First Hi-Fi setup.

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

DiscoDave

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Hi Chaps,

I have a 42" Panasonic Plasma tv and using the built in speakers. I've noticed when I stream content from my HTPC (1080p mkv's) voice sounds are a bit tinny, so I turn up the volume to compensate, and when a loud explosion happens it's too loud. So I'm constantly fiddling with the volume.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with the speakers/configuration but I've never had a hi fi system before and it's got me intrigued.

Would there be a noticeable difference in quality if I went from using the in built speakers to a entry level floorstand/amp setup?
 
You won't believe the difference if this is your first step into HiFi, even if it is entry level (say £300 for amp and speakers).

Question before we start.

1 - How much do you want to spend
2 - Do you want it for films or music or both
3 - Do you have space for separates, 2.0, 2.1 (2 speakers and a sub) or even a 5.1 set up?
 
Raymond Lin said:
You won't believe the difference if this is your first step into HiFi, even if it is entry level (say £300 for amp and speakers).

Question before we start.

1 - How much do you want to spend
2 - Do you want it for films or music or both
3 - Do you have space for separates, 2.0, 2.1 (2 speakers and a sub) or even a 5.1 set up?
Click to expand...

Hey dude,

Interesting. I'm looking at getting a pair of Mission M33i speakers and Pioneer VSX322. Very entry level.

1. £200-£300
2. Films and TV. Music is a bonus but not the motivation
3. Space isn't really an issue, but I dont want cables trailing across my living room so floorstanders are currently my preference.
 
DiscoDave said:
Hi Chaps,

I have a 42" Panasonic Plasma tv and using the built in speakers. I've noticed when I stream content from my HTPC (1080p mkv's) voice sounds are a bit tinny, so I turn up the volume to compensate, and when a loud explosion happens it's too loud. So I'm constantly fiddling with the volume.

I'm not sure if this is an issue with the speakers/configuration but I've never had a hi fi system before and it's got me intrigued.

Would there be a noticeable difference in quality if I went from using the in built speakers to a entry level floorstand/amp setup?
Click to expand...

there is no issue with your tv speakers its just that they are TV speakers and that is a main problem with them is that you need to turn them up high to hear voices , especially when playing dvds and blurays.

Add a centre speaker to your new setup and voices will be much much clearer.

I have a 3.1 setup and its such an improvement

Thought about a Onkyo htx22hd?
 
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£300 is pretty low, even for a 2.0 system including the AV receiver, let alone a centre speaker too.


If you think you'll be happy for a while with a single purchase, I'd advise something like this deal from Richer Sounds:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/home-cinema-separates-bundle-deals/yamaha/pah01858/pah01858

That's a receiver that will take a much better speaker set if you feel you want to get one in the future and will sound pretty good for now. Will blow your TV set sound away completely
 
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covenantuk said:
£300 is pretty low, even for a 2.0 system including the AV receiver, let alone a centre speaker too.


If you think you'll be happy for a while with a single purchase, I'd advise something like this deal from Richer Sounds:

http://www.richersounds.com/product/home-cinema-separates-bundle-deals/yamaha/pah01858/pah01858

That's a receiver that will take a much better speaker set if you feel you want to get one in the future and will sound pretty good for now. Will blow your TV set sound away completely
Click to expand...

Interesting offer. I don't think i'd utilise the surround sound and the wiring will be a pain in the backside, undless I just have all the speakers at the front, but that kind of defeats the point? Can't really get anything with too much base due to living in a flat, neighbors etc..
 
DiscoDave said:
Interesting offer. I don't think i'd utilise the surround sound and the wiring will be a pain in the backside, undless I just have all the speakers at the front, but that kind of defeats the point? Can't really get anything with too much base due to living in a flat, neighbors etc..
Click to expand...

Just wire up the front 3 speakers and the sub, there should be no more wires than a regular 2.0 set up as the centre is hidden under the TV anyway if you have you TV on a stand. The sub can be placed to the side of the TV too.

The only problem I foresee is having to mount those satellite speakers, unless they come with stands?
 
DiscoDave said:
Would there be a noticeable difference in quality if I went from using the in built speakers to a entry level floorstand/amp setup?
Click to expand...

Yes, there would. I recently faced this problem with a new TV. The solution I went for in the end was a Denon DM39 mini system together with Dali Zensor 1 speakers (i.e. a simple 2.0 system with no AV bells and whistles). I connect the optical digital out of the TV to the DM39. The difference is immense. The DM39 also has a subwoofer out connection, so if you want to add really deep bass later on, you can. Also worth considering are the Q-Acoustics 2020i (or the 2010i if space is really a constraint). A quick look at Richer Sounds shows that you can get these as packages for around £300.
 
Raymond Lin said:
Just wire up the front 3 speakers and the sub, there should be no more wires than a regular 2.0 set up as the centre is hidden under the TV anyway if you have you TV on a stand. The sub can be placed to the side of the TV too.

The only problem I foresee is having to mount those satellite speakers, unless they come with stands?
Click to expand...

Looks like they don't come with stands. This is why I'm looking more at the floorstander options, two of them and possibly a center may be the way to go. Seems a bit counter productive to get a 5.1 setup and only hook up three of the speakers.
 
Well, if you live in a flat and getting floorstanders then you probably won't need a sub since you don't want to annoy the neighbours.

On that basis, perhaps an old school secondhand stereo hifi amp would do the job with some secondhand floorstanders. You can do that with £300 quite comfortably.

However, for a bit of expandability should you want to, you can get some bargain entry level amps from last year's model for about £250 and perhaps again some secondhand floorstanders. If you want to add a centre later on, should budget allow or you just want to, then you can. Expand it up to 5.1 at your own pace/living situation.

I lived with a hifi stereo amp with a pair of speakers for years for movies and music and it is fine. You get a kind of pseudo centre speaker effect if you position them correctly, more so from a receiver (as there is a setting for that).
 
gregorius said:
Yes, there would. I recently faced this problem with a new TV. The solution I went for in the end was a Denon DM39 mini system together with Dali Zensor 1 speakers (i.e. a simple 2.0 system with no AV bells and whistles). I connect the optical digital out of the TV to the DM39. The difference is immense. The DM39 also has a subwoofer out connection, so if you want to add really deep bass later on, you can. Also worth considering are the Q-Acoustics 2020i (or the 2010i if space is really a constraint). A quick look at Richer Sounds shows that you can get these as packages for around £300.
Click to expand...

May I ask how much that setup was? I've seen that exact setup on a competitor site for £299.
 
beachBOYken said:
there is no issue with your tv speakers its just that they are TV speakers and that is a main problem with them is that you need to turn them up high to hear voices , especially when playing dvds and blurays.

Add a centre speaker to your new setup and voices will be much much clearer.

I have a 3.1 setup and its such an improvement

Thought about a Onkyo htx22hd?
Click to expand...

That Onkyo htx22hd looks quite good. Is that the setup you upgraded to?
 
DiscoDave said:
May I ask how much that setup was? I've seen that exact setup on a competitor site for £299.
Click to expand...

Yes, you can get that setup, as a package deal, for £300 (but you'd have to add sundry cables to that). I actually bought the bits separately for different projects and put them together for the TV solution, so I paid a bit more than that.
 
If you're ever thinking of upgrading speakers then the separate receiver such as the Yahama I suggested is a better option. Otherwise you'll end up just selling the whole lot and starting again.
 
For such a low budget, I would aim for a 2nd hand 2.0 system as fewer components = more £/component = better quality.

If it were me, I'd pick up an Arcam 8R for about £120 and a pair of B&W 602 speakers with stands or B&W 603's for about £180 (I much prefered the 602s). Grab some solid core cat 5 cable for speaker wire and some cheap interconnects from Richersounds. I had pretty much this set up as my first hifi, bought all new for a lot more £ and it never failed to impress me with everything I threw at it.
 
covenantuk said:
Saw these today - worth considering if all you really want to do is get better speakers for your TV.

http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/Ruark-Audio-MR1-Bluetooth-Active-Speakers-Pair/product_7157
Click to expand...
Ruark make some lovely gear, and these are nice speakers. They'd be a great choice for desktop audio.

But in this situation the OP would be better off with an AV amp (multiple inputs, analogue & digital in's, DD & DPL decoding, configurable for 2.0. 2.1, 3.1 etc, remote control, dynamic range control; a more practical all round solution) and some regular speakers.
 
beachBOYken said:
there is no issue with your tv speakers its just that they are TV speakers and that is a main problem with them is that you need to turn them up high to hear voices , especially when playing dvds and blurays.

Add a centre speaker to your new setup and voices will be much much clearer.

I have a 3.1 setup and its such an improvement

Thought about a Onkyo htx22hd?
Click to expand...

Ken,

Does your Onkyo have the capability to adjust the bass manually right down to 0?
 
lucid said:
Ruark make some lovely gear, and these are nice speakers. They'd be a great choice for desktop audio.

But in this situation the OP would be better off with an AV amp (multiple inputs, analogue & digital in's, DD & DPL decoding, configurable for 2.0. 2.1, 3.1 etc, remote control, dynamic range control; a more practical all round solution) and some regular speakers.
Click to expand...

Well, not if all he's doing is plugging a TV into it, that's overkill imo.

Don't get me wrong, I have an Arcam receiver and 5.1 speakers, but the OP, just wants better, more legible sound for the TV and there's plenty of ways to get that without buying an AV receiver. A sound bar would even be a better choice in some ways, especially if he's concerned about bass disturbing the neighbours
 
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