£400 max budget for all in one setup

philstanbridge · 8 Nov 2008 at 16:33

I need some advice guys - I've got a 40" Samsung tv here which I'm very happy with but the onboard sound is terrible. I don't have a huge budget (£400 tops) and I need a dvd player, 5.1 speakers and I guess an amp?

I've been looking around and this is actually harder than it seems because there is so much information available I just don't know what to believe. I have been looking at this model Samsung HT-TZ315R which seems excellent value.

But can you offer any advice? I need it to be black, and I'd like 800w minimum. I've one HDMI port on the TV which is unused at present. Im currently using a Sky (original) box and a Wii connected via scart.

This stuff (apart from the screen) hasn't been updated in years and I'm behind the times.

Grimley · 8 Nov 2008 at 17:15

Always happy to help a fellow Stanbridge (my surname too)
for that Budget buy a Yamaha AV63 (widely available) & a DVD-S661 to match
OK the amp isnt as powerful as you want but wattage isnt everything.

philstanbridge · 8 Nov 2008 at 22:51

Grimley said:
Always happy to help a fellow Stanbridge (my surname too)
for that Budget buy a Yamaha AV63 (widely available) & a DVD-S661 to match
OK the amp isnt as powerful as you want but wattage isnt everything.

Hey that's cool! Stanbridge isn't the most common name either - I'm currently researching my family tree and I have relations in Essex so maybe we're related :eek:

Okay I'll check those items if you think they're better than an all in one solution but what about speakers?

Hedge · 8 Nov 2008 at 22:58

Sony HT-SS1300 also looks like a decent option for around 250 quid

philstanbridge · 8 Nov 2008 at 23:18

Hedge said:
Sony HT-SS1300 also looks like a decent option for around 250 quid

Damn nice thanks for that - one question though. How would you place the speakers? I prefer stand mounted ones myself, but not sure what I'd do with those. Wall mounting would be a nightmare in our room.

mofei1 · 8 Nov 2008 at 23:30

philstanbridge said:
Damn nice thanks for that - one question though. How would you place the speakers? I prefer stand mounted ones myself, but not sure what I'd do with those. Wall mounting would be a nightmare in our room.

try the sony ht-sf1300

Eddie182 · 8 Nov 2008 at 23:52

Just got a Sony HT-SF1300 from the bay for £300 inc P&P, a full £100 less than Sony charge. Had a listen in our local sony centre, and what can I say, with blu-ray it's fantastic.

Aero · 8 Nov 2008 at 23:56

I've always been impressed by the sony DAV-IS10 when ever i've heard it, very small speakers, worth a glance.

Aero

philstanbridge · 9 Nov 2008 at 06:26

Reference Sony HT-SF1300 are they really wireless speakers? I've seen rear wireless speakers before with great big cumbersome power cables but never completely wireless.

If so that looks like a spot on kit - I'd just need a decent dvd player.

Hedge · 9 Nov 2008 at 14:16

Wireless speakers are generally a bit naff

nightmare99 · 9 Nov 2008 at 16:21

for that Budget buy a Yamaha AV63 (widely available) & a DVD-S661 to match

I have this combo it seems pretty good to me although I'm no audiophile.

Eddie182 · 10 Nov 2008 at 12:21

philstanbridge said:
Reference Sony HT-SF1300 are they really wireless speakers? I've seen rear wireless speakers before with great big cumbersome power cables but never completely wireless.

If so that looks like a spot on kit - I'd just need a decent dvd player.

No, they are wired. You get 5m or wire for the front speakers and 15m for the back (according to the sony centre salesman). I think I have read somewhere that you can get wireless adaptors for them though, not sure if it's true mind you.

sunderland · 10 Nov 2008 at 12:54

Sony HT-SS1300 and a sony 350 blu-ray and your set for hd sound aswell,and the sony can be made multiregion easy with a remote the all-in-one ones

Reality Bites · 10 Nov 2008 at 13:01

Aero said:
I've always been impressed by the sony DAV-IS10 when ever i've heard it, very small speakers, worth a glance.

Aero

what i would suggest

philstanbridge · 15 Nov 2008 at 12:13

I'm still struggling here lol.. I've got a Sammy screen so a Sammy home cinema setup would match plus it might make things easier to setup/control. I'm no audiophile I just miss the good old 5.1 sound. I've looked at the sony ht-sf1300 and the Samsung HT-TZ315R both would probably tick all my boxes but i just don't know.

Would I also need cables? I guess I would need a HDMI ideally from the screen to the home cinema setup, but what about sound?

I don't fancy separates this time round. I don't know why, just from the aesthetic point of view perhaps?

iraiguana · 15 Nov 2008 at 12:45

These all in one kits will have all the interconnect cables between amp/dvd/speakers. I expect you will have to get a hdmi cable (just a cheapy one £5-10).

I doubt you will find a massive difference between the two systems, maybe see if you can try them out in a shop and just get whichever one you prefer the most.

If you wanted something which sounded better for this budget you would have to go second hand and I expect you would still only get a 2.0 set-up, but it would be very good.

philstanbridge · 2 Jan 2009 at 15:50

I just thought I'd update this thread. I got the Samsung set in the end - and managed to pick it up for £250 inc delivery. It's an absolutely cracking piece of kit and fits all my requirements. The 1000w sound is awesome, and as a whole it's much better than my old Sony setup I had a few years before. I'm very pleased overall and I would recommend it to others purely on value for money if nothing else.