Help!! I am looking for advice for a home cinema system; speakers are my problem???

[admin_exported]

I recently bought a new house and want to buy a home cinema system. I hate the idea of wires everywhere, but all the research I have done suggest that wireless systems are just not the same. I went into a Bose store to check out their sound bar and it is rubbish (the surround sound just isn't surround) any advice should I go with a normal speaker set up what about wiring?? And also if I do go with this option what kit should I look at 5 speaker system with AV (already have a blue ray)

 

[drichardb]

Have you checked out Yamaha's YSP2200? Picked up a Product of the Year gong in the 2011 WHF awards...

 

[sta99y]

Hi, I listened to the yammy 2200 at the Bristol show, dialogue was weak and the surround effects not that great, it all sounded as if you were listening in a cave, alot of echo as if it had surround.

Maybe it wasn't setup right.

 

[Anonymous]

hi there,

I agree i really dont like soundbars the concept is great and on that yamaha i thought the surround effect was reasonable decent but at high volumes the lack of bass was extremily noticeable and they aren't cheap either i dont think.

how about a small speaker package; i have the Boston Soundware XS in my bedroom and its brilliant speakers are tiny and very stylish and the subwoofer is brilliant, fast and powerful bass when needed especially in films but works great in 2 channel music too. You can buy cheap cables too, mine are cambridge audio and they are very easy to run under the carpet and they arent thick either. the surround sound is great and was well worth the £250. The speaker package also won a what hi fi award too last year.

hope that helps

chris

 

[Anonymous]

I agree i dont like soundbars, not a patch on a proper speaker system

how about using small speakers i have the Boston Soundware XS which is fantastic, won a what hi fi award last year too.

 

[Frank Harvey]

Soundbars do their best to 'create' rear effects, but however good they can do that, they'll never match up to having two speakers behind you.

Are to specifically after something small?

 

[Anonymous]

Yes small or if not small something out of sight, and then my girlfriend wont complain about having to look at 5 speakers. My room is a normal square shape about 13 FTl by 15 w there or there about. I have the TV in one of two alcoves (the alcoves are separated by a fireplace. I was thinking of having two speakers at either end of the Alcoves and two behind me and the couches.

Again my issue is keeping speakers out of sight and working out how to get around wiring. I am prepared to pay for the right kind of set up (when I say pay €2-3 k max for everything)

 

[Anonymous]

Im not sure about keeping them completely out of sight, thats tricky unless you get something installed in the walls or ceiling. But dali , b & w and KEF all offer stylish and discreet speaker packages that sound very good for less than 2,000. couple that with the 1,000 yamaha RX-A1010 and there you have it.

For hiding cables can you not run them under the floor? if you have carpet

 

[Frank Harvey]

The most discreet thing is going to be a soundbar, but you'll be limited for rear effect. Wireless rear speakers are going to have to be active, meaning they're not going to be small, and even if they're run by an amp you can tuck away behind the sofa, theres going to be wires involved. The simplest wiring will be the traditional way - from an AV receiver at the front supplying two speakers at the back with speaker cables.

Other than in-wall, there's no real high quality compact speakers. The smallest that spring to mind are Bose and Boston Acoustics Soundware. You could look at KEF's on-wall T Series which are very flat, and not obtrusive as far as room space is concerned. Going a little larger will open up your choice vastly. B&W MT50 or MT60D, KEF KHT 3005se, Q Acoustics Q7000 and Monitor Audio Radius HD models will be well worth looking at. Mix them with a good £500/600 AV receiver and you'll have a great system that you won't regret buying, and even if they are slightly bigger than you'd have liked, the quality will assure you that you've done the right thing.

 

[duaplex]

Onkyo 609 for an AV comes to mind and as for speakers you will need to get a good 5.1 setup as suggested above. Bose (for once) have nice small speakers that would be discrete and out of sight. As for wires you can always hide those by using cable trunking or by embedding them into the walls and plaster over.

How much have you got to spend?

 

[duaplex]

Apologies, I just saw the budget you mentioned.

I would suggest an Onkyo 609 and perhaps pairing it with the Apex 5.1 system. I would buy the lot as ex demo and save myself a good bit of money for cabling. This will bring you in line with your budget.

Or

Hold tight for the new B&W M1 speakers and pair that with the Onkyo.

Also +1 to the above

 

[bigboss]

Is it your own house or is it rented? If own house, speak to your local dealer who also offers installation service. The installers have very clever ways of passing wires & cables behind the walls. I did not even have to even do a touch up paint after their work!

Look at Monitor Audio Radius HD speakers (R90HD10) speakers, to go with either a Denon or Yamaha or Onkyo AV receiver.

 

[richardw42]

The R90HD pack would seem ideal. They can be wall mounted, or use the own dedicated stands. A little bit of forward planning with cables would pay. I'm not that bothered by wires but cables ties etc it's a neat job. All the 500ish amps mentioned would be good. Although Yamaha & Marantz do it for me.

I do think the Onkyo 609 wouldn't really do justice to Apex 5.1. Also your budget is Euros not pounds ?