Home cinema system

**paul_oshea** · 08/10/2007, 3:04 PM

Right lads and lassies, im more than thinking of getting one of these for my flat. Half xmas pressie etc.

Anyhow i am in 2 minds as i like my music and i like it loud. So I am thinking of going with an amp and speakers ( stereo amp followed by purchasing a cinema amp which will in turn connect to stereo amp in future when i can afford it ) as opposed to just going for a straight home made cinema system. The reason for this is 2 fold really, because I want the sound system to double up as a music system and I listen to music more than I watch films, so the sound from listening to cds etc is more important to me.

Anyhow around the £250 mark or euro equivalent can someone recommend the obvious and best choice for me to go with i.e. home cinema system with surround sound or proper sound system. Obviouslly the one thing I really lose is the surround sound with the DIY job, but is it that big of a loss?!

Any help appreciated.

**endabob1** · 08/10/2007, 3:19 PM

I have a model similar to this
http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...AMA-DSPAX759SE

It allows a set of cinema Surrounds but also a straight Stereo output, I used to have 2 whacking great floorstanders for music and a set of Sattelites for movies, unfortunately due to space restrictions I no longer have the Stereo speakers. Getting a good quality surround Amp will save you the hassle of getting 2 dedicated amps, it may not be perfect but it has worked well for me.

For Cinema Speakers I would opt for kef, still the best reasonably prices sattelite system I have heard.
http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...id=KEF-KHT1005

**paul_oshea** · 08/10/2007, 3:36 PM

so are you telling me to get an amp with cinema sats? what is the point in that as oppossed to getting a home cinema system? what more does it offer in terms of music playing sound quality?

**endabob1** · 09/10/2007, 9:22 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

so are you telling me to get an amp with cinema sats? what is the point in that as oppossed to getting a home cinema system? what more does it offer in terms of music playing sound quality?

You'll get
A - A much better home cinema sound

B - The option of hooking up decent speakers for straight stereo sound. Playing music through a bog-standard surround package does not produce a good quality stereo sound as it uses the sub woofer to produce the bass sounds

Always follow the golden rule of buying hi-fi equipment is test it out, go to a shop with a room that you can try this stuff out in, bring cd's that you listen to at home so you know the music and know how it should sound and if you can't tell the difference etween a £100 piece of kit and a £300 piece of kit buy the cheaper one.

**paul_oshea** · 09/10/2007, 1:03 PM

ok but surely when you are buying the amp, its all relative to the speakers that the sound is being outputted from? My mate told me richer sounds will let you bring cds etc.

So if i get a cinema amp I can hook up stereo speakers adn get both cinema sound and music quality sound, is that what you are saying? I just want to be 100% sure i understand what you are saying. What about the sub woofer then though? Surely you need a bass speaker or sub woofer to get this effect? do you lose the surround sound effect going your way?

**anto1208** · 09/10/2007, 5:44 PM

http://uk.shopping.com/xPF-LG-LG-LXBU250

This is similar to the one i have in my games room , its the best sound i can get from all my sound systems , i have i have a proper technics stereo ( over a grands worth ) and an sony home cinema system ( 300+ )and neither come close to this its a fantastic cinema system and when you play cd's all the speakers are the same volume rather than just the front ones . They are tall speakers but look really nice .

They are loud, bloody loud it goes up to 30 i play my games at 6-7 at this level i cant hear door bells, phones ringing etc , at 15 it shakes the walls you can see the mirrors downstairs shaking when its up this high . ive never turned it up full blast as it actually hurts and i think the house may collapse .

I love it

**paul_oshea** · 10/10/2007, 9:51 AM

its not necessarily about loudness anto, its about quality

You haven't given me much tech spec etc or reasoning other than its loud to presuade me to get it.

**endabob1** · 10/10/2007, 10:11 AM

Paul, I think frm your first post you want a good stereo sound, without spending a truck load on a surround set up with a really good sub the best way of getting a decent Stereo sound is to get 2 floorstanders but you can run them off a good quality amp.
When I started buying my kit I started with a decent amp and bought the other bits as I progressed.
The options are basically to buy sepearte systems, ie. a bog standard plug in & go surround package and a Stereo Amp & Speakers for music.
or
To buy a decent Surround Amp that gives you a good stereo sound and then buy 2 sets of speakers one sattelite set with a sub for your cinema sounds & 2x Floorstanders for stereo sound.
Option B is more expensive but can be done piece meal as you have the cash.

**anto1208** · 10/10/2007, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

its not necessarily about loudness anto, its about quality

You haven't given me much tech spec etc or reasoning other than its loud to presuade me to get it.

I dont really know about the tech specs but the quality is fantastic for the money i spent it was about 300 euro and is far better than the technics that cost a grand , not sure what else you need to know other than its loud & sound is very clear , It doesnt trebble out and it looks really impressive the speakers are about 6 inches wide but about 4 foot tall . There is the normal stuff that you can mess around with the sound like all stereos .

It just seems to fit what you are looking for its a class stereo and a great home cinema kit , Ive had the stereo that claims to be a home cinema kit and a home cineam kit that claims to be a stereo and neither come close to this one . But still go around the shops and have a listen to them is your best bet

**paul_oshea** · 10/10/2007, 10:40 AM

ya think i start needing to do that.

anto only problem with your thing is no one sells them anymore!!! i have been searching and can only find the mini hifi version!!

**anto1208** · 10/10/2007, 10:54 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

ya think i start needing to do that.

anto only problem with your thing is no one sells them anymore!!! i have been searching and can only find the mini hifi version!!

Im not sure if its that model i think mine has a different model number but i can check later tonight when im home . I got it in curry's in March so i cant imagine they have stopped making it.

**geysir** · 10/10/2007, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by paul_oshea

Right lads and lassies, im more than thinking of getting one of these for my flat. Half xmas pressie etc.

Anyhow i am in 2 minds as i like my music and i like it loud. So I am thinking of going with an amp and speakers ( stereo amp followed by purchasing a cinema amp which will in turn connect to stereo amp in future when i can afford it ) as opposed to just going for a straight home made cinema system. The reason for this is 2 fold really, because I want the sound system to double up as a music system and I listen to music more than I watch films, so the sound from listening to cds etc is more important to me.

Anyhow around the £250 mark or euro equivalent can someone recommend the obvious and best choice for me to go with i.e. home cinema system with surround sound or proper sound system. Obviouslly the one thing I really lose is the surround sound with the DIY job, but is it that big of a loss?!
Any help appreciated.

I don't know if I can help you Paul, £250 and quality sound don't fit in the same sentence. You are in dreamland.
What you can get for that is some player and plastic boxes of the cheapest speaker components.
Some people will spend that money alone on speaker cables.
The basement prices for seperates, for example
Cambridge azur 540 amp/receiver
Then speakers, - the cheapest set from Kef
already you are up to at least £600

For what you want to pay you'll have to go for the all in one, from say Panasonic <€300

**paul_oshea** · 10/10/2007, 11:30 AM

ok, geysir considering I live in a flat and the prices that you and endabob have quoted i think i will have to go with the all in one and just test them out.....

**drinkfeckarse** · 10/10/2007, 1:26 PM

Originally Posted by anto1208

. I got it in curry's in March so i cant imagine they have stopped making it.

If it's shaking the walls at half volume then I'd say the number of heart attacks it's caused next door neighbours and old people will have made the decision for them

**kdjaC** · 10/10/2007, 8:26 PM

Originally Posted by endabob1

I have a model similar to this
http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...AMA-DSPAX759SE

It allows a set of cinema Surrounds but also a straight Stereo output, I used to have 2 whacking great floorstanders for music and a set of Sattelites for movies, unfortunately due to space restrictions I no longer have the Stereo speakers. Getting a good quality surround Amp will save you the hassle of getting 2 dedicated amps, it may not be perfect but it has worked well for me.

For Cinema Speakers I would opt for kef, still the best reasonably prices sattelite system I have heard.
http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...id=KEF-KHT1005

+1

Receiver amps are far superior to those all in one jobbies in sound and connections.

That Yamaha is quite nice i upgrading a Sony STR DB 940 as i need 4 Opticals now and i think we have a winner was gonna go with this http://www.richersounds.com/showprod...SONY-STRDA1200 but it only has 3 opticals.

kdjac