Please explain this HiFi/Home Cinema Concept to me?

[admin_exported]

Hi guys and girls,

I have never understood why these are separate catagories, can't you get all combined system? or If i pay for separate parts? what do I look out for?

I am saving over the next 5 years for the best possible system which will be different by then but I will be pricing up to save on a set amount.

Do I buy an amplifier which can connect to a Blu-Ray/DVD/Hardrive/Television and Audio Formats, and attach speakers to the amp? 5.1?

Thank you for Advise?

 

[duaplex]

Hi Peter

You are asking for the holy grail there. They are separate as hifi uses an amplifier while home cinema systems use AV Receivers. Now of course both are classed as amps, but each is dedicated to the category they belong in. A hifi amp will not do the job of an AV and an AV will perform nowhere near the level of a dedicated hifi amp. Although most AV receivers are now getting better with music, they do not compare to an equivalent priced amplifier for hifi.

What are you hoping to achieve?

 

[Frank Harvey]

I think the biggest reason for one system not being able to reproduce the best of both is because the effects soundtrack to a movie is mixed on a sub/sat system, whereas the music soundtrack is mixed on more conventional hi-fi speakers.

So while a top notch AV system will reproduce the audio soundtrack as it was intended, it'll never reproduce the music as it was intended - just as a hi-fi system will produce the music soundtrack as it was intended, it'll never reproduce the audio soundtrack as it was intended.

I hope that makes sense.

Some people are happy with the high quality (and lower price) of two channels, whereas others prefer the enveloping sound if a 5.1 system, even if it may be of a lesser quality (like for like price-wise).

 

[Frank Harvey]

Double post.

 

[duaplex]

I'm one of those latter people