Members Mogwix Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Anybody using any cool setups? Right now my TV is a 32" Philips that has great picture, but just too small for my living room. I've also got a sony stereo receiver and a pair of speakers from a Sharp boombox that I've been using for the past 10 years or so... been meaning to upgrade but never have. Thinking I upgrade to some proper bookshelf speakers and maybe building a couple subwoofers. Dunno how I'm gonna power 'em though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Axisplayer Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Parts Express has a selection of inexpensive home AV style plate amps you could use. Can't speak for them but most things from Parts Express have been OK in my history of buying things from them, although none of my purchases were for any of these amps.www.parts-express.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted November 28, 2012 CMS Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Unless your room is huge, you can easily use only one sub. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 I'd get some entry/mid-level studio monitors before getting any passive speakers they sell at the hi-fi shops. -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted November 28, 2012 CMS Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by IsildursBane I'd get some entry/mid-level studio monitors before getting any passive speakers they sell at the hi-fi shops.-Dan. Many years ago I bought a pair of Yamaha bookshelfs for about $300 pair, and they turned out to be really flat, natural-sounding, and even used as studio monitors by some folks. There are good "hi-fi" speakers at reasonable prices, just have to sort through the offerings with a good ear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Mission speaker setup an a Technics tuner with MOSFET bought ohhhhhh 2000 ish. Projector TV bought 2005, 122" from corner to corner. my buddy is standing beside it. I bought a screen, but it looks so good on the wall that I never bothered putting the screen up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bobby1Note Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Mogwix Anybody using any cool setups? Right now my TV is a 32" Philips that has great picture, but just too small for my living room. What distance are you watching from? In my family room, we're watching from 9 ft. or less, and of those short distances, a 40" seems just about perfect. If I were watching movies only, maybe I'd go a size bigger (46"), but for regular TV shows, especially talking-head news broadcasts/ or talk shows, I find the really big screens difficult/uncomfortable to watch.I haven't bothered with a dedicated sound-system for my current set-up, but I still have a Velodyne ULD-15 subwoofer which I used for my old set-up. It comes with it own power-amp and built-in variable electronic cross-over. You can also adjust the slope of the crossover. Great sub, but pricey.A good set of mains, and a good sub are all you need in my opinion. I used to run four B&W 110's for rear and side channels, and a pair of Monitor Audio (U.K) mains with three Quad amps for power, and that Velodyne sub. I ran a Lexicon CP-1 sound-processor, and a 50" Pioneer TV., and a (get this for a waste of money) Pioneer Laser-Vision player (12" laser-discs), and a SVHS VCR. It was more trouble than it was worth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by IsildursBane I'd get some entry/mid-level studio monitors before getting any passive speakers they sell at the hi-fi shops.-Dan. It really depends on what you are after.JTR makes a "home theater version" of their PA subs and mains that are well received in the dedicated home theater market. Chase Home Theater and Seaton Sound are also top names in this departmentIf you are looking for something that fits in your living room that looks furniture grade (ie pleases the significant other) then look at ID brands such as Salk Sound, Ascend Acoustics, Aperion, etc. There are a myriad of options all of which will sound better than most offerings found in stores. If you truly want to stick to getting from a store, than I suggest something other than Best Buy types. Look for brands like Paradigm, ProAc, KEF AUdio etcIf Best Buy or similar is your only option, the Infiniti P series is decent. Klipsch of course makes decent stuff if you like the "horn" sound.For subs, generally "pro" subs are not the same as well made home theater subs. Stick with ID brands like HSU Research, Seaton Sound, Epik, Rythmik, Elemental Designs etc as they will offer the most bang for your buck. The exception would be JTR as their subs are well regarded as some of the best you can get for home theater (outside of DIY). Stay away from mainstream store bought subs as you again you get better options from the above listed. Sub brand does not have to match your mains, in fact it usually is better not to.If of course none of this matters and you just want better sound then what is in the TV or if Bose sounds good to you, then buy whatever you want within your budget.Feel free to PM if you want more info. It is easy to assume pro and studio gear will translate well into the home theater/stereo arena, but more often then not it really doesn't unless you really pay attention to what you are doing. Of course "work well" is subjective which means only one thing...only you can decide what sounds best in your room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Craigv Unless your room is huge, you can easily use only one sub. Space limitations (or significant others) can dictate this, but for the most part you get better coverage and overall output with 2 or more subs for a home theater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Koopdaddy It really depends on what you are after. Fair enough. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't thinking of the really high-end hi-fi stuff, but more the mid-grade, Regardless, dollar-for-dollar, you stand a better chance of getting good sound quality from studio monitors than you do from speakers made for the hi-fi market. Part of this cost difference is due to the "furniture grade" woodworking found on nice hi-fi cabinets, but lacking from studio monitors. -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by IsildursBane Fair enough. I'm not sure why, but I wasn't thinking of the really high-end hi-fi stuff, but more the mid-grade, Regardless, dollar-for-dollar, you stand a better chance of getting good sound quality from studio monitors than you do from speakers made for the hi-fi market. Part of this cost difference is due to the "furniture grade" woodworking found on nice hi-fi cabinets, but lacking from studio monitors. -Dan. This is true in some cases. But also remember that studio monitors are designed to be critical and analytic (for the most part). That doesn't often translate well to something as a home theater. It can become very irritating when all you wanna do is immerse yourself in a movie. That is what I was trying to get at. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted November 28, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Bobby1Note What distance are you watching from? In my family room, we're watching from 9 ft. or less, and of those short distances, a 40" seems just about perfect. If I were watching movies only, maybe I'd go a size bigger (46"), but for regular TV shows, especially talking-head news broadcasts/ or talk shows, I find the really big screens difficult/uncomfortable to watch. My "viewing distance" is maybe 10'. The 32" is fine for movies and TV but mostly it gets used for playing video games. I was thinking something 40" or 42". I don't want something too big, but definitely big enough to see what I'm doing when I'm playing video games with friends. Originally Posted by Bobby1Note I haven't bothered with a dedicated sound-system for my current set-up, but I still have a Velodyne ULD-15 subwoofer which I used for my old set-up. It comes with it own power-amp and built-in variable electronic cross-over. You can also adjust the slope of the crossover. Great sub, but pricey. I actually have a velodyne dps-12 subwoofer sitting in storage. a few years ago, it decided it didn't want to work anymore and just suddenly refused to power up. I've never bothered to get it repaired because all the repair shops I went to said they can't service velodyne... Originally Posted by IsildursBane Regardless, dollar-for-dollar, you stand a better chance of getting good sound quality from studio monitors than you do from speakers made for the hi-fi market. Part of this cost difference is due to the "furniture grade" woodworking found on nice hi-fi cabinets, but lacking from studio monitors. IMO and IME studio monitors, especially low end studio monitors, are very ill-suited for home theater type setups. I'm after a system that's loud and has solid low end, and I'm not interested in spending over a grand on a pair of speakers. I've been trolling the local kijiji classifieds for the past year or so but there's nothing but garbage on there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Mogwix I'm after a system that's loud and has solid low end, and I'm not interested in spending over a grand on a pair of speakers. Unfortunately "loud" and "solid low end" dont typically come in under a grand. Something like this might work http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hybrid2pkg.html 5.1 is a b it over your budget but performance is pretty good. I actually own one of those subs and it does a decent job for a single sub in my 4000sq foot room.Or you could go with http://www.aperionaudio.com/speakers/intimus-family. Again slightly over $1k for a full 5.1 system. I wouldnt get the Aperion Subs and would go with another brand sub instead.If good bass is what you are after, then spending more on the sub will be worth the effort.The other factor is what are you powering this with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members StratGuy22 Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 To be honest, aside from walking dead, I really don't use it. I just stream movies to my iPhone, or if I'm really ambitious, to my iPad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted November 28, 2012 Author Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Koopdaddy The other factor is what are you powering this with? I have a sony STR-DH100 stereo receiver. I'm not interested in a 5.1 setup... strictly stereo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMS Author Craig Vecchione Posted November 28, 2012 CMS Author Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Koopdaddy Space limitations (or significant others) can dictate this, but for the most part you get better coverage and overall output with 2 or more subs for a home theater. Yes, of course two or more of the same sub will offer more output and better coverage than one of that sub. But there is almost always some form of budget limitation, and one better-quality sub > two or more lesser-quality subs for the same total price. As sub frequencies are not very directional, placement isn't very critical, so coverage isn't nearly as big a factor as with mid-highs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Reson8tor Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by IsildursBane Regardless, dollar-for-dollar, you stand a better chance of getting good sound quality from studio monitors than you do from speakers made for the hi-fi market. Part of this cost difference is due to the "furniture grade" woodworking found on nice hi-fi cabinets, but lacking from studio monitors. Studio monitors are a bad idea (IMO) if the OP is going for a full surround setup, because most studio monitors these days are self-powered. The entry to mid-level consumer surround A/V "receivers" have multiple amps for 5.1 or 7.1 setups, and assume you're going to use passive speakers. Passive speakers are also better for in-wall installation, or just keeping the lowest profile (fewest visible) cords) for surround setups that pass the "wife-approved decor test."You may not need or want a full 5.1 or 7.1 surround setup, but having at least a center speaker plus L +R makes dialog a lot easier to understand, especially with the more bombastic FX-driven movies. It's still nice to get that occasional effect that "whooshes" from one side of the room to the other with a full surround setup, but I wouldn't call it as important as the center speaker for clear dialog. And for that, you need an A/V receiver that decodes surround, whether you're using the rest of the surround speakers or not.FWIW, the surround receiver in our 10 year old home theater setup died recently, and after looking around some, I replaced it with a Denon AVR-1611, which sells for around $500 and has enough amps for our 7.1 home theater. If you only need 5.1 you can get a slightly less expensive receiver, but I'd stick with the brands that have good reputations like Denon or Onkyo. Look for something that supports HDMI inputs, if you want to stay current for surround audio decoding and HD video formats.The video part of our system is a BenQ W6000 DLP projector, which we got recently after an older projector died (or rather, the bulb replacement wasn't worth it). This is a great projector. We use it with a motorized drop-down screen, and the system is installed in our bedroom With no kids at home any more, the bedroom is a great place for watching movies while lying in bed. Popcorn kernels in the bed is the only problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Mogwix I have a sony STR-DH100 stereo receiver. I'm not interested in a 5.1 setup... strictly stereo. Does that mean stereo speakers with a sub or without sub?With that amp you will want to find something efficient. (Sensitivity - Room should be 90+)If you want 2.1 then again I would recommend the HSU Hybrid 2 2.1 setup. http://www.hsuresearch.com/products/hybrid2pkg.htmlIf just 2.0 system, you could do something likeParadigm Monitor 9's, http://www.paradigm.com/products/pro...es-7/monitor-9Klipsch RF-82 II http://www.klipsch.com/rf-82-ii-floorstanding-speaker or the smaller RF-62 II. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GCDEF Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Koopdaddy Space limitations (or significant others) can dictate this, but for the most part you get better coverage and overall output with 2 or more subs for a home theater. My experience is different. I have Klipsch KLF-20 mains, KLF-10s for surround, a KLF-C7 center, which are pretty substantial speakers, in a room that's about 45 x 20. A single 12" JBL sub has no trouble keeping up with the speakers and seriously rattling the walls, and I like to listen pretty loud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Originally Posted by Craigv Yes, of course two or more of the same sub will offer more output and better coverage than one of that sub. But there is almost always some form of budget limitation, and one better-quality sub > two or more lesser-quality subs for the same total price. As sub frequencies are not very directional, placement isn't very critical, so coverage isn't nearly as big a factor as with mid-highs. Actually it is critical. Place it in the wrong spot and and your overall balance will be off. Just like in a live setting. Use the room nodes to your advantage. Unfortunately the best placement for sound quality is not always the ideal placement for asthetics, which is where the compromise comes in.Also the statement that 1 > 2 is not always true either. It just depends on which subs are being considered. There are many cases where two "lesser" subs can outperform one "better" sub in a home theater environment. SOrry not trying to argue just wanting to point out that the statements may be true in some cases, but not always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Koopdaddy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 My experience is different. I have Klipsch KLF-20 mains, KLF-10s for surround, a KLF-C7 center, which are pretty substantial speakers, in a room that's about 45 x 20. A single 12" JBL sub has no trouble keeping up with the speakers and seriously rattling the walls, and I like to listen pretty loud. SOrry , not trying to say you cant get by with one sub. I personally only have one sub in my system (due to budget and wife acceptance factors ) and it clearly does the same that yours is doing. BUt it is still true that generally speaking, 2 is better than 1 when it comes to home theater applications. I was just trying to make that clear tot the OP. Of course he has made it clear now that he is not looking for surround sound system so its all a moot point with regards to the OP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Pro Sound Guy Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 Mission speaker setup an a Technics tuner with MOSFET bought ohhhhhh 2000 ish. Projector TV bought 2005, 122" from corner to corner. my buddy is standing beside it. I bought a screen, but it looks so good on the wall that I never bothered putting the screen up. Never mind the screen no one GAF>..who is the babe? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IsildursBane Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 2 is better than 1 when it comes to home theater applications. Why do you say this? -Dan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bobby1Note Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 I actually have a velodyne dps-12 subwoofer sitting in storage. a few years ago, it decided it didn't want to work anymore and just suddenly refused to power up. I've never bothered to get it repaired because all the repair shops I went to said they can't service velodyne... It's probably worth fixing. What about contacting Velodyne, and asking for the schematic, and bringing that to your local repair shop? I don't know your specific model, or what it cost, but back in the day (mid 80's), my Velodyne ULD-15 sold for about $2400./street. You probably did, but it's worth asking anyway; did you check the fuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bobby1Note Posted November 28, 2012 Members Share Posted November 28, 2012 -Dan. I'm wondering too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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