I'm completely new to all this. I've just always used the TV speakers and that's it. So please don't kill me for my ignorance.
Die! Die! Die!
Recently I just bought a new HDTV plus a PS3 and I thought why not get a sound system too.
Your logic would be considered impeccable 'round these parts.
I mainly want to use this setup to watch BR movies and play games on my PS3. I've read that there isn't much difference between 5.1 and 7.1. Something about nothing uses true 7.1 sound. So should I be looking for 5.1?
I use 7.1. I believe this decision firstly depends on any significant distance (placement options)
behind you. If not, forget it.
I was looking at a HTIB, and after reading comments on the net it sounds like I should avoid HTIB like the plague. Is it that bad to get a HTIB? I was looking at HT-S5100 or the HT-S7100 from Onkyo. Are those bad?
Trick question. But, you get what you pay for. It really depends on:
-your budget
-willingness, or lack thereof, to piece it together over time
For example, if you only have $500 to buy the whole kit 'n kaboodle, you are relegated to an HTIB (may I recommend Onkyo?). Or: if with only $500, but willing to build over time, you can start with a HT receiver + stereo speakers. If you have have $800, you can do that + a subwoofer. I think its about the very rough price point of about 1.2k for a quality 5.1 system. In such case, I almost always recommend studio monitors for the speaker portion.
Any advice would be helpful. Like I said I've always just used the TV speakers so I have no experience at all. Thanks in advance.
If you have an extremely limited budget, space, etc, I think some people actually have just hooked a pair of self powered monitors from the TV audio output. Of course, you will not have discrete surround, nor discrete LFE... but I'm sure that would offer you a tremendous improvement from TV speakers.
Happy Turkey Day.
