Newbie requesting help- AV Speaker package and Amp for £1250?

[admin_exported]

I went to demo a few Surround amp and Speaker packages yesterday having read a couple of whathifi magazines and done a little research on the internet. I thought I would listen to the B&W MT25 and KEF 3005SE packages along with the Onkyo 608 amp and make my decision from there. After a couple of hours I came back home more confused than when I left.

I tried the KEF's in Richer sounds with a 609 amp to be told that as they were new and not 'bedded in' they wouldnt sound that great, and I have to say I was very disappointed.

Then I went to Severnoaks - they said it was unlikely I could get any MT25 packages now as they are discountinued and instead set up a KEF T105 system with the Onkyo 609 and they sounded excellent.

My budget is £1250 tops and this is why I am thinking of sourcing a cheaper Onkyo 608 as I dont need spotify or the other new features as 90% of my use will be for home cinema - mainly action films and thrillers.

Is the T series a good Style speaker package, is there anything else I sould be considering. My room is 7m by 3.5m will the T105's fill that space ok? My only other consideration is that sometime in the future I was considing adding floorstanding speakers as the front left and right - could I still do this with the T series, somebody yesterday said something about a different driver?

Any help will be gratefully received!

 

[nopiano]

The point about 'drivers' is that floorstanding front speakers would probably be from a different series (or even manufacturer) and the sound characterstics may not match too well. With cinema systems, it helps if all the speakers have the same 'flavour'.

Someone else here has reported good results with the Roth Oli range: http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/roth-oli-speakers Q Acoustics is another possibility there.

In essence, these are lower cost hi-fi speakers making up a cinema system, rather than a 'style' package. A style package is better seen as a system not to be modified. The snag of the hi-fi route is finding the combination you want to audition, with upgrade potential, aside from needing the room to accomodate them. The benefit is the much better potential quality.

The Onkyo 608 would be fine with any of these, and, as you say, better value than its successor if you shop around. That said, for action and drama the 'smaller' Sony STR-DH820 is very impressive. I've heard it perform very well with a full blown 7.1 system. That would leave c. £1000 for speakers, and match your player perfectly.

Lots of other possibilities, so these are just a few thoughts.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for your response nopiano. I think that confirms my thoughts on the 608 so think I shall get that. But I'm still really undecided on the speaker package which due to the room size and shape has to be a 'style' package.

As you say I have £1000 of my budget left for the 5.1 package and then may spend another £300 or so on floorstanding fronts to take the package up to 7.1 in a few months.

Has anyone had a demo of the B&W MT25 or KEF 3005se packages back to back with the KEF T105 range?