Home Audio

[Nilz]

Anyone here into their audio at home??

I have always been into it but for a while have lost track, I am looking to get back into it again now and want a decent setup that will also handle as a home cinema system.

I have seen alot of these soundbars coming up with rave reviews but im not sold on one speaker giving the full surround sound effect.

I have a pair of vintage Kef floorstanders which I would like to use as my fronts, but I think they will be too big for the front room and a nice pair of Monitor Audios for my rears.

I would also like to get a nice but not very expensive amp which can also work as a hdmi switch, as the TV I have only has one hdmi input.

I am contemplating selling the Kefs, as I believe the return on them will get me a nice setup.

Any thoughts or opinions??

Cheers
Nilz

 

[cabbychris]

I have the monitor audio silver`s at the front and m/audio`s at the rear m/audio center speakers and rel subs all coupled up to a sony 7.1 amp and the sound is spot on,as for the size of the room the monitors do work better in a large room,the speakers that do sound nice in a smallish room are the kef eggs or bose cubes.

 

[davc]

What's your budget?

If you listen to a lot of 2 channel music I would stay away from the onkyo, sony and yamaha amps as they are cr@p with music.

Marantz do some cracking amps that offer the best of both worlds and IMHO don't sound as bright as some of the amps from denon and pioneer.

I would keep the floorstanders and see how you get on with them first.

I wouldn't bother with soundbars. I've tried a few at home and they sound ok but there's no substitute for a speaker at each corner of the room!

 

[Nilz]

Not too sure on budget at the mo, I am on the lookout for the Kef eggs, I have always liked them.

We used to have a Marantz amp, but my dad has had that, I currently have a Pioneer one but its not HDMI, so want to move towards that, I was ideally looking at Yamaha or Onkyo for next amp, depends what comes up and how far I want to go technology wise.

Ive been reading alot about Dolby Atmos and it looks pretty good, but not had a chance to test as yet...I saw Richer Sounds had an Onkyo setup (amp and speakers) with Atmos for about £599 the other day, which wasnt bad considering the spec of the amp.

I would love to keep the floorstanders and may end up keeping them, but I jut think the size of them is just too big now, especially when you can get the eggs that produce excellent quality sound and takes up virtually no space.

Another reason for keeping away from the floorstanders is I have a 5 year old and really dont want him to damage them.

 

[AlexGSi2000]

As others have said - stay away from the soundbars, personally I think they are too "mainstream consumer" items.... better sound quality than your telly, but still crud when it comes down to it.

I have a small basic setup at the moment, using a Cambridge 340a, running RCA from the TV, blu-ray.etc connected to a set of Mordaunt Shorts.
Nothing fancy, but sure as hell beats any off the shelf system.

Im may be looking for a set of floorstanders actually, as the bookshelf speakers arent really projecting the sound as they are sat on the floor.
Let me know how much you are after for the KEF's if you decide to sell.

 

[Nilz]

Im not sold on the soundbars, so will be staying away from them, although I would like to see how some of the ones prices at £500+ would perform and how they can justify the pricetag.

I will PM you about the floorstanders.

 

[AlexGSi2000]

I tell you what I was suprised with the other week.... Bose...
I have never listened to anything Bose before, was at a local shopping center where they had a store, decided to have a wander around.
Never have I been so underwhelmed, sound quality does not match the price whatsoever!....

 

[Nilz]

Bose is not as good as it used to be, they are just a brand name that made their name years ago and are running off that rep now, there is so much out there that is better and cheaper.

 

[davc]

I currently have a Pioneer one but its not HDMI, so want to move towards that, I was ideally looking at Yamaha or Onkyo for next amp, depends what comes up and how far I want to go technology wise.

Does your amp have 5.1 or 7.1 analogue inputs? Not sure if anyone does them these days but if you got hold of a bluray player with 7.1 analague outputs you could hook it up to your pioneer. That's what I've got in my setup.

 

[Nilz]

@davc It has 5.1 analogue inputs with a passive subwoofer.

To be honest, I have been playing with the settings and trying various films etc that I have and it sounds really good so I may hold onto it for now and get something when this is on its way out.