals are a good entry level choice, but knowing more about your budget would help. I didn't really have a set budget to start, I just wanted to go for whatever would less painful on my wallet. The TV was kind of an impulse purchase. But those Jamo speakers look like what I'm after, so thank you! That $399 set looks tempting but I don't think I have the space for the big speakers. So for a 3.1 setup, would these work? - Jamo S 83 for center speaker - Jamo S 810 SUB 10" 150W 2-Channel Subwoofer for subwoofer - Jamo S 801 Bookshelf Speakers for left and right speakers
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May 6, 2022 18:21
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My understanding is that center speakers aren’t usually worth it at the lower price ranges and you’d be better off dedicating the money to better side speakers.
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May 6, 2022 18:27
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Vegetable posted:My understanding is that center speakers aren’t usually worth it at the lower price ranges and you’d be better off dedicating the money to better side speakers. So should I get these instead and put the bookshelf and center speakers away? And would I still need a subwoofer? Sorry for all the stupid questions.
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May 6, 2022 18:59
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I would just focus on a 2.0 or 2.1 setup to start. The Jamo speakers would be good surrounds but they're not great primary speakers since they rely too much on a sub. I would go for something like this and then focus on a sub. After that, if you feel you need better vocals I'd finally get a center. Animale fucked around with this message at 16:18 on May 7, 2022 |
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May 7, 2022 16:06
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I’ve got a set of the Jamo bookshelf speakers I use in my office that sound great there, but they are definitely lacking in the low end.
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May 7, 2022 17:14
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Animale posted:I would just focus on a 2.0 or 2.1 setup to start. The Jamo speakers would be good surrounds but they're not great primary speakers since they rely too much on a sub. Yeah, I think I'll do this. Thanks for all the help, I really appreciate it!
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May 7, 2022 21:13
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I would also point you toward the JBL Stage line. Unfortunately we just missed a big Harman web sale where everything was like 60% off, but on Crutchfield you can still get stuff like a pair of Stage 170 floorstanders for ~$400. If you can wait for them I think they’re a better speaker than both the Jamo and the Klipsch, but I wouldn’t pay full retail for them when they go on discount super frequently.
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May 8, 2022 00:22
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So, it looks like the center Chanel on my 7/8 year old Vizio sound bar has finally died. I never really loved the thing because the rear channels don’t actually do left and right rear, but are both mono (same sound over both speakers). So its not really 5.1 channels, its 5.1 speakers over 4 channels. But I digress. Is the ~~$300-400 Vizio still the thing to get for budget ish sound bars? Its for a small ish loft, there is a 45” 1080p Bravia (again of the same era) and an older AppleTV and a PS4 and switch and a TiVo so its mostly games and tv/movies, and mostly for the kids (I also like to game up there when the house is sometimes my own). RTings seems to like the current Vizio fine and it seems to be a good deal at the ‘Co.
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May 8, 2022 17:52
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Hey Folks!! I just finished a 5.0 system and have some questions. This is going to be hard to explain but I'm doing my best. Here's the setup, please refer to the diagram below for locations and labeling: I want to use the Back L and Right L speakers for a 2.0 stereo setup during the workday. I have a separate dac and amp there for that purpose (that's my work desk on the north end of the room). When I'm gaming, I want all 5 of those speakers to be doing 5 channel surround sound for the TV on the opposite end of the room. All 5 speakers are already connected to the TV receiver and there is an entirely separate pair of speaker wires that run to the dac/amp on the workdesk. I can use these speaker wires to create either a stereo 2 channel setup on my workdesk with the dac/amp, or by connecting the speaker wire that runs around to the TV receiver, creating a 5 channel system originating from the receiver/tv. ^Assuming you understand what I'm saying here, you surely get that me switching the speaker wires around every time I want to change the configuration is not exactly ideal Pic of the dac amp with its own set of speaker wires:  I manually unplug the speaker wire going to the 5 channel receiver and connect the speaker wire going to the dac amp on my work desk, making a 2.0 stereo setup. Then if I want to use the 5 channel setup with the TV, I need to reconnect the other speaker cables that go to the 5 channel amp, if that makes sense. It's kind of lame and I want to find a better way. Pic of the TV area with 2 loudspeakers and a center channel, and the receiver:  Here is my setup. I hope this makes sense, I had to draw it with my apple pencil and im horrible at this poo poo:  Note: I say "Tv and 7.1 amp" in this diagram but its more accurately a Tv and 7.1 HDMI 2.1 Denon Receiver, if that makes it more clear, it's not just an amp. The colors are being used to explain what is connecting to what in each configuration. The green is the stereo work desk configuration, and the blue is the 5 channel connection to the TV/receiver. The Back L and Back R speakers have both colors to illustrate that they are being used in both setups. There are two sets of speaker wires that can be added to the Back L and Back R speakers to create the desired configuration. So I can manually attach the speaker wires I want to create 1) a stereo sound system on my work desk or 2) detach those speaker wires and attach the ones running to my TV receiver, creating a 5 channel system for the TV. My ultimate question: is there a better way to do this? Can I somehow attach the dac/amp to the receiver under the tv and manually switch between them while keeping all of the speakers running to the receiver? Is there some kind of box that accepts two pairs of speaker wires or more, and I can flip a switch, so that I can use either set of speaker wire when needed? I don't know. My main goal here is to have some easier way to switch between the two configurations. Taima fucked around with this message at 22:26 on May 8, 2022 |
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May 8, 2022 22:12
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Taima posted:Is there some kind of box that accepts two pairs of speaker wires or more, and I can flip a switch, so that I can use either set of speaker wire when needed? Seems like this would work: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093GSS8P7/
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May 9, 2022 02:05
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Ok, stupid counter-question. Why not just connect both amps to the back L+R speakers simultaneously? You can squeeze in two pairs of wires on one set of posts, I’m sure. Do we think that the power delivered by one amp would be enough to damage the output stage on the other?
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May 9, 2022 13:24
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KozmoNaut posted:I have this one: They had this on Amazon, (where I was able to purchase it with a gift card:P)
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May 9, 2022 15:05
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Hippie Hedgehog posted:Ok, stupid counter-question. I would definitely not do this. The risk of damage is probably very high. Instead, I would get rid of the desktop amp (looks like the dac is a separate thing) and plug the desktop dac into the receiver. If you have 5.1 analog inputs, you can just plug it directly into the rear channels of those. if not, you can probably plug it into L/R analog inputs backwards (so L goes to R and R goes to L) and run it in all-speaker stereo. You'll have sound coming from behind you when you're at the computer, but it will at least be flipped correctly.
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May 9, 2022 20:29
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Thanks you guys. This is exactly why I asked- I didn't want to cause some kind of damage.Eyud posted:Seems like this would work: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093GSS8P7/ I went ahead and bought this thanks ^_^ a little expensive! But I'm not trying to unplug and replug wires constantly, that is crazy ghetto... KillHour posted:I would definitely not do this. The risk of damage is probably very high. Could you elaborate please? where do you plug the dac in? pre outs or something? The reason why I bought that amp switcher is, my desktop amp is very powerful, so it drives my desktop speakers well. Even if there is some way to plug everything into the receiver, the per channel strength of the speakers is rather low, so I'm worried sound quality will take a hit. Doesn't mean I'm completely opposed to it but it's a concern. By simply flipping the switch on that little box, I can kind of have my cake and eat it too. Unfortunately that box is kind of pricy though for what it is, and I also need to get more speaker hookups for it. It'll be about $80 for everything. Taima fucked around with this message at 21:37 on May 9, 2022 |
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May 9, 2022 21:27
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Taima posted:The reason why I bought that amp switcher is, my desktop amp is very powerful, so it drives my desktop speakers well. Even if there is some way to plug everything into the receiver, the per channel strength of the speakers is rather low, so I'm worried sound quality will take a hit. Doesn't mean I'm completely opposed to it but it's a concern. What are the models for all the equipment you have? And yeah, if you're not against spending money, that switcher would work.
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May 9, 2022 22:13
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What is the maximum length you can realistically make speaker wires before it’s a problem? I don’t mind using 12g speaker wire or taking other steps, and I’m not super duper concerned about “omg my impedance is going to be 0.2 ohms higher than a shorter wire!”, and let’s ignore the control situation (eg need a network control). Realistically, is it a problem to, say, drive a couple rooms of speakers off a receiver that’s 50 feet away in the basement? Not looking for giant hifi speakers here either, just some of the 14” tall compact tv speakers or whatever.
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May 9, 2022 22:59
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50 feet is starting to push it and in most stuff I’ve seen is the recommended maximum. 
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May 10, 2022 03:06
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Can anybody recommend beginner friendly speaker enclosure software? This going to be the summer I waste a lot of plastic trying to 3D print speakers.
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May 11, 2022 01:49
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I've accumulated a bunch of home audio kit that I want to convert to wireless and I'm wondering what the most practical solution is from these parts: Wireless Receivers: 2nd gen Chromecast Audio w. 3.5mm/optical out Audioengine B1 w. RCA and optical out DAC: Audiolab Q-DAC w. optical, usb and coax in, optical, RCA and coax out Active Speakers: B&O Beolab 8000 w. RCA (and a proprietary B&O cable) in Argon 7450A w. TRS, RCA, USB and 3.5mm in I know two sets of active speakers is kinda redundant, but the significant other prefers the Argons, and I have to admit they are better for blasting EDM and pop than a set of vintage design speakers  Does this make sense: Whichever wifi receiver is easiest to set up > optical cable > DAC > RCA cable > RCA switch I need to buy > RCA cables to both sets of speakers. E: any reason I should use one wifi receiver over the other? Fruits of the sea fucked around with this message at 11:14 on May 13, 2022 |
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May 13, 2022 11:10
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Skip the DAC, both the CCA and the AudioEngine have perfectly good DACs. Otherwise yeah that's a decent way to do it. If you can find an RCA switch with a remote control, that's even better. E: The B1 is bluetooth, so you'll get better sound quality with the CCA, since it supports PCM, FLAC etc. lossless audio and MP3, AAC etc. directly instead of transcoded to SBC/AptX. KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 11:30 on May 13, 2022 |
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May 13, 2022 11:27
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KozmoNaut posted:Skip the DAC, both the CCA and the AudioEngine have perfectly good DACs. Otherwise yeah that's a decent way to do it. Nice, thanks! If using the CCA, won't I still need the DAC to convert from optical to RCA? I suppose I could try and find an RCA switch that also takes optical in but that might be hard to track down, especially with a remote control (which is an excellent idea). It would definitely be nice to have one less device in the chain. E: Such a device actually sounds like a cool project for the future, as I want to mess around with bread boards and soldering, but that's a long term solution. Fruits of the sea fucked around with this message at 11:42 on May 13, 2022 |
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May 13, 2022 11:36
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Just go 3.5mm to RCA, it's an analog output 
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May 13, 2022 11:44
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Lol thanks, I was overthinking things and making it unnecessarily complicated.
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May 13, 2022 11:50
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I've been using a Sonos Playbase for years and have been pretty happy with it, but I'm moving and will be mounting my new TV above a fireplace (I know, I know). I'll be getting some standing floor speakers, but where in the world do I put a center channel? Here's my new wall: Also, what's the current thread favorite for receiver + 3.1 setup for movies and PS5 gaming?
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May 17, 2022 16:02
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Harriet Carker posted:I've been using a Sonos Playbase for years and have been pretty happy with it, but I'm moving and will be mounting my new TV above a fireplace (I know, I know). I'll be getting some standing floor speakers, but where in the world do I put a center channel? Here's my new wall: If you’re not planning on bumping up to 5.1, just do 2.1 IMO. You can gently caress around with phantom center trickery if you’d like and you get a receiver that can do it (most AV receivers can), but honestly I’m plenty happy with the stereo mix on like 99% of my content. Also you should get a projector, IMO.
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May 17, 2022 16:12
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Every A/V receiver can do "phantom center" they're required to by Dolby.
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May 17, 2022 16:41
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Just feed as many channels as you can to the receiver, and it will mix down to however many speakers you have connected*. * And correctly configured as connected, either manually or via room correction. KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 17:46 on May 17, 2022 |
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May 17, 2022 17:33
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qirex posted:Every A/V receiver can do "phantom center" they're required to by Dolby. lol, shows how much experience I have outside of stereo or 5 channel I assumed it was a feature
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May 17, 2022 17:42
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Harriet Carker posted:what's the current thread favorite for receiver + 3.1 setup for movies and PS5 gaming? Denon AVR S760H ($500 at Costco) has a pretty optimal combo of price and up-to-date HDMI specs for home theater and gaming. Your 2.1 or 3.1 on top of that is budget dependent.
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May 17, 2022 21:30
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Harriet Carker posted:I've been using a Sonos Playbase for years and have been pretty happy with it, but I'm moving and will be mounting my new TV above a fireplace (I know, I know). I'll be getting some standing floor speakers, but where in the world do I put a center channel? Here's my new wall: Ok so stupid answer, here we go: Valid placements for a center speaker are above or below the screen. Take your pick.
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May 17, 2022 22:38
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