Recommend a decent setup?

Metalface Mark · 6 Aug 2008 at 10:26

Im looking to buy a new home cinema setup, however i want to start with just an amp, and a couple of floor standing speakers, im not fussed about subs and centre speakers, would decent floor standers give a decent enough bass?

Ive got about £800-1000 to spend on the amp and speakers, what would be recommended for this level?

badbob · 6 Aug 2008 at 10:52

would decent floor standers give a decent enough bass?

For music yes. But for movies, no. Considering your budget I'd get stereo integrated amp and floorstanding speakers, rather than av amp + speakers.

There are just too many brands to name, probably dozens if not hundreds.

Mr Footlong · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:13

If you are going to be branching out in to surround sound at a later date then have a good look at an Onkyo TX-SR605. While it is not an audiophile amp for just music, it does a pretty good job with it and it really excels when it comes to surround material, punching well above it's weight in both performance and format support.

There are tons of reviews/awards out there that you can read up on and it is available from Richer Sounds with the last few currently at £300, well worth the money!

badbob · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:16

Why buy a av amp now, if it's going to take a few years to complete the system? Instead just go stereo, and when he has funds for all the other speakers, then buy the av amp.

Mr Footlong · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:20

The time taken to complete the system hasn't been specified and I was merely giving the OP an option........ If you have a look at the Onkyo's specs you will see that it is fairly well equipped for all current HD sound formats so won't be obsolete all that quickly. Again, it is simply an option.

badbob · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:32

Or you could use the L/R outputs from a Blu-Ray player into a stereo amp. Will offer better sound quality (integrated amp) but have to spend more on the Blu-Ray player.

The OP post is a bit vague, he wants a home cinema, that implies 5.1, but then says no sub or centre. A sub is essential for movies, even if you have floorstanders- they cannot reproduce the amount of bass a sub can. Center adds improved panning, and rears add surround effects/rear panning.

Mr Footlong · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:37

No argument on a sub and the OP will hopefully figure out sooner rather than later that his life will be empty without one

. I wouldn't part with my TS12 for love nor money unless someone offered to swap me for a nice SVS lol.

I know you will probably rather swallow your own tongue than agree with me on pretty well anything, but that Onkyo is a great reciever for the money and you know it

-Ad- · 6 Aug 2008 at 12:37

badbob said:
Or you could use the L/R outputs from a Blu-Ray player into a stereo amp. Will offer better sound quality (integrated amp) but have to spend more on the Blu-Ray player.

The OP post is a bit vague, he wants a home cinema, that implies 5.1, but then says no sub or centre. A sub is essential for movies, even if you have floorstanders- they cannot reproduce the amount of bass a sub can. Center adds improved panning, and rears add surround effects/rear panning.

I agree with badbob on these points if you want the best possible sound quality. I use a stereo setup at the moment (tv -> Hi-fi), and it will be years before I get a full 5.1 setup.

If you really need 5.1 then spend your £300-400 on an amp like a second hand Arcam AV amp, or a new onkyo,yamaha,pioneer etc, then the rest on 2 good front speakers on stands, a matching centre, meaty sub, and 2 smaller surround speakers. But then again to upgrade this in the future will involve selling speakers and buying new ones, whereas you can upgrade a stereo setup or you it in years time as a dedicated stereo setup.

The choice is yours, soo much choice out there !!! Check out avforums, a wealth of knowledge over there.

swap me for a nice SVS lol.

Ok deal, e-mail in trust, will swap you for a PC-13 ultra

wolvers · 6 Aug 2008 at 13:31

Metalface Mark said:
Im looking to buy a new home cinema setup, however i want to start with just an amp, and a couple of floor standing speakers, im not fussed about subs and centre speakers, would decent floor standers give a decent enough bass?

Ive got about £800-1000 to spend on the amp and speakers, what would be recommended for this level?

Go to a local specialist and demo some amps and speakers. Compare stereo amps and AV ones to see if you'd be happy with an AV amp for music and movies or not. Some AV amps are actually quite good with a pair of floor standers and music, Cambridge Audio springs to mind.

Take you're favourite DVD's and albums with you and have a listen.

Ultimately it's your ears (and maybe the missus too!) that need to be happy with them. It'll also be important to talk to them about where you'll put the speakers as that'll determine which ones will suit your needs.

Metalface Mark · 6 Aug 2008 at 15:36

I plan to buy the amp and speakers just now, and then around christmas, add centre speaker, sub and a couple of rear speakers, my living room is a bit chocka block till i finish some building work, so i just wanted to get the barebones of the system, and add in the other speakers and sub when ive got the room to finish it off.