Can you help me with my first home audio system?

[Tahnik]

I am going to buy a pc soon. I am not an audiophile but I care about sound a lot. A first i was going to buy Logitech z906 but then People suggested that i should buy a htib instead.

1. Should I buy a htib instead of z906?
2. Which one is better? Sony bdv-n7100w or Onkyo ht-s4505(b)
3. I will buy a Creative Soundblaster ZXR and connect pc and htib via an optical cable. Is that OK?

I want to mention that i will ONLY and ONLY connect my pc to the sound system. No other bluray or ps3 etc.

My purpose of this sound system will be watching blu ray movies via my pc, listening to music and gaming.

Thank you.

Links:

Logitech z906 Logitech Z-906 5.1 Surround Sound Speakers: Amazon.co.uk: Computers & Accessories

Onkyo ht-s4505 ONKYO HT-S4505(B) 5.1 Channel Home Cinema Receiver/Speaker Package: Amazon.co.uk: TV

Sony bdv-n7100w http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-BDVN7100W-Blu-ray-Channel-Cinema/dp/B00CFYS3XA/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1396156994&sr=1-2&keywords=N7100w

Creative soundblaster zxr http://www.amazon.co.uk/Creative-Sound-Blaster-Complete-System/dp/B00B1R2AFE/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1396157024&sr=1-1&keywords=Creative+zxr

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

A) What's your total budget?
b) Do Not waste money on that SoundBlaster - it would be wasted money
c) between pc multimedia speakers and Onkyo HTIB - I would choose Onkyo HTIB any day
Onkyo is the only HTiB brand I would recommend considering anyhow since they ship normal receivers which you can continue to use if decide to upgrade the speakers

 

[Tahnik]

Thank you

A) What's your total budget?
b) Do Not waste money on that SoundBlaster - it would be wasted money
c) between pc multimedia speakers and Onkyo HTIB - I would choose Onkyo HTIB any day
Onkyo is the only HTiB brand I would recommend considering anyhow since they ship normal receivers which you can continue to use if decide to upgrade the speakers

My budget is under £500.can go a £100 more if REALLY needed.

Can you please tell me why the soundblaster will be a waste of money?

And the sony htib looks very promising to me. But please advice me.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Check the back of your pc if you already have digital/optical audio out port - most new PCs do. Connecting digitally from that port to htib receiver will give you perfect sound. (or an HDMI port)
Adding an SB will not make it sound any better = aka wasted money

for $500-600
I would recommend a quality 2.1 system over quantity:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-DIAMOND-10-0-SPEAKERS-BLACK/dp/B0032B77U0/ref=sr_1_1?s=receiver-speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1396283537&sr=1-1&keywords=wharfedale
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-DIAMOND-SW150-SUBWOOFER-BLACK/dp/B0036EEOSQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1396284292&sr=1-1&keywords=wharfedale+subwoofer
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Denon-AVR-X500-AV-Surround-Receiver/dp/B00C7SZT2W/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1396283993&sr=1-10&keywords=receiver+5.1

or if you must have everything at once - ONKYO HT-S4505(B) 5.1 Channel Home Cinema Receiver/Speaker Package: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Sony system?? I don't know much about it, besides it certantly does not look upgradeable

 

[Tahnik]

Check the back of your pc if you already have digital/optical audio out port - most new PCs do. Connecting digitally from that port to htib receiver will give you perfect sound. (or an HDMI port)
Adding an SB will not make it sound any better = aka wasted money

for $500-600
I would recommend a quality 2.1 system over quantity:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-DIAMOND-10-0-SPEAKERS-BLACK/dp/B0032B77U0/ref=sr_1_1?s=receiver-speakers&ie=UTF8&qid=1396283537&sr=1-1&keywords=wharfedale
http://www.amazon.co.uk/WHARFEDALE-DIAMOND-SW150-SUBWOOFER-BLACK/dp/B0036EEOSQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1396284292&sr=1-1&keywords=wharfedale+subwoofer
Denon AVR-X500 AV Surround Receiver - Black: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

or if you must have everything at once - ONKYO HT-S4505(B) 5.1 Channel Home Cinema Receiver/Speaker Package: Amazon.co.uk: Electronics

Sony system?? I don't know much about it, besides it certantly does not look upgradeable

Ya i'm looking for a 5.1 package. The only advantage i see in sony is they feature 2-way speaker while onkyo give full range speakers.

And if they last 4-5 years then i will be ok with a non-upgradable system.

And sony has way more features. As i will only connect my pc so i wont need various connectivity options that av receivers offer.

And thanks for the advice about sound card. So if buy a htib all the sounds will be processed by receiver right?

 

[rojo]

I would skip Sony because they're a content provider as well as hardware. Any new, creative, crippling digital rights management methods will probably be imposed on a Sony device before others. This could cause unnecessary headache when trying to play a Blu-Ray through a home theater PC.

If your Blu-Ray drive doesn't come bundled with software for playing Blu-Ray, you'll probably need to plan on buying Cyberlink PowerDVD pro or ultra. DRM makes playing Blu-Ray movies nearly impossible without ripping to the hard drive and transcoding first, unless you've got player software developed by a company who has surrendered to Sony's DRM and licensing.

I'm inclined to agree with BSA's recommendation on the Wharfedale 2.1 setup over an HTIB. Get something good and build a little as you can, rather than something disposable. You'll be happier with fewer but higher quality speakers than with more but mediocre speakers.

I'm not familiar with retailers in Bangladesh. Are there any online shops where you can find higher end audio gear such as Wharfedale, KEF, Paradigm, German Maestro, Definitive Technology, Klipsch, or similar? Is it less expensive for you to order from India than from the UK?

Are you going to be displaying video through a television or through the PC's monitor? If not, then disregard the rest of this post.

If you are planning to hook your PC up to a television, then continue reading.

Video card: all the major chipset brands have their advantages and disadvantages. But I think if you get an Nvidia GeForce GT610 (like this fanless Asus card) or better, you'll be pleased. You should also run this RGB full range toggler utility after driver upgrades to make sure the RGB output isn't limited.

Sound card: doesn't matter. The HDMI out on the video card I recommended above will pass video and multichannel digital audio over a single wire.

 

[Tahnik]

I would skip Sony because they're a content provider as well as hardware. Any new, creative, crippling digital rights management methods will probably be imposed on a Sony device before others. This could cause unnecessary headache when trying to play a Blu-Ray through a home theater PC.

If your Blu-Ray drive doesn't come bundled with software for playing Blu-Ray, you'll probably need to plan on buying Cyberlink PowerDVD pro or ultra. DRM makes playing Blu-Ray movies nearly impossible without ripping to the hard drive and transcoding first, unless you've got player software developed by a company who has surrendered to Sony's DRM and licensing.

I'm inclined to agree with BSA's recommendation on the Wharfedale 2.1 setup over an HTIB. Get something good and build a little as you can, rather than something disposable. You'll be happier with fewer but higher quality speakers than with more but mediocre speakers.

I'm not familiar with retailers in Bangladesh. Are there any online shops where you can find higher end audio gear such as Wharfedale, KEF, Paradigm, German Maestro, Definitive Technology, Klipsch, or similar? Is it less expensive for you to order from India than from the UK?

Are you going to be displaying video through a television or through the PC's monitor? If not, then disregard the rest of this post.

If you are planning to hook your PC up to a television, then continue reading.

Video card: all the major chipset brands have their advantages and disadvantages. But I think if you get an Nvidia GeForce GT610 (like this fanless Asus card) or better, you'll be pleased. You should also run this RGB full range toggler utility after driver upgrades to make sure the RGB output isn't limited.

Sound card: doesn't matter. The HDMI out on the video card I recommended above will pass video and multichannel digital audio over a single wire.

I am going to UK for undergraduate study and I'm planning on settling there. Anyway, I haven't heard of whardedale company before, should I buy this?

How about jbl?

I will connect my pc to a 27 inch ips monitor. So how am I going to connect it? Via hdmi?

Last but not the Least can you suggest me some good rare surround speaker?

 

[rojo]

What is the brand and model of your 27 inch monitor? I'll have to look at its inputs before I can advise you how you'll connect it. Also, how far away will you be sitting from your display and your speakers? Will you be watching movies while sitting at a desk or lounging in a living room?

Wharfedale is a reputable company that makes good quality stuff. But like most anything, you get what you pay for -- so you'll be happier with these than with the smaller DX1 5.1 bundle. Be that as it may, it'll be difficult to find better speakers than the Diamonds that BSA suggested in your price range.

JBL is a reputable company that makes good quality stuff. But like most anything, you get what you pay for. I auditioned a pair of JBL ES20 a couple of months ago. The highs were nice and airy, but mids were too thin and colored. I've read the same sentiments about the larger ES30. I think if you go for JBL, stay away from the ES series.

For the receiver, this Denon AVR-X1000 might be a better choice, as it includes Audyssey XT for getting the best equalization at your sweet spot. A little cheaper is the Pioneer VSX-528-K, which offers MCACC, another type of auto speaker calibration. I have no experience with Pioneer's calibration, so I can't compare the two for you. But I can say that Audyssey makes a profound difference. There are a couple of really nice things about Audyssey. Its dynamic volume feature will help keep you from turning your system up to hear whispered dialog and down to keep explosions from knocking pictures off your wall. Dynamic EQ will boost the treble and bass at low volumes, so you'll perceive the same EQ curve at low volumes as you will at irritatingly loud reference level.

Regarding surround speakers, I suggest you hold off on those. After getting your pair of fronts, a sub and a receiver (and speaker wire, speaker stands, HDMI cables and whatever else you might need), if you still have money left, the next thing to consider is a center channel. Having a good center channel will allow you to control the volume of speech in movies independently from your main speakers. For the best sound, use a Wharfedale center that matches your fronts. Surround speakers really aren't that important. As long as they aren't completely horrible, you can get by easily with cheapness.

With matching your center channel to your fronts in mind, I've also read nice things about the Q Acoustics 2020i. I haven't listened to them, though, so Google is your friend. However, if you're building your system with matching Left/Center/Right in mind, the Q Acoustics route might be cheaper than the Wharfedale. Matching surrounds and subwoofer is not important, but matching LCR can be. Lack of firsthand experience notwithstanding, I was impressed by this unboxing video showing bi-wiring connections and included port plugs for the option of sealing the enclosures. These are high end features for such modestly priced speakers.

 

[Tahnik]

Wharfedale is a reputable company that makes good quality stuff. But like most anything, you get what you pay for. Be that as it may, it'll be difficult to find better speakers in your price range.

JBL is a reputable company that makes good quality stuff. But like most anything, you get what you pay for. I auditioned a pair of JBL ES20 a couple of months ago. The highs were nice and airy, but mids were too thin and colored. I've read the same sentiments about the larger ES30. I think if you go for JBL, stay away from the ES series.

For your price range, it'll be hard to beat the Wharfedales that BSA chose for you. For the receiver, this Denon AVR-1312 might be a better choice, as it includes Audyssey MultiEQ for getting the best equalization at your sweet spot.

What is the brand and model of your 27 inch monitor? I'll have to look at its inputs before I can advise you how you'll connect it.

Regarding surround speakers, I suggest you hold off on those. After getting your pair of fronts, a sub and a receiver (and speaker wire, speaker stands, HDMI cables and whatever else you might need), if you still have money left, the next thing to consider is a center channel. Having a good center channel will allow you to control the volume of speech in movies independently from your main speakers. For the best sound, use a Wharfedale center that matches your fronts. Surround speakers really aren't that important. As long as they aren't completely horrible, you can get by easily with cheapness.

It's Asus MX279h. It will definitely have HDMI. Thanks to BSA and you for telling me about this great company Wharfedal.

By the way i have finally made up my mind to buy the Wharfedal DX1 HCP 5.1 system. I am planning to buy the Denon avr-x1000 5.1 receiver with it.

For connectivity options i am considering this : I'll send my gpu's hdmi to my receiver. From there I will use the "hdmi out" of the receiver to connect my monitor.

Man I am already excited.

Is my setup OK?

And thank you very much for answers

 

[Tahnik]

And I was also considering to buy a 2.1 system first. But then upgrading them and doing stuffs will be too much for me. Lol at me at first I was planning to buy entry level logitech pc speakers. Then I went to logitech z906. From there people suggested me about home theater.

Then eventually I came to know about A/V receivers. ( i was a complete noob ). And all of this happened in like 3-4 days.
It is already too much for me.

So I will buy a 5.1 system for now.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Re: Wharfedal DX1 HCP 5.1 - Looks like a decent package, however do notice few things:
a) Due to tiny and sealed front speaker the speaker positioning becomes critical: - You'd want to place the L/R channels right against the wall and b) due to very high crossover - 120hz you should place the sub-woofer in front of you since frequencies starting from 120hz and higher could be localized and therefore it would be less noticeable in front of seating

b) be very careful to setting up the receiver - speakers to "small" and crossover for l/r and surrounds to 120hz and center to 80-90hz

c) the speakers in the package are 4ohm nominal and not very efficient - this means you wont be able to play them very loudly, but probably still more than enough in smaller room
This is hard to judge - depends how loud you like your sound to be played - do keep in mind extended exposure to very high volumes will cause long term hearing loss

 

[Tahnik]

Re: Wharfedal DX1 HCP 5.1 - Looks like a decent package, however do notice few things:
a) Due to tiny and sealed front speaker the speaker positioning becomes critical: - You'd want to place the L/R channels right against the wall and b) due to very high crossover - 120hz you should place the sub-woofer in front of you since frequencies starting from 120hz and higher could be localized and therefore it would be less noticeable in front of seating

b) be very careful to setting up the receiver - speakers to "small" and crossover for l/r and surrounds to 120hz and center to 80-90hz

c) the speakers in the package are 4ohm nominal and not very efficient - this means you wont be able to play them very loudly, but probably still more than enough in smaller room
This is hard to judge - depends how loud you like your sound to be played - do keep in mind extended exposure to very high volumes will cause long term hearing loss

Thank you for your great advice. I'll keep those on mind.

And i heard that they are actually 8ohm speakers. Wharfedal somehow made a mistake in their brochures and they are too lazy to change it

 

[rojo]

It's Asus MX279h. It will definitely have HDMI. Thanks to BSA and you for telling me about this great company Wharfedal.

By the way i have finally made up my mind to buy the Wharfedal DX1 HCP 5.1 system. I am planning to buy the Denon avr-x1000 5.1 receiver with it.

For connectivity options i am considering this : I'll send my gpu's hdmi to my receiver. From there I will use the "hdmi out" of the receiver to connect my monitor.

Man I am already excited.

Is my setup OK?

And thank you very much for answers

If you didn't see, I made several edits to my post you might consider. Sorry about that. I was editing between phone calls and emergencies for a couple of hours without refreshing the page. I'm glad you found the Denon AVR-X1000 on your own, though.

Otherwise, running PC to receiver, then receiver to monitor is what I would recommend if your monitor has an HDMI input. I think that Denon has an on-screen display that only works in this configuration, and it makes things much easier to set up than dealing solely with the Denon's front panel display. Just don't forget to get a spool of speaker wire, a subwoofer cable, and two HDMI cables.

Are you getting that Asus video card I recommended? Not all video cards with HDMI out support audio, but I know that one does. Also bear in mind that that video card probably won't render the latest and greatest games with full bloat enabled at good framerates. But it should be decent for most games I'd think.

 

[Tahnik]

If you didn't see, I made several edits to my post you might consider. Sorry about that. I was editing between phone calls and emergencies for a couple of hours without refreshing the page. I'm glad you found the Denon AVR-X1000 on your own, though.

Otherwise, running PC to receiver, then receiver to monitor is what I would recommend if your monitor has an HDMI input. I think that Denon has an on-screen display that only works in this configuration, and it makes things much easier to set up than dealing solely with the Denon's front panel display. Just don't forget to get a spool of speaker wire, a subwoofer cable, and two HDMI cables.

Are you getting that Asus video card I recommended? Not all video cards with HDMI out support audio, but I know that one does. Also bear in mind that that video card probably won't render the latest and greatest games with full bloat enabled at good framerates. But it should be decent for most games I'd think.

No mate I will be getting on of the gtx 700 series (760/770/780). I made sure that they output both audio and video via their HDMI.

Anyway guys thanks for your help. I can't wait to go to UK in June. I will definitely let you know when I get these in my hand

 

[Tahnik]

Hey guys sorry to disturb you again. But I just came to know about a weird stuff. If I send stereo sound via hdmi will my receiver up mix them to all channels?

Or will it just play the two front speakers?

Damn man I just had a good night sleep and now this matter is banging in my head

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Hey guys sorry to disturb you again. But I just came to know about a weird stuff. If I send stereo sound via hdmi will my receiver up mix them to all channels?

Or will it just play the two front speakers?

Damn man I just had a good night sleep and now this matter is banging in my head

it depends on the settings on the receiver - you could have set ether way Don't loose sleep over this

 

[Tahnik]

it depends on the settings on the receiver - you could have set ether way Don't loose sleep over this

Are you saying that there will be an option to upmix stereo to 5.1 in the receiver?

Because if not I will have no choice but to buy a soundblaster zxr

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Are you saying that there will be an option to upmix stereo to 5.1 in the receiver?

Because if not I will have no choice but to buy a soundblaster zxr

I don't know how to make it more clear - YES
There are several choices to do just that - from simple - "all channel stereo" to various pseudo surround modes - I like DTS Neo mode
DTS (sound system) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[rojo]

Tahnik, it might help you to look at pages 89 - 96 of the AVR-X1000 owner's manual.

 

[Tahnik]

Thanks bro i just checked it right before you posted your post. Thank you BSA and rojo. Thank you very much