To create a home cinema and HiFi System, from nothing

[zoro07]

Hello all! Sorry, my english is not perfect!

I bought a TV (Philips 46PFL8606).

I would like:

- to complete it with home cinema system, and
- to replace my old basic "hifi" Sony stereo,

by a sole system.

I discover it is a jungle, and I am lost! I read a lot to try to educate myself, but I am still lost... Help!

So, you, experts and people with passion and knowledge for this kind of technologies, would you be kind enough to help me? Thank you in avance.

Here are the points:

- the room is something like 75 m2 (something like 6 X 12.5 m; hight: 2.60 m) (kitchen, dining room, salon and corridor, all open).
- TV is near a corner.
- I like the sensation to have the best I can have with my budget (I like the 5 stars of What Hifi), but I am not an audio/video specialist.
- my idea is to buy:
--- an amplifier audio/video (for Home cinema and Music stereo).
--- a blue-ray/DVD/CD player.
--- two hifi speakers.
--- if necessary a subwoofer.
--- if necessary a central speaker.
- If the equipment has a nice design, I would be happy...
- the amplifier must be complete enough to add some speakers later to have a 5.1 home cinema.
- I would like to have the possibility to be connected in any way with my computer.
- I am not a geek...
- the budget is something like £ 2'000 to £ 3'000.

What is for you the best buy for each element, so that all is compatible and coherent.

Good luck, and thank's again!!!

Best regards

 

[John Duncan]

Hello zoro07, and welcome.

That's quite a nice budget there, and you can probably do everything you need in one go! One issue I have is the fact that your television is in the corner; is there somewhere on each side of the TV to put full-sized speakers or do they need to be quite small?

 

[zoro07]

Hello John, thank you for your message and your interest.

Yes, I think it is a nice budget (for me). I spared some money in the idea that one time I will make me a pleasure and by a very good audio/stereo system. I have a new home since last november and I decided that time is arrived...

To answer you question, I must say that

- I can make possible to put full-sized speakers on each side of the TV, but not far away from the TV.

- I would prefer that the speakers have a quite nice and modern design and are not to much massive.

- I have really nothing against full-sized speakers (which have normally an advantage in term of perfomance [am I right?]), but if it is possible to have the same performance with smaller speakers, I would certainly chose the smaller.

 

[John Duncan]

Apologies, I got waylaid

I'm guessing you're not in the UK (the 2'000 suggests Switzerland to me :-D ); are the same brands available over there as here? I'm thinking particularly loudspeakers, since most of the good AV brands should be? If so, what are prices like for AV receivers like Yamaha, Denon and Onkyo?

 

[d4v3pum4]

Monitor Audio Radius HD270 should fit in nicely. I wouldn't worry too much about having the speakers too close to the TV for movies but it would be better to get some space between the edge of the screen and the speakers for music (stereo). There are numerous guides around the web for speaker placement. Google "speaker placement triangle" or similar to find them.

I would definitely recommend a subwoofer and centre speaker. I'm sure the matching MA sub will be fine but if you can get them where you live, have a look at the BK range as well.

Amp wise, stick with the £500 (equivalent) and upwards models and you will have a nice system. Denon and Yamaha would be a good place to start. I obviously don't know what is available where you live but there are a few discounted models still knocking around e.g. Denon AVR3312, Yamaha RX-V3067.

 

[zoro07]

Hi all,

Yes, I live in Switzerland!

I discovered those last weeks, looking for information, that we have really a lot of brands in Switzerland, including naturally the most common (Samsung, Sony, Philips, Panasonic, Toshiba, etc.), but also Onkyo, Yamaha, Marantz, Denon, Pioneer, Harman-Kardon, Bose, B&O, Sonos, etc., and the more confidential (NAD, Cabasse, Triangle, Focal, Davis, JBL, Monitor, Klipsch, KEF, Reynaud, Naim, Argon, Geneva, Ergo, Piega, Loewe, etc.). The choice is large, but I guess that we don't have as much as in England for example.

With such a large number of brands, which each has more than one product, this represent a jungle for me, and make the choice difficult..., but exciting!

Thank's again for your help.

 

[zoro07]

Example of prices in Switzerland for two amplifiers "What Hifi Best Buy":

- Pioneer VSX-LX55: about CHF 1'500.-

- Onkyo TX NR609: about CHF 550.-

1 GBP is about 1.5 CHF.

 

[zoro07]

Any suggestion ?

 

[poldo]

If you want a design speaker set I would think the Dali Fazon and Monitor Audio Radius would be nice, AVR would be a taste matter.

You could also look at the Dali Zensor 5 Home cinema set-up it is awesome, I own the Zensor 1 setup in a smaller room.

I love Switzerland by the way, I went to Karnten when Feyenoord played FC Karnten some years ago.

 

[zoro07]

Thank you for the suggestion. I will analyse those products.