Amp selection - Help needed!!

[rocksteadyeddie]

Hi,
I am looking to purchase an amp as well as a subwoofer to go along with the speakers I currently have. Although I don't really know where to begin!
I basically want one with 5.1, Pro Logic II, (DTS as well would be nice), digital and phono inputs.

These are the specs for the speakers I have:

Center: 69 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)
Surrounds: 62 watts RMS x 4 (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)

I am also looking for advice about a subwoofer that would be compatable with the amp and speakers, I am looking for a fairly powerful sub. I used to use a 10" ported 188 RMS sub with these speakers.

Also I was wondering whether it makes any difference using 5 speakers on a 7.1 amp? And whether there is much different in price between 5.1 and 7.1 amps, would give me the option for a future upgrade.

My budget for both amp and sub is probably around £400 ($615)

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks

 

[TLS Guy]

Hi,
I am looking to purchase an amp as well as a subwoofer to go along with the speakers I currently have. Although I don't really know where to begin!
I basically want one with 5.1, Pro Logic II, (DTS as well would be nice), digital and phono inputs.

These are the specs for the speakers I have:

Center: 69 watts RMS (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)
Surrounds: 62 watts RMS x 4 (into 8 ohms, @ 1kHz, @ 10% THD)

I am also looking for advice about a subwoofer that would be compatable with the amp and speakers, I am looking for a fairly powerful sub. I used to use a 10" ported 188 RMS sub with these speakers.

Also I was wondering whether it makes any difference using 5 speakers on a 7.1 amp? And whether there is much different in price between 5.1 and 7.1 amps, would give me the option for a future upgrade.

My budget for both amp and sub is probably around £400 ($615)

Any help would be very appreciated.

Thanks

I think you are looking for a receiver and not an amp. Most of us are in the US, and not well up on what is available in the UK. Because of different standards, in TV and radio broadcasting, to say nothing of EEC regulations, it impossible for us to guide you. The sub market in the UK is very limited.

I think you budget for the UK though is far too low.

 

[rocksteadyeddie]

I have been advised by other people that buying a seperate receiver and sub would be a more expensive option.

Therefore I have been loooking into complete surround sound systems.

I have found Onkyo HT-S4100 which I really like, however I can't find somewhere selling it in the UK, does anyone know of anywhere selling it in the US that ships internationally.

Failing that any comparable alternatives?
The Onkyo HT-S5305 is sold in the UK, it is good although the sub isn't as powerful as I would like.

Thanks

 

[TLS Guy]

I have been advised by other people that buying a seperate receiver and sub would be a more expensive option.

Therefore I have been loooking into complete surround sound systems.

I have found Onkyo HT-S4100 which I really like, however I can't find somewhere selling it in the UK, does anyone know of anywhere selling it in the US that ships internationally.

Failing that any comparable alternatives?
The Onkyo HT-S5305 is sold in the UK, it is good although the sub isn't as powerful as I would like.

Thanks

You can not buy a US model. It will not work in the UK, because of voltage, cycle and broadcast issues, to say nothing of the fact that we are NHSTC and you are PAL. You could not even use a French one as they are SECAM.

So you must buy a system built for the UK. I explained this before.

I would avoid HTIB. Home theater is expensive unless you want a lot of disappointment. That is even more true in Europe.

First rule of equipment buying is to avoid POS and you seem to be searching for them.

I have done a little searching of UK sites, and a capable receiver is going to run you around 400 GBP. A sub you would want to use will cost you around 300 GBP. In the US that would be about half that, but that is the state of play. So in the US you could do that for around $600 to $700. However in the UK it will cost you slightly north of that number in pounds.