tDR Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Following on from this thread with me deciding on a 50" Plasma TV: http://www.mkivsupra.net/vbb/showthread.php?t=141536 I need a home theatre type surround sound setup to replace my aging Technics hifi system (pro logic) to which I currently have most things connected. The Plasma TV I've decided on has 2x HDMI ports, composite, component, s-video amongst other stuff. So I want something that will compliment it and not cost the earth. Should I go with an amp / speaker combo or one of these DVD amp type packages with matched speakers? I'll be playing my Tiscali TV and X Box 360 through it - I could just use the X Box 360 for DVD playback but in future may add a Blueray player to my setup. Cheers, Brian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 This any good? http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2058308191.1203796192@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfdadedghedefdcflgceggdhhmdgml.0&page=Accessory&sku=704876 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R32 Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 This any good? http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2058308191.1203796192@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfdadedghedefdcflgceggdhhmdgml.0&page=Accessory&sku=704876 If your only going to spend £300ish its not bad. Have a look at richer sounds, nice stuf. sometimes a bit dated but good price.if you got the$$$ look at denon recivers and kef speakers Good luck;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 all in one packages are not worth the money,they sound awfull and are poorly made i know this because i am a panasonic and sony main dealer. that system is also being dicontinued soon with newer models coming out. buy a seperate amp and dvd package with speakers as its twice as good. at the moment i have the yamaha dspax861 home cinema amp which normally sells for £799 for a lot less. i cant put the prices on a public forum otherwise i could get told off by yamaha lol. if your after blue ray machines panasonic will be launching a new one next month at a rrp of 349 but this will be dicounted to members obviously.(steve manley allreay wants one but he gets trade prices because i get cost from him). i am also going to the hifi show in bristol tomorow to see lots of new gear.(i am a geek). speaker wise i would go for kef home cinema stuff as i have installed lots these and they are very good and with a good margin of discount. let me know what you are after and i will check ouyt some prices Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pot Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 This any good? http://www.dixons.co.uk/martprd/store/dix_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2058308191.1203796192@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccfdadedghedefdcflgceggdhhmdgml.0&page=Accessory&sku=704876 Oh, I rather like that... (Currently looking at upgrading my cheap LG setup (£150) to something I can also run the XBox through without it just being 2 channel) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 read my post.its being discontinued soon for a newer model and better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probrox Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I'd go for amp and speakers for best sound. I can highly recommend these speakers. The sub that comes with them is as big as a footstool and shakes the house. http://www.kef.com/kht/KHT5005/home.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 awesome system i can get these at cost with about a 35% margin off retail. a bit out of the budget i think though. looking at dspax861 amps though at a very good price. i need to find some floor stand speakers and stand mount rears.i will probably go with the cresta system and psw2005 sub package as i can do these in a 600 budget with amp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mkirby Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 all depends on budget and what you watch/listen to. i tend to buy B&W speakers as i love the build quality and sound quality and there not silly money also i recently bought the pz70 50" panasonic plasma and you cant go wrong with it cracking picture and amazing when playing true 1080p on my bluray player Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probrox Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 I got mine for a budget of £350 inc the amp but i can't say where they came from:innocent: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pot Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 read my post.its being discontinued soon for a newer model and better. Sorry, you posted whilst I was typing - You sound like you're qualified to answer something which I was wondering (Sorry, going slightly off topic here) - If I've got my XBox going into my 40" Samsung telly via HDMI, would the Optical Out from the telly 'transmit' surround sound to say, an amp?... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 yes mate it would.but you may as well run it from the xbox because you would have to run the audio leads from the x box to the telly then from tv out via optical to the amp,so yo would have more wires as the component out is only picture. still run a optical out as well from the tv then any programmes you watch via sky,freeview etc will be in surround via the optical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Brian, there's a Sony all-in-one system that's getting rave reviews atm.... Best advice, don't rush in....read some mags and get an understanding of what's out there and what is recommeded time and again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 is the dav-is10 system i could do a pretty good deal on one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Adam is trying to sort me out a decent package by pm - thanks for your help Adam What's the cost of this Sony all in one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 Just read the review on it - imrpessive for such tiny speakers but gimmicky to me, would prefer some tall floor standers or stands especially for the rear. Also the connectivity of the Yamaha amp mentioned above is waaaaaaaay better and I like that flexibility. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pot Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 yes mate it would.but you may as well run it from the xbox because you would have to run the audio leads from the x box to the telly then from tv out via optical to the amp,so yo would have more wires as the component out is only picture. still run a optical out as well from the tv then any programmes you watch via sky,freeview etc will be in surround via the optical. But if I run HDMI from my XBox 360 (Which supports 5.1 surround sound, that's all I'm after, just more than L/R side stuff!) into my TV and optical from the TV into the amp, wouldn't the optical from the telly provide the right input for the XBox and Telly?... (As it's the only source providing the input?)... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 sorry mate i thought it was the xbox 360 same as mine with just component. is it the elite i take it then yes use the output from the tv is best. i should have asked Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 If you are really going to go for it, I'd highly recommend KEF speakers. I have the 3005 setup but if my room was bigger would have gone for the IQ range. The 1005/2005/3005/5005 sets from KEF are for home theatres.... As for AMP's look no further than Onkyo, currently they've got all the competition licked below £1000. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 1005 is very good about 200 inc vat.but soon to be replaced though and will be 100 more expensive. 3005 i love this system about 699 inc vat at the moment. we might be looking for floorstanders though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tDR Posted February 23, 2008 Author Share Posted February 23, 2008 So the Yamaha AX861 amp combined with the 1005 Kef home theatre speaker setup would be a good budget option? Adam - do you do the Onkyo amps Alex mentions and can they be had at similar discount to give same £ per performance? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adam bell Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 for the price you are paying for the yamaha no way. the onkyo is good but stock can be hard to get sometimes. not sure on the onkyo prices as i dont do them at my place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AshBhp Posted February 23, 2008 Share Posted February 23, 2008 Adam I have the Yamaha DSPAX1 how does the DSP-Z11 compare and to whats out there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pot Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 sorry mate i thought it was the xbox 360 same as mine with just component. is it the elite i take it then yes use the output from the tv is best. i should have asked No worries, mine's not the Elite, a 'recent' Xbox 360 Premium with the HDMI port (I know it's not the elite as it's not black and I didn't want to spend that much on a bigger hard drive, and it's got HDMI as I've got the cable plugged into the back of it ) Cheers for confirming what I hoped I was right about hoping about anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
probrox Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Adam, what amp would you reccomend for the kef 5005's. I'm just using a Yamaha RX-SL80 that i got cheap when i got the speakers and i'm wondering if i could get more out of the speakers with a better amp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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