Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Right, so I am on a quest to start buying up bits for TV/music for when I move out (hopefully soon) so I have stuff already for the house - cos once I start shelling out on bills n stuff there probably won't much left to splash out on stuff

Anyway, I just got a nice looking DVD/SACD player (should arrive in next few days hopefully) so next on the list is gonna be an AV amp - but what one is beyond me

List of stuff that needs to be connected to it (and what connecitons needed)

DVD/SACD player - digi coax or for DVD DTS and 6ch phono for SACD
Digibox PVR thingy - optical TOSlink
PC - optical TOSlink (not 100% sure this will be plugged into av amp tho)
Minidisc - optical TOSlink in and out
VCR - guessing simple composite audio (RCA) in and outs

So I was thinking of the Sony STR-DE695 - as I have had first hand experience of the STR-DE495 (similar, but less connections and lower speaker power) which I really liked.



This has all the above connections, plus a few more RCA's, that I need, including the all important digital and optical connections..... But, the only review I can find on the net describes the sound as good, but not super fantastic - http://reviews.cnet.com/Sony_STR_DE6...2.html?tag=nav

Anyway, the next major headache is speakers.... WTF lol...

Obviosuly I need 5.1 set up, but I am not a huge fan of the all-in-one packages : we have one in our sitting room now and whilst it is loud, you can tell it's pushed, and the sub is too small (8") to rumble and bang enough with explosions - all sounds a tad weak to me..... Personally, I prefer different types of speakers for different applications, but I guess I need some good allrounders, but think I need to go more "componant" with my selection. I know I REALLY want a pair of Mission M74's as the main front left and rights, but these are bucks



I need smallish, but good, rear fill speakers, and a clean and clear centre channel. But I have no idea about sub!!! I was literally thinking : a 12" JL Audio sub in a custom box, running off a mono DJ/stage amp - overkill? Before my bro moved out we had an 18" JL running off a 1200w mono block studiomaster amp and it was pretty sweet... Low rumble, big bass, but not over powering....

Anyway, peeps, as ever : suggestions are needed. I ain't rich so no Bose set up's please In fact I am quite poor so this is all on a shoestring (read : ebay )

Westy

iTrader: (1)

Thrush

Have a look on the richersound website.. well priced too

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

I can have a look - problem is not knowing what I want so looking gets a tad difficult then

Westy

iTrader: (1)

aarrr get you.. sorry mate, didnt read it all

When you do know.. let me know please, as I want a nice set-up too, but am unsure of what to get

Fil

18" JL running off a 1200w mono block

mmm nice

SS1

iTrader: (3)

awesome choice of units ..a shop is quite local to me

ive got maudaunt short speakers for the stack hifi system VERY NICE SOUND

Fil

gotta be worth a bid? if you dont like it back it on ebay

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Sony-STR-DE695...QQcmdZViewItem

ronf42

iTrader: (2)

I have a pair of Mission M74's . These are the first set of speakers that I have been given ( xmas pressie from bro)
Although I dont have them for surround sound , they are connected to Cyrus 6 amp & cd player.
I reckon they are good speakers though.
Only just started getting back into music again .

At the moment I have a Tannoy 5.1 package though , in time I would like to upgrade my set up , possibly going along the lines of Mordaunt Short speaker route.
What about THX rated speakers, are these worthwhile or not as I am not too sure

Fast Guy

Have you had alook around this forum. It might be worth asking about it on there. There's alot of reviews, but not of yours.

http://www.avforums.com/

http://avreviews.avforums.com/index.php

3 optical and 1 digital---- Just about every amp out there will have that



I have a modest mix and match set up myself with a Denon amp, Mission front floorstanders a rel sub and various other speakers.


I think to get the best out of THX speakers, everything else would need to be THX too.

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

Fil - thanks for posting that up - not like I wasn't gonna bid on it - now the whole world has you linking to it I might give that a miss tho, as it only has composite or S-video as the inputs, whereas I would quite like to get one with componant input (tho I don't have any items with componant inputs it must be said)

ronf42 - I am already a member on there But no, surprisingly, not that many amps have 3x optical in + 1x digital, and 1x optical outputs - It's only a couple of the Sony's, a couple of Denon's and another brand I can't remember that has that ammount of digi inputs... THX set up's ARE great, as is the nature of THX, but a) they cost a shit load (not just speakers, but source units and amplifier's/decoder's) and b) unless your room is actoustically set up for it, you won't see that much benefit over a non THX system.... Thats the whole point of going to a THX equipped theater - not just cos of the gear, but in order for them to "qualify" for THX rated gear they have to pass certain THX standard tests, the main being acoustic and sonic testing of the room

Fast Guy

Check the Denons out then, they have component and will convert any Svideo input to a component output. They also have all the connections you need.

Not sure which amps you're looking at, but 3 opt in, 1 out and 1 coax in is very common. It was on my 10year old sony budget amp even. Getting more than 1 coax can be more of a problem.

Simon

B&W speakers, Best speakers in the world without a doubt

Ginge !

thrush bose systems aint that much cash if you have the paitence tbh


ive got bose am5'smand bose 302 speakers on my front room,,,, they sound the bollox tbh and thats running from a STEREO 6 channel rotel power amp through my hitachi ( yes i do mean hitachi) mini system cause that uses a sperate power amp too

also please note i no longer use a 20band graphic EQ,,,,,,, as the bloke in the cornflake shop when i was gettign into hifi once said to me if 100k worth of studio cant get the sound perfect what fucking chance has a 200 quid EQ


think that was a fair point


ive also got tanoy speakers for my kitchen and gonna get some marine spec bose speakers for the bathroom



and im far from rich too

Ginge !

ive gopt a set of kevlar ones in the bedroom,,,,,,,, there the nuts too, also got a matching center speaker too under me bed


yet i dont even have free view,,,,, and ive got a projector


but i bet ya emerdale in my house is the best place to watch it

Fast Guy

You haven't quite got the hang of speaker placement yet, have you

Ginge !

thats the only fucking place i can fit it

the hifi in me front room aont even proper stereo placement as theres 2 sofas on joining walls

but who cares as people enter the front room see the am5's on the main wall, they dont see the sub behind the sofa ( or the cossie engine and no im not joking ) and the bose 302 in stands beside the sofas


sounds the tits but not like a peadofile would like as its not balanced sound blah blah bollox

but my speaker cable is 15quid a meter

Thrush

iTrader: (1)

I think you mean audiophile Ginge - they are nerds for audio whereas peadophile's touch small children

I suppose you could be both tho right?