Spec me - Home Cinema System Separates

[dlockers]

Hi folks,

Decided to start a new thread and up my budget. I am looking to build out a nice home cinema system for my 65" LG C3. It is an enclosed 6x3.5m space with low ceilings. The walls are quite thin. I am looking for something that just sounds good and looks good - I am not an audiophile by any means.

I have no idea about centre, sub or rears. I've never had rears so not sure it is critical for how I generally watch TV. I am not a mega film buff either - fairly satisfied with my Beam and Sub-Mini in the house.

I am thinking of the Wharfedale 230s at £300 but could spend more if it's worth it (I see Active 12.3s). I think they look good and will suit the setup.
For a receiver/amp - I don't have any physical media and generally use Alexa for listening to the radio whilst working. Back "in the day" I had an Onkyo that I just Optical Out'ed into a receiver and didn't worry about anything else. Someone has offered me a £125 Denon X540BT which seems like a good deal but potentially quite small/limited? (I have no idea).

Getting itchy feet now as I want to watch Oppenheimer

Thanks

 

[dlockers]

Belive me, as someone who recently went 5.0, rears are really useful and make such a difference. Even for just TV, not films, especially if there is music in the TV show it sounds so much better with rears. Immersive and encapsulating. And as mentioned, having a good matched centre speaker for dialogue is key. I'm so happy as I always struggled with dialogue beforehand.

What setup do you have? Is it something I can replicate easy enough?

 

[dlockers]

Given up- can't find any path that doesn't scope creep into several K. Ended up buying an Arc on interest free lol.

 

[dlockers]

Probably drop in price as well next month as their new bar is about to launch.

It was only £720 so think I've priced in most of the discount. If it gets substanially cheaper I'll boomerang it (bought from Amazon).

 

[dlockers]

I’ve got the arc with era 300s as rears and a sub on the lounge TV. Sounds great to me but then I’m just a peon. Era 300s really do take it to a different “3d” level.

Definitely on the cards - will need to wait for a major credit card reset though

 

[dlockers]

Obviously no one but half the people in these threads that recommend the Arc's have added surrounds and a sub. £2k is a hell of a budget, which isn't far off what I paid for my 5.1.4 system.
If I'd dropped 2 Atmos channels I could have put something together for about £1600, and much less going for lower range speakers.

Don't get me wrong, I think sound bar systems serve a purpose, but if you plan to upgrade anyway I'm not convinced they offer vfm.

Hope the Arc suits OP.

It wasn't through lack of trying. I can see why Sonos fills a gap with how some of the AV community behave.

 

[dlockers]

Perhaps controversial but why don't you just add 2 sonos rears, if mini sub is OK for your room size then you're all set?

I have the Beam and sub-mini in the house which works fine enough. I've gone for the Arc in this room as it's a 21sqm box. I can "move" the sub as required between the two setups - discovered that in the app yesterday. Wife probably won't realise it's been moved. I understand the Arc is plenty powerful without the sub though. The rears I'll keep a look out for -- possibly the IKEA ones on stands. Not a major requirement I am told though.

Who on earth would buy Sonos now? complete madness. Plenty of other products where the image and use of their products hasn't been tarnished.

Not like the Sonos app was unusable for a couple of weeks either, it's been months.

I've had my Beam since Dec 2019 and probably used the app less than 20 times.

The OP and many others will continue to buy their products.

I can't say I'm a fan, and if you really want an all-in-one, plug-and-play soundbar package with sub and rears, I don't know why you wouldn't just buy the Samsung flagship, which can be had for around £700 when they start selling them off every year. £2k+ for the Sonos system is bonkers.

I used to sell those packages and they seem great at the time but don't particularly hold their value. I am not spending £2k on a Sonos system - I am spending £720 and I am sure it'll meet my needs. When I get cash burning a hole I may add some bookshelf rears for <£250. The Sub I can move between both systems by just plugging it into a 3-pin power outlet.

 

[dlockers]

They don't have to hold much value if you can get them new for £700. I've checked avforums and would still get around £500 for my Q990c, which is probably not much different to the depreciation of Sonos equipment over the same period, e.g. you'd only get £500 or so if you sold a year old Arc second hand.

There's not much audio equipment that holds its value well.

I can sell my 5 year old Beam 1 for 200 quid still according to marketplace. How much is the 5 year old q990c equivalent?

Same with Bose. My companion 3s are probably a decade old and still go for decent money.

 

[dlockers]

The last Beam 1 listed here was sold locally instead, and it was priced at £200 inYou'd be lucky to get £120 for it, imo.

Link please - that is a bargain.

 

[dlockers]

https://forums.overclockers.co.uk/threads/sonos-beam-gen-1-2x-sonos-play-1-200.18979795/

Remember, this is also November last year. So if you factor in further depreciation and subtract the price of the two Play:1s, you're looking at less than £150 for the Beam 1. Bidding on eBay for them seems to top out around £150, and that's for the ones with the wall mount included.

IIRC they were about £400 brand new, so it has lost about 62.5% of its value. Granted, you may have paid less than that. I did a quick check on a Samsung bar of the same age and price range, the depreciation is very similar.

lol@ quoting a LiE for sale thread. That was an outrageous Bargain given it has £100 worth of Play1 speakers. I would have snapped it up in a heartbeat.

What is the Samsung bar of 2019?

 

[dlockers]

At least I provided some evidence of their going rate. You just claimed you could still get £200 for it

Look, if you want to believe that Sonos soundbars are somehow more valuable than others from similar major brands, then go ahead. The reality is that they depreciate at about the same rate, and I'm certainly no worse off going for Samsung's flagship than paying the asking price for the equivalent Sonos setup, I'd be more out of pocket to begin with before worrying about resale value.

OK so no link to the 2019 Samsung then?

 

[dlockers]

Where's your link to these 5 year old Beam 1's still selling for £200?

Sorry to break your illusion that Sonos seems to hold its value much better than other similar devices from major brands.

Seems my summary of the situation w.r.t to the AV folk was spot on.

P.S. the 2019 Samsung flagship was the Q90R which is now the model number of their QLED TV. The only one I can find is £180 and its RRP was £1500 (LOL).