New Playroom: 5.1 - Budget Spec possible?

~Divine~Wind~

~Divine~Wind~

~Divine~Wind~

Can't type for toffee
Don
Joined
14 Jun 2004
Posts
17,579
Location
Newcastle U/T
hey guys,

Recently moved home and currently in the proceeds of redecorating, play room first of course :p It's a smallish room at 2.6x2.6m

Just got a few floor boards up atm and already chased the walls for a few new sockets. Thought while Im there may as well get some speaker cabling sorted.

My current setup is a Cambridge Audio A1SE and a pair of Gale Mini monitors.

I'm quite happy to keep these 2 speakers and just get a sub and 2 more for the rears, would like smallish speakers so I can wallmount them. So Im looking for a low budget for an amp 2 speakers and a sub. Doesn't really need to have all the bell's and whistles of the high flying amps most of you have in your cinema rooms tho.

Any help appreciated :)

Willing to buy new or second hand.
 
Ah lol and there was me thinking I'd covered everything :p
Just for my PC, have an Asus Xonar DG at the moment.
Main use games, a little bit of movies and music when Im doing work or anything.

Budget.. I'd prefer as low as possible, say 250ish at a push?
 
Hi mate,

If you can up your budget just a little bit more, I have some Mordaunt Short speakers which will be a huge improvement over what you've currently got. Drop me a message through trust if your interested :)
 
~Divine~Wind~ said:
Ah lol and there was me thinking I'd covered everything :p
Just for my PC, have an Asus Xonar DG at the moment.
Main use games, a little bit of movies and music when Im doing work or anything.

Budget.. I'd prefer as low as possible, say 250ish at a push?
Click to expand...

Boston Soundware 5.1 can be had for £270 from superfi.
 
Does the SONY STRDN610 seem suitable for what I want?
http://www.richersounds.com/product/av-receivers/sony/strdn610/sony-strdn610
I see its on at £150 thru the VIP plan atm.

Would my existing Gale mini monitors be ok with that?

Or would I be better balancing the cost over the speakers a bit more because that wont be leaving much for the speakers.

I'll take a look at them moody thanks :)
 
For the money unless you go second hand the Onkyo HTS5305 for £300 ish is hard to beat. Dont underestimate the advantages of both a centre channel and having matched fronts and rears.

edit: just spotted the HTS6305 which comes with the very competent onkyo 508 instead of the good but less so 308 of the 5305 set for £350 Its a bit of a steal for that money.

Sorry to do the typical and go straight over your budget!
 
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WILD9 said:
For the money unless you go second hand the Onkyo HTS5305 for £300 ish is hard to beat. Dont underestimate the advantages of both a centre channel and having matched fronts and rears.

edit: just spotted the HTS6305 which comes with the very competent onkyo 508 instead of the good but less so 308 of the 5305 set for £350 Its a bit of a steal for that money.

Sorry to do the typical and go straight over your budget!
Click to expand...
You can actually pick up the ONKYO HTS3305 for £200 at the moment too, I'm very tempted.
 
The 3305 isn't bad but I did skip it intentionally because it only has a passive Sub which I think would be a recipe for early upgradeitus. Still a great bit of kit if £200 is your limit though!
 
The other option I suppose is skip surround sound altogether for a while and add something like a BK elec Gemini II sub for £200. The sub will make much more difference to the overall sound than rears/surround amp would and you could buy the other bits as funds allow in the future. Probably the best bang for your buck if you just want everything to sound more dramatic.
 
A mate has said he can get me the Boston XS 5.1 set for around £190.
Means I would just need to add an amp and I'd be sorted.

Anyone else got/used these?

Yeah I saw the Onkyo's with regards to goin overbudget straight away... looks liek I have anyway lol, still at the price of the simlar 5.1's for general PC use I think I'm still getting more for my money this way
 
The boston XS are brilliant much better speakers than the ones in the packages I mentioned above and at that price you cant go wrong. What sort of budget do you have for your amp now? if you can make it to £200 you could have a really good setup.
 
They are excellent value for money, you get a matched set so the surround effect will be pleasing, they're easy to wall mount and they're pretty small, so you'll get a proper surround set up without it taking much space.
 
The 308 is a competent budget amp but not the equal of that Yamaha, the Yamaha is more comparable to the onkyo 508. That said you would probably find it satisfactory if you really dont like the silver.
 
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phartars said:
Logitech THX certified 5.1 for £320 anyone ?

Let's hope OCUK get them in stock STAT !

Good enough for George Lucas, good enough for me :D
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Nah not when theyre like double the cost the Z550's have been, have limited upgradeability, appear to have less power from what I've read and not really have any alternative inputs. Also if you MUST buy those checkuot the logitech tradein/up scheme thing
 
I've had 2 Yamaha AV amps for Richer Sounds, both died on me.

I took the last one to the tip just the other day. Nice when they are working, too expensive to fix when the break, and Yamaha domestic kit breaks too often to be taken seriously.
 
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