Some basic advice please!

[admin_exported]

Right, just about to trade in the old TV and DVD player and want to get the best deal for my money.

Current TV has 5.1 using speakers built in to the set and two satellite speakers behind the sitting position. All the cables are in situ so don't need to do that little job!

I'd like to have a home cinema system but what's confusing me is the difference between 2.1 and 5.1 apart from the obvious ie the number of speakers.

Does a 2.1 utilise the TV's own speakers plus two satellite ones to provide surround sound? If so, then for my limited use this is probably the option for me.

Does a 5.1 system make the TV's own speakers redundant? If so, would there be any significant improvement in sound by going for 5.1?

If I decide to go for a 2.1 system, would I be better getting separates to the same monetary value as a 5.1 system (budget around £500) or just stick with an out of the box system?

And of course any recommendations as to kit would be appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[Anonymous]

Hi there, lemme explain the simple difference between 5.1 and 2.1 the 5 in 5.1 means you have 3 seperate speakers in front of you, one left channel front speaker one center channel front speaker and one right channel front speaker with a real left speaker and a rear right speaker. The .1 in 5.1 comes from a subwoofer. I have never seen any tv with built in 5.1 speakers as this is impossible because the rear speakers need to be behind the listener. So your tv does not have 5.1. A 2.1 system on the other hand consists of one left channel and a right channel which are both front speakers and a subwoofer. A home cinema doesnt use your tvs speakers because tv speakers sound rubbish and they do not blend with the other speakers in the system so you will be better off buying a seperate system. If you spend more money on a 2.1 system obviously you will get better sound because you are spending more money on each speaker. You will not however get surround sound unless you get 5.1 speakers.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Deep breath...

As already explained, your TV is stereo at best, although some models do use virtual surround processing to create the impression that surround sound is coming from behind you. A few models also have a basic subwoofer built-in, so I guess they could be described as 2.1 - just...

In general, the sound of TVs is poor, at least when compared to that of systems using standalone speakers: it's a pure matter of physics, in that as TVs get slimmer, there's less airspace behind the speakers, and thus less chance for them to develop a good sound. That's why old TVs generally sounded OK: there was a lot of empty space inside those gargantuan cabinets.

Anyhoo...

A 2.1-channel system - usually comprising a 'head unit' containing the player, processor and sometimes the amplification, a pair of speakers and a subwoofer - will usually give better sound than a TV alone. The amplification has more power, the speakers are larger, and those constraints common in a TV don't apply.

Most such systems use some kind of technology to create the impression of sound coming from all around you, usually employing phase shifts and the like to fool your ears.

Common versions of this are Dolby Virtual speaker and Sony S-Force Front Surround processing, and most companies either use the Dolby version or their own technology, while a few, notably KEF in its KIT systems, use extra speaker drive units and actually bounce the sound around the room.

Versions of this 2.1 surround technology can also be found in 'soundbar' systems, which include processing, amplification and speakers in a single housing, designed to be mounted below the speaker. These usually either come with, or can be used with, a subwoofer to provide bass reinforcement.

5.1 systems are true surround systems, using front left, centre and right speakers, left and right surround speakers to the side of or behind the listening position, and a subwoofer. These give the best results, but of course some find it hard to find space for six speakers in their room.

Other variations on this theme are 7.1-channel, using a side surround speaker and a rear speaker on each side, and the likes of Dolby Pro-Logic IIz or Yamaha's proprietary cinema sound systems, which use extra front speakers mounted high up to give a height dimension to the sound.

The advantages of an all-in-one system, commonly referred to as a 'home cinema in a box' is that it has a player, processor, amplification and speakers for a 'just add TV' solution. The downside is that connectivity is limited: few DVD-based systems of this kind have connectivity to allow a Blu-ray player to be hooked up later - though some systems now come with Blu-ray built-in.

A separates system, by contrast, means buying a home cinema amplifier (or AV receiver as it is often called) to handle the processing and amplification, and a speaker package, usually of five speakers and a subwoofer.

The downside of this approach is that it requires a deal of cabling and is a bit of a faff to set-up; the upside comes in the form of greater flexibility - extra sources such as players, TV set-top boxes and games consoles can be played through the system - and generally superior performance.

Phew! Hope all that helps...

 

[Anonymous]

Yes that's a great help. Thanks!

I reckon I'll go for the 5.1. Am I right in thinking that when connected, the TV speakers effectively become redundant and ALL sound comes via the cinema system speakers?

Shafin, perhaps I didn;t explain that as well as I could have. The current TV DOES have a version of 5.1 in that it came supplied with separate rear speakers as well as three speakers built into the set.

 

[Andrew Everard]

Yes: make sure you buy a TV with an audio output, either as optical digital or analogue stereo, and then you can connect the sound from broadcast TV through the system or home cinema amplifier you buy.

Some TVs did come with extra rear speakers, and used Dolby Pro-Logic processing to get a surround effect from stereo material. I'm confident any system you buy for the kind of money you're considering will sound better than your existing set-up, or I wouldn't be suggesting you change

 

[Anonymous]

Andrew you're a star! Thanks a lot!

 

[Andrew Everard]

YVW

 

[Anonymous]

Ahh I understand your setup now, however as Andrew said you are much better off getting a seperate 5.1 speaker setup with a seperate amplifier to supply power to the speakers and decode the sound formats. Specially with 500 quid you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Try to spend evenly on the speakers and the amplifer.

Good luck,
Shafin

 

[Anonymous]

Ahh I understand your setup now, however as Andrew said you are much
better off getting a seperate 5.1 speaker setup with a seperate
amplifier to supply power to the speakers and decode the sound formats.
Specially with 500 quid you can get a lot of bang for your buck. Try to
spend evenly on the speakers and the amplifer.

Good luck,
Shafin

 

[bigboss]

Here are some suggestions for a 5.1 separates system:

http://www.richersounds.com/information/home-cinemasystems

And these are some ideas for a one box home cinema system:

http://www.richersounds.com/products/home-cinema/home-cinema-separates/1-box-home-cinema-systems

Generally, the separates system are superior in performance (as Andrew said), but some of the one box systems are excellent.

These links will be useful to check out the good ones:

http://www.whathifi.com/BestBuys/

http://whathifi.com/BestBuys/Home-Cinema-in-a-Box-BestBuys/Home-cinema-in-a-box/