Help me help my dad! Audio

[vantastic]

My dad basically needs everything for a home theater audio system. does anyone have suggestions?

he has some criteria for what he wants:
1. <$2000. doesnt necessarily have to be that expensive, that's just his max
2. small (if there's some REALLY good reason to go big, he'd prefer smaller speakers. the tv is on this cabinet thing with about 1.5-2ft of space on either side. it'd take a lot of work to rearrange the room to try to fit large speakers)
3. relatively aesthetically pleasing. obviously this isnt the most important characteristic, but it's definitely a plus. for an idea of the environment itd be put in, imagine a black lcd tv on a cabinet thing about 2-3ft high (it's just a surface with drawers and stuff, nothing fancy). the cabinet is like mahogany or something of similar color.
4. a real surround sound system might be hard to setup in the room because it has 2 hallways and a kitchen connected to it, and i cant imagine wiring being attractive at all. I would also have to use mounting or something to put the speakers on the wall so they wouldn't be in the way. so, maybe a system that kinda just sits near the tv would be ideal. unless someone has a reasonable solution to the problem. i am NOT going to run wires through walls and stuff...way too risky for me to try.

the room is ABOUT 25'x25' give or take

i'm not opposed to kits nor am i opposed to buying separate components and assembling a system (i dont really have anything better to do). just whatever gets me the best value and sound quality.

i've been trying to google information on sound systems, but it's really hard to find what my dad is looking for. especially when everything seems to be about full blown surround sound systems.
thanks in advance

 

[Adam]

Welcome to the forum!

Regarding the wiring constraints, the first thing that popped into mind are some of the wireless surround sound systems that are out there. You can go with the home-theater-in-a-box (HTIB) systems that come with everything in one box, some of which have wireless rear speakers. You can also go with a separate receiver and speakers, and then use various wireless options to connect to your speakers. The front speakers can almost surely be wired...I'm guessing that it's the surround speakers that you're concerned about. You can even get wireless subwoofers, now.

If that is of interest, let us know and we'll list some of those systems for you.

Adam

 

[vantastic]

i was actually thinking about wireless..but how much does it cripple sound quality?
i was thinking interference might also be an issue because cellphones, wireless home phones, and wireless routers are always being used in my house and that's not really something that's about to change just cause we're getting a sound system.
if that's even a slightly realistic problem, i think i'd just prefer not to deal with it.

i don't think my dad minds spending a large sum of money on a few speakers as long as he feels he gets what he pays for

I was thinking a 3.1 speaker system (is that what they're called?) with a left, right, center, and subwoofer would be ideal. amps are usually necessary right? i need one of those too (as part of the $2k budget)

 

[Adam]

Yep, interference is the risk with those wireless systems.

You might also want to consider one of those sound bars that does simulated surround sound (here's the selection from Crutchfield, for examples).

What audio/video components does your dad want to watch/listen to? For example: DVD, Blu-Ray, VCR, turntable, etc.?

 

[vantastic]

he watches a lot of movies, and when he had a working sound system he'd listen to cds...id imagine he'd start doing it again (if not to enjoy it, to simply use the components)
he watches TV to

 

[Adam]

I was asking about which components he has because I'm wondering (a) how many inputs the sound system should have and (b) what type of inputs it should have.

Will he want to have HDMI inputs/outputs? Digital audio inputs (optical and/or coax)? Composite, component, or s-video?

That's just something to consider as you go about selecting a system - but think about what he might need in a couple of years, too, versus just what he needs right now. If you let us know what components he has (in particular, what is he watching his movies with: DVD, Blu-Ray, VCR?), then we will be in a better position to help you with suggestions.

 

[jamie2112]

Hello Vantastic, I am a fan of the 2 fronts a center and a sub. With a Yamaha Vx-663 or lesser model. You should expect to spend 350 for the Yami and 500 shipped for a good sub unless you think that would be overkill for dad. That leaves roughly 1150 for fronts and a center. The choices are almost endless for this setup so I would try to listen to as many as you can. There are some great Internet only companies that have been well reviewed: Aperion, SVS, TSC, AV123, ect.....I would also say for your dads situation you will need stands as well for your fronts..........best of luck....

 

[Midcow2]

if you're open to this idea

he watches a lot of movies, and when he had a working sound system he'd listen to cds...id imagine he'd start doing it again (if not to enjoy it, to simply use the components)
he watches TV to

surround is much more overrated than it adds to sound dimension ( just my own humble opinion). And your case since it would be hard to hook up unless wireless ; don't use.

I would concentrate on good fronts and a matching center ( this maintains timbre for seamless front sound). The center speaker is where most movie and TV vocal comes through. And then I would add a good sub. I guess what I am recommending is a good 3.1 system. I would spend $300-400 on an AVR, $1200 on front and center and get a good sub , like an SVS PB10-NSD at $429.

AVR : Yamaha RX-V663 at as low as $365 at http://buyeretail.com/product.asp?i=YAMRXV663&ref=froogle

Speakers ; here is one suggestion there are many( I would go audution and pick the ones you like best)

Mordaunt Short Avant 906i, 2 1/2 way Shielded Floor Standing Speaker, Hi-Fi Choice "Best Buy" Award Winner (PAIR $750)
Mordaunt Short Avant 906i, 2 1/2 way Shielded Floor Standing Speaker, Hi-Fi Choice "Best Buy" Award Winner (PAIR)


Mordaunt Short Avant 906i, 2 1/2 way Shielded Floor Standing Speaker, Hi-Fi Choice "Best Buy" Award Winner $300
http://www.wildwestelectronics.net/mordaunt-short-905i-center-channel.html

Suwoofer SVS PB10-NSD $429
http://www.svsound.com/products-sub-box-10nsd.cfm


So what can you get ?

 

[mazersteven]

2. small (if there's some REALLY good reason to go big, he'd prefer smaller speakers. the tv is on this cabinet thing with about 1.5-2ft of space on either side. it'd take a lot of work to rearrange the room to try to fit large speakers)
3. relatively aesthetically pleasing.
4. a real surround sound system might be hard to setup in the room because it has 2 hallways and a kitchen connected to it, and i cant imagine wiring being attractive at all.

From all that has been mentioned here. My recommendation is for an In-Ceiling HT system.

 

[Adam]

From all that has been mentioned here. My recommendation is for an In-Ceiling HT system.

An excellent recommendation (seriously), if not for the statement that:

i am NOT going to run wires through walls and stuff...way too risky for me to try.

True, they could hire a professional to do it, but that would open up the door to other options, as well.

 

[vantastic]

I was asking about which components he has because I'm wondering (a) how many inputs the sound system should have and (b) what type of inputs it should have.

Will he want to have HDMI inputs/outputs? Digital audio inputs (optical and/or coax)? Composite, component, or s-video?

That's just something to consider as you go about selecting a system - but think about what he might need in a couple of years, too, versus just what he needs right now. If you let us know what components he has (in particular, what is he watching his movies with: DVD, Blu-Ray, VCR?), then we will be in a better position to help you with suggestions.

He uses a DVD player that he probably will use for music. Should i get him to buy a music player for better quality? We play a lot of pirated DVDs that tend not to work on dvd players we get in America, so a new dvd player might be out of the question. I'll have to ask him about the blu-ray..i vaguely recall him considering getting a PS3 for the blu-ray at one point, but that could have been someone else.

Our television comes from a digital comcast cable box...i just looked behind it and I see all different kinds of plugs coming out of it, so I'll have to look into that more before i can tell what kind of outputs it has.

That's pretty much the entire list of possible inputs that I can think of.

An excellent recommendation (seriously), if not for the statement that:



True, they could hire a professional to do it, but that would open up the door to other options, as well.

How much money would I be looking to spend for a professional job? If it's REALLY reasonable, I might consider it, but one of the factors is the permanence of drilling holes in the wall..and an in ceiling setup sounds really involved. My parents also plan to remodel, and I think this ceiling may need to be replaced/fixed because i flooded a bathroom above it a few years ago and dripping water made a hole in the plaster stuff

Thanks for the suggestions midcow, I'm going to read more about them after i post this...as well as more about everything i think there's a lot more for me to learn.
thanks for the good responses btw..not typical of the forums i usually go on haha

 

[Adam]

Thanks for the list. That helps quite a bit.

He uses a DVD player that he probably will use for music. Should i get him to buy a music player for better quality?

I believe that he'll be just fine with what he has.

We play a lot of pirated DVDs that tend not to work on dvd players we get in America, so a new dvd player might be out of the question.

"No, your honor. I didn't type that." If you're talking about DVDs that are for regions other than Region 1, then you just need a universal DVD player. You can buy those. I'm not up to date on what's out there, but I'll bet that other people here are. I bought one years ago from newegg.com.

Our television comes from a digital comcast cable box...i just looked behind it and I see all different kinds of plugs coming out of it, so I'll have to look into that more before i can tell what kind of outputs it has.

If you want, give us the make and model number, and we'll look it up for you.

 

[vantastic]

the cable box is:
Motorola Dual-Tuner DVR High-Definition Set-Top DCT6412
one of those


From the motorola website:

Versatility Features


* Pause, rewind and replay live HD broadcasts
* Robust CPU, memory footprint, 3D graphics to run IPG, VOD, advanced applications and middleware
* Full range of interfaces including YpbPr, DVI, 1394, USB, Ethernet, SPDIF, Smartcard1>, and more
* YpbPr component output
* Integrated High Definition decoder with YpbPr component output
* DVI and dual 1394 (DTV) digital connectors
* Built-in dual MPEG analog encoder
* Optical and electrical SPDIF / Dolby Digital connectors
* S-Video Output
* Baseband output (Video, L/R Audio) ports
* 4 digit, 7 segment LED display with IR receiver for remote or/and keyboard
* Switched Accessory Outlet
* DVI and 1394 (DTV) digital interfaces

 

[Adam]

Cool. That cable box has a lot of flexibility in the connections. The ones that caught my attention, you actually didn't highlight.

DVI is a digital video interface, and I'm guessing that it would provide the best video output. It just depends on if the TV can accept either DVI or HDMI. DVI-to-HDMI adapters are pretty inexpensive. The difference between DVI and HDMI (besides the physical connectors) is that DVI is for video only, but HDMI carries both video and audio.

The "Optical and electrical SPDIF" are the digital audio connections. Those will allow your dad to listen to the highest quality surround sound out of that box.

Which TV does your dad have? I'm wondering in particular about its video inputs, but I'm also curious about its audio outputs. Thanks.

 

[vantastic]

Cool. That cable box has a lot of flexibility in the connections. The ones that caught my attention, you actually didn't highlight.

DVI is a digital video interface, and I'm guessing that it would provide the best video output. It just depends on if the TV can accept either DVI or HDMI. DVI-to-HDMI adapters are pretty inexpensive. The difference between DVI and HDMI (besides the physical connectors) is that DVI is for video only, but HDMI carries both video and audio.

The "Optical and electrical SPDIF" are the digital audio connections. Those will allow your dad to listen to the highest quality surround sound out of that box.

Which TV does your dad have? I'm wondering in particular about its video inputs, but I'm also curious about its audio outputs. Thanks.

yeah..i just highlighted the ones that said "output"

my dad's TV is a 46" sharp aquos (http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-Aquos-LC46D62U-46-Inch-1080p/dp/B000HKHLPA)

This stuff is all really helpful. thanks a lot

 

[Adam]

That's a nice TV!

It has HDMI inputs, so I'd suggest looking into a surround sound system that can handle HDMI.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

http://www.aperionaudio.com/product/Intimus-4B-Harmony-SD,116,35,265.aspx

or

http://www.svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm

plus

http://www.ecost.com/Detail/Receivers/Denon/AVR988+REF/39388170.aspx

 

[malovich]

can you post pictures of the room and specifically how the TV is situated?
I ask because for $2000 you could have nice floorstanders, a reciever, cd/dvd player, sub and a new TV stand.
AV123 has what I believe are the best value speakers but all of the other combinations would work well too. If you do want surrounds for immersion in a movie, rocketfish has a decent wireless amp. If you simply want small speakers that are nice, check out orb audio.

 

[Panjsheri]

My dad basically needs everything for a home theater audio system. does anyone have suggestions?

he has some criteria for what he wants:
1. <$2000. doesnt necessarily have to be that expensive, that's just his max
2. small (if there's some REALLY good reason to go big, he'd prefer smaller speakers. the tv is on this cabinet thing with about 1.5-2ft of space on either side. it'd take a lot of work to rearrange the room to try to fit large speakers)
3. relatively aesthetically pleasing. obviously this isnt the most important characteristic, but it's definitely a plus. for an idea of the environment itd be put in, imagine a black lcd tv on a cabinet thing about 2-3ft high (it's just a surface with drawers and stuff, nothing fancy). the cabinet is like mahogany or something of similar color.
4. a real surround sound system might be hard to setup in the room because it has 2 hallways and a kitchen connected to it, and i cant imagine wiring being attractive at all. I would also have to use mounting or something to put the speakers on the wall so they wouldn't be in the way. so, maybe a system that kinda just sits near the tv would be ideal. unless someone has a reasonable solution to the problem. i am NOT going to run wires through walls and stuff...way too risky for me to try.

the room is ABOUT 25'x25' give or take

i'm not opposed to kits nor am i opposed to buying separate components and assembling a system (i dont really have anything better to do). just whatever gets me the best value and sound quality.

i've been trying to google information on sound systems, but it's really hard to find what my dad is looking for. especially when everything seems to be about full blown surround sound systems.
thanks in advance

Don't know if you have seen this but someone is selling there 7.1 HT system for only $1800 and he had it at $2500 just a couple of months ago. The equipment isn't bad and I thought that this might help. Hope it does

Check it out:

http://forums.audioholics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=46061

Here is the list of components (Quoting his page!!):

Barely used, clean and in excellent condition!! Must sell ASAP!! This is a great deal on quality components.

- RECEIVER - Pioneer vsx-82txs
- SPEAKERS - Seven (7) phase technology teatro 7.5vdt speakers.
- SUBWOOFER - Klipsch 10" sub
- POWER CONDITIONER - Monster power HTS 3600 MKII PowerCenter™
- DVD PLAYER - Phillips 1080i upconverting dvd player
- UNIVERSAL REMOTE - Logitech Harmony® 880 Advanced Universal Remote

 

[vantastic]

So i've been looking around, and I think I've decided on a receiver (Onkyo TX-SR606 ~$400..I think Amazon has free shipping), but now I'm looking at speakers and the decision starts to get a lot harder to make. But before I start really looking, I want to have an idea of what my budget would be. What should I look to spend for each front, a center, and a subwoofer? Keep in mind, the TOTAL budget needs to be less than $2000, tax/shipping included. Will I also need to buy wires and stuff that I should set aside money for? If not, I was thinking the rest of the components (speakers, subwoofer) should come out to about 1400 before shipping. So does anyone have any suggestions for the most effective way to split the cost?