NOOB to these forums and home audio

[testudoaubreii]

Hello,

As you can tell, I am brand spanking new here, so hello everyone. I have been looking around here for a while and I must say that this community has some very knowledgeable and helpful members. It's pretty great.

I am new to home audio, so I do not even know where to begin. The last thing that I have to set up in my media room is the sound system. I am looking for a 5.1 system that will be great for games/movies/music. I have been researching and noticed that it can get very expensive fast. I have looked at everything from a system in a box to piecing it together. I don't know what would work better for a novice such as myself. I don't know what brand, model or anything, really.

I need something that I can run through my PC and gaming consoles. I think that I would like to have a central receiver that I can plug in HDMI cables into and then have one HDMI run from the receiver to the TV...if that makes any sense.

I do have a bit of a budget, I would say around $300-400. If there is any other information that you need to help me out, please let me know.

Thank you in advance for any and all help, suggestions and advice that you can offer.

Testudo

 

[rojo]

Hey testudo, and welcome to the forums! What are the dimensions of your room? Is that your budget for receiver, speakers, speaker wire, interconnects, and everything? Do you have your eye on anything in particular? Are you opposed to used equipment? Where are you located?

 

[j_garcia]

WELCOME

With that budget, I'd likely start with a good 2.0 or 2.1 or even 3.1 setup (I'd say 2.1), pick up a refurb receiver and put as much toward the main speakers as possible. Then build on that start. It doesn't seem like as much fun to do it that way, but in the end that strategy pays off with better sound quality overall as opposed to sacrificing quality to get all the speakers up front.

I'd probably jump on one of these right now:
DENON AVR-1513 5.1ch Home Theater Receiver 3D ready | Accessories4less

DENON AVR-E200 5.1 Channel 3D Home Theater Receiver | Accessories4less

Add a pair of these, though they are at regular price right now, on sale they go for about $30 less

Amazon.com: Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Andrew Jones Designed Bookshelf Loudspeakers: Electronics

 

[testudoaubreii]

Hey testudo, and welcome to the forums! What are the dimensions of your room? Is that your budget for receiver, speakers, speaker wire, interconnects, and everything? Do you have your eye on anything in particular? Are you opposed to used equipment? Where are you located?

Thanks for the welcome and the fast response!

My budget is $300-400. I would say that the room is 15' x 12', but the setup will be in about a 7'-10' area. No, I have nothing in particular. I have no idea what to look for :^p. No, I am not opposed to used equipment and I am located in Florida.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Great DIY option

IF OP would call himself handy with tools I would like to recommend this:

I going to suggest a bit of budget busting setup, but Imo it has excellent reasons for being a bit more expensive (around $450)
This AVR- DENON AVR-E300 5.1 3D Networking Receiver AirPlay | Accessories4less
For these features:
* Includes Apple Airplay
* Adds front panel USB input
* HDMI-CEC supported (including ARC)
* Ethernet port for networking (smartphone app control, network audio streaming, etc.)
* Audyssey MultEQ calibration with Dynamic EQ + Volume

with Audyssey probably most important

and these speakers kit:
TriTrix MTM TL Speaker Components And Cabinet Kit Pair | 300-702

All op would need is a bit of "ikea" like assembly (with with wood glue, clamps and soldering iron)

 

[zieglj01]

My budget is $300-400. I would say that the room is 15' x 12', but the setup will be in about a 7'-10' area. No, I have nothing in particular. I have no idea what to look for :^p. No, I am not opposed to used equipment and I am located in Florida.

Look at the Denon E200 or E300
DENON AVR-E300 5.1 3D Networking Receiver AirPlay | Accessories4less

Pioneer BS-22 speakers or Wave Crest HVL-1 speakers
HVL-1 Two-Way Loudspeaker | Wave Crest Audio

 

[afterlife2]

This looks like a nice start and has good reviews on various sites: ONKYO HT-S5600 7.1 Home Theater Package 7spks & Sub w/ USB | Accessories4less

 

[rojo]

This looks like a nice start and has good reviews on various sites: ONKYO HT-S5600 7.1 Home Theater Package 7spks & Sub w/ USB | Accessories4less

If he's going for a home theater in a box, this Denon DHT-1513BA combo offers a better receiver I think. Its flavor of Audyssey MultiEQ is a step up from the Onkyo's 2EQ.

But my vote for the best upgradeability with excellent sound now is BSA's DIY suggestion.

 

[testudoaubreii]

Thank you for the responses!

Yeah, looking around it get expensive and I don't know if I am "allowed" to spend that much money...wife...

I am looking at soundbars now. I am sure that there is a big difference in sound, but it may be the way that I have to go. Do you all have any suggestions?

Also, I will be hooking up my PC and my two consoles to the TV through HDMI. I have my PC monitor hooked up through DVI and speakers from the PC's audio input. Is it possible to have the two consoles and the PC hooked up to the TV and then the TV to the soundbar with an optical audio cable (Toslink?)? One concern is that I will not be able to get audio through the PC using HDMI if I have speakers hooked up to the PC already...if that makes sense (I am using Windows 7).

Thanks again!

 

[rojo]

I understand the logic behind your choice to use a sound bar. Wife acceptance factor is a common theme around here. But in your price range, you'll get much better imaging and sound stage from separates. Besides that, if you get an Audyssey-capable receiver, your receiver can apply equalization and delay to your speakers to make sure the sound from each speaker hits your sweet spot at the same time, and overcomes any wonkiness presented by the characteristics of your room. Sound bars generally don't do that.

Unfortunately, it's hard to describe the colors of autumn to one who cannot see. If you could hear a proper 2.1 setup, you might change your mind about budget sound bars with integrated receivers.

Regarding your PC, you might consider upgrading your video card to a GeForce GT610 or better. The video card I linked has an HDMI output, and will carry audio over HDMI. I forget what the lowest model GeForce is that handles audio over HDMI; but I'm sure if you found it, it'd only be 5 bucks cheaper or so.

 

[testudoaubreii]

I understand the logic behind your choice to use a sound bar. Wife acceptance factor is a common theme around here. But in your price range, you'll get much better imaging and sound stage from separates. Besides that, if you get an Audyssey-capable receiver, your receiver can apply equalization and delay to your speakers to make sure the sound from each speaker hits your sweet spot at the same time, and overcomes any wonkiness presented by the characteristics of your room. Sound bars generally don't do that.

Unfortunately, it's hard to describe the colors of autumn to one who cannot see. If you could hear a proper 2.1 setup, you might change your mind about budget sound bars with integrated receivers.

Regarding your PC, you might consider upgrading your video card to a GeForce GT610 or better. The video card I linked has an HDMI output, and will carry audio over HDMI. I forget what the lowest model GeForce is that handles audio over HDMI; but I'm sure if you found it, it'd only be 5 bucks cheaper or so.

Thanks for your reply!

Yeah, I will probably have to go lower on the budget now. I thought that I had a clear budget window, but I guess we had a misunderstanding lol. I am looking at this:
LG 300-Watt 2.1-Channel Soundbar and Wireless Subwoofer Model: NB3530A

Here is my deal with the PC: I have a pretty beefy rig. It has a GeForce 780 OC in it. I have my main monitor hooked up via DVI, and the sound is coming through speakers that are hooked up through the audio input (green port on the mobo, so the sound is coming from onboard audio.). I also have my TV hooked up as my secondary monitor through an HDMI. This acts as our home theater, too. I cannot to get sound to come out of the TV via HDMI through the PC. Do I have to unplug the speakers in order for the HDMI audio to work on my TV?

 

[rojo]

Right-click the speaker icon in your systray and choose Playback Devices. Right-click on your HDMI audio device and choose "Set as default device" and hit Apply. That fix it?

You know, you could probably talk your wife into letting you spend the extra 50 bucks on this thing. And once it arrives, if you intend to wall-mount the satellites, you'll have the perfect excuse to go to Lowe's or Home Depot and pick up some adhesive-backed wire moulding to hide the wires. This scored high on my WAF:

Then later, your wife will have an easy time shopping for Christmas and birthday gifts for you (upgrade subwoofer, upgraded front speakers, and so on).

 

[testudoaubreii]

Right-click the speaker icon in your systray and choose Playback Devices. Right-click on your HDMI audio device and choose "Set as default device" and hit Apply. That fix it?

I will have to try that when I get home. Thanks!

So, will I be able to have my devices hooked up through the TV itself, and then have an optical line running from, let's just say, that soundbar I posted?

 

[rojo]

Seems like I read somewhere that most tvs downsample their digital sound output to stereo. But if you intend to use a sound bar anyway, that won't affect anything. Yeah, you can hook all your devices to your tv and pass a single signal cable to your sound bar.

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

[afterlife2]

If he's going for a home theater in a box, this Denon DHT-1513BA combo offers a better receiver I think. Its flavor of Audyssey MultiEQ is a step up from the Onkyo's 2EQ.

But my vote for the best upgradeability with excellent sound now is BSA's DIY suggestion.

If you look at the back of that Denon reciever not enought inputs like the Onkyo and the Onkyo also has more power. Yes the BSA sug looks good too.

 

[rojo]

You're right. Only 3 hdmi inputs. One game console, Blu-ray player and htpc, and they're all eaten. If he has more than one console he'll have to use more than one input on his tv which might be kind of a pain without a harmony remote.

Sent from my LG-VS980 using Tapatalk

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

If you look at the back of that Denon reciever not enought inputs like the Onkyo and the Onkyo also has more power. Yes the BSA sug looks good too.

Later on OP mention one more critical requirement - WAF. With that any Towers are out of the question.
I would recommend any sound-bars since I think they are waste of money in most cases. OP would be better off with in-wall setup
Dayton Audio CS620W 6-1/2" 2-Way In-Wall Speaker Pair | 300-036