Looking for an amp and speakers

OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

OpenToSuggestions

Soldato
Joined
5 Aug 2006
Posts
11,433
Location
Derbyshire
Hey all.
In my flat I have a study with a cheap 2.1 system in there, but sometimes I use an HDMI cable and watch things on the TV. I plan to leave the speakers in the study as they are.
In the lounge I have a TV with an optical out that goes into my hifi, which is an all-in-one system. The hifi isn't very high quality, the minidisk is not longplay and is therefore useless and the motors in the twin tape decks are burnt out. The speakers are some £20 Argos bookshelf speakers from 2003.

I think I want an amp with bookshelf speakers however I am not sure. I like to use the optical out from the TV as then the PC/PS3/HD-Freeview all go through the hifi.

I haven't a budget as I have no idea about amps.
I would like some good quality speakers but having a massive sub is a no-no as I am a Sub Warden in an udnergraduate hall and it wouldn't be appropriate to have loud speakers when my job is to tell students to stfu.

Thanks in advance :).
 
You're talking about HDMI as a potential source. That rules out proper 2 channel Hi-Fi . That type of connector is really an AV connector. It also rules out secondhand Hi-Fi for the same reason.

So, what you are talking about is an AV Receiver of some description.

AV receivers start at around the £150 mark, but it is universally acknowledged that these cheaper receivers don't make great Hi-Fi amps. They will probably be better than what you have now, but not a patch on the same number of £'s spent on a proper 2 chann.el Hi-Fi amp.

It would be worth a look at a new or used Marantz AV Receiver. As far as music is concerned Marantz has a reputation of making AV receivers that make a decent fist of music. If you looking at second hand then £200-£300 would get you a receiver that sold for £600-£1000 originally. That bodes very well for sound quality.
 
You'd need an amplifier with a DAC (digital to analogue converter) to use optical from your TV. Nearly all stereo amplifiers are analogue only. Onkyo do make a stereo amp with a digital connection, but it's £300.

Doesn't your TV have RCA/phono output? If so, no need to use digital at all, which will only add cost.

If you only have a digital out on your TV, then you could buy a decent budget amp, and a separate DAC. Then add a pair of bookshelf speakers.

Cambridge Audio A1 can be bought for about £40+ used, or a new AM1 for about £80 from Richer Sounds. More money will buy you a better amp, it depends what you want to spend really.

Alternatively, you could get a pair of powered speakers. I think small DAC's can be bought for about £40 or so.
 
I would just add that second hand speakers are fine, just check the membranes for any cracks. It should be cheaper than the new ones, and unless it has any physical damage done to it, it should be fine.
 
OpenToSuggestions said:
This is my TV:
http://www.lg.com/uk/tvs/lg-47LH3000-lcd-tv

If your analogue setup is correct, would all TVs be the same? I may get a new TV in circa 2 years time but would keep the amp.
Click to expand...

Looks like your TV does not have RCA/phono out. It does have a headphone out, which can be used to connect direct to an analogue amp. However, the problem with using headphone out, is that the sound goes through the TV's poor quality internal amp, which offers worse sound quality in comparison to RCA/phono out.

As you don't have that connection on your TV, buying a small DAC to connect from the optical to an amp would be a good idea.

A second hand AV receiver is another option. £150 would buy a far better used one, than it would a new one. You could connect all your devices to that, rather than the TV. A good AV receiver, even a budget one, will have a better DAC than most TV's.

As Lucid said though, budget AV receivers don't make great hi-fi amps, so a stereo analogue amp will be much better for music.
 
Sucks about no phono on your telly, or I would have recommended Microlab Solo6Cs.

I have them hooked up to my plasma, with my pc and xbox feeding sound in to the tv via HDMI, and they are a massive improvement over the tv speakers.
 
He could use a DAC with them. Depends what he wants to spend. If he didn't want to spend a lot, then those speakers and a small DAC would be a good choice.
 
Personally I would heed Lucid's suggestion and steer toward a Marantz AV receiver.
This will give you all the connectivity you require and will shine through with music,so you are getting pretty close to the best of both worlds.
Have a trawl around the auction site for some ideas,you'll be surprised as to how much amp you can get for your money!!
 
mad4jags said:
Personally I would heed Lucid's suggestion and steer toward a Marantz AV receiver.
This will give you all the connectivity you require and will shine through with music,so you are getting pretty close to the best of both worlds.
Have a trawl around the auction site for some ideas,you'll be surprised as to how much amp you can get for your money!!
Click to expand...

Any particular model of Marantz I should be looking for?
Would I still need a DAC receiver?

I really have no idea what I am looking for I'm afraid.
 
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That, if you would rather buy a new one. You could get a higher end model for probably in the region of £150-£200 second hand. AVForums would be a good place to start, they have a very good classified section.
 
Marsman said:
That, if you would rather buy a new one. You could get a higher end model for probably in the region of £150-£200 second hand. AVForums would be a good place to start, they have a very good classified section.
Click to expand...

Thanks for that! I will have a good look.

Do you run the video through the amp? Like the antenna goes into the VCR, then from the VCR to the TV? I am struggling to understand why an HMDI would plug into an amp :p.
 
Yes, the idea is you connect everything to the AV receiver. Maybe a HTPC, console, Blu-ray player, Sky, etc, then just run the one HDMI cable to the TV.
 
I went to Richer Sounds to buy the Boston A26 speakers on clearance (£100 brand new!).

Chatting to the bloke in there and it he was asking why I was buying 2.0 for an AV receiver, as they come with all the fancy surround sound decoders. Looks like I just need a hi-fi amp rather than an AV receiver! I'm not fussed about surround sound as I mainly game, listen to music and watch TV.

So, I need a Hi-Fi amp not an AV receiver.
Looking to spend up to £200 on one.
 
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The reason why an AV receiver was mentioned was because, by and large stereo amps do not have digital input. I know of one that does, but it's well over your budget. Your TV does not have RCA/phono out, that leaves using the headphone out. As I said in a previous post, that isn't a good way of doing it, as the sound quality from headphone out on a TV, is poor.

The best way will be to get a small DAC and a stereo amplifier. If you are looking to buy new, then that can be done for under £200. I've just noticed the FiiO D3, which looks perfect for the job, and is a reasonable £25 or so, and maybe this Marantz stereo amp.

You can add what speaker you like to it.
 
The need for an AV amp stemmed from your wish to use a digital connection which hi-fi amps don't tend to have built in. To run a hi-fi amp via an optical connection, you will need a separate DAC unit that runs between the TV and the amp. This can cost almost as much as your budget for a good one.
 
Thanks Marsman and Kei. I am not confused to whether I should buy an AV receiver or a Hi-Fi amp + converter thingy :p.

The only reason I question the AC receiver is the bloke in Richer Sounds was saying that they have all the fancy 7.2 decoders in and I would only use stereo. That said, I did not mention an optical input.
 
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