Help with putting together a new system - where to start?

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Aug 10, 2019
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I am new here, so apologies if I am posting in the wrong forum.

I used to have a good (well good low end!) hi-fi system, TV and home cinema system. However all are now outdated and I am looking to start again. We have just had our loft converted and have a room approx 20 ft x 15 ft to kit out.

We need:-

TV for watching HD films

Really good sounding hi-fi

I'd like to get newer technology if its appropriate and as such I was considering:-

- a 37" TV (currently have a Sony) - not sure which one, whether to go for LCD or plasma

- Apple TV (to download films and store music)

- a Humax hard drive recorder

We have FreeSat and most music is also on CDs.

I don't know which would be the best speaker package to get - a full home cinema surround sound or a more standard hi-fi package. Must have good sound for music (most important) with secondary role of having good sound for films. Also, I notice that most speakers these days seem to be really tiny, are they as good as the bigger speakers?

Do I also need an amp? Would it be better to buy a good amp and plug everything through that?

Do most TVs these days have all the inputs/outputs I need to wire up to a decent speaker system?

Is it worth/ how do I rig up our broadband internet so we can use internet via the TV? (Is it even worth doing this?)

We have a standard BT router/broadband package.

Any recommendations?

I will add that our house is detached, and we mainly play rock type music, although we play a huge range of other stuff too, from classical to Abba!!!!

And finally, not sure what budget I will need. Thinking about £1000 for the TV and another £1000 for the hi-fi/speakers plus £200 for Humax and £200 for Apple TV but its quite a flexible budget......

Any help or pointers on where to start would be really appreciated.
 

dave_k

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Aug 26, 2009
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Personally I'd go for a bigger TV, probably 42-46".

Then to start with I'd get a CA 650BD which will play pretty much any disc you throw at it pretty well. I'd probably also try out the matching CA 650A stereo amp with some suitable floorstanders and see what it sounds like. If you can't get a sound you like, try a different amp or 2.

Hook up you other bits and pieces to the amp and TV as appropriate.

Then if you feel you'ld like surround at a later point, pop in a AV reciever and complete the speaker count.
 
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Anonymous

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Thank you - will check out the Cambridge system.

Does anyone know, how does Apple TV fit into this system? Do I plug it in as an input to the 650BD or the amp? I think the Apple talks to my router, therefore I would then have internet access also?

What speakers work well with the Cambridge systems?
 
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Anonymous

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As you can see below, I have the Cambridge 740A and 740C and have recently bought 2 pairs of Dali Suite 2.8s from Sevenoaks Brighton. I am currently using one pair with my Cambridge amp and they sound fantastic. I originally had a pair of Mordaunt Short Avant 916i speakers, but I never really liked them. I am however very happy with my new speakers!

You can get a full surround speaker package, 2 x 2.8 for front, 2 x R07 for rear and a C07 for centre for £499 from sevenoaks, or it's £399 for the 2.8s alone (plus P&P). It is worth giving them a call though as they may be able to do you a deal. Couple the 2.8s with a Cambridge amp and I'm sure you'll love the sound that comes from them. The speakers do have a nominal impedance of 4 ohms, so they can be tricky to find an amp happy to handle them, and that's where you would be better off going for the 740A rather than the 650A as the 740A packs more punch. The last thing you want to do is buy an amp that isn't powerfull enough to drive your speakers as it will put a strain on the amp and your speakers that could result in the whole lot being burnt out and you being left in tears!

If you can, listen to stuff before you part with any cash, and take your time. The last thing you want to do is part with your hard earned cash and then in 6 months time to be wishing you'd gone for something different (as I did with my MS 916i speakers)
 

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