jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

ive just got the sony 2400es 2 days ago, sort of set it up today with some older sony 5.1 speakers and the sound is a massive improvement over my old sony amp, looks good too in black. Im still on the lookout for some speakers though, like the look of the mourdant alumini (think thats the ones) as they do them in a high gloss black finish

alistair

Wii is a Component output not HDMI

I ended up buying the Sony 2400ES for my kids TV room as I decided up-conversion was worth having for them.

Wii is component video & analogue audio, PS2 is component video & optical audio, XBox, PS3 are HDMI only & Sky is HDMI for the video, but optical for the audio (if you want 5.1 sound - Sky HD only puts stereo out on HDMI)

alistair

On the TV's I have PC's, the video goes straight to a VGA input on the TV & sound is optical to the amp.

daddyscoob

Some of the gear quoted is surely above the 1K budget ??

Now you can't hear all these suggestions working however if you stretch the budget and look for your local Bose dealer you can go and hear just how unbelievably awesome their kit is please go to one of their stores and go into the cinema experiance.

I did and I bought the lifestyle 48 plus multi room set up. It is mind blowing. We have just built the house and music and home cinema was my baby..... this set up is mega. Multi room sound, hard drive so all my CD's are on the system and the sound is second to none. The speakers - apart from the subwoofers are really small as well.
Try it you will be convinced.

corradoboy

I very much doubt that somehow I've been into hi-fi and home cinema for over 20 years, and Bose stuff has always been style over substance. A good Yamaha, Denon etc receiver with some proper speakers from the like of B&W, Kef, Mission etc would trounce any Bose. As for 'second to none', take a look at Meridian's DSP8000 Ultimate Reference System, which I think would push the Bose stuff into second place.

For under £1k I'd recommend what I usually do. Wait until the new kit is due (usually Jan to Mar) and watch the prices of the outgoing kit tumble. I got a Yamaha RX-V1800 for £540 (RRP £1000) earlier this year. That would leave nearly £500 for speakers such as KEF KHT2005.3 package. Alternatively, a good pair of floorstanders for the front two and a couple of sets of decent bookshelf/monitor speakers. I recently added 2x pairs of Mordaunt Short Genie's to my 7.1 set-up for £50 a pair.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

agree with the above, Bose is overrated and expensive, far better products available a lot cheaper

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

my xbox is component (360)

ChefDude

i think the quad lite 2 5.1 package and the onkyo 607 does go over the £1K budget, but when i buy this in a few months time, it might have reduced in price

my PC video card has 2 DVI and an S-Video out, but a quick google reveals DVI-HDMI converters


Last question: for this system, what is adequate speaker cabling? this is not a £10K system and my 40 year old ears are not audiophile, but I don't want to get the rubbish stuff

Daryl

Van Damme Blue - got mine from this place and can recommend them. It's nice and flexible and is more than adequate. You can get the thicker versions, but it's not worth it IMO.

Have a look on AVForums to see what others think about it.

ChefDude

Thaks Daryl - I shall get this for fronts/centre/sub.

I shall go for this for the surround cable though
QED QONTOUR Ultra-Flat Speaker Cable - Speaker Cable - Audiovisual Online - High Quality Audio Video Cables and Accessories

ChefDude

...and if anyone's interested, the TV's going to sit on this:
1.9m wide

SRSport

How much speaker cable length will you need do you think? A good rule is to budget 10% towards all cables so around 50% (£50) would be a good price for speaker cables. I would be tempted to see if I could get the QED silver anniversary xt as these have been a default choice for years and are excellent.

Dont underestimate the difference cables can make. I bought some Chord cables at £20/meter upgrading from £5/ meter cables (used on a £2k system) and the difference was much greater than I would have anticipated.

jaytc2003

iTrader: (1)

have you looked on www.creative-audio.com as they have package deals of amps and speakers and quite often they have cable bundles included for nothing (£150 worth)

stiscooby

Where would you be getting one of those from?

corradoboy

Looking at the pictures url, I'd guess HERE

corradoboy

Superfi are good for package deals too. A mate recently got an Onkyo amp with Kef speakers, and it worked out that he'd paid about £50 for the speakers

Home Cinema Systems at Superfi Online - http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/category.cfm/category/100/special/1

EddScott

AFAIK the only difference between Lite 1 and Lite 2 is a different tweater. I would call a few stores and see if any have the 1s left. Ebay have some too. I did see an online PDF of a what hifi review of the Lite 1s and the initial RRP was £2K.


Cabling - I bought Vandamme Blue 2X2.5mm. Its only about £2 a metre but seemed reasonably well thought of and I bought Fisual Easy fix plugs. Can't remember what make the stands are. There is only one or two wall mounts that can take the weight of the Quad satellites.

alistair

Wasn't meant to be an exhaustive list - it's just how mine are wired. Agree, an xBox 360 can be HDMI or Component - also the Sky HD can be HDMI, Component or SCART etc

rossyboy

iTrader: (8)

I've ended up going for the ONKYO 607 for £449 from Superfi. I did however blow my budget completely on front speakers and got these bad boys:

HiFi Confidential Ltd.

They'll double up as my audio only speakers through the dedicated amp that I already have. As a result, I'm moving some 6 year old M74i floor standers to become rears for the home cinema. Complete over-kill, but hey-ho

So, I now have some spare Mission M30i speakers as I dont need 7.1 (does anyone?). Been used less than 10 times. Any offers?

daddyscoob

Sorry but I still think the Bose is best.

You put some AV equipment into an empty room and it sounds great. Start filling it with furniture, curtains etc and suddenly the sound is dampened. I just run the ADAPtiQ on the Bose and the system adjusts the acoutics to suit

Really go to a Bose dealer and try it out......

corradoboy

Yeah, yeah,yeah....

My Yamaha RX-V1800....



That little nipple-y looking thing to the left in the above pic is the YPAO mic which is used to set the room acoustics. Nothing new, revolutionary, unique or amazing. Most high-end receivers have it.

daddyscoob

WELL ................... my Dads bigger than your Dad .............. oh yeh my Dads actually dead.
We'll have to agree to disagree

daddyscoob

One point I've just thought of.... recently had visitors and blasted out some music. They were blown away by the sound but wanted to know where the speakers were My speakers are smaller than yours

And still sound f***in amazing

mcbainna

Bose is great gear but it has it's limitations. the name says it all, its a lifestyle product where you dont want it to be obtrusive in your living room.

I've got a lifestyle 50 in my living room and another 3 rooms kitted out with the stuff. It's great at what it does but it can never compete with a good set of full range bookshelf's or floor standers

corradoboy

OK, but after 20+ years of hi-fi and AV gear, various systems, personal experiences of ownership, demonstrations at stores and exhibitions, as well as helping friends build systems, I know full well that you have bought a designer, lifestyle, fashion product, NOT a true hi-fi product. You're probably the sort whom says that Technics make the best equipment, and have never heard of Linn, Wilson Benesch, Michell, Roksan, Red Rose, Mark Levinson, Krell, Meridian etc etc. Bose are pretty, make tizzy high end noises and have a bit of boom for bass, but are simply for looking flash amongst laminate floors and chrome/glass furniture. Their most appealing facet is their wimmin-friendliness, allowing hen-pecked wimps to have surround-sound when normally it would be banned because SHE objects to the wires and ugly equipment.

daddyscoob

Wow you seem touchy...... I have no doubt your set up sounds kin awsome . I've not said anything negative about you equipment in my posts - check them out. Are you suggesting I'm a hen pecked wimp ??? cos thats not very nice.

I built a self build house and wanted decent home cinema, multi room sound and found the Bose gave me everthing I needed.

Example.... wife is now in the living room watching TV sound through the Bose. I'm in the spare bedroom ( not long been in so pc in there for now) listening to a cd through the Bose system - all cd's on the Bose hard drive .

Earlier on my lad and his cousin were outside on the trampoline listening to cd's via the outside sperakers, I was in the kitchen watching the GP sound through the Bose and the wife was in the living room watching TV also sound through the Bose.

Now thats what I set out to achieve and thats what I got an AV amp and speakers can't do this.

PS i did start a self build thread over in DIY but haven't updated it lately. Living in the sticks now and internet via a Sat dish so uploads very very slow.

Also I f***in HATE laminate flooring and also chrome and glass furniture. Also all the wires are running through the walls - new build ideal

Anyhow I hope you are not taking this personal cos it's just horses for courses !!

corradoboy

I suppose I was a bit off there, sorry.

daddyscoob

there's nowt wrong with being passionate about something I was worried in case my 'my dads ..... comment was taken wrong it was just meant as a joke......

corradoboy

By the sound of your set-up, and in a new build with all the wiring sorted before decorating, it is a very versatile and convenient system. Most high end receivers, mine included, control multi-room functionality, but in my 19th century house it would be a ball ache running the cabling. I'm adding a Mac Mini as a media server, wirelessly linked to the desktop and connected storage and sharing the web connection. I already run a media HDD with hundreds of movies and albums, and thousands of pics, but I want to add multi-room internet too, and Apple Airport linking a living room Mini to the office iMac and servers would be the best for me. Just gotta sort an insurance claim for my old pooter

daddyscoob

You clearly seem to me to be the guy I need to get advice from..... When we set out to build the one thing I told the Architect was that one wall in the living room had to be kept clear of windows and doors etc.... we don't even have a fireplace. This was so I could get the screen mounted and not take away from the feature wall with fireplace type stuff

Now bear in mind my TV choice was 8 months ago so probably already out of date..... I went with a Panasonic TH50PZ800B. Now for normal TV viewing and PS3 gaming it's great BUT.....

I'd like a screen and HD projector for movies so what would you recommend ?? Bearing in mind my budget is quite limited. I reckon I can run the wiring up the wall through the Bose mans trunking and as we are a bungalow easy to get to the projector.

I've seen HD projectors for lets say £600 up to £0000000 what do you reckon ??

I'm just of to bed but will pick up again tomorrow