surround sound advice please

bondy1 · 01-12-2008, 20:16

i am a complete novice when it comes to all things digital and this is not a good thing when i require a surround sound system. i have a samsung le37 lcd tv,sky HD,HDdvd player and an xbox360 elite but no sound system and as the speakers on the tv are not good i have been looking on the forums for help. the Sony STRDG820 has been mentioned using various speakers costing around £300.i was hoping to spend nearer to £200 but will pay the £300 if you knowledgible lot advise.
Could you please advise me on cabling needed and comments on the above amp etc and how to set it up with the equipment i have?

Chris Frost · 01-12-2008, 20:58

Amplifier technology is developing quickly thanks to the drive for HDMI and the need to decode the special surround sound formats on Bluray. You are right to go with a recent amp which has all these features so that you have some future-proofing.

By contrast, speaker technology is pretty static. Chances are that the speakers from 5 - 10 years ago will do just as good a job as most things you can buy new right now. This is good news for you, because if there's one area where you can save lbig money then it's by not buying cheap cr@ppy surround speakers.

If you really want the best value and brilliant sound from your investment in home cinema then make a real smart move... Buy some second hand speakers. Buying second hand makes your pounds go further. If you budgeted £100 for new speakers then that same £100 will buy you something that might have sold originally for £300 - £400 just 3 years ago. You'll also be buying better quality too.

Best of all though it's a safer bet. You'll be able to look back at old reviews and search the forums for owners opinions. If there are any issues or major short-comings then you'll know about it before you spend your cash.

Finally comes the sweet reward if you do decide to upgrade. If you've bought wisely then you're going to get a pretty big chunk of your cash back when you come to sell them on.

Have a look at the Classifieds forum at www.avforums.com to see what's for sale in your budget. You might be surprised at what is on offer.

bondy1 · 02-12-2008, 07:21

thanks for taking the time to reply chris and for the advice,much appreciated.

01-12-2008, 20:16	#1
bondy1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 60	surround sound advice please i am a complete novice when it comes to all things digital and this is not a good thing when i require a surround sound system. i have a samsung le37 lcd tv,sky HD,HDdvd player and an xbox360 elite but no sound system and as the speakers on the tv are not good i have been looking on the forums for help. the Sony STRDG820 has been mentioned using various speakers costing around £300.i was hoping to spend nearer to £200 but will pay the £300 if you knowledgible lot advise. Could you please advise me on cabling needed and comments on the above amp etc and how to set it up with the equipment i have?

01-12-2008, 20:58	#2
Chris Frost Forum Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Cheshire Posts: 6,462	Amplifier technology is developing quickly thanks to the drive for HDMI and the need to decode the special surround sound formats on Bluray. You are right to go with a recent amp which has all these features so that you have some future-proofing. By contrast, speaker technology is pretty static. Chances are that the speakers from 5 - 10 years ago will do just as good a job as most things you can buy new right now. This is good news for you, because if there's one area where you can save lbig money then it's by *not buying* cheap cr@ppy surround speakers. If you really want the best value and brilliant sound from your investment in home cinema then make a real smart move... Buy some second hand speakers. Buying second hand makes your pounds go further. If you budgeted £100 for new speakers then that same £100 will buy you something that might have sold originally for £300 - £400 just 3 years ago. You'll also be buying better quality too. Best of all though it's a safer bet. You'll be able to look back at old reviews and search the forums for owners opinions. If there are any issues or major short-comings then you'll know about it before you spend your cash. Finally comes the sweet reward if you do decide to upgrade. If you've bought wisely then you're going to get a pretty big chunk of your cash back when you come to sell them on. Have a look at the Classifieds forum at www.avforums.com to see what's for sale in your budget. You might be surprised at what is on offer.

02-12-2008, 07:21	#3
bondy1 Forum Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 60	thanks for taking the time to reply chris and for the advice,much appreciated.

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surround sound advice please