About to take plunge into my first home cinema-need advice

[admin_exported]

Hi everyone, I thought Id ask the experts for some advice before I make the plunge, as the more I know the less likely Il make a bad purchase

I was originally going to buy the onkyo hts5405 package but after being on the phone to a man from a particular shop, I was convinced to go for a seperate reciever and then a seperate speaker package despite it being my first home cinema

My budget is around £250-500 (it keeps on growing) and the man on the phone mentioned the pioneer vsx421 reciever is very good for £200. However since I got off the phone I noticed on their website the sony str-dh820, which costs around £250 and won awards on what hifi

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pioneer-VSX-421-24-bit-192kHz-VSX-421-K/dp/B005YXJECS

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sony-STRDH820-Home-Cinema-Receiver/dp/B0056KDUII/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323863479&sr=8-1

Considering the cost and quality of these 2 recievers and my lack of experience with home cinema, which of these recievers do you think I should get?

Also the man on the phone talked to me about speakers and said they have the yamaha nsp285 for £99, the tannoy sfx 5.1 for £200 and the boston accoustics soundware 5.1 se for £300

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/yamaha/nsp285/yama-nsp285-blk

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/tannoy/sfx5.1/tann-sfx5.1-blk

http://www.richersounds.com/product/speaker-packages/boston-/soundware-xs-se/bost-sndware-xs-se-b

Should I go for the bostons speakers? Do you think the extra price is worth it or should I get one of the other cheaper speaker packages and save my money?

I hope to connect up my receiver and speakers up to my ps3 only, as I dont have sky or anything like that yet. Plus when watching just normal TV i.e digital on my panasonic plasma id rather not use the speakers as the TV speakers would be suffice.

I really appreciate any advice?

Thanks jeff

 

[kinda]

A lot of this would come donw to your preference for sound, and how the amp and speaker sound comlement each other. But that aside and if I couldn't hear them first I'd say go for the Sony + Tannoy combo.

I've heard an entry level Sony and Tannoy EFX setup and it was impressive, so I'd be confident they'd match and give you good results. Also, a friend has the SFX and they do sound good. The Sony amp is 7.1 as well, whereas the Pioneer looks to be only 5.1, and while you may not need 7.1 now good to be future proof.

Yamaha don't particulalry have a pedigree for speakers and unless you're really stretched I'd pay a bit more. I'm also not convinced spending another £100 more than the Tannoys on the Bostons would give you much more, though they do on paper look slightly easier to drive.

In demos I've found the Pioneer amps to have a bias toward high frequency, making them very clear aqnd detailed but with a spongy bass. I've found Denon and Sony to be more neutral, still with a detailed sound, but a more solid low end.

Anyway, that would be my thinking, and hope it helps. If you can set a definite budget and then have a listen to the options.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks kinda, Il ask about the sony and try to decide between the boston and the tannoy and hopefully come to the best solution. I think either way they should hopefully be good

 

[Anonymous]

I would suggest that the Sony 820 and the Boston XS would be a great starting point for any one just starting out, and much better than an all in one.

 

[LOST]

How about the sony 820 from richer sounds for £229 and the canton movie 125mx speaker pack (look at reviews on here) for £279 from sevenoaks or £299 from peter tyson which includes speaker cable and sub cable ? Brilliant start for £529 including cables etc !

 

[ear]

that pair would be nice.