amp and speakers for 5.1

[admin_exported]

currently have a pair of dynaudio 42's / arcam cd72 and yamaha ax596.
I am looking to sell the lot and put the cash towards some 5.1 kit.

was looking at q acoustics 1030i for fronts
1010i for rears or smaller speakers/sat (misses isn't keen on having the 1010i at the side of the sofa!)
and a cheap centre

I dont really want a sub atm, which is why I picked the 1030i instead of the 1010i/1020i.

will be using my PS3 for bluray.
which amps should I be short listing for approx £200 - £300

 

[Anonymous]

What's your overall budget for speakers?

 

[Sorreltiger]

I suggest you do a bit more reading of recommendations and relevant threads on this site before you jump. I'm not sure you're going to end up very happy with your system if you go at it piecemeal.

The centre speaker is really important in a 5.1 set-up and needs to match the other front speakers. I also think that a sub is important for achieving a wide tonal range and an 'x factor' when watching movies.

 

[Anonymous]

TheYellowPeril:What's your overall budget for speakers?

£300
The q-acoustic 1030i's are £130 and I have seen the matching centre for £70
1010i's are £50 although smaller speakers would be better.

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, you really need to look around, though I have managed for this long without a sub - just use the LFE option in your amp and as long as your front speakers can handle it you'll be fine.

Nothing beats having a sub and hence I'm on the hunt for one now.

Bit of a scout about turns up the following, slightly over budget but maybe someone will offer an opinion on whether it's a good selection:

ONKYO TXSR607 HOME CINEMA RECEIVER
(BLACK)

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/5174

£319

ROTH OLi 5.1 HOME CINEMA SPEAKER SYSTEM

http://www.superfi.co.uk/index.cfm/page/moreinfo.cfm/Product_ID/5640

£399

Your budget seemed to be around £600 and this pushes it to £718

 

[Sorreltiger]

Superfi also have the full Q-Acoustics 2000 speaker package with the Sony STRDH800 amp for just over £700 (What Hi-Fi Award Winners). Could you wall-mount the surround speakers and hide the cables? They'd produce a much better surround effect if they were higher up, rather than beside the sofa.

 

[Anonymous]

amps (all £300 or less) i have shortlisted

Sony STRDH800
Denon 1610
Sony STRDH800
Onkyo TXSR577
Onkyo TXSR607
Sony STRDN1000
Yamaha RXV765

q-acoustics 1030i front £130
q-acoustics 1000c centre £69

trying to find smaller rears, and came up with
wharfdale 9.0 £49
or
Mordaunt Short alumni 2 £77

so that would a max of £576 (a bit of cash left)

 

[Sorreltiger]

Have you considered the Q-Acoustics Q-AV surround speakers, which are very small and can be wall-mounted?

 

[roger06]

Let me know if you sell the 42s. I'd like a pair for rears as have 52s for fronts...

And don't neglect a sub. I'm amazed how people underestimate its important - it makes a HUGE difference.

 

[swiftmick]

Best amp at this price? That would be the Sony Str 1000. Its 7.1, decodes the latest formats, upscales analogue signals, has 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output and looks rather cool with th black gloss finish. Oh! and did I mention I have one for sale with warranty?

 

[The_Lhc]

swiftmick:Best amp at this price? That would be the Sony Str 1000. Its 7.1, decodes the latest formats, upscales analogue signals, has 4 HDMI inputs and 1 HDMI output and looks rather cool with th black gloss finish. Oh! and did I mention I have one for sale with warranty?

Mick there's no advertising allowed on the site.

 

[Anonymous]

Yeah I have looked at the Q Acoutics qav wall mount rears and they do look good, however I would either have to have a cable up the wall or make a track up the wall (which is wallpapered!) I guess I could put them on the floor and angle them up!

forgot to mention that my sofa is right up against the rear wall, also I thought rears worked better at ear height.

nothing is ever simple!

 

[Anonymous]

I have normal standmount front speakers with the QAV rears, they're fantastic and really work well for multidirection sound.

I figured from your first post that you wanted normal style speakers though.

-

For amps, make sure you get one that can upscale non-HDMI signals to HDMI. The Sony 800 and most of the other cheap amps can't.

I believe the Sony 1000 can and the Onkyo 607, so assuming I'm correct these would be on my shortlist.

 

[Anonymous]

do you have your rears mounted on the wall?

the Sony STRDN1000 does upscale none hdmi inputs, but from what I have read on the net, the quality is very very poor.

 

[Sorreltiger]

If your priority is movies, IMO it would be much better to wall-mount your speakers. A higher position gives ambience and an integrated sound-field. If your sofa is up against the back wall, stand-mounted speakers will be facing you and rather close, giving a rather directional sound.

You haven't given any indication as to why upscaling (or even upconversion) would be a priority, so I'm not sure why you're getting advice in that direction. For your budget, I'd concentrate on achieving the best sound quality.

 

[Anonymous]

Sorreltiger:

If your priority is movies, IMO it would be much better to wall-mount your speakers. A higher position gives ambience and an integrated sound-field. If your sofa is up against the back wall, stand-mounted speakers will be facing you and rather close, giving a rather directional sound.

You haven't given any indication as to why upscaling (or even upconversion) would be a priority, so I'm not sure why you're getting advice in that direction. For your budget, I'd concentrate on achieving the best sound quality.

Upscaling isn't something I am to bothered about, I will only be using a PS3 and freesat. main thing I want is the best sound quality for my budget. main priorty is movies but I would still like good quality music. My Dyna 42's are great speakers but they are hard to drive (4ohms 86dB) and I assume that the av amps in my budget wont do them justice!

 

[Anonymous]

Yes, I have them mounted right up near the coving, still got to get round to hiding the cable.

 

[Anonymous]

TheYellowPeril:

Yes, I have them mounted right up near the coving, still got to get round to hiding the cable.

is your sofa right up against the wall? just out of interest what amp and fronts do you have?

 

[Anonymous]

Sofa right up against the wall with QED AV rears mounted either side pointing towards each other on side walls. As they are angled they actually point downwards towards seating position. Tried to get a picture up be just sorting hosting out.

Front's are just cheapy Gale G10's and a Gale Centre. Need to upgrade but not sure what to, still want stand mounts for decent stereo music but haven't got round to starting to look. Thinking MA Bronze's, B&W's or MS Mezzo's.

 

[Anonymous]

This is the speaker on the right hand side

 

[Anonymous]

More pics:

Rear left ...

Rear right ....

Main system front ...

 

[Anonymous]

looks good if I get the QAV's I will have to mount them behind me.

picked up a pair of 1030i at the weekend, and I have a demo booked for this week, but they only have the denon avr1610 and the onkyo 607, no Yamaha RXV765 or Sony STRDH800 in stock! will be listening using 1030i fronts, 1010i rears and 1000c.

noticed a few reviews of the onkyo 607 commenting on it running hot! have not found a review of the denon 1610, plenty for the 1910.

 

[Anonymous]

yet more questions!

about distance and postioning, I am sit 5ft 4inches from the the fronts and the front are 5ft apart! the rooms is 12x14 approx

rears once I get some will mount high on the wall behind me.

the floorstanders sound good to me but I wonder if they are too big for the room (sound wise)

 

[Anonymous]

roger06:
Let me know if you sell the 42s. I'd like a pair for rears as have 52s for fronts...

And don't neglect a sub. I'm amazed how people underestimate its important - it makes a HUGE difference.

Hi Roger, my 42's are up for sale if your still interested, they are cherry colour.