New System advice - £1500 budget

[admin_exported]

Hello,

I am setting up a new system and need some advice.

Following reviews and seeing the set, I am going for the Samsung LE37B550.(£450 approx)

For the remainder of my budget I need to pay for:

• 
  Moving Sky cables (new TV location)
  Blu ray player (or PS3)
  TV Stand/Pedestal
  Surround system (Jamo A102HCS5?) plus stands - room won’t allow for hidden cables
  Cabling
  I am considering changing my Sat provision as I currently use Sky's Free-Sat service (don't laugh) - possibly to Virgin's cheaper offering as TBH I don't watch that much telly, but would like the option of some free HD channels etc..
  Possibly paying a chap to install this correctly (£200 max)

So, help required - what am I missing? Any common mistakes?

I can feel some of you readers of this going "tut, tut, tut, how naive" but seriously, I need some help and guidance - I'd rather learn from others than the painful expensive way myself!

Many thanks in advance,

Tony

 

[Messiah]

As far as the stand is concerned I would recomend THIS.

I have one of these and I cannot believe it is only £50.

 

[Messiah]

Also, you don't have any type of amp/receiver listed to run everything. Do you have one already or do you need to budget for this too??

(Oh and if you are going to pay someone £200 to install it, if you live near Portsmouth then I will do it!

)

 

[Anonymous]

I'll check out the stand 🙂

An Amp/Receiver - OK, need to add that to the list. Though that raises the next obvious question - Which one?

I am near Swinodn, Wiltshire - probably too far from Portsmouth!

 

[simonlewis]

Whats your budget for the amp, once we know we can offer you better advice.

 

[John Duncan]

New System advice - £1500 budget

 

[Anonymous]

Amp Budget: To be honest, I don't know. If it is accepted that the Screen will be £450, then £1050 for the remainder, Speakers £350? Stand £150? Blu-Ray £400? Leaves £200 for the remainder.

Hmm, not enough.

So let's say I have a further £500, so therefore £700 for cables, amp, etc.

 

[simonlewis]

How about the sony STRDH800 for £219.95 at richer sounds.

 

[John Duncan]

Telly - good choice, £450
Blu Ray - Sony BDP-S360 - currently £120
Amp - plenty of options. Received wisdom says the Sony STRDA2400ES at £400, though I'm a Yamaha fan.
Stand - as per Messiah above, 50 quid
Speakers - personally I'd get the Q Acoustics 1010i package for 350 quid, but the Jamos might do at a pinch for 100 quid less (I'd be least inclined to skimp here, unless you must have teeny speakers).
TV Source - get a Freeview HD box, 180 quid. Not a PVR at that price though I don't think.

Right, so that's...£1,550, without any cables or workmen moving stuff.

Lots of options to make some savings - keep the Sky box for a while, spend a bit less on the amp, go with your original choice of speakers...hopefully that'll give you some ideas?

 

[Messiah]

Ok, trying to stick to the original budget, I would go for these:

Speakers - Here Unless THESE are available...So max £500

TV Stand - as mentioned before - £50

Receiver - Here £280 EDIT - reading the post above suggests it's cheaper at Richer Sounds.....

BD Player - Here £120

Total so far is £950

Plenty for cabling. Might just have to go a little over to accomodate stands.....

 

[scene]

NewBoyTony: Hello,

I am setting up a new system and need some advice.

Following reviews and seeing the set, I am going for the Samsung LE37B550.(£450 approx)

So I'm assuming this leaves you with about £1050 for the rest

For the remainder of my budget I need to pay for:

• 
  Moving Sky cables (new TV location)

Can you do this yourself - to save money? I'm going to move my satellite point, and the only real cost is going to be a new cable (dish to socket) if the current one won't stretch

• 
  Blu ray player (or PS3)

Sony BDP-s360 - can get for about £105

• TV Stand/Pedestal

As above, £50 seems a bargain for that stand!

• 
  Surround system (Jamo A102HCS5?) plus stands - room won't allow for hidden cables

Jamo set is good, wouldn't rule out testing the Q Acoustics 2000 package. Don't look quite so stylish, but a bit more bang for your buck.

• 
  Cabling

Some Chord Carnival Silverscreen (@ £6/m) for speakers, a couple of ThatCable HDMI leads @£4.95 to connect BDP, screen and amp

• 
  I am considering changing my Sat provision as I currently use Sky's Free-Sat service (don't laugh) - possibly to Virgin's cheaper offering as TBH I don't watch that much telly, but would like the option of some free HD channels etc..
  Possibly paying a chap to install this correctly (£200 max)

So, help required - what am I missing? Any common mistakes?

I can feel some of you readers of this going "tut, tut, tut, how naive" but seriously, I need some help and guidance - I'd rather learn from others than the painful expensive way myself!

Many thanks in advance,

Tony

The missing amp: The Denon AVR-1910, if you can stretch to £400 would be good

A free trip to your local Dealer to try this lot out - priceless

 

[Anonymous]

Thank you to all for the sound advice - really much appreciated.

If any other readers for this post have suggestions, please put them forward.

Cheers,
Tony

Must be nearly time for me to dig out that credit card... 🙂

 

[Messiah]

Another idea is for something like THIS. It won't sound as good as the items listed above but may suit your needs and the sound may impress. Certainly be well under budget too......

 

[robjcooper]

Another option for your HD source would be to buy a Humax Freesat box. You already have the dish fitted, so all you need to do is connect up the Humax in its place. Humaxdirect sell A-grade versions of this box for £89.95 (plus either £5 or 7.50 delivery).

http://www.humaxdirect.co.uk/product.asp?ProdRef=10070&cat=stb

If you go with virgin you'll need a V+ Box which costs £75 (plus perhaps installation, usually £50 - not sure of their latest deals). But of course you will also be paying a monthly fee, which you won't be with freesat. There are a few more channels on Virgin, but to be honest they're not exactly worth shouting about.

Amp: I'd try and get hold of the Sony STRDA2400ES or the Denon AVR-1910 both £400.

Speakers: The q-acoustics are fabulous for the cash.

Stands: Try the Levv stands on amazon - £59.95. We have a couple at work and they are very well made for the cash.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00111UKN4/ref=s9_simh_gw_p23_t2?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-1&pf_rd_r=1J9ZW7WWQB733DM2SRAH&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=467198433&pf_rd_i=468294

Enjoy!

Rob