Please help!

[jcroynhp]

I am an audio-illiterate and I need some help. I recently purchased a super cheapo Sylvania Home theatre system from buy.com. I just wanted a cheap surround sound system to watch DVD's and hook up my Xbox 360. Well after unpacking the components, I realized there was no way to connect any other piece, other than the included DVD/CD player. My question is this: Can I at least use these speakers if I purchased another receiver, or I'm I better off returning this system altogether and starting over? I am hoping I can salvage these speakers, because it would end up costing me more to ship this thing back than what I paid for the darn thing. Thanks in advance.

J.C.

 

[billy p]

Even if you keep the speaker are they worth keeping? Sylvania speakers would have an overrated power handle rating and would fry easy hooked up to a better quality receiver.

 

[Kai]

Well if it is as cheap a purchase as you describe you are not out much money but have hopefully learned a valuable lesson.
You always get what you pay for and if it is too good a deal to be true it likely is a rip off and the only good deal is the guy who is getting your money.

Try the speakers with a receiver but go very easy on them for as billy p says their power handling abilities are most likely very over rated.

Now if you are interested in a surround sound system you need to start researching your needs, room size, budget and desires...meaning do you want large speakers, small, etc...what does the significant other feel about it and want are very important and not to be left out.

There are many here willing to help but you will have to do the bulk of the work. It is fun and interesting and the system will be more than worth your effort.

 

[NGL_BrSH]

The answer to your question "will they work" is:
Probably, just make sure the impedence (ohms) matches that of an upgraded reciever / amp. Lots of the "all in the box" systems have less than standard resistances ie 6 ohms/ 4 ohms. If you take say a 100 watt @ 8 ohm per channel reciever and hook it up to a proprietary speaker rated at much less than 8 ohms.. you'll be giving them even more power than the 100watts the reciever is rated at. This will put strain on the reciever and most likely overdrive the speakers. However i have tripled the rated power to many speakers before and it was my conclussion that overpowering speakers is less likely to damage them. Underpowering speakers and clipping speakers seem to be the number one reason people blow drivers.
However, said all that.. over powering some cheap sylvanias probably won't hold up either. ebay it.. start over

 

[mpompey]

Welcome to the world of Home Theater. If I was you, I would try to return the equipment. But if it has been too long, I would either try to sell them on ebay and begin doing some research on decent home theater equipment recommendations. This site has some really great articles and recommendations for various budgets schemes. Check them out.