Newbie needs help with full system £3000 budget

[DanBeetlestone]

Help required please. I have always wanted a proper home cinema and will in the next 3-6 months have a budget of around £3000 but that includes everything from wiring to speaker stands. I have the following problems
Should I spend more on the
1. speakers or the amp
2. wiring or speakers
2. TV or blu ray

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[simonlewis]

1) speakers

2) speakers

3) TV

 

[izools]

I personally spend most on speakers, second on amp, third on TV, fourth on sources.

I managed to pick up a 50" 1080p plasma smart TV with active 3d for £500 around 18 months ago, LG. I believe the equivalent model retails for closer to £700 now but I personally think even the newest LED back lit LCDs are trounced by plasma with the lights off.

But it depends also on what you value most. I value audio more than picture, but you might be happier with a more modest receiver and speakers, and spend extra on having a projector instead of TV, or a much better TV with features like razor edge (very thin bezel), dynamic backlight to reduce bleed of blacks in the dark, motion compensation etc. The latter especially comes in handy when watching sports I'm told (not my thing personally).

Do you have any image in your mind of what you want?

Room size is an important consideration, too.

 

[CnoEvil]

Before you can answer this, you need to understand your priorities (as has been said)

- IMO. Sound is probably more important than picture for dramatic impact, unless you are looking at a projector.

- Look on amp / speakers as a matched pair that sound good together.

- For AV I would probably spend a little more on the Speakers / Sub (remember the centre and the sub have the biggest impact in 5.1)

- I would put more effort / budget into the TV, as cheap BDPs can be very good, but cheap TVs "can" be poor.

- At this stage, get cheap copper cables from the likes of Van Damme....you can get away with thinner / cheaper cables for the rear.

 

[DanBeetlestone]

Personally I want the experience to be like the cinema - sound everywhere and a brillaint picture bit like the Bruce Willis Sky advert.

The room its all going into to is roughly 4m x 4m.

My original thought was

Amp - Yamaha VX673 receiver. A given after all the reviews.

Speakers - Dali Fazon 3. Wife doesn't want traditional and divorce was mentioned. Then looked at Monitor Audio Mass & Bower & Wilkins MT-50

TV - Sony KDL-40HX853

Blu Ray - Sony BDP-S790

Virgin Tivo Box, PS3 or XBox 360 and a WII

Speaker stands, TV Rack and wiring depends on final decision, who I buy from and whether I wait to buy the TV.

The sites I have been looking at for buying are Audiovisualonline, Creative Audio & exceptional-AV.

Sony BDP-S790

 

[BenLaw]

Was question 2 serious?

 

[DanBeetlestone]

Yes it was last night until I took a step back and realised what a stupid question it was.

 

[The_Lhc]

Personally I want the experience to be like the cinema

.

.

.

TV - Sony KDL-40HX853

You're gonna need a bigger boat...

 

[GSB]

Are you looking to build your system over time,or buy in a one off purchase?

If the latter,then indeed you are gonna need a bigger boat.

Some very good and well looked after equipment can be had second hand,for a fraction of there original price,so maybe this could be an option :?

 

[theflyingwasp]

Hi there .on a budget of 3 grand with a room 4x4 it should be plenty .both picture and sound are important but I always feel you have to get the source right first .the best sound ,cables and stands won't mean much if what your looking at isn't up to snuff.in a room 4x4 a projector might not be suitable .you can pick up last years Panasonic vt50 55 inch for 1599 now .as for sound yes we can go crazy money here but in a 4x4 room like I have with 3 stone walls I choose the Yamaha ysp 2200 sound bar and it sounds awesome .it also has plenty of inputs for all your devices ,playing kill zone3 through the sounbar cranked up barely half way is amazing .this takes you up to 2400 leaving money for a console and hdmi cables .i don't want to start another hdmi debate off but after spending all this money are you really going to connect the lot with 5quid cables I'd go for audio quest pearl,and lastly since you have a soundbar you don't need to go nuts spending too much on a blu ray player packed with features you won't use go for last years Sony or this years flagship Panasonic it looks awesome as well .